Six Of One, Half Dozen Of The Other

Tomorrow marks the end of the first six months of 2012. How’s your year been thus far?

The first half of 2012 rates a “C+” for me. The surgery was interesting, and while I still have the scars from the procedure, all seems to be going well. I’ve not ridden my bicycle nearly enough (though I have signed up for the GA 400 Century). I’ve been walking, but I’ve also been consuming calories, so I’ve not lost weight (in fact I may have put on a pound or two). I have a feeling that I have my first root canal coming in the near future. And even with the massive interruption of Tropical Storm Debby I had a great time visiting my mother.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Ask someone to name a song that’s meaningful in his or her life, and why.

Studies show that being connected to people makes us happier! The positive effects of remembering something as powerful as a song and sharing in a happy memory last beyond the moment you connected with them. Furthermore, happiness is contagious. If your friends’ friends are happy, you’ll actually benefit from this and be happier, too. Everyone wins.

Go ahead, leave your song and reason as a comment.

Mad Math
After leaving Chuy’s last night, unsuccessfully getting the table of two ladies to notice me with interest, I tweeted in jest Another day where I leave a bar thinking “If I were only Don Draper…”, to which my friend Andisheh replied “You’d be 87 years old”. Ha!, I’ve never done the Mad Men math before, but he’s right.

Unfortunately I still think an eighty-seven year-old Don Draper would have had a better shot with these ladies than a near-forty-seven year-old me.

Le Tour Begins Tomorrow!
Tomorrow the Le Tour de France will start again. I’ll apologize in advance to those of you who will tire of my rants and commentary about Le Tour over the next three weeks.

Hey Locals, It’s Going To Be A Fucking Hot Weekend
As we brace for a weekend of 100+° F weather I remind you to stay hydrated while doing things outdoors — and wear sunscreen.

I’ll be spending tomorrow down at the Moreland Day Spa. I’ll be joining a groups of nuts out for a morning ride followed by some pool time and and beer drinking. I’m also hoping that this time there will be some domino playing later in the evening.

On Sunday I may go out to the Canada Day hash, but if I don’t I’ll be starting a couple of my July projects indoors.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay
Current Music – listening to the latest “Sound Opinions” podcast
Website Of The Day – As ITP-Reader Barb reminded me yesterday, Sunday is Canada Day! Celebrate our local Canucks by visiting Atl Canadians.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – walking, ~5.0 miles
Morning Weigh-In – not checking

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 29.1 miles
Wheel Mileage – 34.5 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Days – 2
Carnivorous Days – 26
Pancakes Eaten – 5

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

Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2012

1. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me — Mindy Kahling
2. Flotsametrics and the Floating World: How One Man’s Obsession with Runaway Sneakers and Rubber Ducks Revolutionized Ocean Science — Curtis Ebbesmeyer
3. God, No! — Penn Jillette
4. The Elephant to Hollywood — Michael Caine
5. Here Comes Trouble — Michael Moore
6. How We Decide — Jonah Lehrer
7. Steve Jobs — Walter Isaacson
8. Death of a Salesman (Penguin Plays) — Authur Miller

June Goals
– Post at least ten new photos during the month
– Lose at least two pounds (net weight loss)
– Finish two books (audio or otherwise, comic books do not qualify)
– Exercise for thirty minutes no fewer than twenty days
– Not to get sick for the entire month (may be a moot point as of today)
– Eat vegetarian no fewer than ten days
– Watch all of the classes in the 2011 Winter semester of Stanford’s CS193P (iOS Development) course

2012 Goals [will be a little less fluid than last year]
– Get my weight under 200 pounds, or at least whittle myself back down to where wearing a 36″ pant size is comfortable
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Run Sharpened Stone as a real business
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Ride in no fewer than five 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Run in no fewer than one one 10K
– Submit at least one application under the name “Sharpened Stone” to Apple’s iOS store
– Restore the ITP Estate to a condition where it can be put up for sale at any time
– Buy a new iPhone (iPhone 5?), a new iPad (iPad 3?), and MacBook Air [look, not all goals have to be altruistic]

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient and profitable programmer in Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
– See more live concerts than I did in 2011
– Eat more pancakes
– Drive/Fly somewhere for a real vacation

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]