Season's Greetings, friends and family. Each holiday season we tend to rethink our daily routines, finding time for the activities that come with the cold weather. I tend to be a bit more introspective as we close in on the new year, and I reconsider my motivations, responsibilities I've placed on myself and what I'm doing to make the world a better place. I realize I haven't kept most of my family and friends abreast of my happenings. Here's my chance to catch up a bit. Over the past year I've taken on many adventures. I completed the mysterious and prestigious (and insane) Ironman, a triathlon that covers 140.6 miles in a day. My parents went out to cheer me on and I'm still catching my dad talking about what a great time it was. A high-intensity and possibly very profitable medical sales job came and went, and during the 3 month period I became a product specialist in endovascular aneurysm repair with fascinating stories about operating rooms. I traded my scrubs (happily) for middle school teacher clothes. And that brings us to now! I'm teaching 6th grade science in Arlington County (the smallest county in the country) at an extremely diverse school. The students are POLITE and RESPECTFUL and it's a wonderful experience. In the next couple of weeks I'll begin teaching remedial math. Diving has stayed a constant in my life, as I just completed the middle school season and began coaching high school diving the following week.

I also decided recently that I'm happier in the long run if I'm running, biking and swimming when it's freezing outside. I swore after last winter that I'd never do it again, but sleeping in on the weekends and having free time for cookie-eating isn't all it's made out to be. I've signed up with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to do their spring triathlon while raising $5000. If you have a bit extra I urge you to visit my website and give it up! It's credit card friendly and tax-deductible.