I just received horribly sad news. My friend and co-worker, Darcy Pohland died unexpectedly in her sleep last night. It doesn’t even seem real. I can’t wrap my head around it. I also can’t stop crying.

I can say, without a bit of hesitation I would not be who I am, or where I am without Darcy.

I’ve known Darcy since I was in high school. She took a chance on a kid she had met through e-mail. A teacher told me Darcy was an old student of hers and that if I wanted to know more about working in TV, I should contact her. So I sent an e-mail. We continued to e-mail back and forth for about a year. Then in 2003, Darcy agreed to volunteer her time and mentor me my senior year. She was the first one who encouraged me to do what I’m doing now.

I knew nothing about TV. I spent almost every day with her. Going to WCCO was by far my favorite part of the day. I dreamed of working here, calling Darcy a coworker. Little did I know that dream would become a reality in a few years.

Darcy helped me get my first internship, which led to my second one, and that eventually led to the job I have now. Despite all the talks we’ve had throughout the years, I’m not sure she really knew how much I admired her. Darcy was my true first journalism teacher, but along the way Darcy taught me much more than about life.

Darcy was an eternal optimist. One summer in college, Darcy broke her neck after diving into a swimming pool. Regardless of losing the ability to use her legs and having minimal ability in her arms, Darcy never complained about it. She never let using a wheelchair stop her from doing anything. Rain, snow, sandy riverbanks, nothing was out of the question for Darcy. She couldn’t say no… and you couldn’t say no to her.

She was always happy. Always. Darcy had a light around her, she’d whiz by on her wheelchair say hi, and you’d smile. Her laugh was infectious, her smile beamed. In fact, I don’t remember her ever complaining about having a bad day. It’s a lesson we all should learn.

Going to work today is going to be terribly hard. Darcy was a rock and source of knowledge in the newsroom. She was a tried and true Vikings and Gopher fan. I will always remember her strength, passion, optimism and wit. I’m so thankful a few weeks ago I was able to tell her how much her friendship has meant to me throughout the years. It won’t ever replace the hole in my heart because she’s no longer with us.

I’ll be eternally grateful for Darcy’s guidance and friendship all these years. She’s been such an inspiration and I will miss her so very, very much.

You can read more about Darcy here.

100 days.

That’s how long I have until I lace up my shoes and remind myself I want to run 13.1 miles. I still don’t know why I thought running a half marathon was a good idea. I’ve been training for three months and can only run a mile before I have to stop and slow down to a fast walk.

It’s starting to hit me. 13 miles is a long distance. I’m getting pretty scared, actually. I’m hoping to not pass out and die during the half marathon. I also hope my calf and hip are feeling better so I can actually do it. The good news is Team Ortho is sponsoring the half marathon, so if I have to, I can walk and not get penalized. I really appreciate that.

Training has been a long and slow process, but I think I will eventually be a runner. I’m already seeing results. I want to run a 5k without stopping by the time April rolls around. That’s 3 miles, or once around Lake Calhoun for those of you living in the Twin Cities.

But first things first: I have to run the Get Lucky 7k. Oh, and I have to stop signing up for races.

Let me start by saying I am a Royals fan. For 6 years I lived in or close to Kansas City and went to too many Royals games to count. Slugerrr and I have a close and special relationship.

With that said - TMZ says it best: “MLB Mascot Accused of Gruesom Weiner Attack.”

Apparently at a game last September, Slugerrr climbed atop the 3rd base (away team) dugout and tossed out hot dogs. This isn’t unusual. In fact, I often sat above that dugout and caught and ate many of those free dogs.

A man says Slugerrr threw out a hot dog and hit him in the eye.

As a result, he’s suffered a detached retina and developed cataracts. He’s suing the Royals for more than $25,000 for negligence and battery.

Uh, dude, you’re at a baseball game. If you didn’t notice a huge fake 7-foot lion tossing hot dogs into the cheering crowd around you, you were either too drunk or too dumb to be in the stands.

Does it suck you were knocked in the face with a flying piece of meat? Yes. Though, I can only imagine how bruised your ego must be, if your eye is that damaged.

