Long Overdue

Besides getting healthy, another sign of LIVING, for me, is accomplishing my goals. And I am happy and terrified to announce...

I have published and have for sale on Smashwords, my long overdue novel, Such is Life!

I call it an overdue book because it has taken me over ten years to write (and at least that many "final" versions) before I had the guts to finally call it complete. And then I let it sit out there on the Internet, no fanfare, no bottle of champagne, no marketing plan or book tour. Just sit there in the ether waiting for my millions of fans to just happen along and find it sitting there, crying to be read.

The truth is, it scares the hell out of me to announce it!

Lots of reasons: may be construed as blasphemy - I do have Jesus Christ as a main character doing a few un-Jesus like things (not like that, just goofy things like enjoying rock and roll, fast ride in a car, hanging out with sinners - oh wait...). And it could be considered a little too autobiographical (please note: the wife in the book, Sherry is NOT Minda - don't let her tell you she is!). And it could be a really bad example of really bad writing by someone who is too dense to understand he really can't write.

But the truth is - and I say this humbly - I re-read it this week and I really like it! And I haven't touched, edited, modified or tweaked it since March (in order to read it with a clean palate). I was surprised, I was moved, and I think it might actually be pretty good.

And despite the playing around with the time/space continuum and putting Jesus in a Cardinal's baseball cap, I believe I have absolutely glorified God with this story. And that was my intention.

So, if you are so inclined, please check it out on your Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iPad, iBook, etc. Here's the synopsis:

One man's need for forgiveness is another man's cross to bear. Just ask Steven Todd. Twenty-five years ago Steven was a teen-aged druggie surviving from needle to vial in Austin, Texas. Now he’s a respectable family man, a quiet but confident  Jesus-freak and a small-business owner on the verge of major success—he’s meeting the U.S. president next week. Most importantly for Steven, his wild past is buried.

At least until his old friend and shooting partner, Randy Oliver, hitchhikes to town. Stunned to see his old friend wandering St. Louis--alive, no less--Steven welcomes Randy into his home, his family and his church.

When Randy reveals he has less than six months to live, Steven hopes to introduce him to Jesus before it’s too late. But when Randy reminds Steven of their dark secrets, secrets that could disintegrate Steven's veil of success, he makes a decision that could damn his life—now and eternally.

(This book contains a few instances of rough language reflective of the harsh lives and times of the characters.)

And here's the link to Such is Life.

And here's the coupon code to get Such is Life for half-price: AJ24A

I Feel Like a Monster!



Mark at the beginning of the race.

This past Saturday (October 27, 2012) was my second annual Team Ortho Monster Dash Half Marathon race. Of course race is a massaged word - the only person I'm racing is me (and maybe Mark H - he set his sights on beating my time next year!) My goal this was year was two level: to beat last year's time of 2:31:53 and to try to beat it to below 2:18:00.

I calculated that second number on one of my practice runs a few weeks back when I ran a "quarter-marathon" (6.55 miles) around Normandale Lake in a time of 1:09:40. Challenging myself, I said, "If I can maintain that pace, I could do the half in 2:18:00!" Of course I was huffing and puffing and subconsciously chuckling to myself. That would be a pace of 10:42 per mile, something I can easily do for several miles. But for 13 steady miles? Not likely!

The other interesting aspect of this practice run is, mid-run my iPod died on me and I ran without music for at least half the run. And realized I was running better. I resolved to run the Monster Dash without music. On race day I opted to take the iPod as an emergency measure in case I hit a wall. But I had a shortened running list with some reggae, a few Christian rock songs, and a few head bangers like POD's "Boom!" and Skillet's "I Feel Like a Monster".

Now granted the lyrics are actually a negative thing, a plea by the singer for God to rescue him from his sinful nature. And the lyrics truly are so powerful. Here's the chorus:

 

I feel it deep within,
It's just beneath the skin
I must confess that I
Feel like a monster
I hate what I've become
The nightmare's just begun
I must confess that I
Feel like a monster
I feel like a monster

But it's great running music! Power chords, loud thumping beat, and raspy, urgent singing! Love it!And it seemed appropriate for the Monster Dash!

