For years, 15 to be exact, my closet has been full of cheerleading t-shirts.  Over the holiday weekend we had a spring November cleaning.  This weekend, I threw out my last t-shirt that had anything to do with cheerleading on it.  What I realized in the process is that my closet is now full of racing t-shirts.  I’ve got all sorts, 5k, 10k, marathon, half-marathon, triathlon, and even race volunteer shirts like from my niece’s youth triathlon and the Kansas 70.3.  When I woke up this morning, I decided to see how many race t-shirts I could really wear.  So, today is day 2 of wear a race t-shirt to work.  If I can’t wear the t-shirt (or technical racing shirt) to work, I’ll throw it out recycle it.

I love my job.  I’m sure you’ve heard me mention it once or twice in the past 7 months.  Lately, its been like this big bright sign that I wake up to every morning.  I enjoy going to work.  I have a great team to work with.  I work on a great project.  I work for a great company.

I’ve had times where I didn’t want to get out of bed.  This is the first job that I’ve been excited to get to work early.  For the past several weeks, I’ve been carpooling with a team-mate.  We get in early.  I enjoy the extra time to be focused on my work.

Every single member of my team is awesome.  Even the team members that are only part-time.  Our group works with other groups in the company.  I’m pretty sure we got the company A-Team.  My team at work also happens to be a big part of my training team.  We are in a recovery phase right now.  But, for most of the last 6 months, I’ve been doing workouts with other guys from the group at least once a week.  There was a few weeks where we were doing brick workouts together in the morning and working out together 4 or 5 times a week.  We push each other in training and we really use the products we deliver.

I’m actually working on products that I was using before I got the job.  On top of that, the products are a large part of enjoying my hobby!  Could it get any better?  I’m in my mid thirties and I’m still learning new technologies at work.  I also get to flex my skills on technologies that I already know too.  Daily there are problems challenge me and I enjoy every bit of it.

I have a job that feels like a hobby.  Its a passion.  I’m one of those guys that totally takes his hobbies one step too far.  Yes.  That is me.  I have a job that totally revolves around my hobby.  I get paid to do what I love to do.

Now that I think about it.  I guess there is a little bit of guilt involved.  How can I be so happy with my job?  I know what it’s like to hate going in to work.  I do remember but it feels like it was so long ago.  Thanksgiving was last week.  I’m very thankful for the opportunity that I’ve been given and the people that I get to work (and train) with.

• http://twitgoo.com/1qsb3d Just finished the Gobbler Grind. Now judging at the Midwest Cup! #
• http://twitgoo.com/1qshp3 Great panel of judges today! It was a fun competition to watch. Everyone was safe and did their best! #
• Whitney had three more PRs today. #
• I'm flipping between MLS Playoffs and Sunday night football. I'm cheering for Dallas. #
• http://bit.ly/bEynFJ Gobbler Grind 13.1. Enjoyed the weather. Ran with friends. PR by over almost 15 minutes! #
• Will the Vikings please give Jon Gruden a call? #
• RT @mraible RT @puredanger: $10 donation to prostate cancer & get $60 @JavaRebel license:http://is.gd/h8wgj #
• http://bit.ly/ffeMYx New firmware for Garmin Forerunner 310XT is out! #
• Somebody just tried to send me a link to "try out" from my friends facebook account. #dontgethacked #
• I made it out of the "war room" alive. I love my job. #
• I'm totally bummed that I have to miss the #fitpit #midwesttriathloncoaching Fall Performance Program again. #
• Farmers of America, thank you for this wonderful meal. #
• Happy birthday @jillianranee ! #
• DaShaun is at full strength! #
• http://bit.ly/g4RwGu In her words, she actually enjoyed the Gobbler Grind 5k! @jillianranee @runner_steve #
• http://twitgoo.com/1r3cja holidays at the office. This jeep welcomed everybody to work today. #
• In college, I had some nice headphones that I would wear walking to class. About 50% of the time, they weren't plugged in. Just earmuffs. #
• Heard this today: "I switched the map and I liked it" to the tune of Katy Perry's break out hit. #
• Just realized @jillianranee and @swimmer_whitney have mobile versions of their websites and I don't. Seriously? #
• Last year we did a 5k on Thanksgiving morning. Today its fusion. Happy Thanksgiving. Getting the metabolism turned on first thing. #
• Working out with @jillianranee is on my top ten favorites list. #
• Round one done. Thankful for my family. #
• My mom won Boggle. My sister won Scrabble. Rematches at Christmas. #
• RT @eljhawk Disappointed @sportkc Love2Run couples race in Feb doesn't have a m/m or f/f category. Let's be a bit more progressive, KC! #
• Got some work done today, then spent some quality time with @jillianranee, mom and dad. BTW, "Unstoppable" is a good movie! #
• While @jillianranee watched "Sarah Palin's Alaska" I was surfing: http://bit.ly/hzlDsi #
• My chores for the weekend are done. Surprisingly, I was brainstorming the entire time. I'm ready to rock out some code! Wait, code tomorrow. #
• A productive day. Now time for some good food. Then spirits and live music. #
• Yay. US women's soccer clinched FIFA spot. #

Saturday, I drove to Columbia MO to watch my niece swim. I was loud, like usual. Everyone in the building knew who I was cheering for. I’m so proud of her. I enjoy watching her have fun. When she has a good meet, its great. Watching her PR is a blast. She was really middle of the pack in the 10U division. But, watching her get better and have fun is all that matters.

I don’t remember which event it was, but she won one of her heats. It was the 3rd seeded heat, so she wasn’t winning the race, just her heat. She blew away her PR and I just felt a rush of emotion. I was yelling like she won the entire meet. The families around us knew her name by this time and were congratulating me. They thought Whitney was my daughter. I ended up getting lots of “daughter” comments. I corrected people. My sister, DeEtte, was always in ear shot. I know she appreciated the comments.

On my way back home I was thinking about having our own to cheer for. I was also thinking about Juls and Bret having one to cheer for. Then I was thinking about us both having one to cheer for. That would be the bees knees!

At the race today, Steve M. was running with his daughter Claire. Steve has been training for this race with his daughter for several weeks. Thats quality time! I noticed significantly more parents running with their children at this event compared to the other events I’ve ran. I’m looking forward to the day I can run with my own!

Today, after our race, we were judging cheerleading. It was a blast. There was also lots of itty-bitty babies there. I was just reminded several times today of how much I’m looking forward to being a parent.

I’ll update Whitney’s website with all the pictures and PRs ASAP.