I know, I know... I pledged an oath to all of you that I would valiantly blog everyday for 30 days and become more better! Well I have blogged a lot. Not everyday though...
It seems I am not comfortable with just typing some words and calling it done. I feel it is my responsibility to give you the best writing I can and hurrying something down just to get it down wasn't sitting well with me. So I will continue to attempt the everyday blog knowing full well it may be more than my 17 words a minute can handle BUT I shall do my best to make it worth your while kind reader!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Giving Back
Woosh! This weekend flew by and I didn't get near the ol' laptop to get my daily chores done but that's ok. You both forgive me right?
I am SUPER excited for tomorrow. It's day one of my volunteer training for the American Red Cross. I get to use my skills in transportaionizing (driving) for the good guys! I will go into all the details tomorrow for all y'all. until then I gots to get my but in bed!
Night!
I am SUPER excited for tomorrow. It's day one of my volunteer training for the American Red Cross. I get to use my skills in transportaionizing (driving) for the good guys! I will go into all the details tomorrow for all y'all. until then I gots to get my but in bed!
Night!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Well that was stupid!
Thanksgiving was, as usual, an exercise in gluttony for me. More gravy? Are you kidding? That's my blog name!!! Sigh... I'm so clever. So this morning I get up nice and early to get some stuff done and even do a little bit of shopping but then out of the blue, for some unknown reason, I decide to get on the scale. The day after Thanksgiving. GENIUS.
I don't want to boil down all this years accomplishments into one moment. The moment that cold unfeeling machine unceremoniously spit that dreadfully high number at me? Yeah. That moment. So to counter my feelings of failure I decided to run through some of the changes with me and my life since last March (or was it February? Doesn't matter.)
I stopped feeling sorry for myself and uninvited myself to the pity party. I made myself accountable for all things I didn't like about myself.
I started and maintained a regular running schedule, ran several races (I think six) AND actually competed in a few of them! Don't get me wrong I wasn't in the running (pun intended) for an actual victory. I just put up a respectable time for two of the races and I was proud of that.
I stopped smoking. I have said this before but I really never thought I would quit. Just didn't see it happening.... but it did and I am pleased it did.
Kept this blog going. I didn't thing that would happen either. I figured I would get bored with it and stop doing it. Which I did! But I missed it. So here I am, still typing away.
Overall, that's is not too bad! Several life changes and some diligence. Definitely a whole bunch of steps in the right direction.
The wrong direction, though, is looming all big and bad in front of me. I got some blood work done and my cholesterol is a tad wonky. The good stuff a little too low and the bad stuff a little too high. Nothing terrible by any means but add that on top of an ever expanding gut and we've got the beginning of a big problem.
I've noticed that my "loose jeans", track pants and cargo shorts have been trending for wardrobe choices so it was no real surprise that my weight was up. Just didn't quite expect it that UP. It's ok though. Nothing that can't be fixed. It's just time to fix it though.
Fat Man Strikes Back.
I don't want to boil down all this years accomplishments into one moment. The moment that cold unfeeling machine unceremoniously spit that dreadfully high number at me? Yeah. That moment. So to counter my feelings of failure I decided to run through some of the changes with me and my life since last March (or was it February? Doesn't matter.)
I stopped feeling sorry for myself and uninvited myself to the pity party. I made myself accountable for all things I didn't like about myself.
I started and maintained a regular running schedule, ran several races (I think six) AND actually competed in a few of them! Don't get me wrong I wasn't in the running (pun intended) for an actual victory. I just put up a respectable time for two of the races and I was proud of that.
I stopped smoking. I have said this before but I really never thought I would quit. Just didn't see it happening.... but it did and I am pleased it did.
Kept this blog going. I didn't thing that would happen either. I figured I would get bored with it and stop doing it. Which I did! But I missed it. So here I am, still typing away.
Overall, that's is not too bad! Several life changes and some diligence. Definitely a whole bunch of steps in the right direction.