But I digress...the day was cold! But there I was, dressed in layers, ready to beat 2:31 or 2:18 or just finish with both legs intact. I ran into my friend Jessica and her WonderFriends in the line for the porta-potties. L-o-n-g line at the porta-potties! But I learned last year, no potty breaks during the race - had to wait. Had to wait longer. Tick Tock.

Jessica (turquoise bandana) and her WonderFriends!

Finally, at the start line, shedding a few layers, I was ready to go! There was the usual starts and stops leading up to the line (there were over 9000 racers trying to cross that start line!) I crossed the line and hit the start button on my Garmin.


Strapping the Garmin on.

At mile 3, off came the cap - steam pored off my bald head - finally warming up! At mile 8 I was surprised I had not yet stopped to walk. Before this day my longest non-stop run was 5 miles. At mile 11.something, the pin on the Garmin band slipped and I stopped to walk while I fixed it - 11+ miles non-stop running! Not bad for a 50-year-old former couch slob!

So, Minda was going to meet me at the final mile mark and run with me to the finish. I had told her expect me about 2:20 at mile marker 12, so she started walking that way at the 2 hour mark. At mile marker 12 I checked my Garmin watch and it said 1:58:37. WHAT? I kept running, pushing harder just as "BOOM!" by POD started pulsing my earbuds. I was pumping my fist to the beat, ignoring the introvert in me that said "Stop it, people are looking at you!"

I was less than a quarter mile from the finish when I spotted Minda. I was swinging my arm and pointing at her in time to the music. And grinning my face off! When she saw me she freaked out. She jumped off the curb and started running with me, then said "Go! I'm slowing you down!" I bolted, sprinting past three runners before the final 10 yards. I crossed the finish line and the Garmin said 2:07:03!!

When I finally found her again she burst into tears and when I told her my finish time, she said "Who knocks 25 minutes off their half-marathon time??!!"

All I can say is, I could not and would not have done it without you, Minda Shultz! Thanks for the encouragement, the support, and the last 16 years of our life. Looking forward to many, many more with you!

My final official time was 2:07:12, so I really only knocked off 24 minutes, 41 seconds. Still, "I feel like a monster!!"

Love in the Trees!

Ahhhhhh!!!!
I thought I loved running (and I do) but I have found something even better: running through God's Country (that's Minnesota for anyone reading from Wisconsin) on the trails and fallen leaves of the Minnesota River Bottoms.

Incredible scenery, smells, sounds. Downed trees, running streams, honking geese, chattering eagles, and the ever-present and sometimes startled squirrels that seem shocked that they were caught unaware 2 feet off the trail with their noses down by a 200 pound running man. How does that happen?!
And pushing my body to handle the  shifting sand, broken ground, hills up and hills down, leaves, branches, roots and rocks. Never a dull moment. No repetition. No fumes, horns, broken bottles on the side of the road.

There is also no abundance of speed on trail running - at least not for me, at least not yet. My first mile today was 13+ minutes (I've been known to run a road mile in 8-1/2). But the body is working muscles that are rarely twitched on a long race. Even the abs get called to duty every few minutes on a rocky, downhill slide-shuffle. My hams, which seem to show up solely in a supporting role for the quads on a road run, were crying like little girls today. Even my lungs, despite the slow pace, were reminded what it meant to walk a block back when I carried 88 pounds more and cried like a girl when Minda coerced me into walking around the block!


All this extra work is intentional - I'm less than 3 weeks away from the second half-marathon of my life, and I know that trail-running is good for building speed, strength and endurance for road races.
But somewhere along the trail, perhaps as I simultaneously spun a switchback and ducked under a low-hanging oak branch as big around as I was two-years ago, I fell in love.
I think this affair may last longer than the one with the doughnuts!

Sometimes

Once upon a time I was a drug addict. My drug of choice was crystal meth. I used it daily, sometimes hourly. I sometimes rationed out my supply so it would last a little longer. And I often consumed it in large quantities – after building up a tolerance and daring myself to push my luck to the absolute edge for a new experience. I occasionally consumed more than the human body should allow, and I have no doubt I am alive today only by the grace of God.

I was known to call in sick at my job to allow extended party time. Or to recover from an extended party time. Once or twice I even quit a job – by opting to not show up for my scheduled shift – in order to party longer. Rent and utility bills went unpaid when the supply ran low and needed replenishing. Moving from a trendy apartment in a trendy neighborhood to a dive roadside motel with weekly rent was acceptable to me at the time – the lowered rent allowed for more replenishing.  

