Dear faithful Readers,

If you didn't know because you aren't obsessed with all things weightlifting (shame on you), this weekend is the Nationals in Ohio. Our very own blogger Colin Ito lifts at 2:00 on Sunday. "How can I spend my weekend devoting myself to weightlifting even though I'm not in Ohio?" you're no doubt asking yourself right now. Well, eager Readers, you can go watch the the live webcast! You don't even have to register with your real name and email, which will be potentially exciting for those of you who are big enough losers to take the time to create a sufficiently ridiculous pseudonym. (Mine was "Gregory McKitchmufflestein," so don't steal it.) "But Natalie, how do I know what time my heroes are lifting?" you might be asking. Which is a silly question because it implies that you might be doing other things this weekend besides watching the Greatest Sport on Earth. But for those of you who have lives (then why are you reading my blog?), here's the the schedule. I'm getting so good at html.

And if you didn't know because you aren't obsessed with all things Gichael Mattone (perfectly understandable), today is his 11th birthday. To celebrate, he decided to make me wake up at 6:30 (in the morning!) and train at 8:00 so that he could spend the rest of the day at the World's Largest Indoor Waterpark. I'm glad he has priorities.

Winsomely yours,
Natalie

Actually Inspirational Inspiration of the Week (in honor of Nationals):
“But should a man carry out impossible orders knowing what they lead to? Even though they come from Golz, who is the party as well as the army? Yes. He should carry them out because it is only in the performing of them that they can prove impossible. How do you know they are impossible until you have tried them? If everyone said orders were impossible to carry out when they were received where would you be? Where would we all be if you just said, ‘Impossible,’ when orders came?”
(Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls)