Celebrating Running Tights...

Good morning universe.  Just finished up a very nice 6.25 mile run this morning.  It is brisk once again in Indiana proving that you can have winter and summer in the same week (mid 70s one day and high 20s the next).  I very much enjoyed my run today despite another cold run--but I was in my tights that I've had since 1994 and I love these things.  I cannot wait to celebrate the 20th anniversary of my black running tights.

My Aunt Grace & Uncle Brian (UK Fans) w/ Sarah & I at RUPP

You cannot really have a blog without mentioning March Madness.  Wow Butler!  I'm very excited for their team and fans and hope the can make the Final 4 again.  And...Wow UK.  Last year I thought they'd win it all and they stumbled.  This year I thought they'd lose in the first round and they end up knocking off Ohio State.  Great for UK and their fans.  As I stated a couple blogs ago, I've taken on a new approach to UK.  Rather than seeing UK as the enemy of Indiana, I've decided to see UK as a team Indiana competes against but can respect and be civil to the rest of the year.  I have a lot of friends and family who feel as strongly about UK as I do about IU, so I think the best thing to do is be competitors respectful of each other.  In many ways, this is a lot like the philosophy of running.  I've known some guys over the years that I really respected and got along well with even though we competed against each other in local races.  In running, it's about competing hard on the course or on the track, but being good to each other outside of the competition.  I've never really thought about applying the philosophy of running to being a basketball fan, but it makes sense.  Why not just really want to beat UK when they play IU, but be respectful friends outside of that one day?  For me, I'm so competitive and I let my basketball emotions get the best of me at times, but I'm working on it.  One day we will have kids and I'd want them to be good sports.  So...I need to do the same. 

Today is our New Staff Welcome event for our team for next year.  I look forward to this every year even though it's always with mixed emotion.  On one hand it's exciting to assemble the new team, but on the other hand you have to say goodbye to some of your current team members.  We have been so fortunate this year to have an outstanding team and it's humbling to have the staff give everything they have to our program and team.  I'm excited about the team we have coming in, but also EXTREMELY PROUD of the current team.  If you work in the Res Life and Housing World then you probably understand.  We become so close to the folks working in the Residence Halls and it's tough sometimes to let folks go.  One thing I'll be talking about today is the phrase, "people become what the most important people in their lives think that they will become."  In the Res Halls there are times when that "most important person" is the student staff member, the graduate residence director, or the RD for the building because they really come through for a student in a time of need.  We may not be that "most important person" all the time, but in Res Life you have the chance to be that "most important person" during a time in which a student may choose to stay in college or depart.  There are many times when the Res Life staff makes the difference in a person's college experience and there are times when Res Life staff make little to no difference.  I'm proud to say that in our program at IUPUI we are ALWAYS trying to make the positive difference in our work.  I know for me at IU, my RA made the difference just by asking me to get involved.  I know that our staff at IUPUI make the difference by connecting, encouraging, and supporting our students.  Very proud of them.  Maybe I'll show up in my black running tights and spandex shirt.  ;-)

Have a great day.  Happy running to you...