I’m Suffering From A Case Of The Mondays
I had a good, albeit tiring weekend. Sit down before you read this…. I went OTP twice this weekend.
Read Along With Me
Today’s passage from Notes To Myself.
“All I want is to be loved.” — Wanting to be loved, to be lovable, is not really a desire for how I want to be, but for how I want others to be.
“I need your heart and your eyes and your ears and your touch and your words. I want you to see me and hear me and feel me and speak to me and love me.” But by giving what I want, I realize that I have what I thought lacked before.
To all who have helped me — Thanks.
Athens By Day: Mission Accomplished!
I awoke near the butt crack of dawn on Saturday for my day trip to Athens. I was out of the house around 6:00am, but that seemed not to matter much for my photography since the morning was nothing but a blanket of gray sky for most of the morning.
The words “vegan carrot ginger muffin” don’t come out of my mouth often. Therefore I was as surprised as you probably are when they did on Saturday morning as I ordered one at Big City Bread in Athens. The muffin and coffee were delicious and all I needed to supply my morning food needs. I also didn’t want to eat too much since I expected to find lunch in Athens later in the day.
I drove around Athens, a quaint little Southern city, seeing things I’ve only heard about in the past — 5&10, Georgia Theater, 40 Watt Club, the former Steverinos, Sanford Stadium, etc. I can easily see myself returning, especially since I bought tickets for two future concerts at the 40 Watt Club, just not on UGA game days.
After making my ticket purchases I decided to walk around downtown, but was quickly overwhelmed by the heat and humidity that was present on Saturday. Instantly lunch plans were ditched and the thought of sitting in an air-conditioned car for an hour or so seemed like a fantastic idea. I was back ITP by 1:00pm
Not Every Girl Is Driven Crazy By A Sharp-Dressed Man
A two-hour power nap was the medicine the doctor ordered on Saturday afternoon. After waking and showering I finally got around to trying on my suit and was pleased to find out that it fit, not perfectly mind you, but well enough for a wedding.
The wedding was nice, a smallish affair, held in an impressive location. The ceremony was held in the lobby (converted to an intimate setting) of Fernbank, and the reception was held amongst the dinosaur bones. My attempt to chat up the only single woman in which I had interest failed mightily. The only other woman who caught my eye was one of the wedding photogs, but I chose not to try and chat her up since she obviously had no taste — she was shooting with Canons. 
Okay, in reality I knew that she was there to do a job so I didn’t want to interrupt her while working.
I left after consuming my body weight in food and beer, and before the button on my trousers had the opportunity to fly off and put someone’s eye out.
When They Say “Lift With Your Legs, Not Your Back” They Fail To Remind You About Your Knees
Yesterday morning I was returning a couple of packages of roofing shingles to the utility room now that it had sufficiently dried after the leaking water bottle debacle. I’d say that the packages were on the order of thirty to thirty-five pounds and sitting on the floor. After hearing and repeating the phrase “Lift with your legs, not your back” I did a deep knee bend and lifted.
What no one ever reminds you is not to damage your knees when lifting with your legs. I tweaked my left knee nicely after hoisting the second package. Man this getting old thing really sucks.
ITP Flickr Pic
In Athens they feel compelled to point out this seemingly obvious fact.
I had to get one jab in about my trip to UGA territory.
Truth be told, I was happy to see that sign because it forced me to stop and enter the cemetery. I never knew that Athens was that old.
Rule Of Photography — “Always Be Ready”
Not once, not twice, but thrice this weekend I didn’t get “the shot.”
Saturday morning’s breakfast was more than photo-worthy but the camera was in the car… fat load of good it was doing out there.
Later in the morning I had a fantastic vantage point for photographing a hawk sitting in a tree after being chased by a mockingbird. I was literally fewer than twenty yards away from the bird. Sadly, I didn’t have a telephoto lens on me and the sky was flat gray, so the shot I wound up getting was rather pedestrian.
And finally, I made a beautiful sausage, egg, and cheese omelet for breakfast yesterday, but lacked any photogenic garnish and was super hungry, so I ate it without snapping a single shot.
Not quite as catchy as “Always Be Closing”, but “Always Be Ready” is something that I obviously need to remind myself of.
RealiTV Update: Next Food Network Star — And Then There Was Finally One
I didn’t get the opportunity to watch The Next Food Network Star last night, but I have it recorded. Sadly, I already knew the winner because I had read it in someone’s blog post who failed to include the standard “Spoiler” disclaimer.
I will probably try to watch the episode tonight even though I know Aaron wins the competition. Oh yeah, “Spoiler!”
