Archive for the ‘Walking’ Category

Just another day

Posted: August 5, 2013 in 5K, Bariatric surgery, family, Foot issues, Footwear & socks, Nerd Herd Running, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Walking, Weather, Weight loss
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So, it’s Saturday, and it wouldn’t be a good Saturday without some entertainment.

Here’s my story:

We live in a townhouse. We don’t know all of our neighbors… it’s kind of hard to keep track, because there is a certain level of turnover. That kind of sets the stage.

This morning, I was cleaning/packing up the freshly repaired mixer. I noticed some commotion across the street. There was a lot of people going in and out of one of the homes. I also noticed a lot of strange cars. I assumed that they had a house party, no worries. As I let the mixer spin and work the grease throughout the gear system, I saw a guy come out of the house carrying a very long, white garment bag that he proceeded to put in his low-riding. buzzy-mufflered street rod. He shut the door, which was followed by a very loud, “Oh, shit!”

He locked the keys in the car.

With the wedding dress.

Whoopsie.

He first tried to get in the car by pulling on the (locked) driver’s door. Now, keep in mind that door latches are designed to stay latched in the event of a severe collision. The fact that a 160 pound guy is yanking on the door is probably not going to work out well.

As he’s yanking futilely at the car door, the bride-to-be and countless bridesmaid-types file out of the house. Each time a new one comes outside, the bride has to fill them in. Loudly.

There are some other dudes present who keep offering advice. Ranging from the helpful to the “Seriously?” At one point, there were eleven people standing around the buzzy POS, all trying to get in to rescue the dress. Maybe I’m getting old, but I would’ve called AAA by this point. I know it doesn’t build character, but it’s probably a bit quicker

Finally, a random stranger manages to get the lock popped. All it took was a coat hanger/dowel rod combo and about three guys prying at the driver’s door with screwdrivers. Probably real good for the finish and for the watertight integrity of the door seals.

The capper on the whole thing was that the aforementioned POS did not start and it took about five people to get it push started.

Hope the marriage goes smoother.

So, later tonight, it was decision time. It was lunch time and I had brought some pulled pork carnitas. It came down to taking a walk or eating my carnitas and reading a book.

I’m pleased to say I opted for the walk. It was only about 1.3 miles, but I did it with enough time to heat up my pork and it was yummy. See? Best of both worlds. But, looking at my Daily Mile totals, I see I’ve covered 11 miles this week. Used to take me a month to walk that much. And, there’s still another day in this week (by their bizarre accounting), so I could easily make 13.1 miles, or the distance of a half-marathon.

This got me thinking about something.

There’s a group that runs a series of virtual races called Nerd Herd running. They do three races with a decidedly nerdy flair. There’s a Star Wars themed race, a Harry Potter themed race, and a Banned Books race. I’m so thinking of the Banned Books race. I could read some really subversive stuff, like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in order to get ready for it. The best part is that the virtual races benefit Stupid Cancer, which is a cause near and dear to me.

I’ll keep you posted.

Went on to have a reasonably active weekend. Since Supportive Partner Woman (owner of a synovial cyst!) is on the DL, I went to the Lancaster Junction Rail Trail yesterday and proceeded to walk the length of the trail (just under five miles), then went to the in-laws for a yard work party. I think it’s safe to say that I got some exercise. I did notice that my old New Balance 1123s are finally dead. I kept them around for working in the yard, but by the end of the day my ankles and feet were so sore that standing was painful. When we got home, I switched back to the Beasts and I was ready to go. Go figure.

IMG_2133The final bit of good news is that I weighed myself today and the scale said 272.2.

That’s 108 pounds since I started, and I feel pretty darn good.

That’s all you can really ask for.

Once again, I’d like to encourage you to support my fundraising efforts for the Avon Walk. If folks would be willing to pledge $1.00 per kilometer that I’m doing in January, that would be $5.00 and it does add up. Thank you in advance, and if you already have contributed, thank you for your kindness.

http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/BrianT

Song of the Day: Peace and Love, Inc. – Information Society

Currently Reading: The English Girl – Daniel Silva

Success!

