2LT Matthew S. Coutu

2Lt Matthew Scott Coutu - KIA 27June2005

I was blessed to have known him and miss him tremendously!!! I am a better person because of who he was in my life.

Always loved and never forgotten!!!

Team X-T.R.E.M.E.

I ran across some information on these guys today and it just blew my mind. They compete in endurance sports events while wearing gas masks to raise awareness for wounded warriors.

"They have chosen the gas mask to symbolize their initiative. Running in the mask is equivalent to 20 – 25% oxygen resistance. People often ask them how difficult it is to run long distance in a gas mask. Their reply, “not nearly as difficult as living with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), learning to walk again with prosthetics, or living the rest of your life burned over 30% of your body.” They parallel the perception of temporary discomfort and difficulty associated with running in the mask to the challenges our wounded veterans will endure for the rest of their lives."

Pretty intense if you ask me, check them out...

http://www.teamxtremerunning.org/

Oh shipping...

I learned a few things today while trying to ship a very awkward oversized package for work...

1) FedEx doesn't really have much interest in making boxes that fit oversized packages...they'd rather just make copies and stare at you awkwardly. Don't dare ask for a creative solution, they DO NOT create boxes out of other boxes.

2) U Store It is a bit more creative and has a good grasp on the phrase, "time is money"

3) UPS is your 1 stop shipping wonderland!!! You bring in that oddly shaped extremely large chaos, they find a solution...remind you that shipping said package is not economical and then make it happen!!!! And then happily give you a discount, because well, it is oversized and a bit ridiculous. Oh and the added bonus, a small puppy was in the store for licks and nibbles!

Thumbs up UPS, thumbs down FedEx

But I love you Mr. Sun!

Every summer I have to relearn what I should already know. This year I'm going to write some of it down in hopes that I retain it next year.

1) Sand & water remove sunscreen very effectively from your feet.
2) My backpack also removes sunscreen with great ease.
3) Sunscreen in fact does expire! That one is new to me!

Overall take away, I love the SUN, it does not love me!