Happy Festivus!

Posted: December 24, 2013 in Cooking, family, Food porn, Holidays, previous occupant, Supportive Partner Woman
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Yes, I’m a day late… but better a late Festivus than no Festivus at all.

We did have it all yesterday, though. A Festivus miracle, feats of strength AND Airing of Grievances. See, I’ve complained often about the previous owner of our house and his inept construction technique. So, yesterday, Supportive Partner Woman (Decorator of trees!) was putting the finishing touches on the Pop Culture Tree when she heard a loud crash. She went to the basement to see if the heater had blown up, only to find no problems. She went back upstairs, heard another crash and looked in the garage. There’s where she found the source.

Thankfully the rake and Jolly Roger flag stopped the potential bad damage.

Thankfully the rake and Jolly Roger flag stopped the potential bad damage.

Seems that Former Owner Guy’s use of shitty materials had caused a bit of an issue in the garage. You know, it would make sense to attach a big shelf by using something more than drywall anchors and very short screws that don’t quite bite into the stud. But maybe that’s just me.

After the Feat of Strength

After the Feat of Strength

At any rate, SPW was able to manhandle the stored closet doors and heavy totes off the shelf after safely removing Mario the Super Honda from the garage without damage. That constituted the Festivus Feat of Strength. The Festivus Miracle was that no serious damage was done. The Airing of Grievances consisted of me colorfully and masterfully cursing the previous owner’s ineptitide and my desire to hunt him down and kick him in the junk with the Boot of Shame.

Mine is twice as big!

Mine is twice as big!

After all the fun was done, including SPW’s Feat of Strength (accomplished whilst wearing flannel penguin loungewear… no lie), I was able to rettach the shelving when I got home from work. It’s funny… you can see a bit of difference between the screws Captain Asstastic used and the type of screws that should’ve been used. They really weren’t that much more expensive. Or maybe he could’ve used an anchor rated for heavier weights, rather than a cheap one that’s best for hanging a picture.

The most important thing is that no one was hurt and everything was back in its place by the time SPW was home from work. I even got to use power tools. Woot!

This past weekend we attended a beer cheer event hosted by one of SPW’s co-workers. The basic premise was that each guest brought a six pack of something interesting, everyone sampled them, and at the end of the night, pretty much everyone went home with a new selection of brew. I also whipped up a pretty decent Cajun crab dip at 3:07 AM, because, as Jeanine says, there’s never a bad time for crab dip.

Festive Death Star!

Festive Death Star!

We also did up a batch of SPW’s granny’s cutout cookies. We were faced with a dilemma, though… we had really cool Death Star cookie cutters, but I couldn’t find the black sugar (from when we did Halloween cutout cookies. My answer? Festive Death Stars! I also made festive X-Wings, festive TIE Fighters, and festive modified Corellian YT-1300 freighters.

At any rate, I wish all of you a very happy and safe holiday season, whether you celebrate Festivus, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or something I forgot to name. Check back next week for my take on the final Cinematic Titanic show and my New Years Resolutions.

The politics of baking (with apologies to Re-Flex)

Posted: December 21, 2013 in 5K, Cooking, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, family, Food porn, Foot issues, Holidays, Ouch, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Wayne
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As the major winter holidays approach, a few things come to mind. But before I get into those, I want to take a few minutes to thank all those who donated to my Avon Walk page. So, a huge thank you to Mike & Katherine, Mike & Mary, Mark, Mindy & Chris, April & Janet, Charlie & Joan, Candi, Jed & Maureen, Becky, Janet, Mary, Melissa & Nimesh, Rodger & Karen, Jim & Elena, Fred & Renee, Ann, Donna & Jim, and most importantly, my mom and sister, as well as Supportive Partner Woman (culinary creative genius!). I never thought I’d get to my original goal, much less triple that. It’s very humbling knowing that folks out there are willing to support me and believe in what I’ve accomplished.

