craigmcdade.com

Around 5:40 am this morning I was ready to leave for the gym. Bailey was outside, my backpack was packed and the alarm was set. Time to go. The only thing I didn’t have were… my car keys. I look around the house and they’re not in any of the usual areas, then it hits me. My keys are in Sarahs car.

And Sarah had left for work at 5:20…

Yesterday Sarah and I had dinner with friends and we took her car… I grabbed my keys out of habit and then tossed them in her counsel when I realized I didn’t need them. I forgot to bring them in when we got home.

So here I am with 1 problem and 3 possible solutions:

Problem: How am I going to get to work?

Solution 1: Call a friend and ask if they can take me…
Solution 2: Call in sick…
Solution 3: Ride my bike…

I figured none of my friends would want to drive out to give me a lift so I ruled that out. And calling in sick wasn’t really an option… sure I have sick time and vacation time I could take… but I didn’t really want to, I need to save that stuff for more important things. And what am I really going to do all day with nothing to do? I might as well go to work.

So that leaves me 1 option, ride my bike to work…

I live 15 miles from work, and while I have often wanted to ride my bike to work, the thought of showing up sweaty, dirty and tired to my desk job didn’t really appeal to me too much. Sure I’d save on gas and get a great work out but there are major highways inbetween my home and my work…

At 6:45 am I hopped on my bike and pedaled towards the gas station to fill up my tires. From there I started the 15 mile ride towards City Hall. I figured out a way to take mostly back roads so that I could keep car traffic to a minimum. The ride was amazing, the weather and scenery were beautiful. A cool 70 degrees was a perfect temperature to ride in. I got to work at exactly 8 am, which means I averaged 12 mph. So I’m not exactly ready for the tour de france, but a decent time nonetheless. The only problem I have now is that I have to ride my bike home… in 99 degree heat. At least I saved gas… and helped the environment a little bit!

Hey Lance, how do you do it?

No Comments »

Hard to believe that I’ve lived in Florida two years now. I remember two years ago today pulling into my grandparents driveway with my Justin, Sarah and Erica… being chased by a tropical storm and thinking to myself “what in the hell have you gotten yourself into now?!!”

So much has happened in two years I can’t quite comprehend it all:

Got married
Got a dog best friend
Got a house
Got promoted
Still have the same car! (perhaps the biggest surprise)
Went on countless trips
Saw the shuttle go up from the I-95 party on the 4th of July
Went canoeing with alligators
Caught a stingray while fishing
Went swimming with stingrays
Convinced the City that GIS is the way to go
Made new friends
Re-established a friendship with my brother

Yeah, I guess things aren’t too bad down here. Life has a crazy way of doing that to you. You’re always exactly where you’re supposed to be. If you would have told me this is where I’d be in 2 years I would have thought you were crazy… who knows what the next two years will bring or where we’ll be.
 

No Comments »

I should have paid better attention
When I worked for you those years
For the recent sight of my lawn
Has brought me close to tears
 
So meticulous and caring
You are for your grass
I try to give my yard the same
But it’s a pain in the ass
 
My lawn is brown with weeds and bugs
And grubs and snakes and moles
And leaves and sand and twigs you see
And my dog has dug some holes
 
I want to learn the tricks and tips
That keeps your land so lush
Don’t worry I won’t speak a word
I’ll keep your secret hush

Why is my lawn so bad
Why won’t it grow
I hope I can find some answers soon
I really need to know

So what is my angle here
What is my ploy?
I want to remember all I learned
When I worked for Harry & the Boy

No Comments »

My quest for a new pair of flip flops has produced less than desirable results. Everywhere I go, I am reminded of Sammy and how well he fit my foot. To this day I have not been able to find a sandal that fit quite like he did. To make due I have been wearing a pair of womens adidas flip flops around town. They are navy and baby blue and match quite nicely with most of my clothes, however, they are getting worn down and my feet are beginning to pay the price. I have actually been forced to stop wearing flip flops for an undetermined amount of time because i have started to lose feeling in each of my big toes. The pain shoots up my shin and calf and just isn’t much fun. So even though it is 96 degrees outside everyday and I hate wearing socks with a passion, I am lacing up my sneakers for all my foot transportation needs.

Meanwhile, I will continue my quest to find the perfect replacement flip flops. I have realized I will more than likely have to raise the price on these sandals so that they provide more support and comfort for my feet. Therefore, if anybody would like to donate to the Craig McDade Flip-Flops for Fun Fund you may contact me by using the form on this website.

No Comments »

Sammy the Left Sandal passed away Sunday, March 16, 2008 at his home on Craig McDade’s left foot, he was one and a half years old.

The shoe doctor declared the cause of death as “complete thong failure” as his flip flop thong became detached from his sole (soul). It will be listed in the report as “natural causes.”

Sammy led a good life, an avid traveler, he logged hundreds of miles through various terrain. He always made it to and through his destination unscathed. That is not to say there weren’t close calls though, who could forget the time he was leading Craig on a crab hunting trip in pitch black conditions on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.. Sammy nearly lost his life as a wave crashed against him sweeping him into the depths of the sea. Always a trooper, Sammy surfed the wave like a champ and was found gasping for air 10 feet up the beachline. 

Even though Sammy worked in sometimes perilous conditions in the incredible heat of summer, never once did he complain about his sometimes smelly conditions. Sammy loved his job.

“He will be missed,” said owner Craig McDade. “I don’t know if I’ll ever find another sandal just like him.”

Sammy the Left Sandal is survived by his twin sister Susie the Right Sandal.

No Comments »