Day 69 = Running + the Underwater Jesus

Still working on the first week of marathon training 2009 (part deux). Remember, I was training for Seattle at the beginning of this blog, and now I'm working toward - kinda - the Athens Marathon. So tonight, I did the prescribed 30-minute walk/jog around my neighborhood.

This morning, I was listening to my iPod on the way to work. I have a lot of music, and the song "Kokomo" by the Beach Boys (from the movie Cocktail) came on. Normally, I would skip right through a song like this, but instead I let it play. I remembered what the Memphis waffle guy said and just stopped. Relaxed. Enjoyed my drive. Let the Beach Boys take me back to a nice sweet memory.... [insert harp music here]

Last summer, I took a mini vacation with a dear, sweet man, Paul. We spent 3 days in Key West, and it was fantastic. It was so much fun spending time with him and so relaxing. I'd done some pre-trip research about the Florida Keys (there isn't really a little place called Kokomo off the Keys, by the way), and I learned about the Underwater Jesus statue. There are actually several in the world, and they've been placed underwater as monuments to honor all the men lost at sea. So it was my mission to go snorkeling around this statue and see it for myself.

OMG. The picture and the video of the Underwater Jesus is so creepy, I couldn't even bring myself to post an actual photo of the statue itself. Its creepiness to me is right up there with the creepiness of the first time I ever saw a KISS tribute band, as well as the Jack-in-the-Box "mini sirloin burgers" commercial. I'm not saying Jesus is creepy; but the statue is. Just standing there underwater looking all surreal. Just watch the video and you'll see. So here is a pic I took of it on our way back to Ft. Lauderdale. I was bummed because we were being rushed off the Keys due to Hurricane Fay, but Paul was gracious enough to humor me and pull over so I could take a photo of the site.

Now you stay put, Jesus statue. I'm coming back for you!