Some Posts Write Themselves
This is not one of them.
No Really, Thank You Hulu
I had no idea that there was a new episode of The Office “aired” on Sunday night, and with no dvr to magically record it for me I was feeling a bit screwed. Sure, I knew that iTunes would have it (but refuse to pay $1.99 for a television episode) and I knew that Hulu would have it… eventually. Who knew that Hulu would have it on Monday morning? Not me! But they did. And I watched it. And there was much rejoicing.
If Not For Attempting To Eat Vegetarian I Would Have Eaten A Child
I left work some time after 6pm. My main goal was to get some dinner and since I had eaten vegetarian up to that point I decided to close the day out that way. In my work neighborhood a few veghead options exist, my two favorite being Willy’s Mexicana Grill and Sweet Tomatoes. I chose the latter. I made a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, the food at Sweet Tomatoes was fine (although $10 seemed steep).
I should have turned around and exited Sweet Tomatoes the second I entered and heard the noise. It was as if I had entered a Chuck E. Cheese (what’s the modern-day equivalent? Gymboree?). Kids playing. Many kids playing. Ugh. But, I had my mind set on salad so I entered. The place was literally three-quarters filled with families, all having a good time, all with the same right as me to be in Sweet Tomatoes. I admit it was my decision to dine there, and I accept responsibility for my decisions.
ITP Flickr Pic
This is a shot from Sunday’s Chinese New Year’s celebration in Chamblee.
Knee Jerk Reaction
My knee is bugging the shit out of me. It’s still my left knee, and it’s the inside of the knee that is acting up.
The pain seemed to return last week when, in a small effort to get some exercise, I started climbing the six flights of stairs to my office instead of using the elevator. By Friday I was experiencing pain. The pain is not constant, but on occasion I twist my knee the wrong way, or do a deep knee bend, and experience pain.
I Have Identified The Enemy
And the enemy is me.
More specifically the enemy is me eating food.
More specifically the enemy is me eating too much food.
More specifically the enemy is me eating too much food all the fucking time!
I write these sentences as a reminder to myself today to stop eating so much goddamn food. I am not going to die if I don’t shove grub down my gullet, in fact I might live longer if I stop being such a glutton!
There, I feel better.
Upgrade Time
In addition to working on the house in 2009 (which reminds me, I’m in need of someone who has some electrical chops for some fairly simple work that I am going to chose not to do myself perhaps) I am upgrading a lot of things in my life.
I’ve tightened up the Stats & Goals section of the blog in order to convey the same information in a more compact format.
I am upgrading my home network in order to provide a more pleasurable media viewing experience for yours truly.
And I am again trying to upgrade my computer programming skills. This may be the toughest upgrade of the year.
Happy Birthday Bro!
My brother doesn’t read this, so I can safely announce that he turns sixty today. Six. Zero. Shit, that makes me feel old.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – strange
Current Music – listening to last week’s “Sound Opinions” podcast
Website Of The Day – I should probably put my money where my mouth is keystrokes are by making a pledge at Pledgehammer.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 3 (3)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 1
Marta Rides – 0
February Goals
- Complete all necessary work on my bed room
- Lose no fewer than one pound
- Run no fewer than 30 miles
- Completely read Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers, and Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas
2009 Goals
- Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
- Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
- Earn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalapeño Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Attend at least one professional photography workshop
The Unmeasurable
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
- Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Yeah, I went to Sweet Tomatoes for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I had read good things and I had some friends visiting from Nashville that wanted to go. Chuck E Cheese just about describes it. The food was fine, but just fine. The kids didn’t really get in my way or anything, but… it wasn’t what I expected. Kind of like lining up at the trough… I don’t think I’ll return.
Hulu had a good commercial during the Superbowl too. The Office was good , I haven’t felt they have been all that funny this year. It used to make me laugh out loud, not very often this season. And – you would have missed the last 10 minutes using your DVR, of course the football game ran late. (I did plan ahead and Tivo’d the news, so I could see the end of the show).
