Return of the Blog, Sequels et Cetera

Jenn and I ran the North Shore Half Marathon this morning in beautiful Highland Park, Illinois. Along mile nine (9) of the course there was a group of family and friends cheering for the runners. Some played the spinning drum. In case the instrument does not conjure an image in your mind, you might recall its prominence in the hit sequel, The Karate Kid, Part II. The movement of the drum's arms inspired the film's climactic karate move, which Daniel-San uses to avert death in the final fight against Chozen -- apparently not the Chosen One.

As I expounded on the film's simultaneous terribleness and retro-awesomeness, we examined how movies no longer have "Love Themes," at least not separate from their regular theme songs. If it were made today, Peter Cetera's "The Glory of Love" would merely be a track listing on the soundtrack -- not the "Love Theme" that it is. That marketing problem is so obviously the reason that the record industry has failed in the new millennium. As we approached the water station, Jenn and I sang the chorus aloud in honor of the era past:

I am a man who will fight for your honor.
I'll be the hero you're dreaming of.
We'll live forever,
Knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love.

And so, Jenn and I trained outdoors through the long winter, improving our pace significantly for the glory of love and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Following the lead of questionable sequels, Jenn and I also want to announce our AIDS Marathon Team name for this second year. Last year, we had our doubts about our ability to conquer a distance longer than five (5) miles for the first time in our lives. Our team name, "They Might Be Runners", reflected that.

This year, together Jenn and I are "They Might Be Runners II: Electric Boogaloo". We will run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 11, 2009. While fatigue comes and goes, bad sequels last forever -- or at least seem to upon viewing.