A weekend in volleyball land

My friend Melissa (aka HUF) invited me to play sand volleyball on Sunday nights this summer. I've never really played. It's been a really fun learning process. So when I heard our company was sponsoring a team in the Pollyball tournament I went for it. This meant practice on Friday night, tournament from 9 to 4pm Saturday, plus normal league play on Sunday over at Glass City Lanes. What a blast! I'm making new friends and getting good exercise. I'm not seeing a downside here...

This Pollyball Tournament was hosted at International Park in Toledo. They had much food and drink, activities for the kids (or young at heart), and of course people from all over the area coming together to compete in a friendly way. It was perfect weather this year and I can't remember Toledo looking more beautiful!

My first 5k

Over the winter I started jogging a little bit at the gym during lunch hour. This progressed slowly but surely to the point I could actually run a mile without stopping (something I never did before). Taking this to the next level I signed up for the Glass City 5k at UT. Starting on Saturday the 21st there was a fitness expo in Savage Hall. This one vendor was showcasing these really wild looking elliptical bicycles. Many running shops of course with clothing shoes, some food vendors too.

The Sunday morning race started early, it was brisk morning with nice blue skies. I kept a slow steady pace through the scenic route of Old Orchard an the University of Toledo campus. I finished the race without walking in about 29 minutes. I had some generous people believing in me for this and raised nearly $300 for the Great Lakes Collaborative for Autism. I think the kind donations really kept me moving, they were a great motivator.

At the end of the race I walked around inside the UT Glass Bowl for a little while and cheered for others finishing the race. They had snacks and drinks, and were even serving Gino's pizza and beer in the parking lot. I only had to wait about a 30 minutes for the first half marathon runner Evan Gaynor to finish. Wow, that was an inspiration!

Weekend update

Friday night: making pizzas and family movie night @ home


Saturday: Toledo Sister Cities International festival @ Erie Street Market, some yard work / house work, then church charity auction (lots of fun)

http://toledosistercities.synthasite.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_Ohio#Sister_cities


Sunday: Golf @ Ottawa Park and lots of family time.

http://www.ottawaparkgc.com/



What a great weekend!

NWNUG meeting

Went to the NWNUG / .Net Usergroup of Northwest Ohio last night for a nice overview of the Windows 8 "Metro Style" platform by Jennifer Marsman. Microsoft is having a go at distribution channel like Apple App store.

Caught up with some acquaintances whom I haven't seen in ages. It was nice. The temperature was about 70F after coming out of the building at 9pm...incredible weather.

Weekend update...

The weather has been amazing, scary warm...made for scary storms last week! Friday night we visited happy hour at Del Sol. This is the restaurant bar at the Grand Plaza (formerly Crowne Plaza, formerly Wyndham, formerly Radisson?) The food here is the best I've ever had at a hotel and we are totally hooked. It makes for a really nice Saturday family day out actually; a visit to Imagination Station with the kids and then head next door to Del Sol / Aqua Bar with a Restaurant.com coupon. I digress...

Friday night after 1 of everything on the appetizer menu and a couple of "Smutty Nose" at Del Sol with some friends, we went to Its Friday at the TMA. There were a couple of nice dance numbers in the great hall (Ardan and then Toledo Ballet). We walked the galleries for a while and then called it a night (a very good night).

Saturday was a combination of kids activities, some outside time at the park and back yard, and then the evil weekend homework. Sunday was church, then an afternoon shuffling from one kid activity to the next. Where does the time go!?

Attention adventurers of any ilk...

Hey Toledo, check it out. BASHCon this weekend:

http://ut-bash.com/bashcon/

Its not just for geeks, its for pirates and ninjas too. Besides, its hip to be square?

Anyways, go, have fun, and make new friends.

Calling all artists

Please support this art store downtown...it is beautifully done and is the kind of business that nurtures the creative types in our city. It really raises the bar for us.

http://www.artsupplydepo.com/

Does anyone remember when Richard Florida came to speak at the Peristyle? I think St Claire street's revival is what he helped us envision.

Life is good

Tool concert last night, dodgeball tonight. I'm living it up in Toledo! (and making new friends in the process).

For a good time check out TSSC:

http://www.toledosportandsocialclub.com/

Snowball fight down by Imagination Station

Even the great statues we have downtown can get into the action. Who says Toledo is no fun?