Maybe This is the Year I Should Take a Break?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
33 Days Until Bolder Boulder

Perhaps this was going to be a greater challenge than I had anticipated. It was nicer today compared to yesterday but I found I was like a sloth on the running trail. And, at under 4 miles of a relatively even surface with minimal changes in elevation, I should not be as tired as I was running.

Today’s weather was even nicer than yesterday. It felt slightly warmer and there was just a little wind. We hit the trail after shooting a few baskets and, as usual, I let Angela set the pace. I would do my best to keep up.

Although the route wasn’t that tough, it felt difficult to me. That was disappointing. I also knew my pace was not going to win any medals. Fortunately, we talked the entire way and that kept me distracted from the tiredness I felt. I knew I needed more rest but didn’t have a plan to get it.

It was a typical day for me. I spent it advising two people who called for business advice, took care of the dogs, worked on the television show, and spent time with my daughter. What more could one ask for?

That evening, I attended a talk by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. The event was held at the Stadium Club. The Club was housed atop Folsom Stadium – the football stadium for the University of Colorado. It was a great place for an event.

The sponsor was First Western Trust Bank. They did a great job and had the event catered by Centerplate, a local firm. Centerplate had a great line-up of food and provided superb service. I was very impressed with the catering company.

Just as impressive was my capacity to eat a wide variety of goodies offered by wait-staff circulating through the crowd. A shrimp appetizer wrapped in a narrow cone shell made of some kind of flaky but strong pastry was fabulous. That was only the beginning. By the end of the event, I had tried a wide variety of appetizers and also had gone through the buffet line. My diet plan was totally shot. At least I drank a mixture of orange and cranberry juice for my beverage. That partially assuaged my guilt.

Reich had been Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton. He had appeared on my Talk Radio program when I was in that arena (I no longer am). He joined me when I did my Talk Radio program one week from Washington, D.C. He was very smart, articulate, and funny.

At 4’10” tall (and even that measurement may have been an exaggeration but it’s not like you could go up to him with a tape-measure in hand), he was a stark contrast with my 6’5″ height.

Reich also had been my professor for all of one week when he was teaching at Harvard University 19 years ago and I was attending the John F. Kennedy School of Government. I had signed up for his course and was promptly critical of his major argument made the first day of class. Reich was taken aback and, for the next two days, we had a bit of a “back-and-forth” going. He then announced the class was oversubscribed and said a dozen or so people would be randomly selected to “leave the class.” I was ready to drop it anyway so I was willing to volunteer to leave the class. He didn’t seem upset at my suggestion.

The following Monday, after I already had informed the School I was changing courses, I saw the listing of “random” names who were being booted from the course. I noticed my name was on the list and chuckled. I figured Reich wasn’t taking any chances I would renege on my commitment to leave.

Reich gave an interesting, informative, educational, and humorous talk to the crowd of about 150 people. He had his new book with him entitled, “Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life.” That was an inclusive title if I ever heard one. Who wouldn’t want to buy the book? The crowd thoroughly enjoyed his take on the Economy, the presidential race (he recently had endorsed Senator Barack Obama), and his stories about life as the nation’s 22nd Secretary of Labor.

After his speech, he took a number of questions and handled them all well. I could tell people were very pleased with his performance. Once he was done, I had the chance to visit with him. It was fun to see him again and we had a nice talk. He promised to join me on my show at a later date and I told him I looked forward to that.

That was the end of the workday for me. I stayed and talked with a number of people I had not seen in months and even years. It meant I got home later than I wanted but it was nice to get out for a while. I knew, however, the great food from Centerline was going to be a setback but that had not stopped me from devouring the goodies they offered.