I am a few hours away from taking off for Ironman Tahoe. I sit in my apartment tonight with all of my belongings spread out all over the floor. My now four-hour effort to pack for the event I've been dreaming about for 15 years and training hard for for nearly 12 months has stressed my enlarged hear out. Rebecca sits across from me, chatting my ear off about things I'm not paying attention to because all I can hear inside my head is:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

I'm told you can follow the race live this Sunday through an Ironman app or by typing my name in on the Ironman website. I'll post details on the Facebook Page as I have them.

Seriously, truly, thank you all so much for you kindness and support over the last year, and beyond, as I've worked toward this goal. I feel incredibly blessed to have felt so much love from you all as I've trained and written about this experience. I hope you all know how much it has meant to me.

And now, your Pictures and Distractions (please follow me on Instagram for more out of focus pictures):

Matt's My puppy, Ollie.



My law firm had a retreat in the mountains. Where The First Eye lives.



Meanwhile, at Carnifall, Matt gets his palm read. 


And Ollie's palms apparently said that he's about to find love. Better than my palm reading: "I don't want to alarm you but you have a VERY short life line. On an unrelated note, do you happen to have a will in place?"



Crap to distract you from whatever you're supposed to be doing:

This woman LOVES sponges. Thanks, Brittany.

A Stranger stumbled upon this what the kids are calling Tumblr, which is a collection of quotes from Stranger and it made my day. OH MY GOSH I'M SO INSPIRATIONAL. Twice up the barrel, once down the side. Thanks, Brad.

Talking cats playing patty-cake. Thanks, Trisha.

15 amazing photos. Thanks, Francie.

THIS IS WHY WE WEAR SEAT BELTS. Thanks, Dave.

Putin looking at things. Thanks, Josh.

Intimate portraits of bees. Thanks, Janae.

Things old people say. Thanks, Rebecca.

If you would like to have something included in Pictures and Distractions, please email me at itjustgetsstranger@gmail.com.

~It Just Gets Stranger