Nothing Is Concrete, Except The Concrete

On Saturday the animal removal guy came out assessed the house (many open ways for critters to enter/exit!) and gave me a ballpark estimate for repair/capture, and promised me one for repair/capture/new gutter guards. I’m waiting on the final estimate (that I’m surprised has yet to arrive by email) and then I’ll schedule his company to do the work. This work won’t be cheap (~$1300) for all they plan to do but it needs to get done whether or not I put the ITP Estate on the market any time soon. I’m hoping to get the house repair work done this week in order to get the critters out asap.

Yesterday I met with a tree guy (recommendation from ITP-Reader John) who came over chatted me up and upsold me into a little more work than I originally budgeted. I’m okay with the higher-than-expected estimate, but I’m bummed that I now need to contact my neighbors (with whom I get along, but I never interact) in order to get permission to have him enter their yards in order to cutback their trees that are overhanging my property. Because of this I will probably not have the tree work done prior to a week from today.

I’ll have to start burning some of my remaining vacation time sitting around the house while work is being done. It could be worse, at least I can currently afford to hire people to do the work.

Today’s Daily Challenge
List three “gifts” you’ve received from friends or family that have helped shape who you are.

Holiday and birthday presents come and go, but the most important gifts we receive from people are the personal qualities and experiences that make us who we are. By making a list that celebrates those gifts, we recognize those people and their meaning in our lives – as well as what makes us special.

1. Beer – Currently at 215 pounds (ugh) this “gift” has shaped me poorly.
2. Stubbornness – There is no doubt that I am my mother’s son, but her stubbornness has been advantageous over the years.
3. n/a

Seriously, I don’t have a third.

Last Week’s Big Three

1. Submit Important Document #1. This will happen tonight. = DONE!
2. Read two documents this week — the owners manual for my chainsaw, the directions for dissolving a LLC in Georgia. = NOT DONE
3. Create a box of things to take to Goodwill at week’s end. = DONE! (Though I still need to take said box to Goodwill)

This Week’s Big Three

1. Read two documents this week — the owners manual for my chainsaw, the directions for dissolving a LLC in Georgia.
2. Gather all the things I need for camping this weekend.
3. Contact neighbors about trees, follow up with critter guy.

Drinking With The Boss
Because some of our drinking club were headed out of town this weekend we all went over to Taco Mac for Friday’s happy hour. After a couple of hours of cavorting I felt sorry for the person whose flight departed at midnight, so I gave her a ride down the the airport. Besides, it’s not like the airport is that far from my house and it kept another single young woman from riding MARTA at night.

Because of my home obligations this weekend I didn’t get to go to Chomp and Stomp. Instead I met my boss and a couple of our friends at Benchwarmers for some afternoon tomfoolery where I watched my Gators lose to that stupid team from Athens (look, it’s not like that was unexpected for me this year). Honestly, I only watched about half of the game before heading back home to take care of some things. On Sunday my boss decided to come down to the ‘hood and hang our with me. We walked up to The Midway Pub where I was presented with an unsuspected “gift” — a New York Jets victory over the New Orleans Saints. So far the Jets are 3-0 against the NFC South this season! It’s a pity they struggle so much in the rest of their games.

ITP Flickr Pic
I got permission to show some photos from LEAF of ITP-Readers Lisa’s and Randy’s boys. Here’s the first of two, I’ll post the second one tomorrow.

“I Get No Respect #1”

This is the eldest, mugging for the camera.

Still On A Quest To Improve Myself
This weekend I spent a good bit of time watching the latest incarnation of Stanford’s “iOS Development” course — CS193P. As you’ve read in the past I make an attempt to follow along only to have the pressures of the rest of my life sidetrack me to the point of no return. I will be trying harder not to let this happen again.

Artfully Improving Myself Tonight
Tonight I’ll be attending the High Museum of Art‘s “Member Preview” for their new exhibits. Because my modified MARTA commute worked out so well last Thursday that I repeated it today.

Today’s Personal Project
Enjoy the High Museum of Art’s “Member Preview” and perhaps treat myself to dinner afterward. Hell. I might even be super-lazy and watch the Packers play tonight on Monday Night Football.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay I suppose
Current Music – silence at the moment
Website Of The Day – Not seeing quite the display of colors I’d hoped for, but here is a list of the top fall trees as assembled by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – MARTA
Exercise (b)Log – Friday = walking, ~1.5 miles; Saturday, Sunday, nothing
Morning Weigh-In – 215 pounds (November 4)

Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~3.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 4
Carnivorous Meals – 4

Marta Rides To Work – 1
Bike Rides To Work – 0

November Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber, an animal ridder, and a tree person to work on the ITP Estate
– dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC
– follow up on some critical life details
– walk no fewer than 75 miles

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

1. Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
2. 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
3. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — by Douglas Adams
5. Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness — by CC Chapman
6. So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love — by Cal Newport
7. Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — by Steve Martin
8. Who Am I: A Memoir — by Pete Townshend
9. Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? — by Billy Crystal
10. Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good — Andrew J. Mellen

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]