I feel bad for Sluggerrr. He didn’t intentionally or maliciously throw a hot dog in this guy’s face. Hell, maybe he thought he looked hungry. Sluggerrr is there to entertain us and give out free food between innings.

Furthermore, If you go to a baseball game, the back of your ticket will say something to the extent of ‘be advised, if you get hit with a bat or ball we’re not responsible.’

I know it’s not the same, but I think it should be.

For those who actually know me, you know I’m obsessed with four things:

1. The Minnesota Twins

2. The Backstreet Boys

3. Anything that’s pink or shiny

4. Michael Buble.

Today, I’m focusing on #4.

I stumbled upon my extensive Michael Buble collection tonight. I don’t know what it is about his voice, it’s so… um, what’s the word? Oh yes, PERFECT.

It’s like a blanket… soft, warm, silky and fuzzy. You just want to wrap yourself up in his music and burrow deeper into it. Or like warm chocolate cake, it’s so fresh, creamy and rich, you just want more. I don’t know what it is about his music, but it makes me so happy. No matter the song, my mind goes to late summer or early fall in St. Paul. The air is crisp and warm, there aren’t pesky bugs or anything to distract you. More specifically, it’s night on an outdoor patio, with a bonfire pit and glass of red wine.

Ahh, bliss.

I’ve seen Michael Buble in concert twice. The first time was in 2003 at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis. He was a nobody then, but I had his CD and drove my friends crazy listening to it. There couldn’t have been more than 200 people at the show, my brother and I were definitely the youngest in the crowd. About half way through the show someone took a picture and the flash went off. Michael stopped the show and hopped off the stage to take a real picture with them. It was great. He shared stories, interacted with the audience and looked so happy on stage.

A year or two later I saw him at Orchestra Hall. It was a bigger show. He was a bigger name. He tried to interact with the audience, but it’s hard when you’re performing to a couple hundred people. The passion was still there though.

I still love his music as much as I ever have. It still sounds full and happy and classic. His tour is coming back through the Twin Cities this spring. He’ll be playing the Xcel Center to a couple thousand people. As much as I’d love to see his show, I don’t know if I’d enjoy it as much as I know I could. Not after the intimate experience I had a few years ago.

That’s the problem with good music. You find it and embrace it. Then it catches on and all of a sudden everyone loves it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to be among the first, to say you’ve been there the whole time, but you lose that special connection.

Luckily I can still enjoy his music without seeing his concert. Listening to his music tonight, I feel calm and happy. It’s like an instant happy spot you can take on the go.

And that’s exactly what I intend to do. Take my iPod and listen to his music this summer on a patio in St. Paul.

Don’t you love watching half court shots? Wanna see 4 in a row? Spontaneous and UNEDITED?

The Kansas Jayhawks start shooting (and sinking) half-court shots during a recent practice. The first one was made by Minneapolis’ own Cole Aldrich.

Rock Chalk baby!

Oh my gosh, has it really been two weeks since I’ve blogged? Wow, where has time gone?

So here’s what’s been going on:

Twinsfest

I didn’t think I could step back in there. I’m talking about the Metrodome. We had too many memories. Too many times it lifted me up, then broke my heart. I saw the best and saddest games this past season at the Dome. #163 was amazing. Walking home that night, I felt like I was flying. I was also there for the final game against the Yankees. I saw that game with my friend Peter. We sat there for a good 15 minutes after the final pitch, just staring at the field. Like the ghosts of Kirby Puckett and the other Twins greats were going to walk out onto the field and demand a re-do.

I made it back into the Dome. I couldn’t help but think “Thank God!” when I saw the teflon sky. I can’t wait to sit outside, breathe fresh air, wear sunglasses (or a sweatshirt) and watch baseball on real grass. After feeling as though I was vindicated and upgraded, I enjoyed a Dome Dog. My dad got to meet one of his favorite pitchers Bert Blyleven, I said hi to my old buddy Jim “Mudcat” Grant and met my favorite Twins legend, Tony Oliva.

My collection of autographed baseballs is starting to get a little obnoxious. I’ll have to find somewhere else to start putting them.

