Red Coats - Mackinaw City, MI

Wheelbarrow - Mackinaw City, MI

Evil Queen drawing

I have never watched Snow White, but I saw a picture of the Evil Queen and wanted to draw her. I found a coloring book page of the Evil Queen and a bird and loved it. I used a 2H pencil to draw the Evil Queen.

Millrose Games

Ross Dettman

The 108th NYRR Millrose Games took place Saturday at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory in New York.

Brycen Spratling set a new American Indoor, world best and Armory record in the 500m. Spratling won the race in 1:00.06. The old American record belonged to Ken Lowery who ran 1:00.17 in 1987.

Ross Dettman

Matt Centrowitz beat Nick Willis in a close finish in the Wanamaker Mile in 3:51.35 to Willis' 3:51.46. Bernard Lagat finished the race in 3:54.91 for 4th place. Lagat's time also set a new world masters record. The old record was 3:58.15 and held by Eamonn Coughlan.

Another close finish took place in the men's 5000m. Lopez Lomong won the race in 13:27.60 over second place finisher Ryan Hill in 13:27.80.

Ross Dettman

Other winners of the meet were Aleec Harris with a world-leading time in the men's 60m hurdles in 7.50. Phyllis Francis won the women's 400m in 53.14. Shannon Rowbury ran away from the field in the women's Wanamaker mile in 4:24.31. Erik Sowinski won the 1000m run in 2:21.18.


Ajee Wilson won back-to-back Millrose Games 800m in 2:01.57. Sally Kipyego was the women's 3000m winner with a time of 8:41.72. Murielle Ahoure won the women's 60m in 7.05. Winning the men's 60m was Marvin Bracy in 6.53. Sharike Nelvis was the winner in the women's 60m hurdles witha time of 7.91. Jesse Williams won the high jump by clearing 7-7.

Art model

I volunteered to be an art model this week. The class is figure study at the college I work at. The students are working with clay to sculpt a bust. Practically all the students are forming people that they know. They are working off of photos and one student is using a mirror. As she is doing a clay bust of herself.

Besides myself, there are two other models, male and female. The first time I volunteered, I was asked to model three times. The times I wasn't needed, I was sitting at a desk. When a student asked for my assistance. I would look and face the way they wanted me to. When asked to face them, I had a difficult time making eye contact. I would look at the ceiling or just over their head. As an art major, I had my share of working with live models. So many pairs of eyes are on you. To me its just a weird feeling.

The second time visiting the class, I was used five times. Most of the students in the class don't ask me to pose for them. That is OK. I just like being able to help out if they need it.

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock
The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin
A Family Business: A Chilling Tale of Greed as One Family Commits Unspeakable Crimes against the Dead, Ken Englade
 
Currently Reading: Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, Michael Gross

Left Shark

The Super Bowl took place February 1 in Glendale, Arizona. I wasn't able to watch much of the game because I had to go to bed early. I had to work the next morning at 4 am.

As I was reading my Twitter timeline early Monday morning, I kept seeing #LeftShark. Since I had no idea what it was, I had to Google it. During Kate Perry's halftime show, she had dancing sharks on stage with her. After seeing the video, the left shark was having trouble with its choreography. It didn't match his partner on the right side.

Uncoordinated Left Shark made me happy and I thought it was cute. Who has not messed up at one point in life? What I loved about #LeftShark is that he kept going. Never give up.

The internet did have a bunch of #LeftShark photos. I picked some that I liked.

New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

Victah Sailer

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix took place Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Big winners of the night were the New Balance Distance Medley Relay team of Sarah Brown, Mahagony Jones, Megan Krumpoch and Brenda Martinez. The group set a DMR world record with a time of 10:42.57. The group ran a 1200m, 400m, 800m and 1600m. Nicole Tully of the New York All-Stars passed Brenda Martinez with two laps to go. Martinez was able to chase Tully down to set the world record.

Bernard Lagat's second place finish to Dejen Gebremeskel of Ethopia in the 3000m set a new master's world record. Gebremeskel won the race in 7:48.19 to Lagat's 7:48.33. Lagat lowered the world record by 13 seconds. The former record was 8:01.44.

The final record of the night was set by Jenny Simpson in the Two Mile. Simpson pulled away from the field to win the race and set an American Record with a time of 9:18.35.

Other winners from the night were Matthew Centrowitz in the men's 1000m with a time of 2:17.00. Trell Kimmons was the 60m winner in 6.51. Treneire Moser beat training partner Mary Cain to win the 1000m in 2:37.86. New Zealand's Nick Willis won the Mile in 3:51.61. Newly signed Oiselle pole vaulter Mary Saxer won with a height of 14-9. Chaunte Lowe won the high jump with a leap of 6-2. Ryan Whiting was the winner of the shot put throwing 70-3.75.

