I Will

Last night I blew off the gym & went into NYC.  I always forget how much I love the hustle bustle of the city.  OMG I sound like my grandmother saying hustle bustle, but it's true!  I have been waiting for the release of Matt Long's new book "Long Run" and he was having a book signing.  For those who don't know who Matt Long is, he is a NYC firefighter who was injured while biking to work in 2005 during a transit strike.  His story is truly inspirational & I wanted to get his new book.  & lets face it, he's super hot.  I couldn't think of a better reason to skip the gym, could you?  I didn't think so.

The reading was at Barnes & Noble in Tribeca.  I haven't been to Tribeca in some time & I was mad when I realized how close this B&N was to where I went to graduate school.  If I had ventured around the corner, I would have had a great place to study.  & they have a Starbucks!  Duh! 

I got there pretty early & started reading the book.  Wow, he has left nothing out.  I mean, it is a bit gory in the beginning when he explains how badly injured he was after he got run down by a bus.  Actually, injured is an understatement & it was shocking to see this man actually walk into the room & engage a crowd of people after what I had read in just the first 3 chapters.

I really had a lot of questions that I wanted to ask him.  First & of course the most shallow, are you single?  But come on, there were other people in the room!  I also wanted to know how he did it, how did he decide to get up & go back to his old way of life - as an elite athlete & his job at the FDNY - rather than claim disability for the rest of his life & sit around watching TV like I know I would be doing if the same had happened to me.  I guess I was a bit amazed at his will to live & move on that I really only sat there & listened to him speak.  But, as my usual dumb ass self, I asked zero questions.  I mean, what the hell is wrong with me?  Do I have zero game?  Ah yeah, I don't.

It wasn't until after I got home that I realized that I really had a million questions.  Like, how do you get up every morning & do it?  How does your body feel now 5 years later?  How did you decide to get back into triathlons & decide to run the NYC marathon?  Did that jerk from the transit company ever personally apologize to you?  How after 9/11 & this horrible accident, are you sitting here smiling, looking like every happy go lucky NYC firefighter I have ever met?  I guess that is a testament to who this guy really is.  I mean, I can't even get out of bed on cold rainy days & this guy gets hit by a bus & makes a huge comeback to even walk, let alone run the NYC marathon.  His foundation, I Will, tells you a lot about what he has gone through & what he hopes to give back.

It really makes me want to step up my game.  It's easy when you can go out & do things & you don't because you're lazy.  It's another thing to really want to get up & do things, but you can't because your body won't let you.  I made a promise a long time ago to my friend that was killed on 9/11 that I would go out & run for him & even though I've accomplished a lot, I have been a huge slacker lately. 

I got through half of his book last night.  It is really good.  Not just some fluff book that someone whipped out either.  It's a page turner.  & it's been a long time since I have sat down & read a really good book.  Usually after the first paragraph I'm falling asleep, but last night I was mad I had to go to bed.  I am sure I will finish the rest tonight.

Now normally my five readers know that I don't usually gush over anything, except of course, a new pair of cute shoes or anything Louis Vuitton.....so if you're looking for a really good book I suggest you get this one.  I would loan you mine, but it's signed & he was really cute & he touched it!  Ha ha.