Hello everyone, it's been a while since I blogged---I still don't know what that means. Now that the election is long over, I'd like to "get out the vote" for something that may not be as important, but it is certainly more satisfying...chocolate milk. I don't like milk; never have. I have a friend, however who really digs chocolate milk. Just today I learned that this tantalizing, brown cow juice is used as an after exercise recovery drink. Who knew to associate chocolate and exercise? My friend Kari knew; she knows a lot of stuff. Let me tell you a little about my friend Kari de Jong. We got off to a rocky start but over the last few years we've established a loyal and respectful friendship. Those two words---loyal and respectful--- are words that immediately come to mind when describing Kari. She understands that friendship is not just a fleeting instance of laughs and fun. In fact, when things are tough in one's life, true friendship is revealed. A few years ago I had to have some surgery at a moments notice. By the time I was brought up to a room in the hospital, it was around 10:00 at night. A short time after getting my wits about me, Kari and Karin---who will from here on out be referred to as Rump, walked into my room. Rump brought me a picture of my one year old dog, and for some reason I still don't understand, the ashes of my old dog. Kari also came bearing gifts of the finest kind; two Dunkin Donuts coffee rolls...one of God's greatest creations. I thought to myself, this is the girl who for the longest time wouldn't even speak to me and now she's at my bedside with the perfect food. As this wasn't a planned surgery, I had to take care of the leave of absence red tape at work from a hospital bed. Not to worry, Kari took care of it the next day. I can't remember if this was before or after she and Rump went to Ghana for a month to volunteer at a refugee camp. I know it was before she stayed up half the night making cheesecake cookies for my dear friend Al who was dying of lung cancer. She had worked a double shift and had to have the cookies ready for me to pick up by 6 the next morning. At 6:00 on the dot I turned onto her street to see Kari standing in the street barefoot and in her p.j's holding a pastry box full of goodies. She had a treat in there for me, too...which I devoured on the way to work.
You're probably wondering how this all ties into chocolate milk. I babbled so long, I almost forgot myself. Oddly enough there is a website for chocolate milk lovers---www.gotchocolatemilk.com. They have a campaign going on called "Refuel with Chocolate Milk." Kari does just that after she works out...Rump has the cookies. From now until December 31, 2012, Kari is one of the finalists in a contest sponsored by the site. Each finalist describes his or her post-workout routine and explains why chocolate milk is part of his or her recovery process. I want Kari to win. Look, I'm sure there are other people that may have done a nice video, too but they're not Kari. There is only one Kari de Jong. The winner gets some kind of personal coaching and some other cool stuff. The best part is, every time a vote is cast, for any of the contestants, $1 goes to challenged athletes. If for no other reason, go to the site everyday from now until the end of the month and vote.If we all do that everyday for the next three weeks, it will really add up. So those of you who exercise passionately, make sure to go at least once to give back those athletes who are mentally or physically challenged. And since you're going to visit the site anyway, vote for Kari. That's Kari de Jong...spelled just like that. She has no idea I'm writing this, which is strange because when I write for a professor, she is my indispensable editor...yes, she does that, too. And she asks for nothing in return. Loyal, respectful, talented and generous. I'm actually glad she won't see this because I know this is punctuated terribly.
Ok, thank you for reading and I'll thank you in advance for voting for Kari. Next time, I'll tell you all about Rump.
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