Posted: August 1, 2013 in 5K, Exercise, family, Foot issues, friends, Goals, Inspiration, Physical activity, Supportive Partner Woman, Walking, Weight loss
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There’s been some success in my life lately. I actually got service from Comcast… an event I just had to add to the Life Events part of my Facebook page. I got the parts to repair the mixer. I even went to Root’s Market for produce.

The biggest success thus far is not only have I made my original fundraising goal, I’ve made my revised goal. See, after making it to $500, I upped it to $600. Thanks to a donation I received in the mail yesterday, I stand at $601 (for anybody checking out my page, checks take a long time to reflect in your total), which makes me wonder if I should up the ante yet again. Should I make it $750?

Anyway, the contribution that put me over the top came from an old college friend of mine. Karen and her husband Rodger, who I have seen once since their wedding 18 or so years ago, were kind enough to drop a check in the mail.

People do surprise me.

I’ve been so busy carping about Comcast lately that I’ve not given any credit to those who are inspiring me. Today, that honor goes to the lovely and gracious Supportive Partner Woman.

Now, I’m sure some people may think that’s a cop-out answer, but truth be known, SPW is to be admired. She has a stressful job, family health issues and, well, has to put up with me. Through it all, she lets me drag her to the gym and when she gets there, she totally kills it. Take today, for example. I did 2.3 miles at a 3.3 mph pace and she did like 2.6 on the elliptical and another 1.5 on the dreadmill.

Basically, she smoked me like a trout, and I love her all the more for it.

That’s why she’s my inspiration of the day.

Oh, and I only have a few days until the Boot of Shame makes an appearance again. I’ll be getting two toes on my left foot straightened on Tuesday, so I’ll need to be in the boot for a week. I hate missing the workout time, but it should make walking easier. I’ll take that.

Song of the Day: Night Train – Modern English

The Ballad of Xfinity – Part Deux

Posted: July 31, 2013 in Comcast, Doctor Who, Exercise, Formula 1, Goals, Little Victories, Stubby the Wonder Toe, Walking, Xfinity
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It's like a modern interpretation of the Tower of Orthanc... without the orcs.

It’s like a modern interpretation of the Tower of Orthanc… without the orcs.

So, many of you have probably read of my struggles with a certain cable and internet provider. Two days ago, I was ready to storm the Comcast Center in Philadelphia… HQ of the Evil Empire. Every time I’m in the City of Brotherly Love, I keep looking for Saruman looking out from the undistinguished building. And the architecture isn’t really inspired. It’s kind of like a blocky, 974 foot phallus.

Fitting, seeing as it’s the HQ of a company that likes to give you the shaft at most opportunities.

I’m writing today, though, about a generally positive experience I had with Jared, a member of  Comcast’s Executive Care Team. See, apparently my post on Tuesday ruffled some feathers at Comcast and they were quick to call me and ask me to return their call.

I waited until yesterday morning, giving myself a night’s sleep to cool off. My call was answered by a real, live human being who didn’t sound like he was somewhere in Bangalore. Jared listened as I explained my situation, was very quick to apologize for the manner in which I was brushed off, and in about 15 minutes had restructured our plan so we wouldn’t have to pay more for less service.

In other words, real world math. Best part is I’ll still get BBC America (Doctor Who) and NBC Sports (Formula One).

I really hate having to bitch, but sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. In this case, I was assisted by someone who was courteous and professional. If I had to hazard a guess, Comcast keeps the good ones in reserve. At least my story had a better resolution than this one.

Map of last night's route

Map of last night’s route

Last night I managed to accomplish a goal of mine. I managed to walk the perimeter of Red Rose Commons (local shopping center) while on my break from work. I’ve done the half loop in many forms, but this is the first time I’ve done it and managed to do it in under 30 minutes. It was a big deal because I wasn’t wearing my Beasts, but rather my NB 857 trainers. Feet still felt pretty good and no sign of any blistering. I can deal with that. It seems that my ill effects from Saturday’s New York excursion have gone away. Other than my sunburned head, of course.