Hey – have you ever watched Big Bang Theory? It is my new favorite sitcom, it does makes me laugh out loud every episode.
I’m used to The Office not being drop-dead funny all of the time. I assume that they are setting up plots.
No, I’ve never watched Big Bang Theory. I’ve seen commercials for it, but I have little desire to get sucked in to another show.
There is a list of recommened electricians on the Ormewood Park board, I can see if I can find it for you. I’ll probably be calling one of them to get some outdoor lighting installed, if that goes well I’m sure I’ll have additional projects.
As for the knee, all I can say is strength training, ice and Aleve…mine has been bothering me, every now and then, it makes me very nervous when it starts to act up 4 miles into a 19 mile run. So far I’ve been able to run through the issue and take extra care afterwards.
Cool, please let me know. I want to install a new electrical circuit in the house on which I want to plug in my basement a/v equipment and projector.
Hey Paulie — what’s so special about Sweet Tomatoes that would attract families with kids? Do they have an indoor climbing gym? Free beer for the parents? Brenan and I are always looking for other options besides Dakota Blue in Grant Park (and if you hated your Sweet Tomatoes experience then don’t ever go to Dakota Blue between 6 and 8 PM )
Missed your Super Bowl party this year — it felt like something was missing!
Hey Beth, actually I spent the Super Bowl with one of Maggie’s old classmates, Jack Borse.
Paulie, do you know if you have space in your box for another circuit? I’m sending you an email with 3 guys now.
@Beth: It seemed to be some sort of outing. It appeared that many of the families knew each other. That’s the only thing I can assume as Sweet Tomatoes has not arrangement for children otherwise.
@Martha: If memory serves me right my circuit box has openings, whether or not I have reached my service’s capacity may be another matter.
Paulie — must be an OTP thing!
Martha — no way! How do you know the Borse’s? I’ve been meaning to get in touch with them to arrange a play date. Maggie and Jack have the same birthday and were in daycare together until I got the job at Decatur. Maggie used to bite Jack but I think she’s matured
Maybe Maggie “liked-liked” Jack. Same birthday? Just think of the birthday-sex they could have in the future. What, have I gone too far again? Okay, I’ll go sit in the corner for a while.
Nicole mentioned that Maggie was a little ‘rough’ with Jack, lol.
Nicole was one of my bootcamp instructors, they just live on the other side of Grant Park. I must have mentioned hashing one day and she asked me about you guys, I kept forgetting to mention it when I see you.
Sunday was ‘kids’ day for me, there was the big ‘kick ball in the park’ party Sunday morning/afternoon, Nibbles was a kid magnet, and there were kids running all around the super bowl party, the 3 of us without children spent the evening in a room by ourselves.
Paulie — I’ve been hashing too long because I didn’t think those comments were offense one bit!
Martha — oh yeah, I think I knew about the boot camp connection but we haven’t been at the same daycare since last June so I don’t see them regularly anymore. Maybe we shouldn’t have started Maggie hashing at 6 weeks old because she certainly is the tomboy. She can climb the fence at her new daycare and open the gate. I wonder who taught her to climb fences LOL!
Beth: “I wonder who taught her to climb fences…”?- I resemble that remark!
Martha: Do your electricians venture outside the Grant Park area? If so we need someone to install an outdoor light at our “storage unit” in Capitol View. It’s not that I’m lazy or incapable — I just have better things to do with my time.
Paulie: How’s it goin? Thanks for letting us hijack your blog.
Brenan, since we are “facebook friends”, I posted a list for you there.
No worries Brenan, I consider this blog a conduit for information to be used by my friends.
re: the knee – GO TO THE DOCTOR. An old friend (and pro athlete) friend of mine used to say “you shouldn’t know your knees are there”. All the ice, rest and Alleve in the world aren’t going to fix an actual injury that stairs caused to flare up. Sounds like your IT band and you shouldn’t eff around with that. They may just give you stretches, not crutches, but I assure you: they will help if you do them. I repeat: go to the doctor.