Inside The Perimeter

For those of you reading this in tropical locales let me tell you that it is really damn cold right now in Atlanta. For those of you reading this in locales which normally get this cold, let me tell you that it is really damn cold right now in Atlanta. The fact that the wall closest to my desk is all glass is not really helping matters either — I even have a small space heater in the office that is losing the battle.

Will I Ever Be Hungry Again?
I know that I bitch about my weight constantly, so you’d think that not desiring food would be a good thing. However, I can’t believe that I’ve not really been hungry since Sunday. I’ve been eating (and drinking) since, but it has definitely not been because I felt the need to eat. Not wanting to eat is a very strange feeling for me.

ITP Flickr Pic
This is Randy holding the prized possession earned by winning at bowling.

I hope that posting this photo doesn’t ruin my chances for staying at the house when I come up to North Carolina.

There Is One Thing That Has Warmed My Heart
The other day I received one of those unsolicited, completely unexpected messages of thanks that can only make one feel like a million bucks. The message was from a Flickr friend of mine who has just completed the extremely impressive task of taking a photo-a-day for a year. In the message she said that a comment I made on one of her (amazing) photos was the impetus for convincing her to take the leap and start the process.

The best thing of all? Those of us that got to see a new photo each day were the real winners.

Speaking Of Long-Term Flickr Projects
On January 1, 2008 a new long-term Flickr project called the Atlanta Grid Project launched. Each month one or two new ITP (yippee!) map grids will be identified and the group members will go out and take photos of the areas in the current grid. It’s been calculated that if we do two map grids per month then the project will take us about ten years to complete. If you live in the Atlanta area and you are a photo-geek I suggest that you go check the group out.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood - wishing that I was warm
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Manchester Orchestra — “Golden Ticket” (if you’ve not jumped on the Manchester Orchestra bandwagon you really should)
Website Of The Day - The other day I renewed my “Friendship” membership with the Len Foote Hike Inn. With the high cost of airline travel expect me to be making more trips to locations such as this in 2008. I promise (or threaten) to bring my camera equipment.
Exercise (b)Log - I thought about exercise, does that count?
Monthly Foot Mileage - 0 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage - 0 miles
Mode Of Transportation To Work - My car
Monthly Marta Rides - 0

January Goals
1) Run no fewer than 50 miles
2) Ride Marta no fewer than sixteen times (eight round-trips)
3) Read at least one book

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Welcome back! Before you go any further, you may want to check out the most important piece of prose that has been written this year, yesterday’s ITP blog entry.

With this being a leap year I allowed myself one more day of gluttony. Of course yesterday was also Cheddarhead so it was easy to be gluttonous. It was another successful Cheddarhead in which I ran trail found love defended my bowling championship ate foods from strange lands.

ITP Flickr Pic
I decided to start the year out on a different foot.

Instead of making biscuits and gravy for the first breakfast of 2008 I made an egg, sausage, and cheese casserole. Looks delicious you say? You’re damn right it’s delicious! If I wasn’t still so full from yesterday I would have eaten a slice for breakfast today.

Cheddarhead: Love And Bowling Skill Take A Holiday
Finding a mate at Cheddarhead is not much different from trying to do so at a family reunion. However, considering that the pack size averages about 160 these days it’s a lot like belonging to a family with very low standards; and with it being January 1st one also hopes to swoop in on the wildebeest whose nursing a hangover or is equally ready to start the year out differently. Alas, the more things stay the same, the more things stay the same and what few wildebeest at which I charged were able to keep up with their pack and elude me.

Undaunted I approached the bowling alley with all intentions of defending my Cheddarhead championship. I may lack confidence in many areas, but being two-time Cheddarhead Champion is an honor for which any man can puff out his chest and walk with head-held-high. Yesterday proved not to be my day. I could not defeat the sticky lane approaches (my “style” requires a slippery surface, furthermore everyone had to deal with similar lousy conditions), nor could I overcome the identity crisis provided by bowling with a ball with “Mitch” (who the hell is Mitch?) engraved on it. Perhaps the worst part of losing my championship was that I did so to one of my arch-nemeses, Randy, and allowed the title of Cheddarhead Champion to travel out of state. Today I hang my head like a shameful Miss America.

