As you will read in the bits that follow these, yesterday was a disaster in my effort to improve my health and morale. There was one positive moment at least.
Sweet Jesus
I ate a decent lunch in the office, but then needed to get out. I had a hankering for something sweet and surely I could find a place locally that pretends to be an amazing sidewalk cafe like those that are abundant in Europe.
As you might expect my first stop was Cafe Intermezzo. I stopped outside, perused the posted menu, and was not satisfied. I moved on.
My next thought was to walk toward Piedmont Park. On my way I thought about The Nook. Before being seated I asked if they served desserts, they do, and like that I was seated in an air conditioned restaurant ordering this:
“Looking To See If ‘Chocolate Brownie With Ice Cream’ Is Listed After ‘Celery’ In My Diet Plan” (Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
Yeah, not exactly what I should be eating if I am trying to lose weight. “Fear not!” I thought to myself (or perhaps even aloud) “You will be going to the gym this afternoon!”
Cramping My Style
It was a little before 4:00PM EDT (1600 EDT) when I finally escaped to the workout room in the office building. At that time it was me and three women sacrificing our bodies to the exercise gods.
I hopped onto one of the two Spin bikes, selected a program (different from the one I chose last time), and started to spin. The program I selected was a forty-minute cadence ride; no problem. However, after about twenty-five minutes of spinning my calves, the only part of my body for which I have pride, cramped hard. Other than having setting up the bike differently that I had last week, there are about six things that can be adjusted, I have no idea why this occurred. And yes, I had been drinking water all day and continued while riding. I made an effort to “walk it out” on a treadmill, to no avail. Even as of now I am experiencing some tightness/discomfort.
I’ve packed a gym bag for today, I’ll have to see how things go.
It’s Good To Remind Myself Where I Don’t Belong
My “new” Mac Mini was delivered to Lenox Square yesterday. It’s “new-to-me” but is a refurbished computer sold by Apple, who has not updated the Mac Mini line since late 2014. For my needs it was the right computer in the right price range.
Perhaps the last time I set foot inside Lenox Square was more than three years ago when I went to a book signing at Williams Sonoma.
I don’t belong in malls. I am not trying to “look cool”, “hang out”, or am I influenced by advertisements to be a consumer who buys the latest fashion trends. I was there to go to the Apple Store, and given the time I finally got to the mall, to eat something for dinner at the food court.
The food court in Lenox Square has changed drastically since the last time I consumed food there. I’ve been to the mall since the movie theater closed, which still boggles my mind, but was not prepared to see the array of “places that have real restaurants” — Five Guys?, Chipotle?, Checkers? — represented. As I do when I eat at a mall food court I found the Asian place and ordered a styrofoam box of fried chicken in a sweet sauce, all scooped over rice. Was it good? I suppose. Was it healthy? Not in the least. About the only good thing I can say about my meal is that I drank water instead of soda.
Home Is Where The Server Is
The rest of my evening was spent replacing a 2009 Mac Mini with the 2014 Mac Mini. Inevitably I had to set up a user account, download software updates, and perform a backup all of which took longer to complete than I wished. By Monday I may have the computer configured to be my new build/media server.
What will I do with the 2009 model? I’m not sure. With its mere 4GB RAM, and no ability to upgrade to Apple’s newer operating systems, it’s about as performant as a 52-year-old fat guy who writes a blog. That is to say it has a purpose, but what that purpose is is currently unknown.
Beer Me Thursday
I will be at RiRa this afternoon, say sometime around 5:00PM EDT (1700 EDT). I believe that ITP-Reader Steve will be in attendance as well. If you have interest and your schedule permits, please join me/us.
I will be at RiRa around the same time next Thursday too, if that suits you better.
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
PS – ITP-Reader Stacy, I hope that you’ve noticed that website linking is back. 😉
It was a lovely day yesterday. The day went by quickly, as I’ve been busy pulling cable in the data center. Marta was lovely on the ride home and I remembered to check the DOT’s website to make sure traffic was good and it appeared to be great. I headed South on 85, then the $hit hit the fan!!!!@#!! Almost to the UC exit, things started slowing quickly, but I remembered the DOT TOLD ME it was green! Sadly, in the time it takes to drive from Marta to UC, that wacky dump truck decided to spill its load all over the road. I kept thinking it would clear up, and was even at a spot where I could have slithered my way to the on ramp and gone backwards there. But no, I sat for 2 hours enjoying NPR and Marketplace and the air conditioning and the ants that apparently had a home somewhere in the rental car!!! Welcome to my world.