And to think, in a little over two weeks, I’ll have that first 5K under my belt. Then all bets are off.

In the meantime, I’m focused on rehabbing Wayne. I saw the foot doctor on Thursday and Wayne is healing, just not as rapidly as I would like. That’s primarily due to the blister’s location on the bottom of my toe. Of course, when I first saw the doc about this toe, he was concerned about infection and prescribed a liquid amoxicillin. Now, I’ve had amoxicillin before and never had any issues, but the liquid stuff gave me a nasty drug rash that itched so badly I had to pay a visit to the Urgent Care. Thankfully it’s started to heal up already, because while Benadryl keeps the itching down, it puts me down as well.

Mmmm... chocolate caramel shortbread.

Mmmm… chocolate caramel shortbread.

So, we’re rapidly closing on the Christmas holiday. Once again, with everything going on, we are woefully behind. We don’t even have a tree set up. Maybe this weekend. We have managed to do some baking, however, and that’s gone rather swimmingly. I made my semi-famous chocolate chip cookies, as well as lepp cookies. SPW chimed in with spritz cookies, chocolate cookies, something that looks like a flying saucer with a Hershey Kiss in side, and her ever-evolving chocolate caramel shortbread. This year she baked the shortbread into a cup, made her own caramel and topped it with melted chocolate. A nice, bite-size portion. They are actually kind of cute, as well as yummy. I’ll try to pry a recipe out of her to post on here.

Other than that, I’m looking forward to the holidays and having a day off to spend with family.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season and I can’t wait to tell you all about my 5K experience.

Reunion Recap

Posted: December 11, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Disney, Foot issues, Reunion, Supportive Partner Woman, The Toe of Wonders, Travel, Walking, Wayne, WDW Today, Weight loss
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Supportive Partner Woman and I just returned from a visit to sunny Florida. We went to take part in Reunion 2013, a gathering of like-minded Disney fans who get together for four days of meets, hi-jinks and whatever else happens.

There are, of course, some folks who just don’t get it, and that’s OK. More fun for the rest of us!

With that little bit out of the way, I’d like to report that the entire event was a blast. The highlight of the event is catching up with the friends we’ve met over the years. SPW and I often speak of how different the guest list would be were we to get married now instead of nine years ago. I can tell you that list would certainly be larger.

One of the biggest moments for me was the taking of the picture. If you recall, someone took a picture of me last year that really showed how obese I had become. I was determined to take a picture of the newer me, in the same spot.

meIt was a success, to say the least. I’ve lost a few pounds, or so it looks. I still have some ways to go, but it’s that much more believable when you can see tangible proof.

I’m also pleased to report, other than yet another blister incident, I survived a lot of park touring and I’m really not in any pain. The past three or four years, every trip has required a few days of recovery time. This time, not so much.

The blister is pretty substantial, enough that the doc prescribed antibiotics, in case there’s an infection. He found a liquid one, which goes down a lot easier than trying to eat it in yogurt or pudding. I was lucky that the crappy weather actually allowed me to see my regular doctor, since he had a cancellation.

I’m also pleased to report that Disney can be accommodating with my bariatric surgery. Even our group meal at Ohana was accommodated. I was able to pay the child’s price, since my capacity was so diminished. For the most part, I ordered off the child’s menu or I shared with SPW. The one full-sized item we got was a very yummy margherita pizza with prosciutto at Via Napoli in Epcot. We were lucky that the crust is very thin, so I was able to enjoy a lot of the pizza.

Another of the highlights of any Reunion is the chance to see the IllumiNations holiday tag. This is a four minute extra segment that includes a stirring rendition of Let there be Peace on Earth as performed by the Boys Choir of Harlem with narration by Walter Cronkite. I managed to get video of the tag (a little shaky, but not bad overall), so that’s posted below:

There were other special events, and the chance to make some new friends. It was also nice to chat with some people I knew by name, but had never really met, and have them tell me that my journey has been inspiring to them. It’s very humbling when you hear that.

