If you read today’s title as “The Seven Habits Of Highly Erotic People” then you are going to be severely disappointed.
And get your goddam mind out of the gutter.
No wait, don’t. I like it when you think smutty thoughts.
While I have never actually read the book, I am certain that none of the topics I discuss today can be found in Steven R. Covey’s smashing bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. I am also fairly certain that the first “habit” is “read this book.”
Today’s Daily Challenge
Learn the history behind one piece of architecture in your city or town.
Even though history is all around us, when we drive or walk past the same structure day after day, it fades into the background. By taking a moment to learn something new about a local piece of architecture, it connects you to your community and may even inspire you to learn more about the place where you live.
I shall research the Concourse, aka “King and Queen” buildings, today.
How To Not Win Friends Nor Influence Women
As I sat at Hypepotamus waiting for last night’s Atlanta iOS Developers Meetup to start a young woman inquired about what class was coming up next. When I responded to her with “the monthly meetup of iOS developers” she looked disappointed, almost as if I told her that I was there for the monthly meetup for animal husbandry. I encouraged her to stay but she politely declined, made a phone call, and headed for the hills faster than you can say “selective breeding of livestock.”
Nerds, repelling women since the dawn of time…
’round Midnight
Because the second speaker of the night at the iOS Developers Meetup was going into detail about his use of JavaScript in iOS, a subject not even this nerd cares to explore, I quietly excused myself from the room and used my early departure as an excuse to head to The Shed for ITP-Reader Jenka’s shindig.
My running joke of the evening was that I finally realized where Kevin Gillespie’s new restaurant Gunshow was located and how disappointed I was to try and make a reservation for tonight only to be offered 9:30pm as the earliest option. Dinner? 9:30pm? Where am I, Spain? Manhattan? Fugettaboutit! As 9:30pm came and went I still hadn’t eaten anything other than some popcorn and a few candied pecans.
The gathering at The Shed, including ITP-Reader Martha (always a pleasure to see you again, Martha) was quite entertaining; so much so that I joined Jenka and the other three “last standing” for a trip over to Six Feet Under.
I think that I left Six Feet Under around midnight.
ITP Flickr Pic
Nada, I was too busy drinking and not eating.
I Suppose There Is No Need For Me To Eat Breakfast Today
While at Six Feet Under, where I was amazingly witty I might add, the clock struck 11:00pm and I finally ordered dinner (and I had been thinking that 9:30pm was too late…) — a plate of catfish tacos and “chips.”
If Covey had ever written a self-help book about dieting I’m fairly certain that “drink beer all night, then eat dinner at 11:00pm” would not be included in such a publication.
There is no reason that I should be putting any food into my piehole until lunchtime today.
What Did One Lawyer Say To The Other Lawyer?
Apparently the answer is “Will you marry me?” Last night I talked to two lawyers, one who is married to a lawyer and one who will be marrying a lawyer next month.
Geez, that’s why I am still single, I picked a profession that repels women. See also: Atlanta iOS Developers Meetup.
I wonder if I would have had more luck choosing a career in animal husbandry…
Today’s Personal Project
Get my haircut, have dinner with ITP-Reader Betsy, be asleep before midnight.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fat, lazy, stupid — pick two
Current Music – silence at the moment
Website Of The Day – wiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions like “What is Animal Husbandry?”.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – checking Friday
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~3.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)
Days Of Bed-Making – 0
Vegetarian Meals – 27
Carnivorous Meals – 29
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
May Goals
– return ITP-Reader Martha’s coffee percolator to her

