All week snow flurries were predicted for today, perhaps later today. We’re not going to see anything of the sort.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Think about a past success: Recall how you achieved your goal and how it made you feel.
Nothing boosts confidence like reflecting on your successes! This exercise puts the focus front and center on your positive traits and how they contribute to your life. Remembering how you’ve handled past challenges may also help you feel more confident about any roadblocks you may be facing at home or work.
When I lived in Huntsville, AL in the early 1990s (my late twenties) my weight eclipsed at 245 pounds (at 5’8″ – 5’9″ means I was fat). My friend and coworker Doug got me to start working out and I was able to get my weight down to the 180s over a relatively short period of time (perhaps a year? I don’t quite remember). I kept my weigh off until two significant events occurred in my life — I injured myself in 2000 by running a road marathon for which I was not properly trained, I gave up working out after I was held up at gunpoint in 2004.
As you know, I am once again trying to get my weight down (after years of complaining about it) and after trying and failing last year due to that fucking foot tendonitis.
I keep my success (admittedly in a younger man’s body) in mind as I suffer, continuing to hope that I can re-achieve one of my life’s goals.
When The Weather Agrees, I’m All In
“I wouldn’t mind walking outside this afternoon.” my boss said ’round the coffee machine (we don’t have a water cooler). “Sounds good to me!” I replied.
In order to capture the last hour of sunshine as well as what little heat it was providing we headed out for a walk at 4:30pm (ish) on a “new route” that I had mapped out. The route contained a few hills taking us from Perimeter Mall to Ashford-Dunwoody, Nancy Creek, Johnson Ferry, Peachtree-Dunwoody, and back. As we neared the office again and noticed that traffic had yet to subside we tacked on another half-mile or so. The tally for the afternoon was roughly 6.3 miles in approximately 1:43:00.
Sore Arms And Sour Belly, I Should Have Seen These Coming
By the time I arrived home I was hungry and very tired.
I was so hungry that I wanted to make a fast meal that did not consist of eggs, so I scoured the cupboard (still somewhat barren) and wound up cooking up a can of diced tomatoes containing jalapeños and a can of cut green beans, to which I tossed in some spices and the small chunk of sausage that remained in my refrigerator. No, it wasn’t a very successful experiment.
I was so tired that I didn’t even get up to answer a call from my mother, and was passed out before 10:00pm.
Last night’s sleep was an exercise in frustration (more exercise?). In addition to waking up multiple times to the pain in my arms from Monday’s weightlifting (and have to stretch them when I did) I also suffered from a sour stomach (gee, I wonder why?). If I slept for more than an hour at a time it was a major accomplishment.
ITP Flickr Pic
“I Think She Captured My ‘Good’ Side”
A week after introducing my coworker “K” (who moved here last year from Ukraine) to “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” she drew this and gave it to me. I wonder what she’s trying to tell me…
This Hump Day Is Now A Skip Day
With my lack of sleep and the lingering soreness from Monday’s workout I am giving myself a pass tonight. Also factoring in this decision is that I want to be at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur for the Fred Eaglesmith show by around 6:30pm when doors open. I first heard of Eaglesmith from either my great friend Tamara who lives in Edmonton, or from Edmontonian-singer Corb Lund when he played Atlanta a few years ago, I can’t recall who told me about him first.
I plan to be back lifting weights either tomorrow, or more likely Friday. Regardless, I’ve jumped back onto the exercise train and won’t let myself jump off again.
Today’s Personal Project
Make it to the Freddie Eaglesmith show.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – tired and sore, but that can’t be all bad, can it? well, perhaps if I never start losing weight it can be.
Current Music – silence at the moment
Website Of The Day – I heard about Radio Diaries while listening to the latest 99% Invisible podcast on my drive in to work this morning.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – walking, ~6.3 miles
Morning Weigh-In – Oops, I failed to check. Let’s say 215 pounds.
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~13.2 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 1 (0 cardio)
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
January Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber to fix all of the sinks at the ITP Estate
– walk no fewer than 75 miles
– have European trip plans in place, if not carved in stone
2014 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
– 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
– Sell the ITP Estate (tentative)
2014 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Continue to 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)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2014
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
I don’t see the likeness, well, maybe a little! 😉
Kill time until the Games meeting last night, where I learned of a good friend who fell down her basement stairs and broke her hip and shoulder!! She has already had the hip replaced, as it was beyond repair, and the current theory is to let the shoulder heal on its own, which will make rehab even harder. Holy crap.