My other accomplishment dealt with my mom’s old KitchenAid mixer. A few years ago, she forgot it was plugged in and while pushing it back on the counter, she managed to turn it on while the dough hook was in the bowl. To make a long story short, mixer went *boof* and we had to get her a new one for Christmas. I took possession of the old one, figuring I could look into fixing it.

Stripped and broken gear, surrounded by a LOT of grease.

Stripped and broken gear, surrounded by a LOT of grease.

I did some research on and off over the last couple of years and I found that I could probably repair it, I would just need time and parts. I finally got around to tearing it down on Monday. I found, under the greasy nightmare, that the design had functioned as intended. A nylon worm gear had stripped and broken. The fact this item was designed to fail kept the mixer from serious damage and made it very fixable. So, went to Amazon, ordered a gear assembly, a gasket, and food-safe grease. Grand total for the parts was about $18 including shipping on the gasket. It should sell between $100 and $120 after it’ all fixed up. It’s a KitchenAid, after all.

So, there you have it. Accomplishments mixed with some actual service from Comcast. A pretty good day.

Oh, and in case the good service from Comcast wasn’t enough of an apocalyptic harbinger, I got an email triumphantly informing me that Sinbad was going to be at the Keswick Theatre and I should “Act now” to make sure I got tickets. Now, nothing against Sinbad… I always found him to be amusing, but if you’re datamining a profile of me, I’m pretty sure Sinbad’s not on the radar. I think this is a sign that the smart computers are getting ready to take over the planet.

Better start watching Doomsday Preppers for some tips on how to survive the end of civilization.

Song of the Day: You Dropped a Bomb On Me – The Gap Band

Trail walking

Posted: July 26, 2013 in 5K, Exercise, Foot issues, Physical activity, Stubby the Wonder Toe, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Walking
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So, actually walked outside today for a change.

It helped that the temperature is pretty moderate, the humidity better than normal, and a nice breeze blowing. Oh, and the trail is very shady.

That’s right… I said trail.

Supportive Partner Woman (Getting serious!) and I have noticed a walking trail a few miles from our house for the six years we’ve been here. About damn time we used it. There’s a nice parking area near the county’s public safety training facility, along with some public restrooms (which we did not have to use) and easy access to the trail.

A curious bovine looks on

A curious bovine looks on

The trail itself is well-maintained. Mostly gravel and cinders, with some muddier spots for good measure. The weeds are well-controlled and the bugs were not bad. It parallels the creek for a portion and it’s nice to stop for a minute and hear nothing but the birds and the rushing of the water. It also runs along some farms and pastures, so even though there are portions with more “fresh country air” than others, it’s not so bad. Plus, you get a curious bovine checking you out, not to mention multiple chipmunks and other fauna.

The best part about the trail is that it’s flat and there’s plenty of places to break into a jog. We managed to do that several times. SPW even managed to capture some video. I warn you, it’s not pretty and you can see how my feet problems have caused my right foot to go to the outside to compensate for the missing toe. Here’s the 12 seconds in all it’s glory.

Like I said, it’s not pretty, but it will improve. Practice!

Quick note… I’m pleased to start working with my Team AllEars mentor, Rich. I look forward to learning from him and getting the benefit of his experiences with various running events. Thanks in advance, Rich!

Again, please consider donating to the Avon Walk. My personal fundraising page is located here.

At any rate, that’s about it for today. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Loot

Posted: July 15, 2013 in 5K, Comcast, Exercise, home improvement, homeowner's association, Physical activity, Walking, Wanda, Weight loss, Xfinity
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Greetings to all!

I’m proud to report that I’ve discovered another way to get a workout.

Yard work in the heat.