A rare treat was being able to relive my first sight of the Osborne Lights. This was better, as the fine folks at Mouse Fan Travel had arranged a private viewing of the lights after the park closed. One of our group had never experienced the lights and there is no better way to experience them. It proves that despite all the issues they may have, Disney still knows magic.

Lights!

Lights!

I think the picture says it all.

In short, 2013 was one of the best Reunions I’ve attended. Special thanks go out to Beci & Annette from MEI/Mouse Fan Travel, Matt from Studios Central, Mike from Mouse World Radio, Mike from AllEars, and Len from touringplans.com. Might also mention that together, Mike, Len, Mike, Matt and Annette make up the WDW Today podcast team. These folks give up a lot of their time and energy to make sure everyone has a memorable experience and I know they don’t get thanked enough. I, for one, am honored to call each of them a friend.

I hope to have more photos and video up later in the week. Until then, stay warm!

Giving thanks

Posted: November 27, 2013 in Bariatric surgery, Doctor Who, family, friends, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars
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The US holiday of Thanksgiving is almost upon us. For many folks, this is a chance to gorge oneself on turkjey and stuffing, loosen your pants, sit on the couch and sleep though a game featuring my favorite team (which would be whoever is playing Dallas), then hit up the fridge for leftovers.

It’s an American tradition.

Not for this guy. For me, Thanksgiving will be giving thanks that I changed my life around.

Thanks for another year with family and loved ones

Thanks for vacation starting next week.

Thanks for the friends I’ve made through the Disney community and my teammates.

And thanks that we still have a few freedoms left.

ThanksgivingLet me first start by thanking my totally awesome big sister for her very generous donation toward my Avon goal. Only $119 to go! I might add that thanks to the generous support I’ve received, I’m closing in on tripling my original goal. So, thanks to you as well.

Had the opportunity Monday to have lunch with an old elementary school friend who I’ve not seen in around 25 years. He was back in Pennsylvania from California and we had a nice time. It’s funny… you start out kind of stiff, then you realized why you liked each other and it’s like old times sake. It was great to see him and I hope it’s not another 25 years until we see each other again.

Also, Supportive Partner Woman (devoted Whovian!) and I managed to see the Fathom Events simulcast of Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor. It was so awesome to see it in HD on a theater screen and even more awesome to see David Tennant back in the role, alongside Matt Smith. The theater was loaded with nerds, which isn’t a bad thing, and the audience was quite appreciative.

That’s something else I need to give thanks for. SPW truly is the perfect match for me. We can do nerdy stuff and have a blast. We can also agree to disagree. She thinks I’m too good for her, but truth be told, she deserves much better than me. Do we agree on everything? No. But that’s OK.

So, if you have your own SPW (os SPM), give thanks for them and to them. They make it all worthwhile.

Happy thanksgiving, everyone!

Song of the Day: Be Good to Yourself – Journey
Currently Reading: Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

 

Great news

Posted: November 19, 2013 in Doctor Who, Inspiration, Nerd Herd Running, Team AllEars
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So, today there was an announcement from Nerd Herd Running on the final results from the 2013 Trilogy. They set their first goal, annihilated it, set a second goal, went medieval on that one, and for good measure, obliterated the third goal as well.

Together, we managed to raise over $17,000 for Stupid Cancer.

$17 large.

Damn.

Happy!

Happy!

You can read the nuts and bolts here, but I wanted to take a few minutes and talk about what an amazing group of people this is. These are people who embrace their nerddom and aren’t afraid to show it. Words fail me when I need to come up with superlatives to describe their efforts. For such a small group of people to achieve so much totally blows my mind. I’m proud to say they are amongst my inspirations. I look forward to finally meeting most of them in January. So, thanks again Sara, Julie, Jamison, Mike, Joelle, Christina, Brad, Erinn, Dan, Jeff, Christine and April. You guys set a high standard and I’m super proud to be associated with you.

