Merry Christmas, Everyone

I'm taking a few days off to go south of the border. Here's wishing all my friends and loved ones, including that one loyal reader, a very merry Christmas and happy holiday season. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo.

Give Blood...Save a Life

I started donating blood in December 2009 in an attempt to conquer my fear of needles. I'm not there yet, but practice makes perfect.

Jan 4, 2012: Just hit my first gallon. 9 more to go and I get my name engraved on a copper milk jug. At 4 visits a year, that's just 18 years away. Yippee!
Jan 11, 2014: I did my first platelet donation. Sort of a good news bad news deal. On the plus side, one can donate platelets every two weeks, which means I could totally get on that milk jug this year if I keep at it. On the downside. It takes about two hours per donation and this last visit resulted in a really nasty bruise. What to do, what to do.
Apr 5, 2014: 2 gallons down, 8 more to go 'til the copper jug.

Apr 28, 2016: Two year lay off (thanks, lower back), but the blood is flowing yet again. Heard there was a critical shortage of my blood type. Tough week for humanity, I guess.

Jun 18, 2017: 3 gallons!

Sep 2, 2018: 4 gallons!

Dec 30, 2018: 7 donations for the year.

Dec 29, 2019: 6 donations for the year. 5 gallons! Halfway to getting my name etched on the copper jug.

Dec 20, 2020: 6 more in the books.

Apr 11, 2021: 6 gallons!

Aug 1, 2021: Half way to a hundred!

Jul 10, 2022: 7 gallons!

Nov 6, 2022: 6 for the year.

Oct 22, 2023: 8 gallons!

Dec 31, 2023: 6 donations for the year

Donation total: 67 pints
Last donation: Apr 28, 2024

Run, Fred, Run

Last updated June 9, 2020

Fred's Note: Beginning on March 23, 2008, me and my faithful elliptical trainer began a virtual journey around the United States. Feel free to keep tabs on my progress and maybe you will feel inspired yourself.

September 9, 2008: Leaving California. Entering Arizona.
January 20, 2009: Leaving Arizona. Entering New Mexico.
August 25, 2009: Leaving New Mexico. Entering Texas.
July 11, 2012: Leaving Texas. Entering Louisiana. Couple things. First, Texas is a really wide state. Second, between back issues and a bowel resection, I spent a lot of time in the "body shop".
Feb 14, 2013: Leaving Louisiana. Entering Mississippi.
Mar 26, 2013: Leaving Mississippi. Entering Alabama.

Apr 17, 2013: I hit the equivalent of my 100th marathon.

Apr 26, 2013: Leaving Alabama. Entering Florida.

Sep 23, 2013: Leaving Florida. Entering Georgia.

Nov 7, 2013: Leaving Georgia. Entering South Carolina.
Feb 27, 2014: Leaving South Carolina. Entering North Carolina.

July 4, 2014: Leaving North Carolina. Entering Virginia.

Oct 23, 2014, Leaving Virginia. Entering Maryland.

Nov 13, 2014: Leaving Maryland. Entering Delaware.

Nov 21, 2014: Leaving Delaware. Entering Pennsylvania.

Dec 25, 2014: Leaving Pennsylvania. Entering New Jersey.

Dec 28, 2014: I hit the equivalent of my 150th marathon.

Jan 26, 2015: Leaving New Jersey. Entering New York.

Feb 27, 2015: Leaving New York. Entering Connecticut.

Feb 28, 2015: I hit 4,000 miles.
Apr 28, 2015: Leaving Connecticut. Entering Rhode Island
May 13, 2015: Leaving Rhode Island. Entering Massachusetts.
Nov 3, 2015: Yet another delay -- this time back surgery -- but I'm on the "road" again. I've worked my way through New Hampshire, and am now in Vermont.

Dec 8, 2015: Interesting bit of trivia (if you want to call it that). My route takes me through three states twice -- California (seeing as I start and finish there), New York, which I am once again in (this time for a few hundred miles), and Pennsylvania.

