Still Crazy From The Heat

I spent a lot of time in my basement this weekend. No, it’s not because I bought Guitar Hero and was rocking it solo-style downstairs. It was because because half of the basement is bermed by earth it usually stays 5-10 degrees cooler than the upstairs. With the temperatures getting as high as 85 upstairs the basement was relief even when its temperature reached as high as 80 last evening. I need to do some serious air-conditioning repair/replace research today. It may never get as hot as it did this weekend for the rest of the summer, but if it does I can’t stand to bear it again.

Read Along With Me
Today’s passage from Notes To Myself.

I need approval, but no that I’m no longer a child I don’t have to get it from any one person.

To all who have helped me — Thanks.

The Say The Suffering Is Good For The Soul
That’s the only explanation that I can conjure for eight of too meet in East Atlanta Village and embark on a thirty-eight mile bike ride yesterday morning. Like the other imbeciles also out riding before it got “too” hot, we cruised, drank plenty of fluids, and suffered all in the name of making ourselves “healthier.”

The course ridden shared much of my old thirty-eight mile trip that I used to perform often one two three four years ago. Ah memories, how much more pleasant they are than reality. Truth be told I had a good time yesterday. There is a euphoric feeling that I get on a road bike that I don’t get running.

After the ride Brad, Laura (aka Martha) and I rewarded ourselves with a little tucker from Flat Iron. I followed this activity up with a 2.5 hour power nap. Good times.

I’ve Got Ants In My Satellite Dish
Sitting down? No, do so now.

I did yard work this weekend. I mowed the lawns. I used the leaf blower to clean out my carport, sidewalk to the backyard, and the deck. I whacked back a portion of the over grown mystery garden.

This weekend I also discovered two things about my satellite dish. First, it was not receiving all of the channels it could. Second, it was housing and ant colony. I’ve seen ants in the dish before and had been able to evict them with spray. This colony was fully entrenched and had no plans of evacuating. I wound up taking off the entire housing and using brute force and canned air to spray it clean. Sadly reconstructing the dish did not correct my channel problem however, which means that my dish needs to be re-pointed (something I can do) or can no longer “see” one of the satellites due to tree growth. Fear not, I still receive Food Network and Bravo, and can figure out a plan to see Fox so my updates of The Next Food Network Star, Top Chef, and Hell’s Kitchen should not be interrupted.

ITP Flickr Pic
In the High Museum you are allowed to photograph the permanent collection.

This is a portion of a self-portrait done by Chuck Close.

Thirty Days In The Hole
Morgan Spurlock’s show 30 Days has returned to FX. In what I believe was the season premiere Spurlock, a West Virginia native, spends thirty days working as a coal miner. While I’ve never romanticized about a career in a dark, dank hole the episode showed just how shitty it is to be a coal miner. Although the pay for a miner is in the $60k / year territory these people dealing with tough manual labor, hazardous working conditions, and the likely possibility that they will end up suffering black lung as they advance in years.

No thank you.

Unfortunately it doesn’t appear that FX puts full episodes online yet. I’m sure the show is out there some where, if I find it I’ll mention it in today’s comments.

RealiTV Update: The Next Food Network Star
It was another strange episode of The Next Food Network Star last night. The show started off with Robert Irvine of “Dinner Impossible”, who I swore had been let go by Food Network, coming in and waking everyone up at 3am. The nine contestants were split into teams of three and then had to go answer bizarre trivia questions in order to get a meat, a cheese, and a bread, which they would then be using to create a brunch while riding a train.

No the heat didn’t cause delusions, this is really what happened on the show.

As can be expected, a few personalities collided and some of the dishes fell flat on their face while others shined.

Unexpectedly, Lisa, who was one of the bottom two last week, was declared one of the two winners for the day. She and Aaron will be featured in a news rag called USA Weekend (seriously, I know it’s put out by USA Today but I have never seen it).

During this version of Judges’ Table Nipa cracks, utters “I can’t do this any more.” and walks out. Amazingly she is not immediately cast off for acting like a spoiled child when she returns to apologize. The Bottom Two for this week turn out to be Kevin (although I don’t remember why he is chosen — I think it’s got something to do with his “romantic cooking” schtick) and Nima. Surprising to me Kevin gets cut instead of Nima, who gets put on “warning” instead. Weak sauce Food Network. Weak sauce.

Today Is A Big Apple Day
No, not New York, AAPL. Today is the start of Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference. Why should you care? Because often time product announcements are also included. Today most are expecting the announcement of the 3G iPhone. Check the tech blogs, they will have the whole story later.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood – warm, wondering how much it’s going to cost to restore air conditioning to my house
Current Music – Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing The Von Bondies — “C’mon C’mon”
Website Of The Day – This one is for my fellow four-eyes. $39 Glasses sells eyeglasses with lenses for, you’re so smart, $39. It’s not a substitute for visiting an optometrist, but makes for a great way to get a “backup” pair of eyeglasses.
Exercise (b)Log – biking, 38 miles
Monthly Foot Mileage – 5 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage – 38 miles
Monday Morning Weigh-In – 193 pounds
Mode Of Transportation To Work – Marta
Monthly Marta Rides – 9
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 69 (69)

June Goals
1) Run no fewer than 75 miles
2) Ride no fewer than 100 road miles
3) Ride Marta no fewer than twenty times (ten round-trips)
4) Read at least one book
5) Make my bed every day
6) Eat out at a bar/restaurant no more than twice in one week

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]