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock
The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin
 
Currently Reading: A Family Business: A Chilling Tale of Greed as One Family Commits Unspeakable Crimes against the Dead, Ken Englade

Super Bowl XLIX

Associated Press/David J. Phillip

The New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 Sunday in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

I watched about five minutes of the Super Bowl. I needed to go to bed early because I had to work at 4 am Monday morning. I was happy to see that New England won the game. I'm not a big fan of New England, but I do like Tom Brady. Brady did go to Michigan. As for Seattle, I'm not a fan of theirs. Never have been. Probably never will.

Pleased that Brady has won four Super Bowl titles and was named MVP for a third time. #GoBlue

Hot Chocolate Hustle 5K

I ran the Hot Chocolate Hustle 5K Saturday.

It was 18° with a feel of 9°. I decided not to run with pants. They just felt too bulky. So I ran in an Oiselle Oynx jacket, Oiselle Bird of a Feather long sleeve, Oiselle Long Rogas, stocking hat, gloves and compression socks.

When the race started my legs and toes were numb. Eventually my left toes warmed up, but not my right toes or legs. My hands did get warm, so I popped the top off the gloves and unzipped my jacket.

I ran 8:25 for the first mile and was keeping pace with a large group. After passing the mile mark, I was running stride for stride with another lady. I like running with her during races because our pace is similar. We stuck together for probably the entire second mile. Then with a mile or less to go, she and another lady started pulling away. I finished the race in 27:05. I was first in my age group and was the 14th overall woman.

I was disappointed that I wasn't able to stay with the two other ladies. But this was the first race of the year and there is nowhere to go but up.

Abraham Lincoln statues at New Salem I - Petersburg, IL

Man without a face

I started this charcoal drawing in late December. I completed the man in about an hour, then the holidays happened. Over the weekend, I sat down with my sketchbook and finished it. I love how it turned out.

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan
Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock

Currently Reading: The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, Jay Margolis & Richard Buskin

Coach K

USA Today Sports/Anthony Gruppuso

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Blue Devils men's basketball coach, was the first Division I men's coach to reach 1000 wins Sunday. Coach K's Blue Devils came from behind to defeat St. John's Red Storm 77-68 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Links to a few videos about Coach K: legendary career, win 1,000 and on milestone.

Super Bowl

The teams for the Super Bowl is set. It will be the defending World Champions Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots.

To reach the Super Bowl, Seattle overcame a 19-7 deficit against Green Bay Packets to tie the game at 22 in the fourth quarter. The game went to overtime. Seattle won the coin toss and drove down the field to score the winning touchdown. Seattle defeated Green Bay 28-22.

In the AFC Championship game, the New England Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 45-7. The Colts were only able to score once in the second quarter. Tom Brady threw for 226 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. LeGarrette Blount had 30 carries for 148 yards and three touchdowns.

Super Bowl XLIX will be played on Sunday, February 1 at 6:30 pm ET on NBC. Unfortunately for me, I can only watch the first half hour of the game. I will be going to bed at 7 pm because I have to work the next morning at 4 am. I don't even remember the last time I watched an entire Super Bowl. Oh well. I can always watch SportsCenter for highlights of the game.

Oiselle meet up

Photo courtesy of @ajbgillespie

I drove up to East Lansing Saturday to meet up with a few Oiselle ladies.

I had lunch with Lauren, Andrea, Alicia, Anne and Courtney at the Michigan State Hall of Fame Cafe. I've had dinner with Andrea and Alicia before, so I was excited to meet Lauren, Anne and Courtney.

Everyone comes from a different running background and it was fun to talk about goals and upcoming races. I love how running and Oiselle bonded us quickly.

Hope to see all of these lovely ladies again soon.

KG

One of my favorite high school teachers, KG, passed away suddenly last week. When I heard the news, I was shocked. KG was always active and fit. I would have considered him still young, he was 72 when he died.

Until I saw the year he was born, I forgot that my Dad and KG were born the same year. My Dad died in 1998 when he was 56 and KG passed away last Wednesday at 72. Life isn't always fair and you never know when your time is up.

The family decided to hold private services for KG. I was saddened that I couldn't say goodbye one final time. I will always have fond memories of KG. He was a great history teacher, track coach and person. He is someone I will never forget.

Rest In Peace.

Lights Before Christmas IV - Toledo, OH

Books read in 2015

The Bridge at Chappaquiddick, Jack Olsen
And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO, Justin Jordan

Currently Reading: Art on the Block, Ann Fensterstock