It makes you sweat, but you still manage to make the yard look better. It’s a win/win! Speaking of yard work, many of you might remember the tale of Wanda, the evil bitch queen of our HOA. Got a missive from her complaining about weeds around our air conditioning unit.

Weeds we had already pulled.

Sigh.

So, I started on Thursday with my latest Xfinity run-in. This time, the internet was down. I called Comcast and talked to a rep who seemed to be less interested in solving the Mystery of the Missing Internet and more interested in getting me to subscribe to HBO, Skinemax and whatever other overpriced crap they can foist on you.

No, if I wanted to upgrade my package, I’d have called that department, or spoken to somebody regarding TV. All I wanted was the Internet to work. That’s all, folks. Also, when scheduling a repair appointment, don’t hold that appointment hostage to whether or not I want to buy a service protection plan. That’s kind of bush league, guys.

I also managed to hit the driving range twice this weekend. Saturday was far more entertaining. There was a guy in a bad toupee (I know, there is no such thing as a good toupee, so calling it a bad toupee is redundant. It was seriously heinous, though. If there were war crimes trials for bad hairpieces, this bad boy would be guilty of crimes against humanity.) all by his lonesome in a stall about four spots behind me. After every shot, he’d say (loudly), “Now that’s a golf shot!”

To himself.

My first thought was, “Well, no shit, Captain Obvious…. You’re hitting a golf ball with a golf club. Of course it’s a golf shot!”

My second thought was, “I can’t make this stuff up.”

Now, I finally got around to finishing the mulching. So I’m a little behind. My advice is to not spread mulch before you go to the gym to get in a strength training day. It tends to make things a little sore all around.

On to the meat of the post, though. It was a good day in that I got my first donation for the 5K. So, a huge thanks to Janet for breaking the shutout. Your kindness and generosity are greatly appreciated. Anyone wanting to join Janet in backing my 5K bid can do so by visiting my Avon fundraising page.

We’re getting to a point of the year where it’s easy to backslide. It’s so hot and oppressive that it’s easy to not get your work in and stay in the air conditioning. If you really want to stay in the AC, go to your local mall to walk. Many malls have information about how far one lap of their building is for the walkers and it helps break the humidity. You’re still that much farther ahead of the guy on the couch.

I’m going to do better with my writing this week. I’ve slipped a little of late and I’m not happy about it. Hope you have a great week and stay comfortable. If you must be outside, remember to hydrate. It’s important.

Song of the Day: If I Had No Loot – Tony! Toni! Toné!

The word of the day is “ouch”

Posted: July 5, 2013 in 5K, Exercise, Goals, Inspiration, Ouch, roller coasters, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Theme parks, Walking, Weight loss
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Had a great Independence Day. Spent the day at Hersheypark with some friends at my company picnic and it was actually fulfilling. Not only that, 16,472 steps and no blisters. Woot!

Right up until the end.

The day was oppressively warm… there was a fleeting breeze, but it was not always dependable. It took about as long to get into the parking lot as it took to drive to Hershey. So, you could say it was busy. We started the day with The Scrambler, a special request of Supportive Partner Woman. Line was a little long, but the ride is always fun. After which, we scouted out Skyrush, which is the latest entry in the Hershey coaster pantheon, while we waited for our friends to arrive. I was pretty sure I was going to attempt it, if one big hurdle could be overcome… if I could fit.

They have a demonstration seat at the head of the queue, so I sat in it and was pleasantly surprised to actually fit.

This would come back to haunt me.

After our friends arrived, we made our way to the back of the park to ride one of our favorite wooden coasters… Lightning Racer. Lightning Racer is a dueling wooden coaster that usually ranks in the top 15 wooden coasters in the world. It’s a lot of fun, and doesn’t beat you up like a lot of other woodies.

After that was the picnic lunch. It was kind of a challenge, but I managed to eat a little bit of chicken BBQ and half of a hamburger patty. I also had some fresh fruit. It was pretty tasty, but I can’t help contrasting it with what I would’ve eaten back in my heyday. That would’ve been multiple hot dogs and burgers, all with rolls, chips, washed down with lots of diet soda.

Yeah.

And to think that was normal. I’m liking the new normal that much better.

Following lunch, we wandered over to The Claw. This is an evil beast that I kind of looked at and said, “Oh, HELL no.” We hung around while our friend Hollie went for a ride, then we wandered to the arcade to play some SkeeBall. Post SkeeBall, it was off to my favorite coaster in the park… Great Bear. Great Bear is smooth, yet thrilling, and I even managed to get SPW (Brave little toaster!) on board for the ride. As with many things, there’s a backstory. During my yo-yo weight loss years, I went to the park. Paid admission and all that, then decided to try to ride Great Bear. I waited nearly an hour in line, climbed on board and they couldn’t close the restraints. I was too fat. I left the park immediately, totally ashamed.

The last time I rode it, I managed to fit, but it took two people to get me in, pressing on the harness until I could barely breathe, until the belts would actually close.

This time, there was even some extra room.

The ride is smooth and thrilling, and due to the design of the coaster, it roars like an angry bear. This is due to the lack of sand in the supports and the design of the track itself. Following Great Bear, I was hoping to take my first ride on Storm Runner. This was not to be, however. The seat harness is supposed to touch your thigh and I needed another inch or two. Gives me something to look forward to next time.

The Skyrush train

The Skyrush train

We closed the day with a visit to Skyrush. The motto for the coaster in “Ride the edge” because the two outboard seats are floorless. I opted for a trip on one of those. SPW (Kind of a coaster chicken!) was having no parts of this, so there were only three of us. The train is pulled out of the station with a cable lift rather than the typical chain lift. You are moving up that hill at a pretty good clip. The cable system pretty much throws you over the top and into an 85° drop, reaching speeds of 75 mph. That’s awesome. Then the airtime kicks in, pretty much throwing you out of your seat. This is what caused the problem. I hit the restraint with my left leg so hard, it bruised the quadriceps. This has made walking a challenge, not to mention getting into and out of a car. It will heal, and I now have more of an appreciation of what to expect, should I ride it again. I’ll leave you with the front seat POV.

After our park time, we stopped at the Troeg’s Brewery in Hershey to meet up with the subject of today’s inspiration section, Brad. Brad is a fellow Disney enthusiast, fan of quality beer, as well as an all around great guy.

We met some years ago at Magic Meets (are you sensing a pattern here?) and we just hit it off from the get-go. He and his family live in the Central PA area as well and we get together periodically, although not as frequently as we would like. Brad is one I refer to as insane, as he is a running nut who’s been known to do the Dopey before it was officially the Dopey. What that means is that he would often run 42.4 miles in one weekend. See? Insane. That being said, he’s been incredibly supportive of my efforts with Team AllEars and has offered much in the way of sage advice and patience for a complete novice runner (me). I’m really psyched for January now… I think that crossing that line will really make an impact on my life and maybe illustrate that I can succeed at something I thought insurmountable. It will be because Brad (and many others) believe in me, so much so that I might start believing in myself.

Scary, huh?

I’m going to do it. Failure is not an option.

Song of the Day: Sole Survivor – Asia

Yet another in a series…

Posted: July 2, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Exercise, Foot issues, friends, home improvement, Inspiration, Mickey Miles podcast, Physical activity, Team AllEars, Walking, Weight loss
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It’s Tuesday and I’m a little loopy from sniffing polyurethane. Yes, I was in a well-ventilated area, but that stuff is pretty potent.

Progress continues to be made on my shelf project. All parts are cut and sanded, and all but a couple of sides are stained and polyurethaned, It should look pretty good when it is finally complete. Next job will be to find a place to hang it. Yikes!

So, I had some more inspiring folks I wanted to give a shoutout to. Todays co-honorees are my Team AllEars co-captains Michelle and Mike.

These are folks I again met through Magic Meets (are you sensing a pattern?) and they’ve always been great friends to myself and Supportive Partner Woman. Michelle is actually a frequent Words With Friends opponent (she usually wipes the floor with me) and has been subtly encouraging me to join the team. They have seen my struggles to keep up with the crowd at Reunion and seen me suffer through the blisters from hell. While I was in the program, both Mike and Michelle would check in with me to see how I was doing and it was hard to tell who was more excited when I committed to join the team from my hospital bed. They even sent a lovely flower arrangement that lasted over a month.

It’s hard to express how much their encouragement has inspired me, but if you want to talk about great leaders leading by example, I would be hard pressed to find a pair of co-captains who exemplify that adage more than Michelle and Mike. I’m proud to call them my friends and my inspirations.

So, second shift is going well after one day. It’s not a crazy busy week with the upcoming holiday, but it works just the same. I even got out for a 1.5 mile walk on break with a nice detour through Home Depot for air conditioning. Have to do it again tonight, assuming the weather stays dry. The foot looks fine, so I think it’s safe to say that the blister crisis is averted.

More a little later in the week.

Song of the Day: Nineteen Forever – Joe Jackson

Guess who’s back… back again?

Posted: June 27, 2013 in 5K, Exercise, Foot issues, Inspiration, Physical activity, Team AllEars, Walking
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The blistering is back… oh, yay.

It was a surprise, too. After a good round of workouts yesterday, I went out for dinner with Supportive Partner Woman (survived that early gym time!) and decided to hit the sack when we got home. Took off my shoes and socks and found a bloody spot in the sock. I looked at my toes… they were fine, but I found a broken blister on the ball of my right foot.

I was crushed. Seriously crushed.

Things had been going really well with my walking… what could have caused the issue this time? I’ve been checking my feet regularly. Near as I can figure, the one thing I did differently yesterday was to not air out my feet as long as usual before putting shoes and socks on. Sigh.

It’s frustrating… I briefly considered chewing my own foot off, but I realized I’m nowhere near flexible enough for that. Plus, it’s messy, unsanitary, and I’m assuming my foot wouldn’t taste very good. After a friend posted that if I tried chewing off my foot, she would spray my foot with bitter apple and make me wear the Cone of Shame, well, I tabled that idea.

I decided to go with the tried and true… I air out the foot when I’m at home and use drying agents to enable the healing process. I’m staying away from walking for a few days, and I just settled for lifting weights today. I just have to do something to keep up my fitness level.

So, as for today’s entry in the “Folks who inspire me” category, we’re going to talk about Melanie.

I first met Mel at a Magic Meets event back in the day. Her and her sister Julie had come all the way to central PA from the Denver area to take part in the festivities and we were introduced by our friend Brad who knew them through Team AllEars. We were all part of a large group that had gone for dinner at a local watering hole.

We didn’t see them again until the Magic Meets cruise in 2010 and, well, in one of our group nights at the champagne bar (and there were a lot of those nights), Mel said I should consider joining TAE. I was a little skeptical at the time, figuring there was no way I’d be able to do that. To her credit, she didn’t give up and told me to think about it.

I never forgot that initial nudge. And I did think about it. And when I joined, I’m not sure who was happier… Mel or myself.

So, me joining TAE is partially her fault and she should get part of the blame. I couldn’t be happier to be a part of such a great group.

Speaking of the team, my fundraising site when live yesterday. I’ve agreed to raise $500 to go toward the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Any donations are tax-deductable, so if you want to contribute to a worthy cause, click the link below:

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/DIY/General?px=3294847&pg=personal&fr_id=2350

Thanks again for your support as the journey progresses.

Song of the Day: Once in a Lifetime – University of Wisconsin MadHatters

It was a grand day out

Posted: June 26, 2013 in Exercise, family, Physical activity, rights, Supportive Partner Woman, Walking, Weather
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Today was a good day thus far for a couple of reasons.

1) I woke up (and let’s face it, being alive is better than the alternative)

and 2) Supportive Partner Woman (making the healthy change!) opted to trek along to the Rec with me this morning.

I’m so thrilled that SPW came along… she’s been saying that she needs to do this. It was perfect, as she had been up most of the night (turns out Netflix added The Avengers to the library and she was watching it after only getting home from the office at 2 AM.

So, we went and hit the dreadmill. I got over 2.5 miles in and she did 2 miles on the dreadmill and another mile on the elliptical. All in all, a pretty good workout. I can do 2.5 miles at 3.3-3.5 mph and have my pulse top out at 114. Guess that means my cardio fitness level is getting better. Used to be I’d be up over 130 for a similar workout, mainly trying to hang on because I c ouldn’t move my stumpy legs that fast. I’ve also found that the wifi at the Rec is fast enough to support streaming. I’ve taken to bringing my tablet with me and streaming something on Netflix. It’s big enough to cover the display screen so I don’t have to focus on how much time I have to go or obsess on how far I’ve gone. Tablets FTW!

The short work loop

The short work loop

At work I’ve taken up going for a walk during my break. It’s a nice .75 mile loop that I can easily do in the 15 minutes alloted. Even on a warm day. It’s nice to actually be out in the air and physically move around.

On the project front, most of the cutting is done. I still have to notch out the shelves and cut the back, but after that, it’s only going to require sanding, staining and assembly. Oh, and a good coat of polyurethane. Always helpful.

At any rate, that’s about it for today. More tomorrow, I hope.

Oh, and congrats to SCOTUS for the decision in United States v. Windsor. I’ve long been of the opinion that you should be free to be with the one you love and if two men or two women want to be together, that’s no one’s business but their own. I honestly don’t see any reason why this “threatens the institution of marriage” any more than the sham Hollywood marriages of Kim Kardashian et al. Maybe now some of the best people I know will finally be afforded equal protection under the law. It’s about damn time.

Song of the Day: California Soul – Marlena Shaw

Who pwned who?

Posted: June 19, 2013 in Exercise, Gratuitously Naked Guy, home improvement, Inspiration, Physical activity, Walking, Weight loss
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Today I made the elliptical machine my bitch.

Or was it the other way around?

Jury is still out on that, but I can say that it felt good to do something other than pound the treadmill. While my legs are STILL a little rubbery some 6 hours later, my ankles and feet feel fine.

This week and next week are really booked up at the clinic’s fitness center, so I’m only getting one session each week. I just need to make up the time at the Rec. There are worse fates. I might try to get some weekday swimming in… although the probability of a Gratuitously Naked Guy sighting is much higher during the week. But, dear readers, I’m willing to risk it.

Now, I know I’ve posted about my inspirations for losing some weight and getting healthier, but there’s one that I keep overlooking. So, I’d like to give a shoutout to my friend Matt. I know Matt through the Disney community… he was a fellow Magic Meets volunteer and, like me, was a big guy. Not as big as me, but a bigger guy nonetheless. I hadn’t seen Matt since the last Magic Meets, but would spot him on Facebook from time to time. Then there was one post that blew my mind. Matt was running in last year’s Disney World Half-Marathon.

Wow.

Not only that, but he was deep into martial arts and just really seemed serious about getting healthy and making the lifestyle changes. That was in the back of my mind as I progressed through my program. There’s someone who was doing it. Someone I knew.

I knew that I could do it, too.

The road is long and anything but smooth. I’m getting there, following the footsteps of someone whose success and determination has really been an inspiration. Thanks, Matt, and keep up the awesome work.

From here on in, I’m going to make an effort to recognize those folks who have inspired me to keep going. Who knows, I might even have nice things to say about my jerk co-worker who really got the ball rolling.

I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.

Tomorrow will be more of the same… gym, work, and maybe playing with power tools. We’ll see what the weather is like after work.

Song of the Day: Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
Currently Reading: The King’s Deception – Steve Berry

P.S. I think the elliptical won… word of the day? Ouch.

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