I sacrificed my family’s love and ignored their concerns when it interfered with my freedom to indulge. I damaged friendships to avoid sharing my stash. And I squandered the hope for an admirable future for an exciting few moments of ecstasy that dissipated with each sunrise. And with each sunrise, reality stepped up to slap me – I was going nowhere I wanted to go and doing nothing I wanted to do, except indulge in short-lived pleasure.

The week that should have seen me kicked out of the dive motel, I asked for help and my parents rescued me.

It has been 31 years since I last used meth. But I am not cured; I am still an addict.

Last week I used my new drug of choice – several days in a row. Even hourly. I used more than my body should have been able to handle, once to the point of feeling ill and considering bowing out of my shift at work. Over the years, I have chosen my desire to indulge over the happiness of my family, and definitely over my health. I’ve spent money I shouldn’t have on replenishing my supply, I’ve gone to extremes to hide my stash to avoid sharing it.

And reality stepped in and slapped me in the face every time I looked in the mirror: the ravages of my addiction were piling up on me, pound by pound. I was an obese caricature of a 40-something husband and father.

It would be easy to snicker at the comparison – a meth-head stick-figure sticking needles in his arm versus a marshmallow man funneling M&Ms down his throat. But both were walking a thin line, one of catastrophic health issues or sudden death. Both risked the destruction of loved ones’ futures. And both were more concerned with fulfilling their selfish pleasure over their family’s happiness and solidarity.

Even now, 90 pounds lighter, exponentially more healthy, and spiritually stronger, I struggle – sometimes daily, even hourly – with my yearnings for sugary treats, for stuffing in huge quantities to fill a void that doesn’t exist, except in my psyche. Sometimes I give in to those yearnings. Sometimes I choose to allow a little “dabble” – a fun ice cream cone outing with my family. And that littel taste often unleashes a beast that screams and schemes as bad as a junkie to get more and more and more.

Yes, it’s that bad. Sometimes.

My name is Scott and I'm an addict.

Inspiration

After spending 5 hours volunteering at the finish line of Team Ortho's Duathlon, cheering on all manner of athlete's, I am inspired...

After personally congratulating 2 friends at the end of the race who have surmounted personal challenges to mold their body into that of an athlete, I am inspired...

After reading blog and FB postings of real people who have changed their couch potato life into an athlete's life, I am inspired...

...and a little terrified...

...to share this picture of me from two years ago:

And inspired to share this photo of me from two months ago (July 2012):

My hope is that these photos and the story behind them will inspire others!

*Sincere thank yous to Minda, Ben, Jessica, Kelly, Jackie, Mark, and many others!

Boom! fizzle...POW!

It happened yesterday, August 8, 2012, approximately 20 months since I took this health kick seriously: I met and in fact bested my goal of weighing 200 pounds. The scale read 199 in the bleary, early morning hours and I was thrilled to wakefulness. How did I celebrate this momentous occasion?

Of course I posted it on FaceBook – that’s what FB is for, right? Bragging?

And then I had a big sandwich  at Riverview Café …and a brownie for dessert. And later I had 2 beers (Founder’s Centennial  Dry-Hopped IPA and Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye). For dinner I made Andrew and I (Minda was out for the evening) tacos – big fat soft tacos! And later he and I went to DQ for medium Chocolate Extreme Blizzards.

Yes…I really did this. This was no celebration – this was an orgy of self-sabotage! It was like I had been handed a credit card with no limit and no warnings. Only the credit card issuer was certainly going to come back to exact payment!

This morning the scale read 203!

Why did I do this? Why?

I’m not fixed yet. The truth is I doubt I will ever be fully fixed. This 40+ year love affair with over-eating and under-exercising is not going to let go of me after less than two years of healthy living. Perhaps another 38 years and I might have a handle on this. I’m willing to keep on keeping on!

I believe the “cure” if it can be called that is two-fold. The first part is easy, for me: my faith in God. He has shown me many miracles in my life, not least of which was resurrecting this body from the self-inflicted slow suicide to which I sentenced it. But simple faith that God has a plan for me – and it doesn’t involve premature death with an oversized ice cream spoon in my hand – is what makes it easy for me to believe He will keep on keeping on.

