Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Feels odd to get in and not immediately open a browser tab to an ESPN Gamecast of a World Cup game. Ran a different route this morning, trying to change things up a bit. Thinking more and more that flat out anarchy might be better than the garbage that is happening in Washington right now. Very ready for a 3 day weekend, and impending week long vacation.
Sports
So if today is any indication, I am not looking forward to life in a couple of weeks, with no World Cup, NBA Playoffs to follow, and football still a month away. Being home yesterday with James I was able to watch what on the face of it sounded boring (0-0 World Cup game). And it was really fascinating, I guess that's one of those things you just have to learn to appreciate, kind of like a 10-7 football game or a 1-0 pitchers duel in baseball. Really well played defense may seem boring in most sports, but once you understand and appreciate what is happening it becomes very interesting. I think the one exception is basketball, well played basketball defense makes the game very hard to watch.
Health/Running
I ran a different route on my morning run this morning, with some hills in it, so I was forced to run up some hills (in 1 case had to walk the last couple of steps). But I covered it in easy time, tomorrow I plan to walk the same route so I can gauge the distance correctly and maybe map out a good route that will use up my full 40 minute workout (5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down walks).
I am still in the same weight range that I have been in for a month now. But I am making a decision to not dwell on that while I keep my focus on running. I actually would like to get to a point of running every week day. For now I am planning on starting heavier morning walks on my off days.
Politics
I am so disgusted/discouraged by the level of political discourse these days. It's like running in water upstream. Every seeming step forward is a fight, and sometimes it just seems easier to slip back. Makes me want to say the hell with it, and just resort to Know Nothing politics.
Vacation
I have had some pretty difficult days at work in recent weeks. Just difficult customers, difficult issues to overcome. But I have a 3 day weekend coming up, and a full week vacation 2 weeks after that. I am very much looking forward to both of those. I need the break to recharge my mental batteries.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Interesting weekend
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Hard to put a finger on the feeling of the weekend. Lots of family time, what with kids baseball, family birthday parties, plus helping with yard projects. But also some other things happening: World Cup, yard projects, long periods of relaxing do-nothing time. So probably the most relaxing overall weekend we've had in a while, despite all the work we did.
Sports
Enjoyed the overall World Cup game of USA versus Ghana. Just an excellent game overall, very hard played. Not happy with the outcome, but the US team cannot exactly go home feeling they didn't give their all. Overall, I guess not entirely unexpected, the US team had been flirting with this for 2 weeks, giving up the early goal and having to fight their way back into the game. I am not nearly enough of a soccer fan to be able to say what the team missed other than starting the game with more focus. But it was fun to watch the game.
James & Daniel's baseball games went well. Daniel continues to enjoy himself out there. And after some momentary rebellion last week regarding practice James does seem to enjoy the games. He actually hit well with the new pitcher. I think he gets a little frustrated playing 3rd since the team just doesn't have a sense of throwing the ball around so he never actually got to touch the ball on defense.
Family Time
We had some good family time. 2 family movie nights (Imagine That and Star Trek), and Dennis' birthday party. I have added some pictures from Dennis's birthday party to Picasa, although there are some more on our phones that need to be added. Plus the boys were still able to get their share of video game/computer game time. And we had some family time getting the yard picked up (although that family time consisted of us having to yell at the kids to get them to do their assigned tasks and do them correctly).
Health
Still plateaued in the low 180's, but feeling good, so I figure it is just a matter of time and persistence there. Felt good this morning with the 3.5 mile run, feeling good about the new plan of picking up the pace gradually, trying to increase the distance within the same amount of time. I also mapped out a new walk for my off evenings. Probably going to test it out tomorrow night, it's a good 2-2.5 miles with some up and down hills for a change. I am still pondering when to try running on what is currently my off days, figure I should keep up the alternation for at least another month, let my legs get their rest while I work into form.
Hard to put a finger on the feeling of the weekend. Lots of family time, what with kids baseball, family birthday parties, plus helping with yard projects. But also some other things happening: World Cup, yard projects, long periods of relaxing do-nothing time. So probably the most relaxing overall weekend we've had in a while, despite all the work we did.
Sports
Enjoyed the overall World Cup game of USA versus Ghana. Just an excellent game overall, very hard played. Not happy with the outcome, but the US team cannot exactly go home feeling they didn't give their all. Overall, I guess not entirely unexpected, the US team had been flirting with this for 2 weeks, giving up the early goal and having to fight their way back into the game. I am not nearly enough of a soccer fan to be able to say what the team missed other than starting the game with more focus. But it was fun to watch the game.
James & Daniel's baseball games went well. Daniel continues to enjoy himself out there. And after some momentary rebellion last week regarding practice James does seem to enjoy the games. He actually hit well with the new pitcher. I think he gets a little frustrated playing 3rd since the team just doesn't have a sense of throwing the ball around so he never actually got to touch the ball on defense.
Family Time
We had some good family time. 2 family movie nights (Imagine That and Star Trek), and Dennis' birthday party. I have added some pictures from Dennis's birthday party to Picasa, although there are some more on our phones that need to be added. Plus the boys were still able to get their share of video game/computer game time. And we had some family time getting the yard picked up (although that family time consisted of us having to yell at the kids to get them to do their assigned tasks and do them correctly).
Health
Still plateaued in the low 180's, but feeling good, so I figure it is just a matter of time and persistence there. Felt good this morning with the 3.5 mile run, feeling good about the new plan of picking up the pace gradually, trying to increase the distance within the same amount of time. I also mapped out a new walk for my off evenings. Probably going to test it out tomorrow night, it's a good 2-2.5 miles with some up and down hills for a change. I am still pondering when to try running on what is currently my off days, figure I should keep up the alternation for at least another month, let my legs get their rest while I work into form.
Friday, June 25, 2010
End of week thoughts
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
The week is ending, and there is the promise of at least a moderately relaxing weekend ahead. Finding ways to make the running interesting so I can keep it up. Looking forward to a couple of hours devoted to the World Cup. Plans to actually get back to working on the yard for a change. And totally disgusted by a charge by a columnist I used to actually like.
Weekend plans
Finally a little bit of a break, only have plans for Saturday. Sunday still appears to be open, so maybe we catch up on the yard a little. There's certainly a lot to get done there. I think the kids would like a Sunday where we don't have people over or they have to go somewhere either, just a day forthem to relax.
Sports
Looking forward to racing home from James' baseball game to watch USA versus Ghana. Not expecting much, but still quite hopeful. Glad to have a chance to devote some time to actually watching a game live on TV instead of another ESPN Gamecast.
Running
Now that I have finished the Couch to 5K challenge, and completed an actual race I have to find myself some new ways to make the running interesting. So today I decided I would start picking up the pace, ran 3.5 miles in 30 minutes, plan to keep increasing those numbers gradually. Goal is maybe 5 miles in 30 minutes, but not totally certain on that. I know that it will take some time. But given my time constraints for running time it makes more sense to focus on increasing pace over increasing time spent on the runs.
Politics
I have seen some really bad things in the last couple of years written about the President, both during the campaign and after the election. And I have read some bad columns from Thomas Sowell before. But this column really takes the cake. Effectively saying that Obama = Hitler because he asked a multi-billion dollar corporation to set aside a fund to pay damages for an incident brought on by it's own negligence. Yeah, that really makes Obama the equal of the man who caused a World War and directed the deaths of millions of innocent people over an accident of birth. Yeah Uncle Thomas, that's a real apt comparison there. And then to have Palin quote from the column? Just par for the course I guess. And to flip the coin I seriously doubt Sowell thought anything of the Bush administrations multitude of civil rights violations. I guess violating constitution rights of citizens over national security is not as big of a deal as ostensibly violating the rights of a huge muti-national corporation.
The week is ending, and there is the promise of at least a moderately relaxing weekend ahead. Finding ways to make the running interesting so I can keep it up. Looking forward to a couple of hours devoted to the World Cup. Plans to actually get back to working on the yard for a change. And totally disgusted by a charge by a columnist I used to actually like.
Weekend plans
Finally a little bit of a break, only have plans for Saturday. Sunday still appears to be open, so maybe we catch up on the yard a little. There's certainly a lot to get done there. I think the kids would like a Sunday where we don't have people over or they have to go somewhere either, just a day forthem to relax.
Sports
Looking forward to racing home from James' baseball game to watch USA versus Ghana. Not expecting much, but still quite hopeful. Glad to have a chance to devote some time to actually watching a game live on TV instead of another ESPN Gamecast.
Running
Now that I have finished the Couch to 5K challenge, and completed an actual race I have to find myself some new ways to make the running interesting. So today I decided I would start picking up the pace, ran 3.5 miles in 30 minutes, plan to keep increasing those numbers gradually. Goal is maybe 5 miles in 30 minutes, but not totally certain on that. I know that it will take some time. But given my time constraints for running time it makes more sense to focus on increasing pace over increasing time spent on the runs.
Politics
I have seen some really bad things in the last couple of years written about the President, both during the campaign and after the election. And I have read some bad columns from Thomas Sowell before. But this column really takes the cake. Effectively saying that Obama = Hitler because he asked a multi-billion dollar corporation to set aside a fund to pay damages for an incident brought on by it's own negligence. Yeah, that really makes Obama the equal of the man who caused a World War and directed the deaths of millions of innocent people over an accident of birth. Yeah Uncle Thomas, that's a real apt comparison there. And then to have Palin quote from the column? Just par for the course I guess. And to flip the coin I seriously doubt Sowell thought anything of the Bush administrations multitude of civil rights violations. I guess violating constitution rights of citizens over national security is not as big of a deal as ostensibly violating the rights of a huge muti-national corporation.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time for a little Rant
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
I have been working to try and put together in my mind a Liberatarian mindset for a satirical post. But try as I might, I just can't do it any more. When I drive on crappy, pothole filled roads. Watch my kids practice baseball in a park with no facilities and dying grass. When I watch Congress, especially the Senate, talk of practicing fiscal restraint at a time when states and cities face massive cutbacks in services and important people like teachers face layoffs. When GO(B)P Representatives apologize to corporations for an administration asking the corporation to set aside money that they know they will have to use to pay people back for a disaster that their negligence caused. When a Federal Judge who hold sstock in a an oil company sides with the oil companies interests in making a ruling against the governments attempts to prevent another major disaster.
In the midst of all of the above it is virtually impossible to have a sense of humor. And it becomes harder and harder to keep an open mind and see the other side of the coin or read their arguments. When the President is simultaneously condemned as too soft, peddling for the interests of the Left and too weak in the face of our 'enemies'. And at the same time is accused of being too hard, too tough and unbending, a thug and practitioner of Chicago Style machine politics.
I know big picture none of this is really new under the sun. The hard line partisanship of current politics is, if anything, lesser then previous moments in our history. But that doesn't make it easier to handle, or read about on a daily basis. This is the source of my frustration with politics today. And I can hope that things turn around, but I wonder how possible that is in the world of the 24 x 7 news cycle. I have no solution to present, no alternatives to present. This is simply a rant, a cry for help in the wilderness.
I have been working to try and put together in my mind a Liberatarian mindset for a satirical post. But try as I might, I just can't do it any more. When I drive on crappy, pothole filled roads. Watch my kids practice baseball in a park with no facilities and dying grass. When I watch Congress, especially the Senate, talk of practicing fiscal restraint at a time when states and cities face massive cutbacks in services and important people like teachers face layoffs. When GO(B)P Representatives apologize to corporations for an administration asking the corporation to set aside money that they know they will have to use to pay people back for a disaster that their negligence caused. When a Federal Judge who hold sstock in a an oil company sides with the oil companies interests in making a ruling against the governments attempts to prevent another major disaster.
In the midst of all of the above it is virtually impossible to have a sense of humor. And it becomes harder and harder to keep an open mind and see the other side of the coin or read their arguments. When the President is simultaneously condemned as too soft, peddling for the interests of the Left and too weak in the face of our 'enemies'. And at the same time is accused of being too hard, too tough and unbending, a thug and practitioner of Chicago Style machine politics.
I know big picture none of this is really new under the sun. The hard line partisanship of current politics is, if anything, lesser then previous moments in our history. But that doesn't make it easier to handle, or read about on a daily basis. This is the source of my frustration with politics today. And I can hope that things turn around, but I wonder how possible that is in the world of the 24 x 7 news cycle. I have no solution to present, no alternatives to present. This is simply a rant, a cry for help in the wilderness.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Crossroads time again
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
I've come to a sort of crossroads with the blog. I ran out of gas on the miniatures playing with James, waiting for inspiration to refuel. With the NBA playoffs over and the lack of actual viewing time of the World Cup for me there isn't much sports wise to talk about. And the politics have just exhausted me. It is so discouraging.
So don't expect much from the blog posts for a little while, unless inspiration strikes. However, yesterday I came across this great Twitter Feed following Buzz Bissinger, and his article on why he has taken to Twitter so much. And it is a very persuasive argument to not treat each Tweet as a work of art of mini-novel. So I might get more active on Twitter now, and reserve the Blog for when I need to write about things that require more than 140 characters. We'll see how that goes of course, I may not be cut out for that kind of stream of consciousness writing.
I've come to a sort of crossroads with the blog. I ran out of gas on the miniatures playing with James, waiting for inspiration to refuel. With the NBA playoffs over and the lack of actual viewing time of the World Cup for me there isn't much sports wise to talk about. And the politics have just exhausted me. It is so discouraging.
So don't expect much from the blog posts for a little while, unless inspiration strikes. However, yesterday I came across this great Twitter Feed following Buzz Bissinger, and his article on why he has taken to Twitter so much. And it is a very persuasive argument to not treat each Tweet as a work of art of mini-novel. So I might get more active on Twitter now, and reserve the Blog for when I need to write about things that require more than 140 characters. We'll see how that goes of course, I may not be cut out for that kind of stream of consciousness writing.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Weekend Story
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Very busy but good weekend. Ran my race, kids started summer baseball/T-ball, nephews birthday party, and Fathers Day trip to Renaissance Festival. So, all told, a very good weekend.
Running
Saturday Morning I ran the 5K race. I ran a respectable 30 minutes, ending up placing 325th overall, 17th in my age group (Men's 40-45). It felt really good to have set that as a goal and to have accomplished it. As I noted after the race, the finish was dedicated to Jim & Manny, but mostly to myself. Now the hard part to some extent is keeping up with the running, but I got up this morning and did it. I want to keep up with the 30 minute runs for a while, and then start upping the time. I am looking to maybe run another race in August or September. But my next major goal is to be able to run the Bolder Boulder next year.
Kid's Sports
Both boys games went well. Daniel enjoyed himself and actually did well as far as paying attention and trying to track down the ball when it was hit. James played well, getting hits all 3 times at bat, and trying to play position. It's a little tough for him because the coach has not exactly done any favors with the defensive position, not exactly letting him learn to move to the ball. But overall a good day for both kids.
I updated the Calendar on the page to show both boys schedules.
Fathers Day
Had a very nice day with the family. Got to sleep in (for us meaning 8:00). Cooked myself and omelette and then we went to the Renaissance Festival. Which was a good time overall. The Festival has gotten better as the years pass as the kids get older and get more interested in doing the things and looking at the shops. The boys got a little bent out of shape for a while over wanting this or that trinket. But a little lecture got that mostly under control.
Family News
I mentioned earlier that I had dedicated the race to Jim, I was referring to my uncle Jim. Jim passed away Thursday night surrounded by his family. Dad had made the trip out there last week so he was able to be with him in his last days, which was very good for both of them. That made what had been a tough week for me at work that much tougher and emotional. I took the time Friday night to sit down with James and explain what happened and had him read the poem that Jim wrote for him when he was born. I gather there are no plans for a formal Memorial Service at this time.
Here the boys and I are with Dad & Jim in 2007:
Very busy but good weekend. Ran my race, kids started summer baseball/T-ball, nephews birthday party, and Fathers Day trip to Renaissance Festival. So, all told, a very good weekend.
Running
Saturday Morning I ran the 5K race. I ran a respectable 30 minutes, ending up placing 325th overall, 17th in my age group (Men's 40-45). It felt really good to have set that as a goal and to have accomplished it. As I noted after the race, the finish was dedicated to Jim & Manny, but mostly to myself. Now the hard part to some extent is keeping up with the running, but I got up this morning and did it. I want to keep up with the 30 minute runs for a while, and then start upping the time. I am looking to maybe run another race in August or September. But my next major goal is to be able to run the Bolder Boulder next year.
Kid's Sports
Both boys games went well. Daniel enjoyed himself and actually did well as far as paying attention and trying to track down the ball when it was hit. James played well, getting hits all 3 times at bat, and trying to play position. It's a little tough for him because the coach has not exactly done any favors with the defensive position, not exactly letting him learn to move to the ball. But overall a good day for both kids.
I updated the Calendar on the page to show both boys schedules.
Fathers Day
Had a very nice day with the family. Got to sleep in (for us meaning 8:00). Cooked myself and omelette and then we went to the Renaissance Festival. Which was a good time overall. The Festival has gotten better as the years pass as the kids get older and get more interested in doing the things and looking at the shops. The boys got a little bent out of shape for a while over wanting this or that trinket. But a little lecture got that mostly under control.
Family News
I mentioned earlier that I had dedicated the race to Jim, I was referring to my uncle Jim. Jim passed away Thursday night surrounded by his family. Dad had made the trip out there last week so he was able to be with him in his last days, which was very good for both of them. That made what had been a tough week for me at work that much tougher and emotional. I took the time Friday night to sit down with James and explain what happened and had him read the poem that Jim wrote for him when he was born. I gather there are no plans for a formal Memorial Service at this time.
Here the boys and I are with Dad & Jim in 2007:
 |
| From James 6th birthday |
Friday, June 18, 2010
The weekend hath arrived
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Another busy, full weekend ahead. Race, kids baseball, family birthday party, family trip to Ren Fair all in play. Still a little groggy and tired from staying up a little late for the Game 7. Feeling very good, finally cracked a plateau, ready for the race tomorrow.
NBA
I had a plan for last night, knowing how big a deal it was to have a Game 7 in the NBA finals I decided to record the game. But per usual not watch it, maybe track score on my phone, but otherwise not watch it. And that worked until the game was tied in the 4th quarter, and I had exhausted all my recorded shows. So I succumbed to temptation and watched the end of the game. And I gather that was probably the best part of the game (which doesn't say much for the rest of the game). I was very happy to see the Lakers win, but it was a very stressful 30 minutes or so (which is how long it takes to watch the last 6 minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals). I am also very glad the series is over, and that self caused stressor is gone from my life and I can get back to ignoring televised sports.
Health
Race tomorrow morning, I am ready and excited for it. Looking forward to showing myself how much I can truly accomplish. And along those lines I managed to crack through another weight plateau, I had been stuck on the same weight for a couple of weeks. But I pretty much stuck with what I had been doing, didn't make any radical changes, and it finally worked. Just like I said last week: patience.
Family
So both boys start their summer baseball/T-ball season this weekend. Daniel plays at 8, James at 1:30, both games at Palmer Gym field. This is a fun thing, because Daniel seems to really like T-ball. I think it appeals to him because overall he doesn't have to run as much or have to feel like he is racing other kids, he just doesn't have the competitive fire that James has. James enjoys baseball, and he is actually good at it, but I do not think it is his favorite sport by a long shot, I think he enjoys soccer and baketball more because there is so much more room for running around and hustle.
Sunday I had hoped for a nice hike with James & Dad, but Dad is out of town so the only Fathers Day plan for now is a trip to the Rennaissance Festival. Which should be a little more fun this year with the kids getting older, and James definitely far more into Medieval stuff.
Another busy, full weekend ahead. Race, kids baseball, family birthday party, family trip to Ren Fair all in play. Still a little groggy and tired from staying up a little late for the Game 7. Feeling very good, finally cracked a plateau, ready for the race tomorrow.
NBA
I had a plan for last night, knowing how big a deal it was to have a Game 7 in the NBA finals I decided to record the game. But per usual not watch it, maybe track score on my phone, but otherwise not watch it. And that worked until the game was tied in the 4th quarter, and I had exhausted all my recorded shows. So I succumbed to temptation and watched the end of the game. And I gather that was probably the best part of the game (which doesn't say much for the rest of the game). I was very happy to see the Lakers win, but it was a very stressful 30 minutes or so (which is how long it takes to watch the last 6 minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals). I am also very glad the series is over, and that self caused stressor is gone from my life and I can get back to ignoring televised sports.
Health
Race tomorrow morning, I am ready and excited for it. Looking forward to showing myself how much I can truly accomplish. And along those lines I managed to crack through another weight plateau, I had been stuck on the same weight for a couple of weeks. But I pretty much stuck with what I had been doing, didn't make any radical changes, and it finally worked. Just like I said last week: patience.
Family
So both boys start their summer baseball/T-ball season this weekend. Daniel plays at 8, James at 1:30, both games at Palmer Gym field. This is a fun thing, because Daniel seems to really like T-ball. I think it appeals to him because overall he doesn't have to run as much or have to feel like he is racing other kids, he just doesn't have the competitive fire that James has. James enjoys baseball, and he is actually good at it, but I do not think it is his favorite sport by a long shot, I think he enjoys soccer and baketball more because there is so much more room for running around and hustle.
Sunday I had hoped for a nice hike with James & Dad, but Dad is out of town so the only Fathers Day plan for now is a trip to the Rennaissance Festival. Which should be a little more fun this year with the kids getting older, and James definitely far more into Medieval stuff.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Happy Birthdays
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST BIG BROTHERS IN THE WORLD!
Random Bullets:
- Countdown is at 4 days now.
- Best wishes and hopes for Jim in his fight with the Dragon
- Ready for the NBA Finals and season to end, not hoping for a Lakers loss, just ready for it to end.
- So glad for what is shaping up as big changes in College Football, specifically CU joining the Pac 12, best case scenarios just keep coming up, now if only Coach Hawk would work magic or resign...
- Uploaded Camping Photos to Picasa last night under Family Camping 2010 Folder.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Countdown Begins: 5 days and counting, plus weekend report
Dear James, Daniel and Emily
Counting down to my first 'official' 5K on Saturday. Ran yesterday morning on a very up and down course and probably didn't actually end up running for 5K as a result, but I sure got in a full workout. But still feel good and ready for the race. Changing up my schedule this week to run Tuesday and Thruday mornings so I have Friday off for fresh legs, but not taking 2 days off either. I am really looking forward to this.
Camping
So we had our great adventure this weekend. We ended up going to Pueblo Resevoir for the weekend rather than up in the mountains, and weather wise that was a wise decision, because we had enough weather in Pueblo I can only imagine what the mountains were like.
We all agreed the weekend was a success. The kids had a good time. We had a good test of our organization and planning. And a good test of what our new tent can handle weather wise. Last, the dogs all got tested and handled it well (Spotty was definitely better than I expected, although she was seriously worn out). I hope to get pictures uploaded one day this week.
Friday night was not very restful due to a major windstorm, so we didn't get to do as much on Saturday as far as taking the kids for any walks or hikes. But I did take Spotty for a few walks, and Sunday morning I got up and did my run. Which was good, although not a level run by any stretch so I ended up walking some of it.
Sports
Totally missed the USA World Cup game, but in the World Cup Group round a draw is as good as you can hope for in some cases so I was pleased with that result. As for the NBA, yes the Celtics won, to take the 3-2 lead, but now it's home to LA and I fully expect the Lakers to take at least Game 6 as a result of that Home Court advantage. But from reading the descriptions of this series and looking at box scores this is about as boring a series as the Detroit - San Antonio one a few years back. So I am defintely doing myself a favor not watching it.
Counting down to my first 'official' 5K on Saturday. Ran yesterday morning on a very up and down course and probably didn't actually end up running for 5K as a result, but I sure got in a full workout. But still feel good and ready for the race. Changing up my schedule this week to run Tuesday and Thruday mornings so I have Friday off for fresh legs, but not taking 2 days off either. I am really looking forward to this.
Camping
So we had our great adventure this weekend. We ended up going to Pueblo Resevoir for the weekend rather than up in the mountains, and weather wise that was a wise decision, because we had enough weather in Pueblo I can only imagine what the mountains were like.
We all agreed the weekend was a success. The kids had a good time. We had a good test of our organization and planning. And a good test of what our new tent can handle weather wise. Last, the dogs all got tested and handled it well (Spotty was definitely better than I expected, although she was seriously worn out). I hope to get pictures uploaded one day this week.
Friday night was not very restful due to a major windstorm, so we didn't get to do as much on Saturday as far as taking the kids for any walks or hikes. But I did take Spotty for a few walks, and Sunday morning I got up and did my run. Which was good, although not a level run by any stretch so I ended up walking some of it.
Sports
Totally missed the USA World Cup game, but in the World Cup Group round a draw is as good as you can hope for in some cases so I was pleased with that result. As for the NBA, yes the Celtics won, to take the 3-2 lead, but now it's home to LA and I fully expect the Lakers to take at least Game 6 as a result of that Home Court advantage. But from reading the descriptions of this series and looking at box scores this is about as boring a series as the Detroit - San Antonio one a few years back. So I am defintely doing myself a favor not watching it.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Keeping the weekend momentum up
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
New Experience planned for this weekend. We (my immediate family, plus Kim's family) are going on a family camping trip. We are just going down to Lake Pueblo for 2 nights, but we will sleep in sleeping bags in tents, so it is a truly novel experience for the kids. I am looking forward to it, I hope the kids have a good time.
This is not the camping I grew up with of course. This will be what my father might have derisively called 'car camping' at one time (he has backed off that and mellowed as he has gotten older). But it's a start, I would like there to come a time when the family throws on backpacks and hikes into the mountains away from the car and camps. But I also know from personal experience that overdoing that too early can really burn the kids out. So it will be car camping for now, which as I said is a start. One step at a time, get the kids used to sleeping outdoors, and eating food not prepared in a kitchen or fast food.
Sports
As expected CU will become a member of the Pac-10 (11?, 12? 16?). And as I explained to some friends at work, this is a good thing for me due to my personal history of following and cheering for the Pac-10 schools. Now it remains to be seen what happens next, the dust may not even settle for a couple of months. I do know 1 thing for sure: Adios Huskers!
And as expected the Lakers lost Game 4 last night. It looks like everyone's expectation of the series going 7 is looking real good. It is getting harder to avoid the games, I had hoped the next game would be Saturday night, but the odd NBA schedule is doing me in again and I will have to find a way to avoid the game on Sunday night again.
Of course I am just now realizing how little World Cup I will actually get to watch due to the time differences. My weekend mornings are usually pretty full and that would be the only time I could really watch any of the games. Sigh, I just have to find ways to squeeze it in when I can.
New Experience planned for this weekend. We (my immediate family, plus Kim's family) are going on a family camping trip. We are just going down to Lake Pueblo for 2 nights, but we will sleep in sleeping bags in tents, so it is a truly novel experience for the kids. I am looking forward to it, I hope the kids have a good time.
This is not the camping I grew up with of course. This will be what my father might have derisively called 'car camping' at one time (he has backed off that and mellowed as he has gotten older). But it's a start, I would like there to come a time when the family throws on backpacks and hikes into the mountains away from the car and camps. But I also know from personal experience that overdoing that too early can really burn the kids out. So it will be car camping for now, which as I said is a start. One step at a time, get the kids used to sleeping outdoors, and eating food not prepared in a kitchen or fast food.
Sports
As expected CU will become a member of the Pac-10 (11?, 12? 16?). And as I explained to some friends at work, this is a good thing for me due to my personal history of following and cheering for the Pac-10 schools. Now it remains to be seen what happens next, the dust may not even settle for a couple of months. I do know 1 thing for sure: Adios Huskers!
And as expected the Lakers lost Game 4 last night. It looks like everyone's expectation of the series going 7 is looking real good. It is getting harder to avoid the games, I had hoped the next game would be Saturday night, but the odd NBA schedule is doing me in again and I will have to find a way to avoid the game on Sunday night again.
Of course I am just now realizing how little World Cup I will actually get to watch due to the time differences. My weekend mornings are usually pretty full and that would be the only time I could really watch any of the games. Sigh, I just have to find ways to squeeze it in when I can.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Random Sports Thoughts on sleepy Thursday
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Having a hard time getting up and motivated today. No real reason why, had a decent nights sleep. Anyway, just some random sports thoughts today.
Watched the third period of the Stanley Cup game last night, just because I wanted something to fill up my evening. Hockey isn't one of my top sports to watch, but it's fun to watch in HD, when the teams are playing at the top of their game, which is what was going on last night. Congratulations Blackhawks on winning the Cup.
Ready for the NBA playoffs to swing back in favor of the Celtics tonight. It looks like it will be one of those series. And from all reports, just an ugly series, definitely not the NBA equivalent of the the Beautiful game.
Ready to watch some futboll! Of course I will end up missing out on USA-England due to prior commitments. But I am excited to at least watch some soccer, hopefully get James to sit down and watch some, just to see what it looks like to when top players in the sport play, give him a better idea of what he could be doing.
Looks like CU will be departing the Big 12, which means an end to the rivalry with the evil Huskers. And they would be joining the Pac-10 which on some level would bring joy to my Grandmother (although she was such a purist the idea of a conference spanning to Texas calling itself the Pacific anything would anger her just as much). Unfortunately it looks like we will be stuck in a division with all of the Texas schools, which is not a good thing from a competitive standpoint. Either way it will be a major change, and myabe, just maybe edging closer to a real playoff and Championship.
Daniel & James started baseball practice this week. First games next Saturday, the 19th. I should have their schedules up next week. I don't know about Daniel, but it appears that James is clearly ahead of the rest of his team in fielding. And I really like his coach, when he said they need more practice and it isn't even time to start hitting in the first practice I was pleased, James needs a coach who will challenge him, but also teach him. And Daniel is starting to show signs of some nascent athletic ability as well, apparently enjoys shooting baskets with Grandpa Pete. I'm gonna have to step up my game real soon I can tell.
Having a hard time getting up and motivated today. No real reason why, had a decent nights sleep. Anyway, just some random sports thoughts today.
Watched the third period of the Stanley Cup game last night, just because I wanted something to fill up my evening. Hockey isn't one of my top sports to watch, but it's fun to watch in HD, when the teams are playing at the top of their game, which is what was going on last night. Congratulations Blackhawks on winning the Cup.
Ready for the NBA playoffs to swing back in favor of the Celtics tonight. It looks like it will be one of those series. And from all reports, just an ugly series, definitely not the NBA equivalent of the the Beautiful game.
Ready to watch some futboll! Of course I will end up missing out on USA-England due to prior commitments. But I am excited to at least watch some soccer, hopefully get James to sit down and watch some, just to see what it looks like to when top players in the sport play, give him a better idea of what he could be doing.
Looks like CU will be departing the Big 12, which means an end to the rivalry with the evil Huskers. And they would be joining the Pac-10 which on some level would bring joy to my Grandmother (although she was such a purist the idea of a conference spanning to Texas calling itself the Pacific anything would anger her just as much). Unfortunately it looks like we will be stuck in a division with all of the Texas schools, which is not a good thing from a competitive standpoint. Either way it will be a major change, and myabe, just maybe edging closer to a real playoff and Championship.
Daniel & James started baseball practice this week. First games next Saturday, the 19th. I should have their schedules up next week. I don't know about Daniel, but it appears that James is clearly ahead of the rest of his team in fielding. And I really like his coach, when he said they need more practice and it isn't even time to start hitting in the first practice I was pleased, James needs a coach who will challenge him, but also teach him. And Daniel is starting to show signs of some nascent athletic ability as well, apparently enjoys shooting baskets with Grandpa Pete. I'm gonna have to step up my game real soon I can tell.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thoughts on Exercise, health and my weight loss
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Lately I have been pondering why, much to my surprise, I have taken to running. It has been a given to me over the years that I only enjoyed exercise when it was a part of a team sport, or at least with someone else involved. But with the walking and then running I have been doing I am starting to think that either I have changed or maybe I talked myself into the former as an excuse not to exercise. Because I have to say now that I really look forward to the time I get alone for my walks and runs.
Admittedly this also might be a reaction to the fact that I don't exactly get a lot of alone time any more, what with my loving wife, 3 kids and a hyperactive puppy. And I am used to having some amount of alone time, having had a lot of it for most of my life (either purposely or just because that was my life). But I don't think this is the same, because I have the option to just take this time I have carved out and do other things: paint, read etc. But I have reached the point where I would rather use that alone time to take a walk or run.
I would say the jury is still out on whether this is a total lifestyle change, but I am definitely leaning that way. I think I have turned the corner and either found something in me that was hidden before or at least discovered something new. And it is a very good thing to have found.
One of my best friends has asked me to outline for him what I have been doing to lose all this weight. I have been thinking about it for a while now and here are my general principles
1. Schedule
Have a set eating and exercise schedule, this helps your body attune itself and regulate. Just eating when you want, or when you feel hungry is a recipe for overeating. Whereas having a schedule makes it a little easier to adhere to a diet. And an exercise schedule is also important so you insure you are doing something every day, but also not overdoing it on any given day. And last, give yourself a day off, where you can eat what you want (within reason) and not exercise, lets you rest up physically, emotionally and mentally. I have made it a practice of having my official weigh in the same morning as my day off, so I can reward myself for the progress of the week, which is actually another point: have a regular weigh day and time so you are always tracking your weight consistently.
2. Know what you're eating
Have some method to track what you're eating. I have an excellent iPhone app call Loseit that I use. But this could be anything, from a notebook or diary, to a spreadsheet to any of a large number of online services. I don't agonize over every single little calorie, I do a lot of rounding or guesstimates. But I still track what I eat, and (this is the biggest part) what I burn. Because that balance is what causes the weight to come down. That net intake number is the key. I generally come in below my ideal goal for the day. And how much you should be eating for a gradual weight loss is different depending on how much you weigh. When I was first using the LoseIt, and weighing in around 220 I could net 1900 calories a day, but now my ideal daily Net is around 1500 calories a day.
Fortunately I was not on a restrictive diet as far as certain kinds of foods that I had to watch due to high blood pressure, cholesterol etc. But if you are then the tracking becomes extra important to know what is happening with your diet. It is really amazing how quickly the calories add up, particularly if you eat out. But it is also amazing how big a difference the exercise makes. On days that I run I can afford to eat considerably more (although I try not to overindulge) due to that extra burn.
3. Patience
Rome wasn't built in a day, and it didn't take 6 months to gain the 50+ pounds I dropped or develop all those bad eating habits. Most of what I have done is built around a lifestyle change. If there is any one thing I take away from watching The Biggest Loser, is that while anyone can blitz through a boot camp style diet and drop weight, it won't stay off you don't change the rest of your life. Which is why so much of what I have been doing has been based on overall lifestyle changes rather than focusing on weight.
And there will be plateaus, times where it feels like the weight just won't come off. there are 2 important things I did when I hit those. First, not give up, just keep up what I was doing, I know I am doing the right thing. Second, evaluate to see if I can do more, in many cases I was able to change up my exercise schedule and increase burn.
4. Motivation
Have a reason to do this. And it can't just be fear, where you have been told by your Doctor that if you don't do it you will die. Fear can be a motivator, but it's not generally a healthy one. There has to be a healthy reason for wanting to change your life. I have a lot, the biggest being my family, I can get so much more enjoyment out of my family now than I did before. But there has to be something to keep you going, to help get through the plateau's. And recognize that if you do this, the motivations might change as you progress, a snow ball effect can take place. A year ago I would have not even considered wanting to run in a 5K, now it's a big deal for now, and the idea of maybe running something bigger.
5. Flavor over Bulk
This is a subtle but big deal. When eating, especially when eating out, substitute something with more flavor for something big. Let's be honest, pretty much any fast food burger is relatively flavorless, so the only real difference between the single patty burger and the double or triple is bulk, wanting to fill yourself up. But there will always be more burgers, pizzas, ice cream, whatever, and your taste buds are just searching for flavor when you are convinced you want more.
Here's what sounds like a strange example of what I'm saying. Taco Bell introduced it's Fresco Menu several months back. And I am not sure exactly what they changed overall, but for the regular tacos it appeared they just exchanged cheese for some kind of pico de gallo. Doing so dropped 50 some calories per taco. And to be honest they not only taste better but they are just as filling as before. That pretty much sums up what I am saying: you can improve the flavor of what you eat, and still feel just as full.
I think that about sums up the key elements to what I did to lose my weight. None of it is guaranteed for everyone, and a lot of it is general advice. But it has worked, and can easily be tailored to your individual preferences and lifestyle. The important thing is to fall back on the old Nike Ad: Just Do It! There is no time like the present to start changing, and if not now when?
Lately I have been pondering why, much to my surprise, I have taken to running. It has been a given to me over the years that I only enjoyed exercise when it was a part of a team sport, or at least with someone else involved. But with the walking and then running I have been doing I am starting to think that either I have changed or maybe I talked myself into the former as an excuse not to exercise. Because I have to say now that I really look forward to the time I get alone for my walks and runs.
Admittedly this also might be a reaction to the fact that I don't exactly get a lot of alone time any more, what with my loving wife, 3 kids and a hyperactive puppy. And I am used to having some amount of alone time, having had a lot of it for most of my life (either purposely or just because that was my life). But I don't think this is the same, because I have the option to just take this time I have carved out and do other things: paint, read etc. But I have reached the point where I would rather use that alone time to take a walk or run.
I would say the jury is still out on whether this is a total lifestyle change, but I am definitely leaning that way. I think I have turned the corner and either found something in me that was hidden before or at least discovered something new. And it is a very good thing to have found.
One of my best friends has asked me to outline for him what I have been doing to lose all this weight. I have been thinking about it for a while now and here are my general principles
1. Schedule
Have a set eating and exercise schedule, this helps your body attune itself and regulate. Just eating when you want, or when you feel hungry is a recipe for overeating. Whereas having a schedule makes it a little easier to adhere to a diet. And an exercise schedule is also important so you insure you are doing something every day, but also not overdoing it on any given day. And last, give yourself a day off, where you can eat what you want (within reason) and not exercise, lets you rest up physically, emotionally and mentally. I have made it a practice of having my official weigh in the same morning as my day off, so I can reward myself for the progress of the week, which is actually another point: have a regular weigh day and time so you are always tracking your weight consistently.
2. Know what you're eating
Have some method to track what you're eating. I have an excellent iPhone app call Loseit that I use. But this could be anything, from a notebook or diary, to a spreadsheet to any of a large number of online services. I don't agonize over every single little calorie, I do a lot of rounding or guesstimates. But I still track what I eat, and (this is the biggest part) what I burn. Because that balance is what causes the weight to come down. That net intake number is the key. I generally come in below my ideal goal for the day. And how much you should be eating for a gradual weight loss is different depending on how much you weigh. When I was first using the LoseIt, and weighing in around 220 I could net 1900 calories a day, but now my ideal daily Net is around 1500 calories a day.
Fortunately I was not on a restrictive diet as far as certain kinds of foods that I had to watch due to high blood pressure, cholesterol etc. But if you are then the tracking becomes extra important to know what is happening with your diet. It is really amazing how quickly the calories add up, particularly if you eat out. But it is also amazing how big a difference the exercise makes. On days that I run I can afford to eat considerably more (although I try not to overindulge) due to that extra burn.
3. Patience
Rome wasn't built in a day, and it didn't take 6 months to gain the 50+ pounds I dropped or develop all those bad eating habits. Most of what I have done is built around a lifestyle change. If there is any one thing I take away from watching The Biggest Loser, is that while anyone can blitz through a boot camp style diet and drop weight, it won't stay off you don't change the rest of your life. Which is why so much of what I have been doing has been based on overall lifestyle changes rather than focusing on weight.
And there will be plateaus, times where it feels like the weight just won't come off. there are 2 important things I did when I hit those. First, not give up, just keep up what I was doing, I know I am doing the right thing. Second, evaluate to see if I can do more, in many cases I was able to change up my exercise schedule and increase burn.
4. Motivation
Have a reason to do this. And it can't just be fear, where you have been told by your Doctor that if you don't do it you will die. Fear can be a motivator, but it's not generally a healthy one. There has to be a healthy reason for wanting to change your life. I have a lot, the biggest being my family, I can get so much more enjoyment out of my family now than I did before. But there has to be something to keep you going, to help get through the plateau's. And recognize that if you do this, the motivations might change as you progress, a snow ball effect can take place. A year ago I would have not even considered wanting to run in a 5K, now it's a big deal for now, and the idea of maybe running something bigger.
5. Flavor over Bulk
This is a subtle but big deal. When eating, especially when eating out, substitute something with more flavor for something big. Let's be honest, pretty much any fast food burger is relatively flavorless, so the only real difference between the single patty burger and the double or triple is bulk, wanting to fill yourself up. But there will always be more burgers, pizzas, ice cream, whatever, and your taste buds are just searching for flavor when you are convinced you want more.
Here's what sounds like a strange example of what I'm saying. Taco Bell introduced it's Fresco Menu several months back. And I am not sure exactly what they changed overall, but for the regular tacos it appeared they just exchanged cheese for some kind of pico de gallo. Doing so dropped 50 some calories per taco. And to be honest they not only taste better but they are just as filling as before. That pretty much sums up what I am saying: you can improve the flavor of what you eat, and still feel just as full.
I think that about sums up the key elements to what I did to lose my weight. None of it is guaranteed for everyone, and a lot of it is general advice. But it has worked, and can easily be tailored to your individual preferences and lifestyle. The important thing is to fall back on the old Nike Ad: Just Do It! There is no time like the present to start changing, and if not now when?
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday Monday, coming off an odd weekend
Dear James, Daniel and Emily
Late post today due to problems with Blogger. Anyway some different things to talk about from the weekend. New sports interest, and changing sports priorities. Enjoyable couple of high school alumni events. New pictures up on Picasa.
Sports
Yesterday I watched the NCAA Rugby 7's chamionship, and what an interesting, and enjoyable spectacle. And I was not alone, as apparently it caught the eye of Mark Cuban as well, based on his twitter feed. Rugby holds some interest for me as a sport (not for playing, as there is no way I could have the combination of endurance and coordination it takes). And the 7's version is really quite fun to watch, kind of like comparing Canadian Football to the NFL on some level.
After finding out the Lakers lost last night that was among the things that were stuck on my mind when I tried to get to sleep. And so this morning I was thinking that maybe it would be better to say the NBA is not my top priority than saying I don't care. I cannot deny that I care (at least as long as the Lakers are in the chamionship series). But it is definitely not at the top of my list of priorities.
And also getting tuned up for the World Cup, I am really looking forward to sharing some of that viewing with James & Daniel, for them to see Soccer played at the very highest levels. And I will be making great use of the DVR due to travel plans on Saturday.
CSS Alumni weekend
I had an enjoyable time at both events, the Friday night barbecue and the Saturday night dinner. There was a small turnout of folks from my class or even close to my class. But it was a good time overall. And while it is fun to have those years with a lot of people there, having a smaller group allowed me to focus on those people who were there and chat longer with them.
Family
Saturday morning was really enjoyable, I got some things done on the computer, including uploading some pictures to Picasa. Then took the kids to the Y for a workout and then swim lesson with Emily. The swim lessons were really good for her, and I am looking forward to doing more once our schedule settles back down in August. Then I took the kids to lunch, then out for ice cream, which was fun. It was a fun morning and afternoon with the kids being really well behaved.
Sunday morning we had a family hike in Red Rocks, which was nice (early enough to beat the heat). Daniel probably did his best time, so he is improving. Then it was home for some relaxation time while the boys played. And then in the evening a family viewing of Avatar.
A pretty disconnected weekend, but fun. Next weekend is a family camping trip (Kim's family). Which will be a new experience for most of the people involved, I am looking forward to it.
Late post today due to problems with Blogger. Anyway some different things to talk about from the weekend. New sports interest, and changing sports priorities. Enjoyable couple of high school alumni events. New pictures up on Picasa.
Sports
Yesterday I watched the NCAA Rugby 7's chamionship, and what an interesting, and enjoyable spectacle. And I was not alone, as apparently it caught the eye of Mark Cuban as well, based on his twitter feed. Rugby holds some interest for me as a sport (not for playing, as there is no way I could have the combination of endurance and coordination it takes). And the 7's version is really quite fun to watch, kind of like comparing Canadian Football to the NFL on some level.
After finding out the Lakers lost last night that was among the things that were stuck on my mind when I tried to get to sleep. And so this morning I was thinking that maybe it would be better to say the NBA is not my top priority than saying I don't care. I cannot deny that I care (at least as long as the Lakers are in the chamionship series). But it is definitely not at the top of my list of priorities.
And also getting tuned up for the World Cup, I am really looking forward to sharing some of that viewing with James & Daniel, for them to see Soccer played at the very highest levels. And I will be making great use of the DVR due to travel plans on Saturday.
CSS Alumni weekend
I had an enjoyable time at both events, the Friday night barbecue and the Saturday night dinner. There was a small turnout of folks from my class or even close to my class. But it was a good time overall. And while it is fun to have those years with a lot of people there, having a smaller group allowed me to focus on those people who were there and chat longer with them.
Family
Saturday morning was really enjoyable, I got some things done on the computer, including uploading some pictures to Picasa. Then took the kids to the Y for a workout and then swim lesson with Emily. The swim lessons were really good for her, and I am looking forward to doing more once our schedule settles back down in August. Then I took the kids to lunch, then out for ice cream, which was fun. It was a fun morning and afternoon with the kids being really well behaved.
Sunday morning we had a family hike in Red Rocks, which was nice (early enough to beat the heat). Daniel probably did his best time, so he is improving. Then it was home for some relaxation time while the boys played. And then in the evening a family viewing of Avatar.
A pretty disconnected weekend, but fun. Next weekend is a family camping trip (Kim's family). Which will be a new experience for most of the people involved, I am looking forward to it.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Good Friday
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Short weeks always seem to last longer for some reason. Although I think this one felt that way because it was between a great 3 day weekend and the CSS alumni weekend, which is an event I generally look forward to every year.
NBA
Wow, it was a lot harder than I thought it might be to stay away from the game last night, not follow Twitter or anything. I watched a couple of minutes at the beginning of the 4th quarter then turned it off. Then had to get up from bed just to find out the final score in order toget to sleep. Hopefully Saturday will be much easier as I will be at an alumni event most of the evening so I should be fully occupied (and well away from the TV).
Glad the Lakers won, and that they won how they did: playing tough, rebounding and defense, not just outscoring the Celtics. Going into the series I thought that was the one thing that the Lakers could do, if they put their minds to it. Artest and a partially healthy Bynum are just big advantages and improvements over the 2008 team. Game 1 is also crucial because it is usually the (relatively) easiest team for a road team to steal. But the 1-0 lead doesn't change my viewing plans: no watching, only read about it, it's the only way to stay sane.
Health
After 3 days I am officially happy with the change to the morning runs. And the timing has been no problem with getting the kids ready etc. And running on the track is much easier and preferable over the block I run around here at work. The other good thing, is that since it is a set distance, I can actually track how far I am running. And after 2 days where the program dictatedI run 25 minutes straight I realized that I am actually running 3 miles without stopping already! So as the program moves on I will just be ramping up the distance rather than trying to actually hit that 5K number. And also gives me confidence that the race will be just another run rather than trying to achieve something I haven't done before.
Politics
Just this morning I saw an excellent example of Republican Hypocrisy. A person who has always been ver open about their conservative opinions, rooting for less government, lower taxes, etc. the whole 9 yards, was spending their morning FB statuses demanding that Obama hurry up and do something about the Oil Spill.
1. You cannot have it both ways: demand your government do more or do less but not both.
2. The President and federal government are actually doing everything they can do right now, there will come a time when they will be doing more, but they are doing everything they can.
3. While the whole story is yet to be told there is every indication that the root cause was a corporation taking advantage of lax or non-existent regulation, which is exactly what you get when limit government.
While neither side has a monopoly on hypocrisy, I just find it really irritating when I come across it like this.
Short weeks always seem to last longer for some reason. Although I think this one felt that way because it was between a great 3 day weekend and the CSS alumni weekend, which is an event I generally look forward to every year.
NBA
Wow, it was a lot harder than I thought it might be to stay away from the game last night, not follow Twitter or anything. I watched a couple of minutes at the beginning of the 4th quarter then turned it off. Then had to get up from bed just to find out the final score in order toget to sleep. Hopefully Saturday will be much easier as I will be at an alumni event most of the evening so I should be fully occupied (and well away from the TV).
Glad the Lakers won, and that they won how they did: playing tough, rebounding and defense, not just outscoring the Celtics. Going into the series I thought that was the one thing that the Lakers could do, if they put their minds to it. Artest and a partially healthy Bynum are just big advantages and improvements over the 2008 team. Game 1 is also crucial because it is usually the (relatively) easiest team for a road team to steal. But the 1-0 lead doesn't change my viewing plans: no watching, only read about it, it's the only way to stay sane.
Health
After 3 days I am officially happy with the change to the morning runs. And the timing has been no problem with getting the kids ready etc. And running on the track is much easier and preferable over the block I run around here at work. The other good thing, is that since it is a set distance, I can actually track how far I am running. And after 2 days where the program dictatedI run 25 minutes straight I realized that I am actually running 3 miles without stopping already! So as the program moves on I will just be ramping up the distance rather than trying to actually hit that 5K number. And also gives me confidence that the race will be just another run rather than trying to achieve something I haven't done before.
Politics
Just this morning I saw an excellent example of Republican Hypocrisy. A person who has always been ver open about their conservative opinions, rooting for less government, lower taxes, etc. the whole 9 yards, was spending their morning FB statuses demanding that Obama hurry up and do something about the Oil Spill.
1. You cannot have it both ways: demand your government do more or do less but not both.
2. The President and federal government are actually doing everything they can do right now, there will come a time when they will be doing more, but they are doing everything they can.
3. While the whole story is yet to be told there is every indication that the root cause was a corporation taking advantage of lax or non-existent regulation, which is exactly what you get when limit government.
While neither side has a monopoly on hypocrisy, I just find it really irritating when I come across it like this.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Committed Now
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Health
I am Officially signed up and registered for my first 5K: Sailin' Shoes Run for Fun
Committed now, and I am excited, Now that I am past the interval part of the Couch to 5K training, just running for 25 minutes straight, then gradually increasing. I know yesterday I nearly completed 3 miles in that 25 minute time frame, so I should be ready in a couple of weeks.
I have thought about what has been motivating me to do all of this. And there are a lot of things, some of them I choose not to share at this time. Coincidentally one of the biggest is the kids, I want to have zero physical limitations as a parent. So it is a happy coincidence that I will be running this race on Fathers Day weekend. Certainly a great way to demonstrate my pursuit of that goal as a father.
CSS
So this weekend is Alumni weekend for my high school, and what would officially be my 25th year reunion. Because of the nature of the school: small classes, small school, constant interaction between students of all ages they adopted a method called clustering a few years back. Which means that while this would be our 25th year reunion not as many people are coming because our 'cluster' celebrated it's 25th reunion a year or 2 back (I am as confused as anyone about it).
Anyway I am really looking forward to seeing those people who will be there, and seeing their reactions to my changed appearance. My estimate is that I am now right around my high school weight, but I'm not sure. I do know that in looking at pictures from that time my face is thinner. And I know for sure that I am slimmer than I was at every reunion we have had since graduation.
Family
All of this adds up to a busy weekend: CSS events Friday & Saturday nights, Chyanne's birthday party probably Saturday some time, Emily swim lesson Saturday, any unscheduled alumni gatherings, plus picking up a new washer/dryer from a friend. So I will not be bored, that's for sure. Just have to find time each day for some exercise to offset all of the eating I might do.
Health
I am Officially signed up and registered for my first 5K: Sailin' Shoes Run for Fun
Committed now, and I am excited, Now that I am past the interval part of the Couch to 5K training, just running for 25 minutes straight, then gradually increasing. I know yesterday I nearly completed 3 miles in that 25 minute time frame, so I should be ready in a couple of weeks.
I have thought about what has been motivating me to do all of this. And there are a lot of things, some of them I choose not to share at this time. Coincidentally one of the biggest is the kids, I want to have zero physical limitations as a parent. So it is a happy coincidence that I will be running this race on Fathers Day weekend. Certainly a great way to demonstrate my pursuit of that goal as a father.
CSS
So this weekend is Alumni weekend for my high school, and what would officially be my 25th year reunion. Because of the nature of the school: small classes, small school, constant interaction between students of all ages they adopted a method called clustering a few years back. Which means that while this would be our 25th year reunion not as many people are coming because our 'cluster' celebrated it's 25th reunion a year or 2 back (I am as confused as anyone about it).
Anyway I am really looking forward to seeing those people who will be there, and seeing their reactions to my changed appearance. My estimate is that I am now right around my high school weight, but I'm not sure. I do know that in looking at pictures from that time my face is thinner. And I know for sure that I am slimmer than I was at every reunion we have had since graduation.
Family
All of this adds up to a busy weekend: CSS events Friday & Saturday nights, Chyanne's birthday party probably Saturday some time, Emily swim lesson Saturday, any unscheduled alumni gatherings, plus picking up a new washer/dryer from a friend. So I will not be bored, that's for sure. Just have to find time each day for some exercise to offset all of the eating I might do.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
When will it all end?
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
Boy, I sure am glad that the Republican party is still waving the flag of de-regulation as the savior for the economy. Because we are seeing how well that anti-government, no taxes regime has done for us: worst financial disaster since the Depression, worst mining disaster in 25 years, biggest oil spill ever, unemployment stuck between 9-10%.
At this point all the cries of fiscal responsibility sound to me like the cries of Southerners claiming that Segregation and Separate but Equal were decent solutions to race issues. Let's be honest, the great lovers of low taxes and fiscal responsibility are following in the footsteps of the political philosopher who once claimed that he wanted to shrink government just enough to drown it in the bathtub.
Corporations left to their own devices, free from oversight and regulation will not behave as responsible citizens out of pure altruism. There must be independent oversight, and that oversight must be funded and functional. And all of the outsourcing, and shrinking of government over the past 30 years has resulted in a government that either will not or cannot perform the necessary regulatory tasks to keep our people safe.
And I cannot help but despair that this message will fail to disseminate properly before we face an even bigger catastrophe. The foxes rule the hen house in Washington, and people fail to see the hypocrisy in clamoring for the Federal government to do something about their pet issue: immigration, national defense, terrorism, but then turn around and vote party line for the political party that preaches a fiscal position that will inevitably result in a federal government that cannot solve their issues due to lack of funding.
Yes, watered down health care reform passed, and there's a good chance a watered down Fincance reform will get signed into law too. But none of these address the bigger issues with a political culture that thinks that the best solution to high unemployment is to cut government funding for jobs and unemployment support that could get us out of the recession we face.
I've been in a dark mood concerning politics lately, watching the Gulf Coast face environmental Armageddon, knowing there is precious little that can be done. And knowing that it happened because our political culture has become infused with a sense that private for-profit corporations will always do the right thing, when history has shown us over and over and over again that is just flat not true.
Boy, I sure am glad that the Republican party is still waving the flag of de-regulation as the savior for the economy. Because we are seeing how well that anti-government, no taxes regime has done for us: worst financial disaster since the Depression, worst mining disaster in 25 years, biggest oil spill ever, unemployment stuck between 9-10%.
At this point all the cries of fiscal responsibility sound to me like the cries of Southerners claiming that Segregation and Separate but Equal were decent solutions to race issues. Let's be honest, the great lovers of low taxes and fiscal responsibility are following in the footsteps of the political philosopher who once claimed that he wanted to shrink government just enough to drown it in the bathtub.
Corporations left to their own devices, free from oversight and regulation will not behave as responsible citizens out of pure altruism. There must be independent oversight, and that oversight must be funded and functional. And all of the outsourcing, and shrinking of government over the past 30 years has resulted in a government that either will not or cannot perform the necessary regulatory tasks to keep our people safe.
And I cannot help but despair that this message will fail to disseminate properly before we face an even bigger catastrophe. The foxes rule the hen house in Washington, and people fail to see the hypocrisy in clamoring for the Federal government to do something about their pet issue: immigration, national defense, terrorism, but then turn around and vote party line for the political party that preaches a fiscal position that will inevitably result in a federal government that cannot solve their issues due to lack of funding.
Yes, watered down health care reform passed, and there's a good chance a watered down Fincance reform will get signed into law too. But none of these address the bigger issues with a political culture that thinks that the best solution to high unemployment is to cut government funding for jobs and unemployment support that could get us out of the recession we face.
I've been in a dark mood concerning politics lately, watching the Gulf Coast face environmental Armageddon, knowing there is precious little that can be done. And knowing that it happened because our political culture has become infused with a sense that private for-profit corporations will always do the right thing, when history has shown us over and over and over again that is just flat not true.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Excellent Weekend
Dear James, Daniel and Emily,
What a geat weekend! The Memorial Day Barbecue went very well. We had a nice family day on Sunday. And Monday was devoted to cleaning, then multiple trips to Old Colorado City for Territory Days and a friends barbecue.
Memorial Day Barbecue
The Barbecue went very well. Thanks to everyone who came, and contributed items to the overflowing table of food. And special thanks to all who pitched in and helped me get things ready while Kim was down for the count. In retrospect it appeared to be a case of her hitting the wall hard after the first week of her new schedule as much as anything else.
We will plan to do this again over Labor Day as well. We like to entertain, and to be honest, our house and yard are well made and designed for doing so. And of course next year we will host a Memorial Day barbecue again, I am a big one for traditions and this is a good one to keep up.
Family
Sunday we took the kids out to breakfast, then went to the zoo, with the neighbor boy along. Which was a nice time, the zoo is always fun for the kids. It pretty much has something for all ages. And it is decent exercise as well. After we got home James and I started a game of fantasy, but I had to stop playing to take care of Emily and rest my back (I strained it playing basketball on Saturday).
Monday was devoted to reclaiming the house from all of the party mess etc. Then 2 walks down to Old Colorado City. First for Territory Days, which was a nice walk, and actually pretty decent little time for once, as the kids were very well behaved. The second was to a friend barbecue, which was a really good time. Thanks to the Wolfe family for their hospitality. I always enjoy making new acquaintances, especially with people in our age range, with kids the same age as ours. Most of my local friends either don't have kids or their kids are in a different age group. And of course I enjoy getting my kids to spread their range of friends as well.
So it was a great weekend, full of fun times for the family, nice visits with friends, old and new. Fun for the kids every day as well. It's not often we can get such a complete weekend.
Health
Well I have had better weekends as far as eating, I didn't exactly gain much, but I could have gotten more exercise. I did try something new yesterday mroning, and it inspired me to make a change. I went for a run first thing in the morning yesterday, instead of waiting and going down to the Y. And it went very well. So tomorrow I am going to try having the kids clothes ready, and bowls of cereal prepared, just needing milk. And then ask James to just pour the milk if I am not home or in the shower when he gets up. Then I will go take my run in the morning instead of waiting until lunch. If that works I can start doing that in the mornings.
Doing my runs in the morning has several advantages. First, it's just a great way to start the day and get my blood moving. Second, it will free up my lunches, although I am thinking I will actually still take a walk at lunch even on the days I run, just to keep my legs loose and keep the blood pumping. Third, I am actually planning on running my first official 5K in a couple of weeks, and it is first thing in the morning too, and I don't want that to be a huge shock to the system.
NBA
Well it's happened, my best-worst case scenario: Lakers-Celtics Championship series. Best case, because the Lakers winning is sweet, but beating the Celtics is so much sweeter. Worst case, losing the championship to the Celtics is just a horrible feeling. I watched the end of the Laker game Saturday night, and that was enough of a taste to remind me that the game is just not that watchable any more, the NBA is just hard to watch.
What a geat weekend! The Memorial Day Barbecue went very well. We had a nice family day on Sunday. And Monday was devoted to cleaning, then multiple trips to Old Colorado City for Territory Days and a friends barbecue.
Memorial Day Barbecue
The Barbecue went very well. Thanks to everyone who came, and contributed items to the overflowing table of food. And special thanks to all who pitched in and helped me get things ready while Kim was down for the count. In retrospect it appeared to be a case of her hitting the wall hard after the first week of her new schedule as much as anything else.
We will plan to do this again over Labor Day as well. We like to entertain, and to be honest, our house and yard are well made and designed for doing so. And of course next year we will host a Memorial Day barbecue again, I am a big one for traditions and this is a good one to keep up.
Family
Sunday we took the kids out to breakfast, then went to the zoo, with the neighbor boy along. Which was a nice time, the zoo is always fun for the kids. It pretty much has something for all ages. And it is decent exercise as well. After we got home James and I started a game of fantasy, but I had to stop playing to take care of Emily and rest my back (I strained it playing basketball on Saturday).
Monday was devoted to reclaiming the house from all of the party mess etc. Then 2 walks down to Old Colorado City. First for Territory Days, which was a nice walk, and actually pretty decent little time for once, as the kids were very well behaved. The second was to a friend barbecue, which was a really good time. Thanks to the Wolfe family for their hospitality. I always enjoy making new acquaintances, especially with people in our age range, with kids the same age as ours. Most of my local friends either don't have kids or their kids are in a different age group. And of course I enjoy getting my kids to spread their range of friends as well.
So it was a great weekend, full of fun times for the family, nice visits with friends, old and new. Fun for the kids every day as well. It's not often we can get such a complete weekend.
Health
Well I have had better weekends as far as eating, I didn't exactly gain much, but I could have gotten more exercise. I did try something new yesterday mroning, and it inspired me to make a change. I went for a run first thing in the morning yesterday, instead of waiting and going down to the Y. And it went very well. So tomorrow I am going to try having the kids clothes ready, and bowls of cereal prepared, just needing milk. And then ask James to just pour the milk if I am not home or in the shower when he gets up. Then I will go take my run in the morning instead of waiting until lunch. If that works I can start doing that in the mornings.
Doing my runs in the morning has several advantages. First, it's just a great way to start the day and get my blood moving. Second, it will free up my lunches, although I am thinking I will actually still take a walk at lunch even on the days I run, just to keep my legs loose and keep the blood pumping. Third, I am actually planning on running my first official 5K in a couple of weeks, and it is first thing in the morning too, and I don't want that to be a huge shock to the system.
NBA
Well it's happened, my best-worst case scenario: Lakers-Celtics Championship series. Best case, because the Lakers winning is sweet, but beating the Celtics is so much sweeter. Worst case, losing the championship to the Celtics is just a horrible feeling. I watched the end of the Laker game Saturday night, and that was enough of a taste to remind me that the game is just not that watchable any more, the NBA is just hard to watch.
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