Here We Go Again

As some deadlines near I’m thinking of sinking my life back into work for a little while. Thankfully I have some photos banked (get ready for the flowers…) and will make sure to find the time to knock out a few words for everyone. Starting Friday (weather permitting) I’ll be focusing on three things:

1. Fun
2. Coding
3. Yardwork

I’ll ask no one to join me on any of these adventures but if there is a way to combine these efforts I will not turn any offers down.

I’m Planning A Great Escape
What: a long weekend
When: in August
Where: a golf resort Waynesville, NC (if I could think of the name off the top of my head I’d include a link here)
Why: to get the fuck out of Dodge and to use a Livingsocial coupon I bought some time ago

I’ve come to the conclusion that this year’s vacations will mostly be three/four-day weekends. I’ve somehow managed to use one-third of my vacation time in the first half of the year and know of some of the remaining days that I’ve already committed to other trips.

Though I think I’ll have to let my Dick Lane Velodrome coupon expire — thanks a lot, bicycle accident — I’m trying to use up the other coupons I’ve purchased prior to their expiration.

It Took Nearly 260 Times, But I Think I Finally Screwed Up
Guess where I went last night. “Taco Mac” you say? You are a clever one…

I think I finally accidentally ordered a duplicate beer for my Taco Mac Brewniversty (nee Passport) list.

When I first sat down I was being served by a guy, who later passed me to one of my favorite waitresses. When I saw that “Dale’s Pale Ale” was a “Just In” beer I couldn’t believe that my list did not have Dale’s Pale Ale — so I ordered one. The waiter dude told me that I was the third person to be surprised that his beer list didn’t contain Dale’s Pale Ale. I think that all three of us made the same mistake… As I perused my list in order to order my second beer I noticed that my list had an entry “O.B. Dale’s Pale Ale.” DANGEN! Very sneaky Taco Mac, very sneaky.

Last night I changed things up a bit by ordering celery with my sandwich instead of french fries; it’s a mere minor improvement to my diet, but it’s a start. Oddly, I didn’t miss the french fries.

ITP Flickr Pic
Before I deluge this stream with flower photos I’ll give you this shot from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit

You are probably as surprised as I am that I was not struck down by lightning as I entered the monastery.

Unrelated: I don’t boast much, but I think I really nailed this photo. [Note: and by “nailed this photo” I admit that this is a HDR-composite of five photos with much post-processing after the composite was made.]

I Have A New Word That I Cannot Type Correctly
Inevitably “monastery” gets typed as “monestary.” I find this interesting that I’ve cannot seem to get this right.

I Finally Remembered The Website I Wanted To Highlight Yesterday
It happened while sitting in Taco Mac….

What’s in a name?

While roaming around the Abbey Store at Monastery of the Holy Spirit I wandered into the food section. Having seen some fresh vegetables and local honey I wondered if all of the products in the store were local. I noticed a jar of balsamic garlic and herb jam from a place called Terrapin Ridge Farms. “Terrapin?” I thought. “I wonder if this is produced in Athens, GA.” When I turned the jar I laughed as I saw that it was “local” — if I still lived in Clearwater, FL… Further confusing me was knowing that there were no farms (well, there used to be orange/grapefruit groves) in Clearwater when we moved there in the late 1970s. Where could Terrapin Ridge Farms be? Google Maps pinpointed Terrapin Ridge Farms to an office building about three miles from my family’s old house and three blocks away from a house in which some of my relatives lived.

Reminds me of the bottle of “Glacial Springs” water which was sourced from the Municipal Water Supply of Miami, FL.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fat, not looking forward to tomorrow’s weigh-in; was thinking about fasting today but it’s not yet 8am and I am getting hungry. [Update: hunger won out.]
Current Music – listening to this week’s “The Social Hour” podcast
Website Of The Day – On “The Social Hour” they discussed a story about Waxy.Org owner/blogger’s run-in with photographer Jay Maisel and the reuse of one of Maisel’s photograph’s. It’s an interesting read…
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – Wednesday

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights

Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 0 (0)

Vegetarian Days – 5
Carnivorous Days – 22

Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0

June Goals
– “Completely” recover from the bike crash
– Get back on a bicycle
– Not to get sick for the entire month
– Not get fired from my job
– Run at least once
– Eat vegetarian no fewer than five days done!
– Lose three pounds
– Go out on a date with someone else
– Finish The Laws Of Simplicity done! and read another book

2011 Goals [will be a little more fluid than in past years]
– Reduce my weight by 25 pounds based on the my weight as measured on February 1st
– Completely read the book Daily Negations which I received as a Christmas gift.
– Run Sharpened Stone as a real business — one which does not get penalized.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Enter no fewer than three photographic competitions / gallery showings
– Ride in no fewer than five 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Run in no fewer than two one half-marathon
– Submit at least one application under the name “Sharpened Stone” to Apple’s iOS store

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]