It’s disconcerting when you find yourself reading only the obituaries (Remembered) in the Indiana University Alumni Magazine. I’m grateful that my name was not in there again. There are just too many people my age that are no longer and to see them all listed in pages of print is quite disturbing. My goal in anything is to at least be in the Top 20% and can only hope that applies to longevity. Every day I read about classmates, celebrities, and acquaintances that have unexpectedly passed at age 71 or younger.

I did find my name in the Top 10% of runners competing in the Nike NBA Challenge. As a result, I earned a Season NBA League Pass by participating on the Nike Run Club app – a reason to watch more TV sports. Trust me, it was not for speed, as I was quickly passed by a couple of other joggers this morning, leaving me with the feeling of standing still. That doesn’t happen too often in this community that tends to be 50-plus. However, we now have a neighbor with children because their home was affected by Ian and our grandmother neighbor has  temporarily moved to South Carolina. It was not enough young blood to buy a bunch of Halloween candy. 

I am currently hungry and thirsty, waiting for this afternoon’s eyelid surgery. Some experience pain with the procedure while others apparently do not. Nonetheless, they loaded me up on precautionary medication. This makes me a bit worried, while hopefully it won’t jeopardize my running streak that stands at 5,056 consecutive days. On the intellectual side, my Wordle streak is now at 33, far from the longest of 76, during the 230 daily games that I’ve played so far. I seem to have lost the swimming habit because the weather has been cooler, but I’ve continued my daily regimen of sit-ups, push-ups, and stretching. 

My wife’s daughter now works for Nike, so therefore I’ve tried to show renewed allegiance despite the narrow cut of their sportswear. I once relied on a Nike Fit-Bit to keep pace and record my streak. Swoosh-wear seems designed for taller, slimmer athletes, and I have to be careful about what I buy. We saved a ton of money on Nike Dri-Fit gear with her employee discount, and she took us on an impressive tour of the campus that pays homage to stars like LeBron, Serena, and Pre. Now, she tells us that she can get a great deal on a rental car for our trip to Kauai, one of the priciest locations for rentals that I’ve found. Although I continue to run in Brooks brand shoes, most of my accessories are now Nike as opposed to Columbia. I’m quickly becoming more and more a Phil Knight fan!  Just Do It, Again!