I also decided to fulfill a life-long goal of becoming a Twins season ticket holder. I purchased a partial-season (just 20 games) in the upper deck along the 3rd base side. I can see the field just fine, I can see downtown and I’m right in the sun. I can’t wait!

Running

I hurt my leg again. I’ve been trying to run 3-4 days a week, and I’m doing really well at staying on track. Two weeks ago I ran a mile without stopping. Then two days later I ran a mile and a half. Now my calf hurts. I’ve been trying to rehab it and not let it get too irritated. So far, it’s been a slow and painful recovery. It’s also been frustrating because the more I want to push myself, the more hurt I get.

In the mean time, I’ve signed up for another race. I’m doing the Get Lucky 7k on March 20th. It’s 4.3 miles and it’s outside. The race is through Team Ortho, so I can walk it if needed. I’m hoping to run the first mile, walk/run the second and third, then run the fourth to finish.

Heather says I’m doing too many races and I’m cut off now. I like the races. They give me something to work towards. If my calf doesn’t feel better, I won’t be doing this race though. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

Etc…

I’ve also been thinking about putting together a cookbook. Nothing crazy. In fact, it’d be quite simple. My favorite recipes all put into one place. I want to take pictures of some of the dishes, organize them into a clean, simple format, then get it bound and printed. It’ll make a great gift. Who knows? Maybe I’ll sell a few copies and donate the money somewhere. It’ll be a great side project.

Looking to have rockin’ good time on Valentine’s Day… but don’t have a sweetie? No worries!! You should check out the TweetCrawl (round 2). Yup, we’ll be meeting up again this Sunday!

Not sure what a TweetCrawl is? Don’t feel bad, it’s simple. A TweetCrawl is essentially an opportunity to socialize, drink and not leave home. Throw your feet up, have a drink, take a picture and tweet it. Just don’t forget the #tweetcrawl hashtag! Then follow the trending to jump in on the conversation. Warning: things got a little crazy last time!

Every once in a while, we’ll all meet up. That’s what we’re doing on Sunday. It’s a great way to meet fellow Tweet-heads and network with some really cool people in the Twin Cities.

Here’s your opportunity to join in on the fun. We’re meeting at Loring Kitchen from 6 - 9:30 pm this Sunday (Feb 14th). There’ll be drink specials ($3 taps among other things). You can RSVP right here. And, duh, invite your friends!!

So I’m no model… by anyone’s standards. However, today I sure felt like one.

My amazing and talented friend/coworker Erica took my picture for a work thing. Ok, here’s a hint: it’s for our new website: The Wire.

None the less, these are some of our favorite pictures we took today. They’re awfully pretty if I do say so myself.

I’m not fishing for compliments and trying to toot my own horn. I’m simply sharing something I’m proud of… and that’s the great work Erica did.

I ran 1.5 miles! I ran 1.5 miles!!

I, Tracy Perlman, ran 1.5 miles before slowing down.

And I only slowed down to tie my shoe… then had trouble getting back into the groove.

That’s all I have to say.

(*does happy dance*)

I have some encouraging news this week. I ran an entire mile before slowing down. Yay! Finally. I’m seeing real improvements in my running. I felt good, I think I can push myself to run another quarter to half mile next week.

I solicited advice from some of my friends who are runners. They said when they hit a wall like I did last week, they tell themselves to “shut up and run,” and try focusing on other things. So I did, and it worked. That and a little MC Hammer on my iPod, too!

I thought it was hardest to get going again once I’d slow down. Today was also the first day I felt my weight on my knees and ankles. It wasn’t painful like a strain or pull, but a strong pressure. That will go away as I start to lose weight.

There’s a new 7k in March I’d like to participate in. It’s the Get Lucky Run 7k by Team Ortho. That’s the group I’m doing the other races through. A 7k is 4.3 miles. That’s a scary distance, then again I have to run 13 miles for the half marathons. It’s March 20th, so I think I’m going to wait to sign up. I first want to make sure the weather is good. No more running outside in cold, crappy weather!! However, I’m going to keep running/training like I’m running it. If not, I’ll find a 5k to do in April.