If you remember last week’s RealiTV update I put Aaron as the long-shot to win. Obviously I have no right to go about setting odds.
Back To Variety, Once But Not Twice This Week
Tonight I’ll be at Variety Playhouse sans camera for the Wolf Parade show. I’ve decided that tonight’s show is going to be crowded and that I really don’t want to have to deal with fighting the crowd for photos.
I was planning on going to go back to Variety tomorrow night for the She & Him show (and there is still a slim chance that I still will) but I have a real busy end-of-the-week ahead of me and may need the night in. You’ll have to wait until week’s end to see what’s up with me — and unfortunately it’s got nothing to do with getting a new air conditioner.
And Finally, Happy Birthday Wishes
Former Atlanta resident, part-time ITP reader, and all around great friend Lisa “Cheese” is celebrating a birthday today! Here’s hoping that you get to have a celebratory beverage tonight somewhere in Raleigh.
And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Current Mood – okay, a bit bloated and my knee hurts however
Current Music – Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Morrissey — “Tomorrow”
Website Of The Day – Even with all of my efforts to de-clutter my house I can learn a thing or two from Getting Rid Of Things.
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Monthly Foot Mileage – 34 miles
Monthly Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Monday Morning Weigh-In – 197 pounds
Mode Of Transportation To Work – My car
Monthly Marta Rides – 0
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 6 (110)
Books To Read To Earn Kindle – 4
July Goals
1) Run/Walk no fewer than 75 miles
2) Ride no fewer than 150 road miles
3) Ride Marta no fewer than twenty times (ten round-trips)
4) Read at least two books
5) Make my bed every day
6) Relaunch www.JalapenoBeach.com
7) Keep track of how many days I use stairs over elevators
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
I 2nd the “getting old thing sucks”. Pulled my planteris tendon on Monday while, of all things, doing a flip off a low board. Felt like someone hit me in the calf with a baseball… and this after our 6 mile Sat.reci and BSH trail on Sunday… may have caused the tightness that caused the blowout, but I would’ve expected it in the Brer Rabbit briar patch I went through as I had had plenty of spring board practice at Rose’s Bday party! you can guess how much practice I got in for softball last night also…..
Hobbling sucks!
Ouch. One of my coworkers (also >40 yrs old) is still hobbling from a pickup basketball game he played last Wednesday.
“All I want is to be loved.”
Sounds a lot like Marty!
Marty and I rode bikes from Smyrna to Anniston this week-end on the Silver Comet/Cheif Ladiga Trails. Total mileage 220….now I don’t need to ride for a few months.
We saw a turtle, 2 snakes, a gaggle of buzzards, rabbits too numerous to even kept track of, a blue heron and a really cool hawk that flew down the trail in front of us. And then the usual assortment of farm animals, goats, chickens, cows, horses, a few dogs…….
Ate lunch in Cedartown going and coming. I wish I would have taken a photo of the taco I had ….. it was about the size of a sand dollar…gone in two bites….
Sounds like you had a busy week-end and I agree with you about Mondays…..
Sal, did you know that you are my hero? I have been thinking about that ride for years but have never attempted it. You (and I suppose Marty) rock!
The key to not hurting yourself is proper conditioning (insert bootcamp plug here). “Weekend warriors” are always the first to get hurt. Since my knee injury last year I’ve been more careful about doing stupid thing (well at least when it comes to working out), and while I’m not as old as you guys
I’ve found I don’t recover as quickly either.
While I still fall down (all the time) I’ve been pretty good about sprains, strains and pulled muscles.
oh and that first beer on Friday at the airport was really damn good…I think I made up two weeks of not drinking on Saturday night (so much so I didn’t have a drink after the 10 mile wheelhopper yesterday, which by the way was 20 miles).
Sal you are amazing…I want to be just like you when/if I grow up!!!
But who warms up to move two bundles of roofing shingles? I’m just sayin’. My mistake was bending too far in hopes of sparing my back. I’d be just as likely to hurt myself doing bootcamp these days as I would doing this sort of house work.
I heard about the Wheelhopper last night as I ate dinner with “I Know That Trick”, “Check My Bags”, and “Bag Of Tricks” up at their house in Roswell. (thanks again kids, I hope you like the photos when you receive them).
And for all your bitching and moaning about Alaska you wound up with some great photos. I’d love the opportunity to put a set together like the dumpster art you were able to photograph up there. And I am not joking!
Did you ever find out why there was no alcohol in Bethel?
ditto what Paulie said. Not sure we qualify for “weekend warrior” status for moving shingles and doing a flip that ends in the “mummy” to try and splash little kids! I had done umpteen other jumps, flips etc already… it just sucks… 4 weeks of hobbling to go!