This is not to take away from my own fundraising efforts for Team AllEars. So many of you have contributed and allowed me to raise my goal yet again. Help me get there by clicking here to donate a couple dollars. The link will take you to the Avon site and allow for secure donations. I would dearly love to hit $1,500. There’s still time and it is fully tax deductible.

Postings will be sparse the next few weeks. Between the upcoming holiday and the usual workload, Supportive Partner Woman (survivor of the MRI tube) and I are going to catch the 3-D theater presentation of Day of the Doctor and we also have a much-needed vacation on the books. I will check in while I can, but I wanted to wish you all a happy and joyous Thanksgiving, Chanukkah, or whatever other holidays you celebrate. Remember to stay active and love your families.

 

The Bucket List

Posted: November 17, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Been thinking a lot lately about what I’d lie to accomplish in my life.

See, I’m kind of what you’d call an underachiever.

I always thought I’d accomplish great things, then I just kind of realized that’s kind of out of the question. I’m too ADD to focus long enough on one thing to make a difference. I guess I could point to my 1,327-201-66 Sporcle record as an achievement, but I think that just means I have way too much brain sludge.

I was recently reading a friends blog and she posted her life list. She’s going through a tough time, medically speaking, and just reading it inspired me to create my own. Just know that these are not in any order… they are numbered to make counting easier.

So, without further ado, I present my bucket list:

  1. Visit Antarctica to see penguins in the wild
  2. Get to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
  3. Drive cross country, stopping in every little dinky tourist joint to see that giant ball of twine or whatever else said town is noted for
  4. See the aurora borealis
  5. See a baseball game at every major league ballpark
  6. Travel across the US by train
  7. Go to culinary school
  8. Transit the Panama Canal
  9. See the Holy Land
  10. Go dogsledding
  11. Tour the Lego factory in Denmark
  12. Be a better friend/spouse
  13. Go to an Olympic games (preferably winter… I like hockey)
  14. Go to a Formula One race
  15. Return to the Hotel del Coronado for longer than one night
  16. Visit Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disney
  17. Visit Disneyland
  18. Run a half-marathon
  19. Attend San Diego ComicCon
  20. Rebuild an engine
  21. Tour the Boeing plant
  22. Learn to fly
  23. Go deep sea fishing

I know, it’s nothing earth-shattering and it is subject to change. If it didn’t change, well, it wouldn’t be me.

 

Warning!

Posted: November 4, 2013 in 5K, Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Hiking, Physical activity, Stubby the Wonder Toe, Supportive Partner Woman, Team AllEars, Virtual Races, Walking
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I figured I should warn y’all that this post will have a picture of a foot. So, if you’re foot-averse, be warned.

So, it’s Monday. That usually means the weekend is done and it’s time to get back to work. Sadly, it’s the beginning of November, and for the big cheeses at the soulless corporation I work for, this means a chance to compel us lowly worker bees to work overtime.

I have a love/hate relationship with overtime.

The paychecks are nice. VERY nice. But you wonder if the headaches are worth it. Being ordered around by people who like to THINK they are supervisors is always a drag, as is actually starting at paperwork for extra hours. The seem to think it’s life or death, but the fact of the matter is that what we do doesn’t really have a huge impact on the safety and well-being of the majority of people in the US.

Enough about that, though.

The Boo to Cancer 5K medal

The Boo to Cancer 5K medal

I signed up for and completed another virtual 5K this past week. A friend and teammate had put together the Boo to Cancer Virtual 5K to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I did things a little differently, opting to cover the distance on the elliptical, since it was my second day out of the boot and I didn’t know how the foot would behave with full-length toes for the first time in years. I managed to get the 3.1 miles done in 21:16, which was pretty cool for me.