Regardless of where you stand spiritually, if you believe you or your doctor or your doctor's scalpel is going to fix you, I believe you are in for a big disappointment. You need help, you cannot do it yourself and the problem – whether it’s sugar addiction, pain from your past, low self-esteem, whatever – is bigger than you. You have to give the problem to Something bigger than you. And that requires faith in Something outside yourself.

And secondly, you need support from like-minded, positive, and strong fellow strugglers. Which is why I started this blog – hoping to build a website community that can provide support for me and for you. A place to call out successes and cry out for help.

A place to feel safe to admit, "I ate a brownie at lunch and a Blizzard at dinner."

DONE!

Once upon a time in 2010 I said....

What if I...lost 85 pounds?

As of today, I have lost 85.5 pounds!

And actually look better than the photo-shopped photo of me!

I love reaching for and attaining goals...

Options

About 10 years ago, I went to the doctor. I said, “Doc, you gotta help me! I have gastric reflux, sleep apnea, chronic backaches, my knees and ankles ache all the time, I can barely walk to the end of the block without losing my breath. And did I mention my knees and ankles?”

He said, “Son, I can offer you two options: Option A is a prescription for Prilosec , hook you up with a CPAP machine, a prescription for Tylenol 3 for pain and inflammation. We should look at Zestril for your blood pressure, Zocor for cholesterol, and definitely want to pre-screen you for Diabetes type II.”

“Yikes! What’s option B?”

“One prescription.”

“Seriously? Hook me up! What is it?”

“Get some exercise.”

“How much is a CPAP machine, Doc?”

Fat old man at Erin's wedding.

Of course I made this whole scenario up, since as everyone who knows me knows I shun doctors like…well, the plague. But in essence I chose Option A – Prilosec and CPAP. I have no idea if I needed Zestril and Zocor, but it would not have surprised me.

Eighteen months ago, tired of the low level (read non-existent) success of Option A, I chose Option B: combined running, weightlifting and biking with a healthier diet and now I am 80+ pounds lighter, free of Prilosec and CPAP,  and have a strong back and knees.  I have the energy of a 20 year-old, I have a long list of plans to accomplish (instead of resting, watching TV, or waiting to die!), and a few road race medals hanging on my wall.
I even noticed recently that the occasional arthritis pain in my fingers has disappeared!

Ah! Not so fat old man!

My advise: Choose Option B! It's cheaper, doesn't require pharmaceuticals, and it actually tackles the problem!

I Have an Announcement

It is with trepidation that I announce: I am NO LONGER STUCK!!! For more than seven months I was mired in the 230 – 231 pound range, negating a few of my earlier lost pounds and frustrating the heck out of me. I even hit 233 right after my 50th Birthday 50K Challenge! Then suddenly, in the midst of a running hiatus (to heal my heels) no less, I have managed to shed 18 pounds in 9 weeks!

Oh yeah! Only 15 pounds to my goal weight of 200 even.

Why the trepidation? Several reasons, all of them probably a touch irrational, but I’m human; I’m allowed a few moments of irrationality.

For one thing, when I look at myself in the mirror I think, “Fifteen pounds? Looks like a lot more than 15 pounds needs to come off my waist to look the svelte, athletic person I envisioned 18 months ago!” My wife’s friend, Nancy offered this perspective: “Picture a 15 pound turkey.” Oh yeah, I can see that now.

Another thing: what happens once I reach my goal weight? What if I drop my guard? What if I celebrate with a dozen doughnuts and a half-gallon of milk? What if I lose the fire that has kept me going? What if, at the end of the battle, I allow myself to drift into a sort of “post partum depression” and I sub-consciously start rebuilding "Obese Mountain" just to have another go at conquering it?

Okay, that last one is pretty out there. But there’s probably a precedent for something like that.

So, how do I avoid a travesty like that?

I plan to continue doing what I’ve been doing for the past 18 months, with a few updates from the last 9 weeks. Which is to say, continue living this healthy lifestyle. And although I can’t call these tips a “System”, and I can’t claim it will work for anyone else, they seem to make sense. The worse it can do is cause one to become a hydrated, mindful eater of healthy food and a focused exerciser.

