A Look at a Local Legend

Checking back in today with Local Man on the one-year anniversary of his record-breaking commute. The original post, "Local Man Breaks Record", is my personal favorite of the more than one thousand pieces I have written for this blog. (Many thanks to the Columbia Archives, where I found the inspiration for this piece.)

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Village Green/Town² : So, Local Man. It would be great to do a one-year follow-up on your remarkable achievement. Do you have any insights or updates you'd like to share?

Local Man: It has been a fantastic year. I've walked to work at least twice per week, excluding some of the really cold months of winter.

Village Green/Town² : What keeps you going?

Local Man: The realization of the beauty of my Village. Working in a community I love. Lunches with my wife and daughter help, too.

Village Green/Town² : Any downside?

Local Man: Well...the worst thing is that the air pollution of car exhaust is more apparent when you walk!

Village Green/Town² : Have you been able to shave any time off of your seventeen-minute record?

Local Man: Looking at my fitbit, it looks like I got it down to 15 minutes, but I normally keep a casual pace.

Village Green/Town² : After a year of almost continuous training, would you say that you're still happy to be following in the footsteps of Columbia Man?

Local Man: Absolutely. I'd say it has been a mighty fine 12 months. Mighty fine, indeed.

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Two must-reads on the school system front today:

"Why This Election Matters" by Bill Woodcock, The 53.

"Sweeping changes are needed on the county's school board" by editorial staff, Howard County Times.

Comments

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Columbia Chance Connection

Last night, as my husband and I were about to sit down to dinner, our front door swung open and a cheery voice announced, “I’m ba—ack!” We weren’t expecting anyone. Clearly the only people who’d walk right in to our house would be one of our offspring. I had my reading glasses on so I wasn’t seeing too clearly. It seemed too tall for our youngest, but we knew our eldest was at work. I took off my glasses to see a friendly but confused face scanning our living room. When her gaze landed on us we all had a sudden realization. We didn’t know eachother. “Oh I’m so sorry! I’m in the wrong house! My daughter just moved in and she needed hooks for the kitchen so I ran out to get them.” She waved the package. “All these houses look the same and I don’t know the neighborhood yet. I thought this was my daughter’s house.” We were all getting a bit giggly. “That’s okay. For a quick second we thought you were our daughter,” said my husband. I told her our names and said she should defin...

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