After picking up dinner and getting home, I drank a beer and went to bed. Such was my day.
-FP
And I expect to get a head start at Ri Ra.
what’s the UC exit?
Union City? My guess.
I heard about this on the news this morning. So sorry for your stuckage, Steve. I would have gone mental.
I should have known that.
I’m surprised I did. Only because I heard the traffic news report.
good morning – I never really talked to Allan about RiRa last night – I’ll call him later this morning.
The Nashville (TV show) concert at Chastain was really fun, the crowd wasn’t very big, so our almost free seats we got thru a friend with a login for vettix.org were in the back, but we moved way up to a table (not in the pit). Allan had to wander around to be sure there were no taper candles (we were losers, didn’t bring any candles)
No tapered candles? Where’s the fun in that? 🙂
I know????!!!! You have to have a contained flame, I guess they don’t need any tablecloths catching on fire.
He also had to make sure no one was standing in the aisles & blocking anything.
It was a tough job (he sat with us the majority of the show, and even found ice cream sandwiches somewhere…… and shared.)
so he got paid a bunch of money to watch a concert. There are worse gigs.
Ha! I had lunch at the Lenox food court, just yesterday. CfA of course, No. 1 sweet tea with a small (watching my weight) Ice Dream chaser. Fast, cheaper plus eclectic people watching.
I resisted the urge to visit the Apple Store post lunch. But just barely. My best defense was parking away from it (lower level, adjacent to the police precinct).
Update: a visit by our home security alarm service tech (and his supervisor) revealed little. Motion control sensor etc. appears to be working properly. “Call us if it happens again…” Uh huh. (If it does happen again, I’ll be changing alarm service monitoring companies.)
I did take away insight if the alarm is triggered due to motion, but no accompanying door/window violation, it’s probably a false alarm. Or a ghost. However, if you get a door/window and motion then it’s probably the real deal. So noted. Cogent thoughts like this don’t always come easily at 2:00am.
Pending OK Cafe lunch:
Based on comments in yesterday’s ITP Blog, I suggest this coming Tuesday (August 1) for an OK Cafe lunch meet-up. Say 11:30am? Paulie/Steve I can swing by, get you guys (where?) at say…11:01am? I’ll need a spot I can slow down to 5-6 mph so you guys can jump in/on…safely.
All other personnel muster on station at OK Cafe at 11:24am. Attendance will be taken promptly and absences noted. I will confirm headcount as part of Monday ITP Blog comments. Please respond sooner, if you know you can’t make it. FYI: Tuesday was chosen randomly, happy to change it.
So who’s in?
In other news…
I served in the United States military (Vietnam 1970-1972). Can you tell? 🙂
The foundation of the US military, nay…all military, is structure and discipline.
The United States Marine Corp boot camp is an apt example. The Marines take all (qualified) comers, break them down (literally mentally and physically) and build them back up to be United States Marines that are absolutely dependable and predictable.
The bar is set high. Not everybody can be a United States Marine. And not everybody wants to be.
It’s important to understand that people must fit into the military’s standards, not insist that the military bend to theirs.
I believe 100% our society should be open and accepting of all, including those that identify as transgender. Having said that the US military is no place for anybody uncertain of their own sexuality or in transition.
73 de JG/HamWithCam
Tuesday OK Café 11:24 – I’ll tell Allan to clear his schedule.
I went to Lenox for the 1st time in probably 10+ years a few weeks back -ate at California Pizza Kitchen -spent too much money on lunch, but it was tasty. I HATE malls. But really, I hate shopping in general.
Tuesday is fine with me. I’m in. When I have picked Steve up for a lunch run I’ve done so at the corner of Crescent and 11th. I’m fine with walking to that spot if it’s okay with you.
I’ve never had a military mindset, nor have I served, so I have no opinion on the matter.
I’m clear for a Tuesday OKC luncheon at the prescribed time. Woot.
UC is in fact Union City. A previous landmark would have been Shannon Mall, but that was razed to build a movie studio!! I can’t remember the last time I was stuck in a parking lot style back up like that. The last time may have been while they were still widening 85 and I was on the bus- I think a fatality was involved. Can’t really complain, considering the state of Atlanta traffic.
no RiRa for us – we are both tired from being out late last night.
Bummer. If your schedule permits next week I will be there again.