Feb 24, 2017: Leaving New York. Entering Pennsylvania.

Sep 8, 2017: Leaving Pennsylvania. Entering Ohio.

Nov 16, 2017: Odometer hit 5,000 miles.

Jan 26, 2018: Leaving Ohio. Entering Michigan.

May 11, 2018: Leaving Michigan. Entering Indiana.

Jul 6, 2018: Leaving Indiana. Entering Illinois.

Oct 12, 2018: Leaving Illinois. Entering Wisconsin.

Apr 8, 2019: Leaving Wisconsin. Entering Minnesota

May 27, 2019: Odometer hit 6,000 miles.

Sep 9. 2019: Leaving Minnesota. Entering North Dakota

Total miles to date: 6,454.4
Number of marathons (26.2mi): 246.4
States visited: 29 (CA, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, VT, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, ND)
States to go: 4 (MT, ID, WA, OR)
Miles to go: 1973.9

Starting Point Ending Point Miles So Far Miles To Go
Half Moon Bay, CA Santa Cruz, CA 48.2 0.0
Santa Cruz, CA Big Sur, CA 70.8 0.0
Big Sur, CA Cambria, CA 74.3 0.0
Cambria, CA Santa Maria, CA 64.2 0.0
Santa Maria, CA Santa Barbara, CA 75.3 0.0
Santa Barbara, CA Santa Monica, CA 84.4 0.0
Santa Monica, CA Redlands, CA 78.2 0.0
Redlands, CA Indio, CA 64.5 0.0
Indio, CA Blythe, CA 97.0 0.0
Blythe, CA Tonopah, AZ 99.2 0.0
Tonopah, AZ Guadalupe, AZ 63.0 0.0
Guadalupe, AZ Red Rock, AZ 72.0 0.0
Red Rock, AZ Pantano, AZ 65.3 0.0
Pantano, AZ San Simon, AZ 93.2 0.0
San Simon, AZ Deming, NM 94.1 0.0
Deming, NM Tortugas, NM 60.7 0.0
Tortugas, NM Fort Hancock, TX 96.9 0.0
Fort Hancock, TX Van Horn, TX 67.4 0.0
Van Horn, TX Toyah, TX 69.5 0.0
Toyah, TX Odessa, TX 95.0 0.0
Odessa, TX Westbrook, TX 91.3 0.0
Westbrook, TX Abilene, TX 79.0 0.0
Abilene, TX Ranger, TX 66.3 0.0
Ranger, TX Fort Worth, TX 84.6 0.0
Fort Worth, TX Canton, TX 89.0 0.0
Canton, TX Longview, TX 69.0 0.0
Longview, TX Shreveport, LA 58.0 0.0
Shreveport, LA Natchitoches, LA 71.7 0.0
Natchitoches, LA Alexandria, LA 53.1 0.0
Alexandria, LA Lafayette, LA 88.7 0.0
Lafayette, LA Baton Rouge, LA 57.0 0.0
Baton Rouge, LA New Orleans, LA 76.5 0.0
New Orleans, LA Gulfport, MS 69.9 0.0
Gulfport, MS Mobile, AL 70.8 0.0
Mobile, AL Crestview, FL 94.0 0.0
Crestview, FL Chattahoochee, FL 107.0 0.0
Chattahoochee, FL Madison, FL 90.0 0.0
Madison, FL Jacksonville, FL 109.0 0.0
Jacksonville, FL Savannah, GA 129.0 0.0
Savannah, GA Walterboro, SC 69.0 0.0
Walterboro, SC Florence, SC 105.0 0.0
Florence, SC Fayetteville, NC 89.3 0.0
Fayetteville, NC Roanoke Rapids, NC 121.0 0.0
Roanoke, NC Richmond, VA 137.0 0.0
Richmond, VA Alexandria, VA 103.0 0.0
Alexandria, VA Baltimore, MD 46.1 0.0
Baltimore, MD Wilmington, DE 73.5 0.0
Wilmington, DE Philadelphia, PA 32.8 0.0
Philadelphia, PA New Brunswick, NJ 57.9 0.0
New Brunswick, NJ New York, NY 36.0 0.0
New York, NY New Haven, CT 78.5 0.0
New Brunswick, NJ New York, NY 36.0 0.0
New York, NY New Haven, CT 78.5 0.0
New Haven, CT Providence, RI 103.0 0.0
Providence, RI Boston, MA 50.2 0.0
Boston, MA Manchester, NH 52.6 0.0
Manchester, NH Woodstock, VT 90.7 0.0
Woodstock, VT Saratoga Springs, NY 102.0
0.0
Saratoga Springs, NY Syracuse, NY 141.0
0.0
Syracuse, NY Buffalo, NY 150.0
0.0
Buffalo, NY Erie, PA 92.3 0.0
Erie, PA Cleveland, OH 103.0
0.0
Cleveland, OH Toledo, OH 115.0
0.0
Toledo, OH Detroit, MI 58.7
0.0
Detroit, MI Battle Creek, MI 121.0
0.0
Battle Creek, MI South Bend, IN 95.9
0.0
South Bend, IN
Chicago, IL 94.7
0.0
Chicago, IL
Milwaukee, WI 92.1
0.0
Mikwaukee, WI
Green Bay, WI 117.0
0.0
Green Bay, WI
Wausau, WI 98.1
0.0
Wausau, WI
Eau Claire, WI 101.0
0.0
Eau Claire, WI
Minneapolis, MN 92.7
0.0
Minneapolis, MN
St. Cloud, MN 65.7
0.0
St. Cloud, MN
Alexandria, MN 68.3
0.0
Alexandria, MN
Fargo, ND 108.0
0.0
Fargo, ND
Jamestown, ND 96.1
0.0
Jamestown, ND
Bismarck, ND 102.0
0.0
Bismarck, ND
Dickinson, ND 97.5
0.0
Dickinson, ND
Glendive, MT 9.6
88.4

