Warning: Serious, not Snarky.

It has been only about 10 days since I first even thought about doing the AIDS/LifeCycle, and already I think I'm addicted. It doesn't really bother me, but my friends and family seem a little bit concerned, skeptical and surprised. I don't blame them. I actually have to stop and analyze myself a little to not join that bandwagon.

Here's the thing: the opportunity was presented to me on a day and at a time when I could not say "no." Some might call it "convenient," I call it timing. Why was it perfect timing? Well, because I had just returned home from a trip to visit my uncle, Art. I did not know Uncle Art, nor did I even like him, until about 4 years ago. He's been in prison for the past 25 years. I've seen him 5 times in my entire life, and 4 of those "sightings" have been at the Correctional Training Facility in central California.

The first time, I'll be honest, my dad made me go. The last 3 visits have been my own choice. Without getting into pages and pages of the reasons and the whys or the why nots and the ethical and legal discussions about a life sentence, let's just say that when you know and love someone who has no freedom, has no "tomorrow" to really look forward to and spends every day the same as the one before, it makes you think. It makes you think about how life can change in an instant. It makes you think about the choices that you make everyday. It makes you think that our days are precious and indisposable.

So when you walk out of the visiting room, and bars separate you and your 75ish year old uncle as you wave to each other, you realize that you had better go and do something worth while. You had better not take that walking away for granted. And you had better not bet on tomorrow.

36 hours after I walked out of that prison, Caitlin asked me if I wanted to ride 545 miles in the AIDS/LifeCycle. Did I want to give up my 30th birthday vacation extravaganza to be sore and in pain and raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Did I want to do something for myself and for the millions of people suffering in this world from a disease that can and will be cured.

I did. So I am. Its as simple as that. And I'm sure that after the "newness" rubs off I'll complain about the early mornings (I HATE mornings), and I'll complain about the money I've spent (law school creates a lot of debt), but I'm not going to give up and I didn't join this ride and cause lightly. Trust me.