Category Archives: Guest Writer

A Typical Day in the Life of Ben Collins: Through the Eyes of Aaron Scheidies  You all have read Ben Collin’s stories and accounts of his life. Well, I have been hanging around and training with him for the past weeks and I think I can give a pretty good account of what a typical […]

Peggy McDowell-Cramer sent me an email a couple days ago. Whenever I see her name in my inbox I get excited. Like before Alcatraz I was whining about my fear of sharks in the bay. Peggy sent me a note that said:

ben, drop the shark thoughts.   just race, keeping in mind how you want to do each leg thereof.
   i had a sailing mishap (rudder broke, dumped me) in the bay 40 years ago this july 31/august 1.  went over in the middle, directly out from the sf airport.  boat then sank.  i swam for about 15 hours.  never felt a fish.  thought about sharks only once, doubted sincerely that they came into the non-interesting bay, and forced myself not to think of it again.
peggy

Seriously, how can you argue with somebody who comes loaded with stories like that? This week it was Peggy’s race report from the 2008 ITU World Championships in Vancouver

[I’ve put a lot of thought into how I can appropriately introduce my friend Brandon Basso. There’s the basic “bio data” (a term used by our Indian friends at Columbia. Apparently their parents did not think our bio data was sufficient for their daughters): 5’11” 145 pounds, blond, blue eyes, grew up on Long Island (and can’t wait to move back east)… None of that really describes him. He’s unique, but then I guess you have to be if you graduated in engineering with a minor in English, worked on the Mars Rover, then went back to school for a PhD in Control Theory (translate that as robotics).

I’m sitting at home today taking a practice MCAT, which means I have nothing to write about. Instead, I am going to show you a preview of the treat I have in store for tomorrow. My friend Brandon Basso, who is a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Cal, wrote an article about time management. […]

Guest Writer Henning Fog writes: “I retired this week at the tender age of 21. After countless (well, ten) years of struggle, emotional turmoil, and weight fluctuation that would make even Jenny Craig blush, it was finally time to embrace an easier approach to life. Unlike my AARP card-holding counterparts, though, I’m not moving to Florida; just out of the pool. You see… I’m done swimming. For real. My career as a competitive swimmer has come to an end, and I couldn’t be happier. For starters, my hair is growing back; never again will I have to question my masculinity as I shave my legs. What else am I thrilled to leave behind?”