- return ITP-Terri’s crutches to her

- not get sick

- lose three pounds

- exercise at least twenty-five of May’s thirty-one days

- finish at least two of the books I am reading

- take at least one box of things to Goodwill

- post at least ten photos in the blog

- drink a lot less alcohol

- prepare a house repair plan and budget
2013 Goals: Measurable
– Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Dissolve Sharpened Stone
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Completely run at least one 10k
– Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate
2013 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Simplify, simplify, simplify
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– 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)
– Take two real vacations, perhaps one abroad
– Take a more proactive approach to meeting women (read “stop being such a pussy”)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2013
- Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
- 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
You week night party animals!
Hi to Betsy! Its been way too long since I’ve seen or talked to her.
Animal husbandry – haven’t heard about that major since my time at Iowa State. It probably has more girls than you’d think, maybe go back to school?
I think I want to go ride my bike tonight after work, I need to get back into the weeknight bike riding. Maybe I’ll go over to Roswell.
Martha & I (& hopefully some others) are planning a Saturday bike ride starting up at Sosabee – time to be determined. If any of you readers are interested.
It was great to see you as well last night. I don’t normally go out on a school night but it was fun. The “last standing”, Jenka, Kari and Kevin?
I’m going to try to be productive today. I’ve caught up at work, for now all the fires are out and I’m back to a normal work load. Going to head to Columns Drive in the next hour or two for a LT test (Just ride as hard as I can for 30 minutes), clean house…maybe even a road trip to Lowe’s.
If you go back to school to meet girls, consider vet school…lots and lots of girls (close to 80%) or just get a real sickly dog.
Martha – what does LT stand for? I like your “work” schedule today.
Vet school or nursing…
Kevin, Jenka’s longtime friend whose name I never got, and the Aussie. 😉
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the rain that was not supposed to be happening last night as well.
Lactate Threshold
Yeah me too…it’s been awhile (and I don’t feel guilty since I’ve been putting in 45 hour weeks for at least the last month)
never rained at my house…….. we had to break down & turn on the A/c last night, it was just too hot & muggy.
Out to midnight on a school night? I can’t do that any more, Travis gets up WAY too early.
Barb, what time are you riding tonight? I rode in to work but may be able to get out again.
And I got caught in the rain AGAIN last night, why do I even wash my bikes? I washed both my road and cross bikes the other day, road bike got trashed last night and the cross bike got trashed on the greenway this morning.
Because I went backwards in technology when I replaced my thermostat it is still on “Heater” so the A/C never kicked on; it was 78° in the house when I got home. I slept with the window open.
Bob – no time set – I figured I’d do a 15-25 mile loop – maybe stop by the in-laws to say hi. I’d guess I’d get over that way 5:45-6:00. I originally thought Allan wasn’t working tonight, but the crazy airport battalion doesn’t do things the same. Allan is in class all day, but then has to go work (aka hang out & sleep) at the firehouse tonight. Usually when he is in class, he is home at night.
And – I’d bring the rack you want to borrow, but I can’t do that & bring my bike, one has to carry my bike back home. You will have to come by & have a beer or something another day, or we can maybe bring it to Wheelhopper Sunday. Is there a start yet?
Back from Columns, it was getting sticky out there but not bad on the bike.
While packing up, I was asked if I had jumper cables…I do but they are old and cheap, so I said no (last time I tried to use them, we couldn’t get the car started). The car next to me had some, but I came right home and orders two sets, one for me and one for Jerry. Nice, sturdy and long enough (16′) to be useful. I now feel just a little more grown up!
OK, where did the day go??
Last night’s adventure in pool repair- try and rebuild the plumbing so you can empty the strainer. FAIL! After having a nice lady at Lowes try and rebuild what she had into what I need, I was off to the pool store to find a correct connector- Fail. Then it was on to HD to try and find the piece that Lowes didn’t have- did you know if you don’t have a broken sink or toilet you can’t repair it at Home Despot because they carry no schedule 40 PVC? Wow…
Lanw cutting in EP will take place tonight as yesterday got rained out.
Martha, the fine folks at The Sufferfest just produced a video called “Rubber Glove” that is basically an LT test you can do with a HR monitor or a power tap. I’m thinking about getting it as a good measuring tool.
And I lnow how to do the old “Conconi test” if you’d like to really determine your LT.
-FP
Thanks for coming, Paulie (and Martha)! It was a great time last night! Paulie, Megan, Kevin, Steve and I kept the party going at Six Feet. I don’t think I got home until 2-ish. Good times! That Jenka Juice is deadly. Heh.
I love how Paulie’s totally in on the Aussie joke now. Ha!
And in the lawyers’ defense, they both met their respective spouses in law school. All bets are off in law school.
Barb, I’ll plan on picking up the rack at wheelhopper or afterwards if you decide to not go. No start yet, I can’t seem to get a hold of the hare. One of the joys of mismanagement.
No ride for me tonight, just got me a bonus so the Knolls are going out for dinner! 🙂
The LT test was 10 minute warm up and 30 minutes of riding as hard as I can, then cool down (wearing a HR monitor). I’m not sure exactly how Coach Tat does it but she will use it to set my HR zones for trainer rides.
It doesn’t take long to get sucked into the GP shenanigans!
I wish I’d get a bonus…… awesome Bob, where ya going?
I got the full lowdown on the Aussie joke from Kevin, the former linguistics major.
Law School, Schmall School, I went to, university but there were virtually no women in my Computer Science department.
“While I have never actually read the book…”
Dude.
Get Covey’s book today. Also available on audio. Powerful in his voice. Underlying religious overtones.
But the real deal. You may find it addresses many of the areas which cause you concern.
Covey was a big deal wen I worked at Coke. I was fortunate to take the “7 Habit'” course straight from Covey.
I won’t say it change my life, but I do reference the 7 Habits frequently.
JG/HamWithCam