I Went To George’s Last Night So That I Wouldn’t Have To Go Tonight
After bowling (no-longer-lurking) Lisa, (newly-crowned champion) Randy, and Vanessa Williams I went to George’s. We went to George’s because of its proximity to where we were bowling, the fact that its non-smoking, and that vegetarian fare could be obtained. What I failed to remember was that it would probably be filled with stupid-head UGA fans who were already happy because my Gators shit the bed against Michigan and their squad was ready to crush an over-matched bunch of Hawaiians.

I will not be there again tonight. because it’s going to be about twenty degrees outside. It’s not that I have no plans to exercise, it’s that I have no plans to go outdoors to exercise tonight. Besides, my half-marathon training starts next Monday so I have only have a few more days of procrastination.

btw- If you are interested in seeing the schedule I’ll be following in order to successfully prepare myself for the ING Georgia Half Marathon, look/subscribe to this Google Calendar.

Tonight I will most likely be scarce. I think my plans will involve being alone, staying at home, watching a movie and/or reading. And you know what? I’m fucking a-okay with that!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood - crushed to now be called “former-champion”
Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Cansei De Ser Sexy — “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex” (think “iPod commercial”)
Website Of The Day - If you are like me, you want all of your albums in iTunes to have album art. Since iTunes doesn’t have all album art, go fill out those empty slots by using Album Art.
Exercise (b)Log - negligible
Monthly Foot Mileage - 0 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage - 0 miles
Mode Of Transportation To Work - My car
Monthly Marta Rides - 0

January Goals
1) Run no fewer than 50 miles
2) Ride Marta no fewer than sixteen times (eight round-trips)
3) Read at least one book

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

Ah, now that 2007 is behind me I am starting fresh. I have huge plans for ‘08 and I want you, the single female population, to consider me as a viable candidate. Over the next few months I will be returning to daily workouts in preparation for the ING Half Marathon which will be held at the end of March. Now is your opportunity to strike (figuratively of course) and get in on the ground floor that is me, Paulie. My stock has never been more affordable, and for the right “buyer” there will be endless “profit.” I now return you to your regularly-scheduled blog.

For My Friends Who Cannot Get This Song Out Of There Head
I found it on the internet and wanted to share the lyrics

man: ooohhh, what is the malted liquor, what gets you drunker quicker, what comes in bottles or in cans…
men: BEER!

man: can’t get enough of it…
men: BEER!
man: how we really love it…
men: BEER!
man: makes me think I’m a man…
men: BEER!

man: I can kiss and hug it…
men: BEER!
man: but I’d rather chug it…
men: BEER!
man: got my belly up to here…
men: BEER!

man: I cannot refuse a…
men: BEER!
man: I could really use a…
men: BEER, BEER BEER!

men: BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER

drunk man: I cant remember how much I have had, I drank a twelve pack with my dad.
drunk father: (burp) that’s my son the drunken manly stud, I’m proud to call him my bud.
drunk man: here, have some pretzels
drunk father: no, I’ll call it quits, those things give me the Schlitz
drunken man: ha ha ha.

men: drink with your family, drink it with your friends
man: drink till your fat, stomach distends, beer, is liquid bread its good for you,
men: we like to drink till we spew, ew
men: who cares if we get fat
man: I’ll drink to that
man: as we sing once more…

man: what is the malted liquor, what gets you drunker quicker, what comes in bottles or in cans…
men: BEER!

man: can’t get enough of it…
men: BEER!
man: how we really love it…
men: BEER!
man: makes me think I’m a man…
men: BEER!

man: I can kiss and hug it…
men: BEER!
man: but I’d rather chug it…
men: BEER!
man: fill my belly up to here…
men: BEER!

man: golly I adore it, come on damn it, pour it, do it for me, brew it for me, feed it to me, speed it to me,
men: BEER!
man: the most wonderful drink in the world, hooray!

