Zing!

Call the Doctor, I Have Eclipse Fever

After reading about this upcoming event on the Internet for what has seemed like forever, the eclipse finally happened!  I'm so happy we can move on as a nation and return back to our normal internet obsession of everything in the whole wide world museum that remotely connects in any possible way to "Game of Thrones." 

Our county did not cancel school, though after they announced to everyone that all absences on Monday would be excused, they definitely should have, if for no other reason than to save everyone the time and hassle of having to go through the motions.  Jacob texted me updates throughout the morning.  His first period class had 6 out of 23 kids and another of his classes had ONE kid show up.  My school had about 5 kids absent per class that morning and then the mass exodus check-outs began at about 11am.  By the end of the day it was a ghost town.  Luke did get to go outside and use his projection box and use some glasses to view it as well.  Glasses seemed to be in abundance at our school, so pretty much everyone who wanted to view it got to take a peak.  I had plenty of time to head outside and check it out. I had my own glasses, so no need for me to share.  

Your head is a giant red blur, but otherwise my eyes are fine

Since we were not in the path of totality, the overall effect for us here was basically like that of cloud cover, but I will say that I did notice the temperature drop, if only for just a moment.  That part was pretty cool. Pun intended.  Oh wait, Florida doesn't get cool.  Never mind, that pun doesn't work.  And we got to see the crescent leaf shadows in the parking lot as well...

Beyond beleaf

My brother Dave was in Rexburg, Idaho and Brian was in Nashville- BOTH in the path of totality.  I told them it was a battle for who could send me the best pictures.

Dave:

His report:  "This is how dark it got.  No roosters or werewoofs, but the streetlights came on and you could see stars.  The temperature dropped from 84 to 61 degrees."  (Not bad, 850 bonus points for the use of the word "werewoof.")

Brian:

 He was eating a Moon Pie AND watching the eclipse with all his uppity doctory friends.  His report:  "NO stars, but you could hear crickets for two minutes."  (Minus 19 points for mentioning crickets, but 1000 bonus points for actually eating a Moon Pie AT eclipse time.)

I think we all know who won this battle.  (Probably because I told you the score.)

When Luke and I got home from school, Cindy was laying in the yard as so:

Wait, are you frying your retinas?

Checking out the last of it before it disappeared

  

Here are a few photos Cindy took of the eclipse.  I will admit, I was a bah humbug nay-sayer and did not think her idea of putting the eclipse glasses in front of the camera lens would do anything. Apparently, I was totally wrong.  Her bus let her off at 2:47 and our maximum coverage was at 2:49 so she got to walk home under the eclipsing sky.   She brought her camera to school and was able to take a few there as well.  I'm impressed!

Money shot

To be honest, if we weren't told about the eclipse, I wouldn't have noticed anything different.  Good thing Krispy Kreme is always there to let you know what random holiday is happening, though!  Seriously, if you didn't go get some of those Eclipse chocolate glazed donuts they were selling yesterday, I have secondhand disappointment for you.  They were amazing.  They changed their classic glaze to chocolate for the day.  Our half dozen was so hot and melty we could barely pick them up.  But somehow we dug deep and found a way to win.

This picture illustrates my desire to not be "that guy"
taking a picture of food at KK on a holiday. I mean, I was.
But it was a secret. 

Thank goodness it wasn't dark chocolate :)

Watermelon Series

I have competed in all of the classic Lakeland running events, except for one.  The Watermelon Series was the missing piece of my racing resume.  It is a series of three 5ks over the summer and the goal is to try and beat your time each time you race.  Hard to do as the summer just gets hotter and hotter and hotter.  There is watermelon at the finish line to give you at least one reason to sign up for this hideous thing, but it is definitely a tough sell.  I ran the final race yesterday morning and here is how my series went:

Race 1-  27:57

Race 2- 27:32

Race 3- 26:09  

Hot dang!  I did it!  I actually improved my time and I have no idea how in the world I ran as fast as I did on race 3.  I can only attribute my success to Orange Theory and all of the treadmill work.  The last time I ran a 5k that fast was probably 8 years ago.  I am still on cloud nine for finishing that fast as a 38 year old Bingham.  The odds are never in my favor, you know?

AND, just to show you how much running has changed since I started running in 2008, here is a video of the start of race 3, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood drone.  And if you wait and watch when the drone turns to the left, you will see the completely empty site where the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club used to be.  It was completely demolished and will be rebuilt sometime soon.  Crazy to see the giant empty space.

If you want to know where I am in this video, I am wearing a violent yellow highlighter shirt and I am running at a phenomenal rate of speed.  Probably too fast for you to even see me.  Never mind.

The Latest (Jacob)

It's that time of year when we wrap up summer and start the new school year. Here is what we have been up to.

First, there was Grandpa Bingham's birthday. The kids were having a blast.

Then there was Jogo Bonito Soccer camp, of which I was an official sponsor. Okay, it was free, but I have never seen my logo on a shirt like this before. It was cool to share a space with 2infinity which is run by my friend Ty (the shadowy figure below). Luke got to hang out with his buddy Ryan also.

Then there was the beginning my second year at Polk State as an assistant coach. 

Next, was some back to school prep! Just what the kids wanted, a few extra days at school.

Another regional dance. I believe I have been doing this dance for nearly 10 years.

My current favorite dance the youth do.

As you can see, it's about how things usually go.  I am a lucky man.