What was the best thing about me being an idiot today?

The title is an actual quote that I’ll explain below. 

10 PAX gathered on a cool, humid morning in the gloom.  Tesla approached the circle right as the clock struck 0530, right on time for a quick disclaimer, then straight to business.  Warmed up with Seal jacks, Hillbilly walkers, Hand-release merkins, Squats, Mountain climbers, Nolan Ryans, Hello Dollys (all 10xIC) and 5 burpees.

After a quick count-off, we moseyed to the tennis courts.  On the way, I thought it’d be fun to do some Foxhole merkins.  Orangeman and I had recently reminisced about when Bedpan called those on sopping wet downtown streets – ah, good times.  It had rained the night before in Belmont, but the streets were nearly bone dry.  We stopped for 5 Foxhole merkins each at 2 intersections.  It was fun but didn’t have quite the same effect as it did in the rain.

At the tennis courts, we partnered up for Team 11’s: Starting in the middle of all 4 courts, partners started with one Boo-yah merkin, then Nurred in opposite directions to the ends of the court for 10 Bobby Hurleys, then returned to the middle by lunge-walking, bear-crawling, or both for 2 hand-release merkins, etc.  Mumblechatter commenced to debate about what does or doesn’t qualify as necessary modification, and we settled on the policy that each set of Boo-yah merkins should end in an exclamation of “Boo-yah!”

Team 11’s took a good bit of time.  After another count-off we repeated the COP: Hand-release merkins, Squats, Mountain climbers, Nolan Ryans, Hello Dollys (all 10xIC) and 5 burpees.  Maybe we skipped the burpees, I can’t remember.  We exited the tennis courts and lined up for an Indian run back to the school.  Stopping at the benches, we did a few rounds of dips, derkins, and step-ups (10 each) and a lap around the carpool circle.  With just 2 minutes left, we circled up for a lightning-round of Mary until it was time.

Announcements: 
2nd F lunch 5/24, 1200 at The Lodge in Belmont
Memorial Day Murph 5/29 at The Sandlot 0700
Bike event in Forest City June 3
Special event July 4 at The Yank, start time TBD

Prayers:
PAX running Time Laps (reclassified from Announcement to Prayer Request)
Radar’s sister
Tiger’s mom
Termite’s family
Jane Fonda’s aunt
Anchorman’s sister-in-law
Kids, in particular graduates

Lagniappe:  I took a couple of my 2.0’s to the Charlotte Symphony last night to hear a guest violin soloist.  (As some of you know, all my 2.0’s have taken violin lessons from an early age, so this program was of particular interest.)  My 12-yr-old Goofball decided to wear a stick-on El Bandito mustache.  To his credit, left it on the entire time – before, during, and after the show.  It was quite a spectacle, and he collected dozens of compliments from other guests.  As his nickname suggests, his personality matches how he presents himself, so the mustache was just an outward sign of the general silliness.  On the way home, we were laughing about the shenanigans, and Goofball asked “So what was the best thing about me being an idiot today?”  We laughed at the actual question, but I immediately thought about the things we do in the Gloom.  There are many possible answers – murder bunnies, CSAUP’s, anything on Gastone’s Hill, foxhole merkins in the rain, the list goes on.  The best thing, of course, is being there with and for each other.   I’m glad to have all of you as Brothers, and it’s a privilege to lead.  Aye!

– Nutria