Tip #1 – drink lots of water. Conventional recommendations are 64 ounces per day. That’s a good minimum – I probably drink that much by noon! One of the ways to help make sure I drink enough is I never leave the house without a water bottle (Nalgene-type reusable bottle; I only buy bottled water in an emergency). I also try to drink a good 8-ounces of water within 15-minutes of waking. The other thing that helps is…

Tip #2 – drink green tea. I cold-brew and drink 2 bottles of green tea nearly every day. I also use green tea in my “green smoothies” (see tip #4). Besides upping the water intake, green tea has several awesome qualities, not least of which is it adds a fresh, subtle flavor to water, great for when you are tired of water. Plus, studies have found a reduced risk for several cancers – skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder in association with consuming green tea. Finally, green tea has been shown to increase metabolism and intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories. Pretty much a perfect beverage, which helps with…

Tip #3 – DON’T drink soda, diet or otherwise. Especially diet! It has taken me many years to resolve the tooth decay issues I can easily blame on decades of Pepsi-love. It was only the last 4 years leading up to this year that I switched to diet Pepsi – possibly better for my teeth, but in my opinion, a poison that creates false-hunger and sugar-lust. And possibly brain damage. I have accomplished 6 months of my “No Soda Rule” with a few “chosen” slip-ups in the first three months. But I feel I have successfully broken the chain, and now rarely even consider a slip-up – much less give in to the rare temptation. It was sheer will-power in the early stages, but it gets easier and easier over time.

Tip #4 – DO drink green smoothies – or as I call them at work, Green Sludge. I’m talking a lovely concoction of carrots, celery, spinach, kale, a chunk of fresh ginger, slice of lemon (including the peel), maybe a dash of cayenne, sweetened up with an orange or an apple (or both) and spun in a blender with a cup or two of green tea. I used to blend the heck out of them so they truly were smooth, like a green milkshake. But I discovered I prefer a little chewiness to them, thus the sludge nickname. These are truly delicious, fulfilling, satisfying, and pack 5-6 servings of veggies and fruits in one green and glorious wollop! With that many veggies, it’s easy to…

Tip #5 – eat protein with every meal and eschew “white carbs”. I had great success with an Atkins-like diet several years ago. But I could not see myself eating that way the rest of my life. And wouldn’t really want to. I like homemade bread and (brown) rice and occasionally potatoes. Occasional is the key here – I still eat all of those carbs, but only in small quantities, or in the case of homemade bread (usually partially whole-wheat flour and oatmeal included), in small time frames: I bake a loaf, it lasts a day or two with all three of us snacking on it, and when it’s gone, I skip bread for awhile. Homemade bread, by the way, will help cure you of SBBC (store-bought bread-consumption).

Tip #6 – Treats! My favorites are almonds and grapefruit, my guilty pleasures. I know I eat larger than “approved” servings of almonds, but since they are a healthy fat, albeit in small quantities, and they are purported to curb the appetite, I allow myself a little extra. Plus, they satisfy little craves for snacks (and steer me away from Almond Joys or Hershey’s with almonds). Grapefruit is known to suppress appetite, steady blood sugar, and tastes really, really good! This is my go-to treat when a lust for sugar threatens to overwhelm me. Plus, the aroma of the luscious orb as I peel the skin is a great mood lifter. And finally, I…

Tip #7 – follow Minda’s tips, the ones she is learning from Naturally Slim. Minda’s employer is running (and paying for) a pilot program for their employees to use this well-thought out “food mindset” (versus “diet plan”). This plan attempts to re-train you to eat like a naturally thin person, with suggestions such as eat meals slowly for 10-minutes, then take a 5-minute break before returning to eating, thus giving your stomach time to convince your brain you are full. Another tip is to learn to discern the difference between hunger and TRUE hunger, and hold off eating until you are truly hungry (but not so hungry you give in and eat a dozen doughnuts and a half-gallon of milk!) The interesting thing here is a) you burn serious fat during the time between hunger and true hunger, and b) because of this, after a little “practice” you learn to embrace the hunger feeling. It’s as if the hunger is a badge of honor that empowers you, makes you stronger. And burns fat!