Chickie's Rock anticline

Chickie’s Rock anticline

I also managed to get up to the Chickie’s Rock Overlook again last week. I was hoping for more of a foliage change, but I think I beat that by a few days. I did manage to get a slightly different view, as it was pretty deserted and a lot of the leaves had fallen. One of the highlights was looking at the exposed rock face. I’m not sure what the exact geological composition of the rock is, but it’s enough to make you contemplate just how insignificant humanity’s time on the Earth has been. Knowing that this anticline has been eroded through over millennia by flowing water, and that erosion will continue for millennia after we’re gone. Really puts things in perspective.

The freshly straightened toes (with Stubby to the left)

The freshly straightened toes (with Stubby to the left)

Speaking of the foot, I’m attaching a picture where the toes are not all bandaged up. The toes are nice and straight and it was really weird, actually feeling the texture of a sock with the bottom of my toes. They had been curled for so long, I didn’t really remember the sensation.

So, that’s pretty much what’s happening here in cow country. I would like to give a shoutout to my friend Brad who not only completed the NYC marathon on Sunday, but did it while enjoying himself AND followed up by getting interviewed on GMA. Way to go, Brad!

One other note. I’ve been talking about my Team AllEars fundraising. I’m pleased to announce that due to an unusually generous corporate match, my fundraising total has eclipsed $1,000. This is more than double my original goal. I have to give thanks to everyone who has contributed, and if you haven’t, there’s still time. Feel free to donate here… any amount $5.00 or greater is most appreciated.

I’d also like to take a moment to offer belated birthday wishes to the lovely and gracious Supportive Partner Woman. She had a birthday on Halloween and we’ve now entered the four months of the year when I can get away with busting on her for being older than me. I should also mention that the day prior to her birthday we celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary, which, I think, is the Styrofoam anniversary. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve made it this long and the good days far outnumber the bad days. Some days that’s all you can ask for. I will note that I love her more today than I did on our wedding day.

That’s really saying something.

Accomplishment

Posted: October 26, 2013 in 5K, Exercise, Goals, Nerd Herd Running, Physical activity, Walking
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So the last post was me feeling kind of sorry for myself. This one will be better.

See, I got a package in the mail yesterday. That package contained my medals from the Nerd Herd Running Virtual Racing Series.

These are the first medals I ever got and it dawned on me that it is a big deal. At least to me.

My medals

My medals

The medals themselves are of good weight and fit to ether to form the Nerd Herd logo. There’s one for the May the 4th Be With You 5K, the Happy Birthday Harry Potter 10K and the Banned Books Half, as well as a fourth medal for completing the series. It really filled me with a sense of accomplishment. I know some marathon snobs would say that it wasn’t a “real” race and I didn’t have a stellar time, but it’s a big deal because I did it.

In short, that package was a vindication of what I’ve been trying to do.

Next up will be the real 5K. I’ll get a medal for that, too, but it won’t have the same impact because it won’t be the first one.

I can see how this can become an addiction, though. Guess I need to find a place to display the bling that’s sure to come my way.

There are worse things.

So, in closing, a huge thank you to the Nerd Herd… Sara, Julie, Jamison, Mike, Joelle, Christina, Brad, Erinn, Dan, Jeff, Christine and April and all the folks who participated in the series that raised $15,000 to benefit StupidCancer.org. What an amazing journey!

What’s happening

Posted: October 23, 2013 in Doctors and Dentists and Nurses... oh my!, Foot issues, Futility, Stubby the Wonder Toe
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Haven’t written anything in a few weeks. I wish I could say it’s because I’ve been incredibly busy doing something worthwhile.

It’s not that.

I just haven’t really felt inspired.

Truth is, I haven’t really been feeling that much like myself.

So, I thought I’d start writing and see where it leads me.

The post-op toes. Stubby is on the left.

The post-op toes. Stubby is on the left.