The wrong direction, though, is looming all big and bad in front of me. I got some blood work done and my cholesterol is a tad wonky. The good stuff a little too low and the bad stuff a little too high. Nothing terrible by any means but add that on top of an ever expanding gut and we've got the beginning of a big problem.
I've noticed that my "loose jeans", track pants and cargo shorts have been trending for wardrobe choices so it was no real surprise that my weight was up. Just didn't quite expect it that UP. It's ok though. Nothing that can't be fixed. It's just time to fix it though.
Fat Man Strikes Back.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Run Josh, Run!
We have an annual event here at our household. It's the Columbus Turkey Trot. We've done about a half dozen or so and we actually look forward to it. It's a "guilt free" Thanksgiving dinner and that's a good thing for a habitual over eater such as myself!
The "race" is a five miler. A five K would be more to my liking really but the extra 2 miles gives more to the guilt free-ness. I say "race" because we're never really in it. There are lot's of people who do treat it like a race and just fly around the course. Not us! We run the first mile or so then just walk it out. Good fun.
The thing that gets me every year is the turn out. It has to be 5,000 people. People are all over the place! You can't get a parking spot anywhere near the place. (Although this year driving the jeep, I got a parking spot where no one else could park so that was cool!) It is at the crack of dawn (ok 9am!) and it's usually cold (Thanksgiving? November? It was cold? Really?) I just can't figure out why everyone does it... but then I realize I do it every year for the same unknown reason. Sure it's nice to get a decent start to the day but for anyone cooking or traveling that's a busy morning. Also it's not free. So to recap: It's crowded, cold, inconvenient, expensive, too long and too early. So why do it? Tradition I guess...
So.... Josh. One of the great things and actually the real reason we do these races, is the people watching! It is all walks of life all level of fitness and it is just a blast getting to know the people around you. Every year we have a few stand out characters that make our whole race. This year the winner was young Josh.
At a bout mile 3 we came up on Josh and his brother and mother. We learned his name because his mother kept yelling it. "Joshy Joshy Poshy Washy Josh!" Josh was by our best estimate 4 years old and adorable and couldn't have less of an interest in "running" this fine brisk morning. We never really met Josh. Instead we created a dialog for him cursing his turquoise spandexed mother. He would lag behind, go off the track, pick up a rock, get yelled at then run back up cursing his mother the whole way. Good luck Josh. I think you're gonna need it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
The "race" is a five miler. A five K would be more to my liking really but the extra 2 miles gives more to the guilt free-ness. I say "race" because we're never really in it. There are lot's of people who do treat it like a race and just fly around the course. Not us! We run the first mile or so then just walk it out. Good fun.
The thing that gets me every year is the turn out. It has to be 5,000 people. People are all over the place! You can't get a parking spot anywhere near the place. (Although this year driving the jeep, I got a parking spot where no one else could park so that was cool!) It is at the crack of dawn (ok 9am!) and it's usually cold (Thanksgiving? November? It was cold? Really?) I just can't figure out why everyone does it... but then I realize I do it every year for the same unknown reason. Sure it's nice to get a decent start to the day but for anyone cooking or traveling that's a busy morning. Also it's not free. So to recap: It's crowded, cold, inconvenient, expensive, too long and too early. So why do it? Tradition I guess...
So.... Josh. One of the great things and actually the real reason we do these races, is the people watching! It is all walks of life all level of fitness and it is just a blast getting to know the people around you. Every year we have a few stand out characters that make our whole race. This year the winner was young Josh.
At a bout mile 3 we came up on Josh and his brother and mother. We learned his name because his mother kept yelling it. "Joshy Joshy Poshy Washy Josh!" Josh was by our best estimate 4 years old and adorable and couldn't have less of an interest in "running" this fine brisk morning. We never really met Josh. Instead we created a dialog for him cursing his turquoise spandexed mother. He would lag behind, go off the track, pick up a rock, get yelled at then run back up cursing his mother the whole way. Good luck Josh. I think you're gonna need it.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
More Smarter!