And then there’s exercise, the key to supercharging a lifestyle change, but obviously the hardest change to make to a sedentary lifestyle. Here are 2 tips:

Tip #8 – find an activity you enjoy doing that taxes your body in some serious way. I love running but I’ve had to stop for awhile due to Achilles tendon pain. I have switched to biking four times a week, which helps (and rests the Achilles), but in my opinion doesn’t live up to the burn and accomplishment of running. But I have also tackled a lawn make-over that not only burns calories, works my arms and gut muscles, and beautifies our backyard oasis, but also keeps me focused on job completion instead of hunger. (This has truly been the crux of my most recent success, that and eating smaller portions because I eat slower.)

Tip #9 – Force yourself to complete a challenge, a tough but do-able goal. For me it was signing up for a 7-kilometer race. I committed to it, paid for it, and then started getting in shape for it. And three months later – I did it! The preparation cost me my first 30 pounds. The sense of accomplishment fueled my desire to continue getting healthy and to sign up for more races (I ran a half marathon 6 months later).

My hope is that by July 31, I will have reached my goal of 200 pounds. Maybe I'll dip below to 195 just for an extra challenge.

Goal Update

In my last post, December 15, 2011, I detailed a few of my goals for the year. Although the progress was not exactly how I envisioned, there was forward movement. And I firmly believe if your goals aren't adaptable to real life, they aren't realistic goals. They should be a stretch for you, but when life throws a challenge at you, you have to weave and bob to get around or through it and still keep your eyes on the prize.

Here are the four goals and the updates:

#1 - Get the weight down to 198 by April 14. I'll be 50 years old and - if I succeed - I will be 90 pounds lighter than I was in April 2010. (I have 29.5 pounds to go by then - I CAN do it!)

The interesting thing about endurance running - it's easy to pack on extra pounds in the pursuit of longer miles. And sadly, by the time my birthday 50K challenge ended, I was actually up 4 pounds. And this was after more than 5 months of being stuck in the 229-231 pound range. Happily, in the last 5 weeks I have shaved off 10 pounds and am now down to my lowest weight in at least 12 years. More importantly, I "feel" the success happening, success at changing the mindset and taking the body(fat) with it.

#2 - Run a 50K "combo" (see my earlier post regarding the April Challenge) in the week before and including the day of my birthday. And then P A R T Y like a 35-year-old*!!

About day 3 of the 50K Challenge.

Two things happened with this goal: Minda and I ran fifty-THREE kilometers, starting and ending the challenge with a 10K run around Minnehaha Parkway and Lake Nokomis. We also, sadly, decided to postpone the party till later in the summer.

#3 - Run a Marathon. Not sure when or where yet, but this will be the goal behind the mini-goals of the Get Lucky 7K, the St. Paul Running Opener 10K, the Apple Blossom 10K, the Minneapolis Half Marathon, the Minneapolis Duathlon, and the Monster Dash Half-Marathon. (See all those measurable steps I can check off as I approach the Marathon goal?)

This was more of a planning goal rather than a running goal, and as such, it was a great success, thanks to my wife/life-partner/running-inspiration/all-around-life-muse, Minda! Together we are planning to run the Duluth, MN Grandma's Marathon in 2014 to celebrate her 50th birthday. As far as the smaller goals listed above: we ran the Get Lucky 7K in March (with good friend Mark), and I (and Minda tentatively) plan to run the Monster Dash in October, either the Half-Marathon or the 10-Mile run.

#4 - Most importantly, continue - and in fact expand - my role as a model to my son, who will be 12 next year and growing ever closer to the "tough years of teenage".

Marching for Babies in April.

The 12-year-old has arrived in all his glory - part angel/part demon, spending part of his day spitting mad at me, and yet holding my hand most any time he and I walk somewhere, whether across a parking lot or a 5K March for Babies. This year, as I encourage him to try running for fitness (he's declined so far) and he encourages me to parkour (I actually impressed him at one point with my "Nice precision jump"), I see we are moving away from being "Lego-masters". Where we end up, God only knows. But I think he knows I love him, and that I'm hard on him because I expect more from him than he expects from himself. I hope to see this become a mutual interest as the year progresses.

Damien - my first hawk.

One of my other goals is to get back into falconry and I hope to do that before he's 14, when he can take the exam and qualify for his apprentice level permit. I know that falconry had a big part in my straightening up and flying right. My hope is if he leaps into hawking at a young age, he might be inclined to bypass the troubles I leapt into before I put on the hawking glove. I know I have met many young falconers who impressed me with their maturity and level-headedness. I would love to see that happen with Andrew.