I was quite surprised not only seeing no snow, but a clear sky and a beautiful moon when I awoke. WTF, over?
Debbie should be on her horse, somewhere off the “silk sheets” course, hunting foxes (no offense, Stacy) this morning- at least she was awake at one point before I left.
George’s tonight, for those who aren’t going to a concert.
-FP
Steve, if you see me at George’s you know my plan to make it to Decatur fell through.
I should also mentioned that I told “K” about the borscht story and when I mentioned the bit about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine about whose dish it is she scoffed at me and walked away; she’s a feisty one. 😉
Loyalty runs deep. I don’t suppose you want to nickname her the “mad russian”? I do see the start of a hash name…
6.3 mile walk? that’s pretty good.
I’ll ask Allan if he wants to go to George’s tonight, but I’m trying to conserve money, I don’t know what we’ve been spending it on (well, I sort of do), but I’m feeling poor these days. I’m even debating on us not going to Brussels, I’ve been calculating the cost for that trip, and I just don’t know if I can justify spending that much money. I REALLY to remodel our kitchen someday, & want to get a shed built outside. An expensive vacation really gets in the way of that.
Sure, convince me to go to Brussels and then bail. I see how you work! 😛 Hope you can figure it all out and still go.
Are you taking a month? I know the air fare is more expensive in Summer, and it’s tourist season, but it’s still mostly a hash event, so I wouldn’t exoect it to be hugely expensive.
On the few occasions I’ve checked, round trip to Europe (flying in and out on Tuesdays) has been about $1500 (COACH!)
Airfare is going to be $3000 , I want to spend a week before the hash event to sightsee, and the hotels are $100 euro approx. a night I’m guessing, plus any train costs, plus all the eating & drinking. The actual hash weekend will be the only cheap part.
Paulie – there will be plenty of other Atlanta hashers over there that you know, even if we don’t go. Like I said, I’m just feeling poor at the moment. Hopefully the feeling will pass.
Oh, I know that there will be plenty of people I know. Though I’m not sure who else is in that hotel I’ll be able to survive okay. Hopefully I won’t be poor, perhaps even with the “profits” of a house sale under my belt? Hey, a boy can dream.
It would just be an hour flight from London to Brussels, so you have that routing option Paulie.
Oddly fares to London (whose major airport name I cannot recall at the moment) were not that much cheaper.
I’ve looked at so many different airports, just to see. They all seem to be around $1500. Its summer time, I don’t know if there will ever be deals. Then, you have to tag on the train cost, that might make it the same either way. (Ryan Air wil kill you on baggage charges, just an fyi if you thought about flying them in europe)
London – Heathrow?
No big vacations for us this year…too much still needed for the house, even after Phase I is complete.
I’m sore today as well, lots of push ups yesterday, my lats are screaming!! But I did manage 5 miles walking/running earlier today. It was chilly but the blue sky made it very nice.
I’ll take 2 big vacations this year, but both combined including all expenses will be less than your air fare 🙂
Although if we do a disney trip with Travis this year the expenses will go up a bit.
I didn’t post yesterday but Paulie you will always be “fun Paulie”. Your venues just may be a little different this year.
yep Bob, that’s the whole issue I have. I was raised to be “frugal”…..
Uh oh, it’s clouding up! Maybe we will get flurries after all.
dream on Paulie on those flurries…..
and – my periodontist’s hygienist gave me a good good teeth cleaning, and besides the fact that I don’t brush & floss & whatever else enough, I got the clean bill of health for my gums.
I’m also dreaming of the show tonight. I knew that I was committed to a 5pm meeting (ugh) but now I’ve decided that it is my best interest to attend it from the office rather than trying to call in from the road.
traffic might be better after the meeting…… you just never know.
Only because Barb mentioned it: yeah, don’t fly Ryanair. They advertise cheap rates and then their fees usually equal 100% of the ticket price. So you’re actually paying double what they advertise.
Try routing through Schipol, they usually have better prices (Amsterdam) or Charles de Gaulle. CDG is the WORST AIRPORT IN EXISTENCE but they have a shit ton of connection opportunities.
My sister & brother in law live in Spain & they told us all about Ryan air. If you don’t need to take anything with you, its reasonably priced, if you have luggage, watch out!