I really have a fear of technology and specifically computers. I bore witness to computers. I watched them crawl out of the primordial ooze of prehistoric technology as crappy typewriters.
You see kids, a "type writer" was the keyboard part of your laptop. It had no screen, you couldn't change the font and it weighed about 75lbs. Having one didn't "make you cool." It did come with a big plastic suitcase to lug it around, so that made it really convenient to go to the coffee shop. Oh that's right... there were no coffee shops! They were called diners and you paid fifty cents for a cup of java. no frills, just bean juice. Mmmmmm......dee-lish!
When I was in college I saw my first computer with a mouse. It blew my mind! We (my college cohorts and I) would go to the "computer lab" and just move the mouse and watch the little arrow move around. For hours... I'm almost embarrassed to share that. Almost! The thing was, is you just knew you were looking at the future. The whole possibility of SKYNET* or HAL* becoming self aware and attempting to either replace or completely eliminate mankind now became plausible. I am not suggesting that it's time to build bunkers and prepare for the "Rise of the Machines" (or some other cool catch phrase name) but it really was the beginning of a whole new era. This new era and I have not exactly seen eye to eye over the last 20 years. I have really just come to terms with "computers" and them NOT being a fad or trend... Yet another thing this blog has helped me with.
Longtime readers may have noticed the use of italics in this blog. Something I would have NEVER attempted a year ago. TOO SCARY! I don't know if I have used it correctly but I did it and I didn't even have to ask for help!
Onward and upward.
*SKYNET was the computer in the Terminator movies that waged war with mankind.
*HAL was the computer who became self-aware in the movie 2001: a Space Odyssey and took over the ship.
You see kids, a "type writer" was the keyboard part of your laptop. It had no screen, you couldn't change the font and it weighed about 75lbs. Having one didn't "make you cool." It did come with a big plastic suitcase to lug it around, so that made it really convenient to go to the coffee shop. Oh that's right... there were no coffee shops! They were called diners and you paid fifty cents for a cup of java. no frills, just bean juice. Mmmmmm......dee-lish!
When I was in college I saw my first computer with a mouse. It blew my mind! We (my college cohorts and I) would go to the "computer lab" and just move the mouse and watch the little arrow move around. For hours... I'm almost embarrassed to share that. Almost! The thing was, is you just knew you were looking at the future. The whole possibility of SKYNET* or HAL* becoming self aware and attempting to either replace or completely eliminate mankind now became plausible. I am not suggesting that it's time to build bunkers and prepare for the "Rise of the Machines" (or some other cool catch phrase name) but it really was the beginning of a whole new era. This new era and I have not exactly seen eye to eye over the last 20 years. I have really just come to terms with "computers" and them NOT being a fad or trend... Yet another thing this blog has helped me with.
Longtime readers may have noticed the use of italics in this blog. Something I would have NEVER attempted a year ago. TOO SCARY! I don't know if I have used it correctly but I did it and I didn't even have to ask for help!
Onward and upward.
*SKYNET was the computer in the Terminator movies that waged war with mankind.
*HAL was the computer who became self-aware in the movie 2001: a Space Odyssey and took over the ship.
Monday, November 21, 2011
the more I eat the more I eat and other such phenomenons
I sometimes think I have the digestive system of a competitive eater. I don't mean that in any kind of positive way at all. I try to outwit my gut by having a "hearty" breakfast. My gut responds by saying "Let's get a huge lunch too then we can skip dinner!" I can almost hear it snickering at me when it pulls these shenanigans... Because it doesn't work and it knew it the whole time! I call bullshit. The other thing is I can go all day and not really eat and be totally fine then eat a large but not ridiculous dinner and be cool for the day. Weird. I stumbled upon (actually stumbled not the web browser/search engine thingy) an article on temporary/conditional fasting. Basically you can only eat a certain number of hours each day. Like noon to 6pm. I kinda do that anyway and I'm kinda fat so... looks like I've already disproved that one!