I’m currently back in the Boot of Shame. I had a small procedure on Monday morning that straightened three toes on my right foot. It’s the same one I had on my left foot earlier in the year. It’s kind of a pain, but it’ll be for the better. The downside is that it’s really hard to walk while wearing the Boot of Shame, so no training for Brian this week. At least it’s not a long time in the boot. I should note that the reddish discoloration on my foot is a result of the prep Betadyne scrub. I can’t get it wet for a week, so it just needs to be discolored.

I know what’s causing most of my internal strife… it’s a job issue. I’m not going to go into any details here because there are coworkers who read this, but recent events have really torn me up and I know I need to get over it, but it’s so freakin hard to do. I guess after giving 13 years, countless hours of overtime, and training people, I feel a sense of betrayal. I guess it is what it is.

In the good news department, my Avon fundraising continues to go well. I actually upped my goal to $1,000.00. Currently I’m at $811.00, so I could really use some help to get there. The link to my page is located right here and any contribution, whether it be $5.00 or $50.00, is welcome. Now, many folks in the community have brought up the point that breast cancer hasn’t impacted them directly… they’ve been much more impacted by skin cancer or colon cancer, etc. To that end, they are right, but what if a breakthrough in breast cancer can be adapted to other forms of cancer? After all, scientists and researchers do talk and share information. What if that new chemotherapy for breast cancer works equally well on colon cancer? It’s all worthwhile… and for a great cause.

Thanks for reading… I hope to have some foliage pictures from the overlook as soon as I’m out of the Boot of Shame. Until that time, be well.

New trail… even better view

Posted: October 4, 2013 in Exercise, Footwear & socks, Hiking, Photography, Physical activity, Walking
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So, Supportive Partner Woman and I tried something new the other day. I’ll get to that in a bit. First off, I set a new record for distance in a day. Well, not totally, but since I started this little project, After going to the gym and doing 4.3 miles on the elliptical, I went home and decided to go back out with SPW to the Lancaster Junction Rail Trail and did another 4.993 miles. All told, over nine miles (intentionally) in one day. Woot!

So, Wednesday, we decided to try something different. Most of the rail trails are, by necessity, flat or have a very minimal grade. There might be a few spots where the trail has a slope to cross a road, but that’s about it. The slopes are only in there because an underpass was opened up when the railroad abandoned the right of way. So, in search of a challenge, and a good view, we headed to Chickies Rock Overlook Trail.

We were slightly underprepared, not knowing what kind of terrain we would be looking at. For future reference, any future return to the site will involve hiking boots, as running shoes and rocks don’t necessarily make for good bedfellows. The climb is not a long one (only about 1/2 mile from the trailhead to the overlook) but for the two of us, it was challenging enough. The view proved to be worth it.

Panorama from the top of the rock

Panorama from the top of the rock

From one of the secondary viewing areas

From one of the secondary viewing areas

The actual overlook itself is on a couple of levels. The easier ones to approach are set back from the edge of the rock itself. They still provide some views, but with the trees still in bloom, you are limited to seeing what’s right in front of you. This makes me want to go back, both when the leaves start to turn and when the trees are bare. It should make for some good photographs.

There’s apparently another trail at the base of the cliff that runs about 1.5 miles. We did not try that, as it doesn’t quite meet our distance needs. Might try it in the future.

Mr. Tortoise

Mr. Tortoise

Thursday, we went back to the Enola Low Grade Trail. Sadly, we were unable to get the full distance in, due to a forgotten appointment. We did, however, come across a very cute little turtle (tortoise?) just kind of on the trail. I’m not sure if (s)he was alive or not, but was very tiny. If I would’ve had something to put in the picture to establish size, I would’ve. Given a chance to search Google images, I think it’s a baby snapping turtle.

One thing I have yet to mention about our visits to these trails are the sheer number of raptors seen. There are hawks aplenty and I’m pretty sure I saw a bald eagle. It makes me want to return to Hawk Mountain just to see the birds. It would be worth the trek up the hill and yes, I would wear hiking boots.

Hope you have a great weekend, folks!

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