The CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge Starts Today!

It’s no great revelation that my all-time favorite comic strip is Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson. I’d be willing to bet that a quick poll of U.S.-based Gen-X’ers would show C&H as the favorite for a large percentage of my generation. (note from Scott: I’ll go Family Circus, but I’m not really a comic strip guy)

My old C&H anthologies were happily passed down to my kids, and they still have a place of prominence on my son’s bookshelf.

Taking it one step farther, this is my absolute favorite C&H moment:

That last line — “From now on, I’ll connect the dots my own way” — has resonated with me in a way that few things have. It would be silly to call it my life philosophy, but, it’s kind of my life philosophy. I’ll put it this way — there wouldn’t be a CMEpalooza if I hadn’t decided that from now on, I’ll connect the dots my own way.

Fortunately, Scott also views life through a similar scope. (note from Scott: Some look at the glass and say it’s half full. Some look at the glass and say it’s half empty. I look at it and say, “Somewhere, there has to be another glass”). When Eric from Talem Health approached us about sponsoring a CMEpalooza virtual 5K run, we both agreed we would rather do something a little different. Thus birthed the CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge.

In honor of continuing to connect the dots our own way, we are proud to announce the fourth iteration of the CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge starting today! What is the CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge, you ask? Allow me to explain.

• The challenge begins today (April 15) and will go until the end of the day on Sunday (April 21)
• The challenge is to record at least 10,000 steps in one day. For each day during the challenge period that you record 10,000 steps, please send in a screenshot of your step-counting device with the number of recorded steps, either by email (thecmeguy@gmail.com) or text (267-666-0CME [0263]). Please include the following information:
  • Screenshot of number of steps
  • Date of steps
  • Name
  • Email
  • Physical mailing address
• For each day you achieve 10,000 steps and send in a screenshot, you will be entered into a random drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card (there are five gift cards; you cannot win more than one.) Winners will be drawn during the week of CMEpalooza Spring. You can send in each day individually or you can send them all in at once at the end. It doesn’t matter to me.
• The person who records and submits the most steps in one day wins a $250 Amazon gift card. Last fall, I implemented The Jamro Rule in honor of two-time CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge winner Amanda Jamrogiewicz. This time, I am updating the name to The Jamro & Riaz Rule, which states that the winners of the two previous Challenges are ineligible to win the grand prize this spring. That gives the rest of you a chance to win (no offense, but both of them beat y’all by a lot the past two times. I mean, a lot.)
• Everyone who enters even one day will receive some CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge merch from Talem Health. We’re still finalizing what it will be.

Thanks everyone and good luck!

CMEpalooza STEPtacular Challenge sponsored by: