1:00pm
A good workout yesterday, but overall, a crappy day. I slept in a bit, but I still have zero patience today.
My son's going through this phase where he asks me a question and then figures out how to make my answer not exactly right. I'm ready to wring his neck.
While he's watching Animal Planet, he asks me if I've ever seen a white wolf. I say yes. He says "In real life? Where?" He just phrases them in a way so there's no way I can answer the right way. If I'd say "no," he'd say. "Duh. There was one on that show we watched last Saturday."
I'm having trouble staying patient with him. He'll ask me the same question over and over again.
11:30pm
The day got better. Although I had a period of overeating crap. We made cupcakes. There was a whole debate about which is better, cookies or cupcakes. Well, cookies blow. Cupcakes rule.
Kids in bed. Watching Freaks and Geeks. Having some coffee.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Big, Small, or Somewhere In Between - #3, 2nd Date
or The Greatest Moments In My Life
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
A Passion for... cooking?
I've always had good second dates (My problem is date #1, right?). It was good for the girl, too, or so the girls have told me.
The key is to do some cooking.
I don't know how well it will work, going forward, but when I was 20-25, it was quite impressive to be the guy that cooked.
I have quite a book of recipes that I've come up with. When I look back through them, the best ones were always ones perfected with a girl in mind. Not "Rhonda inspires the flavors of this meatloaf" type of "in mind." But, when I'm planning the meal, planning the dishes, and cooking, the passion to impress drives the level up a notch or two. These dishes stand up, I think, even today.
I love to be creative, but I'm best under pressure. I do my homework at the last minute, I cook best when I'm inspired and have to shine, and I decorate best when I know someone's coming over.
Is this a cry for help? A sign of low self esteem to seek approval for the "perfect" meal or setting? Yes. But, I do need the help, and I'll gladly accept it. Just finish your dinner first, babe.
2nd Date
On the first date, the girl asked me when I was going to cook dinner for her. She seemed skeptical. Lots of guys claim to be able to cook (She'd eaten that food before, too).
"What do you want me to make?"
"Chinese?"
"How about Saturday?"
"Um... Really?"
"Of course."
(First Date Over)
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
A Passion for... cooking?
I've always had good second dates (My problem is date #1, right?). It was good for the girl, too, or so the girls have told me.
The key is to do some cooking.
I don't know how well it will work, going forward, but when I was 20-25, it was quite impressive to be the guy that cooked.
I have quite a book of recipes that I've come up with. When I look back through them, the best ones were always ones perfected with a girl in mind. Not "Rhonda inspires the flavors of this meatloaf" type of "in mind." But, when I'm planning the meal, planning the dishes, and cooking, the passion to impress drives the level up a notch or two. These dishes stand up, I think, even today.
I love to be creative, but I'm best under pressure. I do my homework at the last minute, I cook best when I'm inspired and have to shine, and I decorate best when I know someone's coming over.
Is this a cry for help? A sign of low self esteem to seek approval for the "perfect" meal or setting? Yes. But, I do need the help, and I'll gladly accept it. Just finish your dinner first, babe.
2nd Date
On the first date, the girl asked me when I was going to cook dinner for her. She seemed skeptical. Lots of guys claim to be able to cook (She'd eaten that food before, too).
"What do you want me to make?"
"Chinese?"
"How about Saturday?"
"Um... Really?"
"Of course."
(First Date Over)
I planned it out. 2nd date. Dinner. White chicken salad and peanut sauce. Tea. Paper wrapped chicken with mushrooms. Fruit. Wine.
But, my table was all wrong. I needed one of those low tables. Asian inspired. I already had some floor pillows.
So, on Saturday morning, I sold my wrong table to my neighbor (he had no furniture) for $30 and some pillar candles. I used the money to buy wood to make a new table.
Finger foods, chopstick lessons, a low table with pillows, candles, wine, and a third date.
I need to write all this down, in case of another first date...
Tuesday Throwaways
Weigh Cool Tip
Three high schoolers are in the locker room. I see them all the time. They go up to the scale, take off their shoes and weigh themselves.
An older guy, maybe 25 or so, sees these guys and says "weigh yourselves with shoes and without, then you don't have to keep taking off your shoes."
"You mean every time?"
"No, just once."
Blank stares.
"That way you know how much the shoes weigh. Take it off your weight," older guy says.
Blank stares. Nods. "Cool."
Older guy leaves and the boys start rolling their eyes and mocking the guy.
"Who the fuck wants to know how much their shoes weigh?" + "What are they going be different every time?" + "Moron."
Classic.
Zorries, Shades, and Mesh Shirts
Born Free
A girl at the coffee house is around 20 years old. She's behind the counter, singing "Born Free." It was cute.
Born free
As free as the wind blows.
As free as the grass grows.
Born free to follow your heart
Of course, she didn't even know there was a movie. Too young. How does she know the song?
Three high schoolers are in the locker room. I see them all the time. They go up to the scale, take off their shoes and weigh themselves.
An older guy, maybe 25 or so, sees these guys and says "weigh yourselves with shoes and without, then you don't have to keep taking off your shoes."
"You mean every time?"
"No, just once."
Blank stares.
"That way you know how much the shoes weigh. Take it off your weight," older guy says.
Blank stares. Nods. "Cool."
Older guy leaves and the boys start rolling their eyes and mocking the guy.
"Who the fuck wants to know how much their shoes weigh?" + "What are they going be different every time?" + "Moron."
Classic.
Zorries, Shades, and Mesh Shirts
I saw them all, tonight.
- The staff gets ticked if you try to deadlift barefoot, but flip flops are cool?
- Why would you wear sunglasses in the gym? You're that awesome, huh?
- And, why do mesh shirts even exist?
Born Free
A girl at the coffee house is around 20 years old. She's behind the counter, singing "Born Free." It was cute.
Born free
As free as the wind blows.
As free as the grass grows.
Born free to follow your heart
Of course, she didn't even know there was a movie. Too young. How does she know the song?
Monday, March 26, 2007
A Smiley Not Required
Recently a couple of my friends have asked me what qualities I want in a woman. I don’t remember exactly what I answered. I’m sure I wrote some flippant answer meant to make me sound both deep and shallow at the same time.
“She must make me laugh, be intelligent, morally sound, and have good boobs.”
Looks like something I would have written about my perfect woman’s qualities. Only when writing it, I would have had to punctuate it with one of those little smileys to indicate that I’m only kidding about two of them. ;)
So, what do I really want in a woman?
"I want a woman that does not require a smiley."
It's really that simple.
I'll net it out. When I joke, I want her to know that I'm joking. Not assume. Not think. Know.
She'd better fight right back, too!
I'm the boy that likes you so much he pulls your pigtails. (I need the girl to pinch me back.)
It sounds juvenile, perhaps. But, there you go. I know myself, at least to this degree.
So I have a litmus test now? I do. Unfortunately, it took me until age 39 to realize that I have the same standards that I did in second grade.
There have been too many times when I've compromised and just tried to tone myself down. There's certainly a time and a place to be serious. But, the second date isn't it.
I've often been asked what type of guy I am. A boob guy, ass man, legs? I like 'em all, I suppose. You can add a beautiful face or great lips, eyes of any color, as long as they smile and shine with a bit of fire. But, honestly, she'd better be a bit spunky and fun. The rest will fall into place.
“She must make me laugh, be intelligent, morally sound, and have good boobs.”
Looks like something I would have written about my perfect woman’s qualities. Only when writing it, I would have had to punctuate it with one of those little smileys to indicate that I’m only kidding about two of them. ;)
So, what do I really want in a woman?
"I want a woman that does not require a smiley."
It's really that simple.
I'll net it out. When I joke, I want her to know that I'm joking. Not assume. Not think. Know.
She'd better fight right back, too!
I'm the boy that likes you so much he pulls your pigtails. (I need the girl to pinch me back.)
It sounds juvenile, perhaps. But, there you go. I know myself, at least to this degree.
So I have a litmus test now? I do. Unfortunately, it took me until age 39 to realize that I have the same standards that I did in second grade.
There have been too many times when I've compromised and just tried to tone myself down. There's certainly a time and a place to be serious. But, the second date isn't it.
I've often been asked what type of guy I am. A boob guy, ass man, legs? I like 'em all, I suppose. You can add a beautiful face or great lips, eyes of any color, as long as they smile and shine with a bit of fire. But, honestly, she'd better be a bit spunky and fun. The rest will fall into place.
I've felt better...
Woke up with my neck glands aching. Crap.
This has never happened without having a bad cold, first. Crap.
I'm a little gurgly, too. Crap.
I just feel weird. Not awful, weird. This is uncharted territory for me.
This has never happened without having a bad cold, first. Crap.
I'm a little gurgly, too. Crap.
I just feel weird. Not awful, weird. This is uncharted territory for me.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Drive Needed
I love to drive, which is good, considering the area I cover for work (Coastal Southern California).
But, I really want to drive somewhere good. LA to San Diego is fine, but I need a destination destination, you know?
Last year, about this time, it was Little Rock, Arkansas.
It was a beautiful drive to the JPFitness Summit '06, with an overnight stop in Albuquerque with my brother and his family.
I planned to do it again this year, too. Not to be. And, I'm very sad. People are coming in from all over the world. This might have been my only chance to meet some of them.
I hope to go next year. Planning on it. I'll just have to convince all these people coming from around the world to come again...
Back to me. It's all about me, after all. In May, I've got the 10k up in the mountains.
I'm really looking forward to that trip. So much so that I've even been running(4.5 miles,yesterday).
This might be it for a while. With a couple of short jaunts, here and there. My sister's place in Santa Barbara, maybe my brother's in Albuquerque.
But, I really want to drive somewhere good. LA to San Diego is fine, but I need a destination destination, you know?
Last year, about this time, it was Little Rock, Arkansas.It was a beautiful drive to the JPFitness Summit '06, with an overnight stop in Albuquerque with my brother and his family.
I planned to do it again this year, too. Not to be. And, I'm very sad. People are coming in from all over the world. This might have been my only chance to meet some of them.
I hope to go next year. Planning on it. I'll just have to convince all these people coming from around the world to come again...
Back to me. It's all about me, after all. In May, I've got the 10k up in the mountains.
I'm really looking forward to that trip. So much so that I've even been running(4.5 miles,yesterday).
This might be it for a while. With a couple of short jaunts, here and there. My sister's place in Santa Barbara, maybe my brother's in Albuquerque.
Here. My list.
- I can't wait to leave and get on that road.I miss the long roads with little traffic.
- I absolutely love Rest Stops.
- I love pulling into little towns, driving to the place where the non-travellers go, and spending a couple of hours with some lunch or a cup of coffee.
- I love the idea of the "View Point" or "Picture Spot" along the highway, despite the fact that I can rarely see what I'm supposed to look at or for.
- I love that, no matter where you go, people think it's funny to put a red sticker on the deer's nose on those signs. Where do you even get a red sticker?
- I love that in other states, the signs still read "Slow Children."
- When we're driving, there's really no place to pee behind a tree in Southern California.
- No matter how lame the content is, finding an AM station in the boonies, is still satisfying.
- I hate to leave my final stop, but I love to get home.
Friday, March 23, 2007
This stuff is from thursday
Gym -- That smelly guy was back at the gym again. How can he not know?
Fat Loss -- I feel small. Granted, I can see all sorts of muscle details that have never existed before, but I feel small. I liked the idea of 200lbs. 195 still had a nice ring to it. 185 is sounding small... It's feeling small.
One of my customers asked if I was losing weight. Must be the face, I think. My face looks thinner. Last weekend, I let my face go scruffy. That was my strategy when everyone said I looked too thin (a few years back). It worked, too. Shut them right up. This time, I looked scruffy and thin.
All complaining aside, I can see an end to the fat loss. Shit. Those love handly things. Gone! No abs, but my waste is smaller than ever before.
I don't know how long it will take. I'm going for this. No giving up. If I hit a plateau, I'll fix it. I might take a break, but I WILL NOT BREAK!
Blog -- Until yesterday, I'd never shared the existance of this blog with any of my family or pre-separation-from-wife friends (Hi, Dean!). In fact, one of my family did ask if I blogged. I didn't say "no," but, I did say "about what?" ...and shrugged. They may have mistaken that for a "no." Not my fault...
Eyes -- I need to get some glasses, I think. At night, my eyes seem tired. I have to lower the resolution on my screen to read what I'm writing. Luckily, my laptop does it with the push of a button. Glasses would be better.
Fat Loss -- I feel small. Granted, I can see all sorts of muscle details that have never existed before, but I feel small. I liked the idea of 200lbs. 195 still had a nice ring to it. 185 is sounding small... It's feeling small.
One of my customers asked if I was losing weight. Must be the face, I think. My face looks thinner. Last weekend, I let my face go scruffy. That was my strategy when everyone said I looked too thin (a few years back). It worked, too. Shut them right up. This time, I looked scruffy and thin.
All complaining aside, I can see an end to the fat loss. Shit. Those love handly things. Gone! No abs, but my waste is smaller than ever before.
I don't know how long it will take. I'm going for this. No giving up. If I hit a plateau, I'll fix it. I might take a break, but I WILL NOT BREAK!
Blog -- Until yesterday, I'd never shared the existance of this blog with any of my family or pre-separation-from-wife friends (Hi, Dean!). In fact, one of my family did ask if I blogged. I didn't say "no," but, I did say "about what?" ...and shrugged. They may have mistaken that for a "no." Not my fault...
Eyes -- I need to get some glasses, I think. At night, my eyes seem tired. I have to lower the resolution on my screen to read what I'm writing. Luckily, my laptop does it with the push of a button. Glasses would be better.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Big, Small, or Somewhere In Between - #2, Wedding
or The Greatest Moments In My Life
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
Wedding
Yes, in #2, I go for a little romance. I wasn't always totally lame... Or, should it be "I wasn't always totally lame?" Hard to choose.
Also, I must apologize in advance for the complicated sentence structure. I believe it is grammatically correct, but if a sentence needs to be read very slowly so you can even understand it, it should be rewritten. Yet, I'm not going to. Perhaps for the screenplay...
I look at this event as an example of what can happen when you man up and do what you need to do. See girl. Do something about it. Get girl.
Background
I met a girl at my friend's Wedding. The friend, herself, will not really appear in the story, as she is not important to the story. But, we have to start somewhere because you didn't know me back then, did you?
My friend was a just one of a large group of friends. I was, relatively speaking, new to the group. They had all grown up on the same street, gone to the same schools, and now a good percentage worked at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, where I also worked.
They were a huge, extended family, which, ironically for teens, even included their parents, in addition to many other friends.
They were a great group of people and I loved being around them. After a few months, I felt like I'd known them forever. We did virtually everything together. I soon became best friends with one of them. Paul.
Paul and I even drove across country, on a whim, to New Orleans! We took turns zig-zagging between his friends and my family, state by state, as we drove across the country. It was weird and spontaneous. We didn't even tell people we were coming. We just called them a few hours before we were going to arrive in their city. Sometimes people weren't home and we just kept going. New Orleans was cool. We decided to drive on to the East Coast of Florida so we could say we went from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back.
It was right after this trip that I went to the wedding. We really had to drive back fast to get back in time for the wedding. But, we cruised in late Friday, bought some awesome plaid Buddy Holly jackets and went home to rest up for the wedding.
These people are so nice. I got home to find an invite to the rehearsal dinner! Score for me!
I got dressed and headed over. Unfortunately, there was no one new amongst the bridesmaids. All four were known factors. But, it was a great time, nonetheless.
Wedding Day
I love weddings.
First, I believe in them.
Second, I'm not so shy at weddings. Everyone goes around introducing themselves and asking how you know everyone else. It's easy for me.
Thirdly, I can dance at a wedding and not be embarrassed. I'm not much in the grace department. But, I don't really care at a wedding. Kids, oldsters, and everyone in between is dancing. There's always someone worse than me.
So, here I am at a huge and beautiful wedding, attended by all my friends. Couldn't ask for more.
The wedding itself was a Catholic one. I was bored. However, I now counted five bridesmaids.
That Godlight Stuff
The clouds part and in in my mind's eye, visible beams of light shine down on number five. Reddish brown hair and those perfect lips that only appear in drawings.
I really don't dare ask who she is, considering I'm sitting with a group of fathers who's daughters and sons are doing wedding tasks. She could very well belong to one of them.
In case you haven't figured this out, part of my shyness dictates that I hold all feelings of attraction to girls close to the vest, lest I be embarrassed by not doing anything about it. So, mums the word all the way to the reception, where I try not to stare too much until dinner is over.
Dancing begins, and in a manner most unlike me, I walk up to her and say "I don't know half the people here. Who are you?"
We talked for a bit. She complained about how she hated weddings. Yet she looked absolutely beautiful in her typical, taffeta bridesmaid dress (peach, if memory serves). She was going to school in Albuquerque and had just arrived that morning, hence the surprise bridesmaid's sudden appearance.
We danced a bit and talked a bit more before she headed off for the bouquet toss and other bridesmaidy things.
The wedding wound down, but before it did, I started to get all sorts of strange comments from my friends as I asked about her. Apparently, this girl was unattainable. Out of my reach. Out of everyone's reach. Yet, how could this girl have never been even brought up in conversation? They all worshipped her. All the guys were in love and the girls acted like she was the girl to be, yet strangely not a threat to them. They all worshipped her.
Just so we're perfectly clear... She was beautiful, brilliant, artistic, funny, and sharp witted. Plus, she was willing and capable of putting up with and throwing back all of the ribbing that I could dish out. She would even backhand you in the stomach or give you a good punch when you gave her the business. Gotta love that. She also said my name in an unusually deliberate and spunky way. Ro Land. Mmmm... Not that I worshipped her, mind you...
Oh yeah. Wedding winds down. Back to that.
We are all gathered around a table and just hanging out. In the second or third un-Roland-like move, I actually gesture her to the seat next to me. This requires that she get up from her seat and come over to me. She does, and sits down.
I remember that I had to do it quick. Like a band-aid. The friends were suspicious. Someone would try to put a stop to this now that they were on to me.
Paul is looking at us with a queer look. Like a controlled panic. I had started to suspect something. Suddenly, stupid Roland has a realization. On our trip, there was a girl in New Mexico who didn't answer her phone. The mysterious ex-girlfriend of another friend/roommate/wedding guest! This must be her! Thank God Paul's girlfriend is there to slow him down. He can't exactly rush over. But, if he actually gets to me and shares the info, this thing is over before it starts. (Seems like a lot, but in reality, this was all over in a split second.)
Then, comes perhaps the lamest "ask out" ever.
"I know you're leaving in two weeks, but I was wondering what your answer would be if I asked if you'd go out with me." (See? It wasn't even a question!) In retrospect, I must have been red faced when I asked it, too.
She smiled so sweetly, but in a way that I can't really describe with justice, and leaned down onto my chest, resting her head on me and relaxing. Totally. She even sighed and settled in.
She sort of half looked up at me, nodding. "Where are we going?"
I still can't believe it.
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
Wedding
Yes, in #2, I go for a little romance. I wasn't always totally lame... Or, should it be "I wasn't always totally lame?" Hard to choose.
Also, I must apologize in advance for the complicated sentence structure. I believe it is grammatically correct, but if a sentence needs to be read very slowly so you can even understand it, it should be rewritten. Yet, I'm not going to. Perhaps for the screenplay...
I look at this event as an example of what can happen when you man up and do what you need to do. See girl. Do something about it. Get girl.
Background
I met a girl at my friend's Wedding. The friend, herself, will not really appear in the story, as she is not important to the story. But, we have to start somewhere because you didn't know me back then, did you?
My friend was a just one of a large group of friends. I was, relatively speaking, new to the group. They had all grown up on the same street, gone to the same schools, and now a good percentage worked at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, where I also worked.
They were a huge, extended family, which, ironically for teens, even included their parents, in addition to many other friends.
They were a great group of people and I loved being around them. After a few months, I felt like I'd known them forever. We did virtually everything together. I soon became best friends with one of them. Paul.
Paul and I even drove across country, on a whim, to New Orleans! We took turns zig-zagging between his friends and my family, state by state, as we drove across the country. It was weird and spontaneous. We didn't even tell people we were coming. We just called them a few hours before we were going to arrive in their city. Sometimes people weren't home and we just kept going. New Orleans was cool. We decided to drive on to the East Coast of Florida so we could say we went from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back.
It was right after this trip that I went to the wedding. We really had to drive back fast to get back in time for the wedding. But, we cruised in late Friday, bought some awesome plaid Buddy Holly jackets and went home to rest up for the wedding.
These people are so nice. I got home to find an invite to the rehearsal dinner! Score for me!
I got dressed and headed over. Unfortunately, there was no one new amongst the bridesmaids. All four were known factors. But, it was a great time, nonetheless.
Wedding Day
I love weddings.
First, I believe in them.
Second, I'm not so shy at weddings. Everyone goes around introducing themselves and asking how you know everyone else. It's easy for me.
Thirdly, I can dance at a wedding and not be embarrassed. I'm not much in the grace department. But, I don't really care at a wedding. Kids, oldsters, and everyone in between is dancing. There's always someone worse than me.
So, here I am at a huge and beautiful wedding, attended by all my friends. Couldn't ask for more.
The wedding itself was a Catholic one. I was bored. However, I now counted five bridesmaids.
That Godlight Stuff
The clouds part and in in my mind's eye, visible beams of light shine down on number five. Reddish brown hair and those perfect lips that only appear in drawings.
I really don't dare ask who she is, considering I'm sitting with a group of fathers who's daughters and sons are doing wedding tasks. She could very well belong to one of them.
In case you haven't figured this out, part of my shyness dictates that I hold all feelings of attraction to girls close to the vest, lest I be embarrassed by not doing anything about it. So, mums the word all the way to the reception, where I try not to stare too much until dinner is over.
Dancing begins, and in a manner most unlike me, I walk up to her and say "I don't know half the people here. Who are you?"
We talked for a bit. She complained about how she hated weddings. Yet she looked absolutely beautiful in her typical, taffeta bridesmaid dress (peach, if memory serves). She was going to school in Albuquerque and had just arrived that morning, hence the surprise bridesmaid's sudden appearance.
We danced a bit and talked a bit more before she headed off for the bouquet toss and other bridesmaidy things.
The wedding wound down, but before it did, I started to get all sorts of strange comments from my friends as I asked about her. Apparently, this girl was unattainable. Out of my reach. Out of everyone's reach. Yet, how could this girl have never been even brought up in conversation? They all worshipped her. All the guys were in love and the girls acted like she was the girl to be, yet strangely not a threat to them. They all worshipped her.
Just so we're perfectly clear... She was beautiful, brilliant, artistic, funny, and sharp witted. Plus, she was willing and capable of putting up with and throwing back all of the ribbing that I could dish out. She would even backhand you in the stomach or give you a good punch when you gave her the business. Gotta love that. She also said my name in an unusually deliberate and spunky way. Ro Land. Mmmm... Not that I worshipped her, mind you...
Oh yeah. Wedding winds down. Back to that.
We are all gathered around a table and just hanging out. In the second or third un-Roland-like move, I actually gesture her to the seat next to me. This requires that she get up from her seat and come over to me. She does, and sits down.
I remember that I had to do it quick. Like a band-aid. The friends were suspicious. Someone would try to put a stop to this now that they were on to me.
Paul is looking at us with a queer look. Like a controlled panic. I had started to suspect something. Suddenly, stupid Roland has a realization. On our trip, there was a girl in New Mexico who didn't answer her phone. The mysterious ex-girlfriend of another friend/roommate/wedding guest! This must be her! Thank God Paul's girlfriend is there to slow him down. He can't exactly rush over. But, if he actually gets to me and shares the info, this thing is over before it starts. (Seems like a lot, but in reality, this was all over in a split second.)
Then, comes perhaps the lamest "ask out" ever.
"I know you're leaving in two weeks, but I was wondering what your answer would be if I asked if you'd go out with me." (See? It wasn't even a question!) In retrospect, I must have been red faced when I asked it, too.
She smiled so sweetly, but in a way that I can't really describe with justice, and leaned down onto my chest, resting her head on me and relaxing. Totally. She even sighed and settled in.
She sort of half looked up at me, nodding. "Where are we going?"
I still can't believe it.
Big, Small, or Somewhere In Between - Not Ready
This isn't really a blog post, it's a holding spot for the message below. If you're here, it's because you clicked on something I wasn't ready to post. I'm sure there's a better way, but I'm too lazy to think of one. This works fine. Plus, you get the hidden message below...
Although I really enjoy daydreaming about the past, you've gotta admit that daydreaming about the future is better. However, I'm not going to write about my little daydreams and fantasies. You'll just have to wonder.
When I have something new, and it's in the immediate past, I hope it will he good enough to write about. I have high hopes.
I've met some great people in the past month or so that have given me new hope and a new drive. To them, I say "thank you." I say it here, where they are unlikely to see it, but I hope to also give my thanks in person someday.
Until then, reader, you'll just have to wait...
Inigo Montoya: But, I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top.
Man in Black: That's VERY comforting, but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait.
Inigo Montoya: I hate waiting.
Although I really enjoy daydreaming about the past, you've gotta admit that daydreaming about the future is better. However, I'm not going to write about my little daydreams and fantasies. You'll just have to wonder.
When I have something new, and it's in the immediate past, I hope it will he good enough to write about. I have high hopes.
I've met some great people in the past month or so that have given me new hope and a new drive. To them, I say "thank you." I say it here, where they are unlikely to see it, but I hope to also give my thanks in person someday.
Until then, reader, you'll just have to wait...
Inigo Montoya: But, I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top.
Man in Black: That's VERY comforting, but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait.
Inigo Montoya: I hate waiting.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Big, Small, or Somewhere In Between - #1, Childbirth
or The Greatest Moments In My Life
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
Childbirth Is Hard On Men, Too!
Yes, in #1, I go for the obvious. I give to you the birth of a child. In this case, my daughter Allie.
Yeah, yeah. So obvious, right? But, what you might not know is that somewhere along the line, I breathed (or not breathed) my way into passing out. That's my explanation, anyway...
Okay. I really have no recollection of the fainting, itself. I do remember the free orange juice (That's right! No charge, baby!) that I got as they slowly helped me to a semi-reclined position.
I remember that strange feeling of coming back through what looked like a tunnel, looking at the concerned and strangely smiling faces of some ladies that I didn't really know.
As I recovered, I realized what was going on and looked up to see my new daughter being carried over to her little table to be cleaned up.
They helped me into a pretty comfy lazy boy.
The nurse turned from my daughter to me and asked if I'd like to cut the cord.
I smiled and sipped my free OJ. "God no."
I like to spend time recollecting. That's mostly a euphemism for zoning out, but sometimes good memories come back.
Really, I spend a lot of that time thinking about some of the great times I've had. There have been some really good ones, some great ones, and some nice little moments.
Childbirth Is Hard On Men, Too!
Yes, in #1, I go for the obvious. I give to you the birth of a child. In this case, my daughter Allie.
Yeah, yeah. So obvious, right? But, what you might not know is that somewhere along the line, I breathed (or not breathed) my way into passing out. That's my explanation, anyway...
Okay. I really have no recollection of the fainting, itself. I do remember the free orange juice (That's right! No charge, baby!) that I got as they slowly helped me to a semi-reclined position.
I remember that strange feeling of coming back through what looked like a tunnel, looking at the concerned and strangely smiling faces of some ladies that I didn't really know.
As I recovered, I realized what was going on and looked up to see my new daughter being carried over to her little table to be cleaned up.
They helped me into a pretty comfy lazy boy.
The nurse turned from my daughter to me and asked if I'd like to cut the cord.
I smiled and sipped my free OJ. "God no."
Sunday, March 18, 2007
FItness Platitudes
Platitude
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There are some terms that I just don't care for. Here are some annoying terms related to fitness. Enjoy...
Move
As in "you just need to move" or "Just move." Often said by experienced fitness folk to or about relatively sedentary people.
Why is this bad? Because it's demeaning to the relatively sedentary person. It's trite and belittling. It's goal is to make that person just get up and move around. A good goal, sure. But if your words have the effect of demoralizing that person, they've backfired. "Just move" is tantamount to saying "get off your lazy butt" or to someone who overeats, "stop eating like a pig."
What can you say, instead? Well, you could say move around more. You could say to make an effort not to sit. There are plenty of ways to gently encourage people to get more time on their feet. "Move" isn't one of them.
Diet
As in "You shouldn't say you are on a diet."
At least this one isn't demeaning. It's just unnecessarily confusing.
Human civilization has been built around our use of language. Words are all we have. If we randomly change the meaning of words*, we end up in linguistic anarchy.
On a worldly scale, this lack of understanding can only lead to war, death, and the ultimate destruction of mankind. On a more personal scale, it leads to people saying "what?" whenever you tell them that you're not on a diet, that you've changed your lifestyle.
Go ahead and change your lifestyle and don't think of it as a diet. But, if you're trying to lose weight and your friend asks if you're on a diet, the answer is "yes." Feel free to follow up with "And, I'm never going back!"
Likewise, if your friend tells you he's on a diet, say "great!" Then consider asking him how he plans to keep it off.
* Yes, I understand that the dictionary definition of "diet" means something like "the sum of the food consumed by an organism". But, that's just not what people mean when they say they are "on a diet." We can't go back in time and change it back to the dictionary meaning. So, until then, we got what we got.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A platitude is a trite, meaningless, or prosaic statement that is presented as if it were significant and original. The word derives from plat, the French word for "flat". Whether any given statement is considered to have meaning or not is highly subjective, so platitude is often — but not always — used as a pejorative term to describe seemingly profound statements that a certain person views as unoriginal or shallow.
There are some terms that I just don't care for. Here are some annoying terms related to fitness. Enjoy...
Move
As in "you just need to move" or "Just move." Often said by experienced fitness folk to or about relatively sedentary people.
Why is this bad? Because it's demeaning to the relatively sedentary person. It's trite and belittling. It's goal is to make that person just get up and move around. A good goal, sure. But if your words have the effect of demoralizing that person, they've backfired. "Just move" is tantamount to saying "get off your lazy butt" or to someone who overeats, "stop eating like a pig."
What can you say, instead? Well, you could say move around more. You could say to make an effort not to sit. There are plenty of ways to gently encourage people to get more time on their feet. "Move" isn't one of them.
Diet
As in "You shouldn't say you are on a diet."
At least this one isn't demeaning. It's just unnecessarily confusing.
Human civilization has been built around our use of language. Words are all we have. If we randomly change the meaning of words*, we end up in linguistic anarchy.
On a worldly scale, this lack of understanding can only lead to war, death, and the ultimate destruction of mankind. On a more personal scale, it leads to people saying "what?" whenever you tell them that you're not on a diet, that you've changed your lifestyle.
Go ahead and change your lifestyle and don't think of it as a diet. But, if you're trying to lose weight and your friend asks if you're on a diet, the answer is "yes." Feel free to follow up with "And, I'm never going back!"
Likewise, if your friend tells you he's on a diet, say "great!" Then consider asking him how he plans to keep it off.
* Yes, I understand that the dictionary definition of "diet" means something like "the sum of the food consumed by an organism". But, that's just not what people mean when they say they are "on a diet." We can't go back in time and change it back to the dictionary meaning. So, until then, we got what we got.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Does each food that you eat need to be 'balanced?"
Updated. Originally Posted - 12/2/06
Just a little rant...
Smart Balance Buttery Spread was on sale at the store, today. This stuff ticks me off. Our diets are simply filled with Omega-6 oils. Tons of it.
They mean well. I agree with the company, that we need to balance out our Omega-3 and Omega-6s. So, why would soybean oil be the number one ingredient?
Soybean oil is a huge source of Omega-6 fats. It's pretty low in the Omega-3s. Sure, some of the other ingredients are oils designed to bring things into balance, but considering that the average American's day was spent eating soybean and corn oils already, it's ridiculous to start with yet another base of Omega-6 fats.
All eating Smart Balance Spread does is dilute things by adding more bad and stirring some good in for "good measure." To me, this seems like trying to put out a fire with gasoline, but stirring some water in. Obviously, we need water to put out the fire, right?
Our overall diet needs to be close in it's Omega-3 to Omega-6 balance. Each food does not have to be balanced.
Instead of Smart Balance, go with butter. Saturated fat is not that bad for you unless you're a sugar, processed starch, and junk food junkie.
If you prefer a margarine (as I once did) give Canola Harvest or Canola Harvest with Flaxseed Oil a shot. It tastes like the margarine I grew up with. *
There are several varieties of Canola oil spreads at the supermarket. Some were just as sketchy as normal margarine. None of the Canola Harvest versions at my stores have hydrogenated oils, but buyer beware, since their web site says that they do make some with it...
Update.
I'd like to add products like Best Foods Light Mayonnaise to this list. I just saw this today. Big sticker on top that says "Excellent Source of Omega 3 (ALA) 20% of the Daily Value of ALA (1300mg)"
Based on my whole Omega-3 to 6 balance concept, this is absolutely ridiculous. The #2 ingredient on the list is soybean oil (water is #1). You can eat more and more of this stuff to "get your Omega-3s," but for every 300mg of 3s, you get 2300mg of 6s, sending you farther away from balance.
Yes, we have a problem with not getting enough Omega-3 in our diets, but I think the bigger issue is how do we reduce the intake of Omega-6s. This mayo isn't the way. Not by a long shot.
* Note. Canola Harvest products are getting harder and harder to find. I've switched back to butter and I'm loving it. My favorite is Country Crock spreadable butter with a touch of canola oil to keep it soft. I won't touch regular Country Crock hydrogenated soybean oil spreads with a ten foot pole, but this stuff is good.
Just a little rant...
Smart Balance Buttery Spread was on sale at the store, today. This stuff ticks me off. Our diets are simply filled with Omega-6 oils. Tons of it.
They mean well. I agree with the company, that we need to balance out our Omega-3 and Omega-6s. So, why would soybean oil be the number one ingredient?
Soybean oil is a huge source of Omega-6 fats. It's pretty low in the Omega-3s. Sure, some of the other ingredients are oils designed to bring things into balance, but considering that the average American's day was spent eating soybean and corn oils already, it's ridiculous to start with yet another base of Omega-6 fats.
All eating Smart Balance Spread does is dilute things by adding more bad and stirring some good in for "good measure." To me, this seems like trying to put out a fire with gasoline, but stirring some water in. Obviously, we need water to put out the fire, right?
Our overall diet needs to be close in it's Omega-3 to Omega-6 balance. Each food does not have to be balanced.
Instead of Smart Balance, go with butter. Saturated fat is not that bad for you unless you're a sugar, processed starch, and junk food junkie.
If you prefer a margarine (as I once did) give Canola Harvest or Canola Harvest with Flaxseed Oil a shot. It tastes like the margarine I grew up with. *
There are several varieties of Canola oil spreads at the supermarket. Some were just as sketchy as normal margarine. None of the Canola Harvest versions at my stores have hydrogenated oils, but buyer beware, since their web site says that they do make some with it...
Update.
I'd like to add products like Best Foods Light Mayonnaise to this list. I just saw this today. Big sticker on top that says "Excellent Source of Omega 3 (ALA) 20% of the Daily Value of ALA (1300mg)"
Based on my whole Omega-3 to 6 balance concept, this is absolutely ridiculous. The #2 ingredient on the list is soybean oil (water is #1). You can eat more and more of this stuff to "get your Omega-3s," but for every 300mg of 3s, you get 2300mg of 6s, sending you farther away from balance.
Yes, we have a problem with not getting enough Omega-3 in our diets, but I think the bigger issue is how do we reduce the intake of Omega-6s. This mayo isn't the way. Not by a long shot.
* Note. Canola Harvest products are getting harder and harder to find. I've switched back to butter and I'm loving it. My favorite is Country Crock spreadable butter with a touch of canola oil to keep it soft. I won't touch regular Country Crock hydrogenated soybean oil spreads with a ten foot pole, but this stuff is good.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Random Tuesday
Stench
How can you let yourself stink? Come on. A mild stench can sneak up on us all. But, a major stench that makes people leave the area is way over the top. You know it when you have it. Don't act like you don't smell.
Also, you make the rest of us think we might smell, too. Watch when Stinky is working out in the area. All the other guys have their arms noticeably pinned to their sides, just in case.
Locker Room, Chat Room, Rubber Room
I'm going into the shower, but it sounded pretty crazy in there. Guys laughing and joking. I waited a bit, but when no one finished and came out, I went in.
The conversation stopped when I went in. It was just one guy...
Bein' Squirrelly
Just don't be.
Be deliberate. Definative. Strong. Know where you are going. If you don't know what your next move is, get out of the way and pretend to rest or gather your thoughts. Please stop meandering between the dumbbell racks and the benches when the rest of us do know what our next step is.
Hush
For nostalgic purposes, I bought some Deep Purple. Got Hush going through my head all day.
Hush, hush, I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush, She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush, hush, Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush, I need her loving and I'm not to blame now
That is all.
How can you let yourself stink? Come on. A mild stench can sneak up on us all. But, a major stench that makes people leave the area is way over the top. You know it when you have it. Don't act like you don't smell.
Also, you make the rest of us think we might smell, too. Watch when Stinky is working out in the area. All the other guys have their arms noticeably pinned to their sides, just in case.
Locker Room, Chat Room, Rubber Room
I'm going into the shower, but it sounded pretty crazy in there. Guys laughing and joking. I waited a bit, but when no one finished and came out, I went in.
The conversation stopped when I went in. It was just one guy...
Bein' Squirrelly
Just don't be.
Be deliberate. Definative. Strong. Know where you are going. If you don't know what your next move is, get out of the way and pretend to rest or gather your thoughts. Please stop meandering between the dumbbell racks and the benches when the rest of us do know what our next step is.
Hush
For nostalgic purposes, I bought some Deep Purple. Got Hush going through my head all day.
Hush, hush, I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush, She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush, hush, Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush, I need her loving and I'm not to blame now
That is all.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
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