I know a lot of blog type folks also put what they are listening to when they enlighten the world, so I too shall share my musical whimsy with you! Tonight it was the Green Album. A selection of tunes from the Muppet Show and movies covered by contemporary artists. Some are weird, some are pretty much the same and some are pretty cool. I'll give it 3 outta 5 BuzzPoints.
I know a lot of blog type folks also put what they are listening to when they enlighten the world, so I too shall share my musical whimsy with you! Tonight it was the Green Album. A selection of tunes from the Muppet Show and movies covered by contemporary artists. Some are weird, some are pretty much the same and some are pretty cool. I'll give it 3 outta 5 BuzzPoints.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
keep your eyes open
I ended my blog yesterday saying i would try to catch Halley's comet next time. That would be 2061... that's still a ways off and who knows if any of us will still be here let alone me! I mean 2012 is right around the corner! But I digress...
The original last sentence of yesterdays blog was this, "I never got to see Halley's comet and it is one of my biggest regrets of my misspent youth." I don't edit a lot or do a bunch of drafts (obviously!) my usual method is write it, read it, fix a couple glaring errors then post it. The "biggest regret" thing seemed a little too dramatic... i mean really? Biggest regret? So I cut it out. Then it kind of bugged me all day that I never got to see it. Then it started to bug me about the other things in my life I could have seen but did not.
---------------------------
*EDITOR'S NOTE*
What you just read I wrote yesterday during the day then came home from a gig late last night and sat down to finish it. This is what I found when I woke up this morning. I believe I got a little sleepy. And hungry.
----------------------------
I'm not talking about the Grand Canyon (although I've never seen that either...) but things like presidential inaugurations or Space shuttle launches. Things that with a little effort I could have seen first hand. I'm going to try and make an effort to do that kind of thing from now on. I don't really know what that is but at the very least I will drive out to the the countryside the next time the weather man tells me there will be a meteor shower! I'll even get a pizza.
I reallt dko love pizza. I ould eat it evry day if i was allowed. THat and chheese burgrs. I don't know why people like medum rar chheeseburgrs. I thinks its gross!!!!!! Man that guy tonight hwas crazy! he kept starrring at me and airguutaring at me... kinda creeeeped me out.
Ok well I gott to go to bed, I'll probbably call you tomoorrow.
*I found it this way this morning and decided not to touch it and just post it. I have NO IDEA who i was writing to. My best guess is my Mom because Sunday is our call day. Call ya later Ma!*
The original last sentence of yesterdays blog was this, "I never got to see Halley's comet and it is one of my biggest regrets of my misspent youth." I don't edit a lot or do a bunch of drafts (obviously!) my usual method is write it, read it, fix a couple glaring errors then post it. The "biggest regret" thing seemed a little too dramatic... i mean really? Biggest regret? So I cut it out. Then it kind of bugged me all day that I never got to see it. Then it started to bug me about the other things in my life I could have seen but did not.
---------------------------
*EDITOR'S NOTE*
What you just read I wrote yesterday during the day then came home from a gig late last night and sat down to finish it. This is what I found when I woke up this morning. I believe I got a little sleepy. And hungry.
----------------------------
I'm not talking about the Grand Canyon (although I've never seen that either...) but things like presidential inaugurations or Space shuttle launches. Things that with a little effort I could have seen first hand. I'm going to try and make an effort to do that kind of thing from now on. I don't really know what that is but at the very least I will drive out to the the countryside the next time the weather man tells me there will be a meteor shower! I'll even get a pizza.
I reallt dko love pizza. I ould eat it evry day if i was allowed. THat and chheese burgrs. I don't know why people like medum rar chheeseburgrs. I thinks its gross!!!!!! Man that guy tonight hwas crazy! he kept starrring at me and airguutaring at me... kinda creeeeped me out.
Ok well I gott to go to bed, I'll probbably call you tomoorrow.
*I found it this way this morning and decided not to touch it and just post it. I have NO IDEA who i was writing to. My best guess is my Mom because Sunday is our call day. Call ya later Ma!*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)