(Burp)

I knew that you wanted to learn the song too.

I Rang In 2008 With A Black And White Movie About A 1950’s Reporter
Last night I stayed at home — alone. The choice was mine.

Around 10:30pm I was on my third beer and I popped Good Night, And Good Luck into the DVD player. The movie ended around 12:01am. The beer ended sometime much earlier.

Hey, What Day Is It? CHEDDARHEAD DAY! That’s What Day It Is!
If you are an Atlanta hasher you have no doubt heard about Cheddarhead. In the nine years that I have been hashing I have missed two, once because a young lady who I was pursuing had a birthday on January 1st and I went to her instead (bad decision, although priorities were in order) and once because some good friends of mine got married in Boston on January 1st (btw- Happy Anniversary to Kevin and Christie!).

What is Cheddarhead you ask? This of it as “St. Patrick’s Day for Wisconsin-fleeing Atlantans.” Cheddarhead is a hash, but it is also so much more.

• Polka music? CHECK!
• Wisconsin beer? CHECK!
• Kringle? CHECK!
• (deep fried) Cheese curds? CHECK!
• Poutine? CHECK! (well, that’s really more of a Canadian delicacy but Wisconsin is awfully close to Canada)
• Bowling? CHECK!

What more could a person ask for?

If you are reading this prior to 1:30pm, race your ass over to Ansley Mall and look for the pack of ne’er-do-wells hanging around the Pier One end of the parking lot. Bring $10 and tell them that Wee Little Bit sent you. If you are an attractive, single female, ask them to point out Wee Little Bit and come and say “Hello.”

ITP Flickr Pic
I dug into the archives and pulled out this photo from January 1, 2001.

This is the essence of Cheddarhead. Now you know what to look for when you come out to play today.

At Least One New Thing For InsideThePerimeter For The New Year
When I went through a theme change last year (last year — I like the way that sounds) I dropped the “Walk In My Footsteps” section in the right-hand galley. Since that time I’ve been using Google Calendar to book my social life. I’ve created and will maintain a Google Calendar called “ITP Concerts” which you can subscribe to and reference if you’d like to. In order to do so just click on the Google Calendar icon that I’ve placed into the right-hand galley. Who knows, maybe some day I’ll be able to figure out how to add a tab to this Wordpress theme and then embed it here as well.

Themes And Resolutions
Last night I thought of a positive, pertinent theme for 2008. This morning I cannot remember what the hell it was. Oops.

Even though I missed the mark on many of my 2007 goals, I think that it was rewarding exercise so I am repeating it here.

2008: Measurable
1) Lose 20-25 pounds. This appeared on the 2005, 2006, and 2007 lists as well, at least I am consistent.
2) Run no fewer than two half-marathons (currently slated to be ING (Georgia: March); Atlanta Half (Georgia: November)).
3) Take at least one trip to a city that I have never visited before.
4) Start taking better notes so that I stop forgetting to add things to the blog, and thus stop beating myself up about forgetting to add things to the blog.

2008: Unmeasurable
1) Accept who I am.
2) Eat more Chinese food, just not at buffets.
3) Ride Marta again.
4) Spend fewer nights at home, but when I do make the nights I spend here enjoyable.
5) Take more photographs. In doing so become a “better” photographer.
6) Attempt to improve the lives of those I call friends and separate myself from those who I call enemies (perhaps that’s too strong a word).

2008: I’d Like To Resolve To Do, But Probably Won’t Happen
1) Either get a girlfriend or give up on the idea entirely.
2) Floss every day.
3) Put the past where it belongs, in the past.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood - empty and clueless, ready to be fulfilled
Current Music - none
Website Of The Day - There are rare occasions that I wished we never moved from New York. Go see how New Yorkers will spend New Year’s at NYC New Year’s.
Exercise (b)Log - nothing
Monthly Foot Mileage - 0 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage - 0 miles
Mode Of Transportation To Work - N/A
Monthly Marta Rides - 0

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]