Let Me Count the Days Hall of Fame

Starting Point	Ending Point	Miles So Far	Miles To Go
Half Moon Bay, CA	Santa Cruz, CA	48.2	0.0
Santa Cruz, CA	Big Sur, CA	70.8	0.0
Big Sur, CA	Cambria, CA	74.3	0.0
Cambria, CA	Santa Maria, CA	64.2	0.0
Santa Maria, CA	Santa Barbara, CA	75.3	0.0
Santa Barbara, CA	Santa Monica, CA	84.4	0.0
Santa Monica, CA	Redlands, CA	78.2	0.0
Redlands, CA	Indio, CA	64.5	0.0
Indio, CA	Blythe, CA	97.0	0.0
Blythe, CA	Tonopah, AZ	99.2	0.0
Tonopah, AZ	Guadalupe, AZ	63.0	0.0
Guadalupe, AZ	Red Rock, AZ	72.0	0.0
Red Rock, AZ	Pantano, AZ	65.3	0.0
Pantano, AZ	San Simon, AZ	93.2	0.0
San Simon, AZ	Deming, NM	94.1	0.0
Deming, NM	Tortugas, NM	60.7	0.0
Tortugas, NM	Fort Hancock, TX	96.9	0.0
Fort Hancock, TX	Van Horn, TX	67.4	0.0
Van Horn, TX	Toyah, TX	69.5	0.0
Toyah, TX	Odessa, TX	95.0	0.0
Odessa, TX	Westbrook, TX	91.3	0.0
Westbrook, TX	Abilene, TX	79.0	0.0
Abilene, TX	Ranger, TX	66.3	0.0
Ranger, TX	Fort Worth, TX	84.6	0.0
Fort Worth, TX	Canton, TX	89.0	0.0
Canton, TX	Longview, TX	69.0	0.0
Longview, TX	Shreveport, LA	58.0	0.0
Shreveport, LA	Natchitoches, LA	71.7	0.0
Natchitoches, LA	Alexandria, LA	53.1	0.0
Alexandria, LA	Lafayette, LA	88.7	0.0
Lafayette, LA	Baton Rouge, LA	57.0	0.0
Baton Rouge, LA	New Orleans, LA	76.5	0.0
New Orleans, LA	Gulfport, MS	69.9	0.0
Gulfport, MS	Mobile, AL	70.8	0.0
Mobile, AL	Crestview, FL	94.0	0.0
Crestview, FL	Chattahoochee, FL	107.0	0.0
Chattahoochee, FL	Madison, FL	90.0	0.0
Madison, FL	Jacksonville, FL	109.0	0.0
Jacksonville, FL	Savannah, GA	129.0	0.0
Savannah, GA	Walterboro, SC	69.0	0.0
Walterboro, SC	Florence, SC	105.0	0.0
Florence, SC	Fayetteville, NC	89.3	0.0
Fayetteville, NC	Roanoke Rapids, NC	121.0	0.0
Roanoke, NC	Richmond, VA	137.0	0.0
Richmond, VA	Alexandria, VA	103.0	0.0
Alexandria, VA	Baltimore, MD	46.1	0.0
Baltimore, MD	Wilmington, DE	73.5	0.0
Wilmington, DE	Philadelphia, PA	32.8	0.0
Philadelphia, PA	New Brunswick, NJ	57.9	0.0