Yeah!!!! And your turn is coming young lady!!!
(unless you are super-human like Sal…)
Some day you too will be 40!!! So there!!!
>you wound up with some great photos
thanks, that means a lot coming from you.
I was a little concerned about the photos, I couldn’t down load them while I was away and I didn’t really know if any where any good. I had already planned to beg you to help me photo shop any that could be saved. So I was pretty happy with what I got.
When I first saw all the dumpsters, I thought that getting a collection of them would be something you would do. I had a LOT of time to just wander around, looking for/at stuff and snapping photos. When the weather was nice, I took full advantage of the situation.
As for alcohol…well they use to allow it, at the time Bethel had about 3,000 people and they were arresting 20 or so a day on alcohol related crimes. Alcholoism is a really bad problem with some of the Native peoples. (My first day out I saw a guy passed out, face down in a marshy part of a park.)
I left WH befor circle started, I was beat. I got back in town Saturday morning, hashed, went out to dinner (the crabcakes at Vickery’s, YUM), Sunday caught up on things around the house and then rode to WH…I almost didn’t make it home on the bike, lol. Boot camp was really tough this morning.
LOL! I saw WH and I thought “She went to Waffle House?” LOL!
I suppose that makes sense for banning alcohol. I figured that they were trying to keep hashers away.
It was good to see you again, hopefully Bag O Tricks was a good model for ya! Looking forward to seeing the shots.
I love the Dead End on Cemetery street shot.
Happy birthday Cheese!
yes, but by the time I’m 40 you’ll be….(I’m in a good mood today so I wont post the math)!
We just had this conversation the other night…B is not happy about turning 50-4 (as he is now calling 46).
By the time you are 40 I will be older than I am today.
I don’t think I’ll take up on the Fifty-minus math, I will just be whatever age I am when I am that age. As of last week I am 43.
Sal- That sounds like a great ride. Sorry I’m not in shape (yet) for it. And I suppose the Mellow Mushroom in Anniston is calling their beer supplier this morning after you two got done.
I found a screw missing (wait for it..) on my left cycling shoe, which explains the knee pain I’ve been tolerating for the last few rides. I’ll get that fixed and be out to Anniston before you know it.
Now this public service announcement-
The Wilson 100 is just around the corner (Sept 7th) so go ahead and get your entry in. There are lots of shorter options beside the full 100 miles. I’m planning on the metric (62 miles) The On-After will be at JEFDSDR, just 15 miles from the finish. Pool ending!!
-FP
And Happy Birthday Lisa!!
Oooh, thanks for the reminder Steve. I’ll make sure to put it on my calendar now so that I don’t do something stupid like book a different trip that weekend.
*** UPDATE ***
Just mailed in my application. Since I didn’t have to choose a length, I will not commit to a distance yet. Assume I will either ride the 54 or the 65.
Thanks for the reminder, I’m in.
I’ll plan for the 65 (but we’ll see).
Martha, when is B turning 50-4? R is turning 50-4 in two months and although he seems OK with it, I haven’t been razzing him about it too much yet. (Figured I’d better get safely past my birthday first)
Also loved the dumpster art and was thinking: now THAT is an awesome idea! Why don’t we do that around here?
Happy birthday Cheese! (from another Cheese)
The Dead End on Cemetery Street is wicked cool. It reminds me that I did NOT get out to explore the cemetery I wanted to this weekend.
Oh well… next weekend, I suppose (if I’m on the ITP time scale of out-of-town photogrpay jaunts, I’m still ahead…) 
I’m glad everyone likes the “art”, I suffered a lot of strange looks taking those shots.
B’s Bday is in Sept, just 8 days after mine. I’m trying to convince him of a big birthday bash…I’m still working on it.
If you don’t want to get up at the butt crack of dawn for the Wilson, you are welcome to stay at the Day Spa the night before. Bring something for the grill and your mad domino skilz.
Please put my name on the register for Saturday, September 6th. I’ll come bringing grillin’ food, beverages, and mad domino skillz.
Woohoo, your prize for registering so early is a confirmed bed!
Thanks for the B-day wishes, yes I did get a birthday beverage or two. Overall it was good, though nothing like being serenaded @ 6am by 4 HUNKS! Who would have guessed that you have such a great voice? Today I woke at 5:56am to a rousing chorus of, “Mama, where are you?”! That’s why I love Randy:)
BTW, in college I did have an episode of the button flying off a pair of pants in front of a classroom of people. You were right to go home from the wedding before that happened, it was very embarassing!