New Brunswick, NJ	New York, NY	36.0	0.0
New York, NY	New Haven, CT	78.5	0.0
New Brunswick, NJ	New York, NY	36.0	0.0
New York, NY	New Haven, CT	78.5	0.0
New Haven, CT	Providence, RI	103.0	0.0
Providence, RI	Boston, MA	50.2	0.0
Boston, MA	Manchester, NH	52.6	0.0
Manchester, NH	Woodstock, VT	90.7	0.0
Woodstock, VT	Saratoga Springs, NY	102.0	0.0
Saratoga Springs, NY	Syracuse, NY	141.0	0.0
Syracuse, NY	Buffalo, NY	150.0	0.0
Buffalo, NY	Erie, PA	92.3	0.0
Erie, PA	Cleveland, OH	103.0	0.0
Cleveland, OH	Toledo, OH	115.0	0.0
Toledo, OH	Detroit, MI	58.7	0.0
Detroit, MI	Battle Creek, MI	121.0	0.0
Battle Creek, MI	South Bend, IN	95.9	0.0
South Bend, IN	Chicago, IL	94.7	0.0
Chicago, IL	Milwaukee, WI	92.1	0.0
Mikwaukee, WI	Green Bay, WI	117.0	0.0
Green Bay, WI	Wausau, WI	98.1	0.0
Wausau, WI	Eau Claire, WI	101.0	0.0
Eau Claire, WI	Minneapolis, MN	92.7	0.0
Minneapolis, MN	St. Cloud, MN	65.7	0.0
St. Cloud, MN	Alexandria, MN	68.3	0.0
Alexandria, MN	Fargo, ND	108.0	0.0
Fargo, ND	Jamestown, ND	96.1	0.0
Jamestown, ND	Bismarck, ND	102.0	0.0
Bismarck, ND	Dickinson, ND	97.5	0.0
Dickinson, ND	Glendive, MT	9.6	88.4

Oct 17, 2013: The partial shutdown of the U.S. Federal Government officially ended just after midnight, Thursday, Oct 17, when President Barack Obama signed the budget into law. The shutdown lasted 16 days and 1 hour.

Jan 2, 2019: In 4 days, the latest government shutdown will surpass this, so I guess unless there is a miracle...sorry, compromise, this Hall of Fame entry won't mean as much.

Mar 5, 2013: The New York Stock Exchange hit a new all time high of 14,286.37. The Dow's previous high was October 9, 2007, a span of 1974 days.

Jan 2, 2019: Speaking of relevance, despite the beating the stock markets took at the end of 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a peak of 26,951.81 in August 2018, and is still well over 23,000.

Fredisms - What's On My Mind

Monday, December 24, 2007