Inside The Perimeter

Being a coder again I think that all counting starts at zero, therefore I’m declaring May 31st to be June 0th. But why?

What You See May Be Different From What I See
Some people say that I’m not fat, but the only opinion that really counts to me is mine. So as of today, June 0th, I’m on the warpath to drop some weight. If I’m successful then by month’s end my pants and shirts will fit better and that will lift my spirits immensely.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fat
Current Music – listening to the “LightSource” podcast
Mode Of Transportation To Work – It’s Sunday so no commute today!
Exercise (b)Log – nothing (yet)

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 7 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 22 (22)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 30
Marta Rides – 0

June Goals
- lose four pound… plain and simple

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]

It is widely believed that coding, much like writing music, is best left to the twenty-somethings. I’m about to try and shatter that notion. I guess it’s safe to officially announce that I am once again a full-time software developer — and loving it! I have always had a passion for software development and had been suppressing this passion for way too long.

A lot has changed since I put mind-to-algorithm, so I have a huge amount of learning to do in order to rule the world write good code. Wonder why I’ve not been on Twitter and Facebook? Not been going out to bars? Not dating? Not exercising regularly? Not writing interesting blog posts? In large part I’ve spending many hours reading, watching video lectures is “learning,” or more accurately attempting to learn, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, as well as relearning Java. Thankfully I already have a firm foundation in C and C++, as well as a fair understanding of Java, so life has not been overly frustrating of late.

Time To ‘Splain
A few weeks ago I started “Unfollowing” people on Twitter. The people that I “Unfollowed” were people with whom I was friends on Facebook so I knew that the majority of the information that they produced was duplicated, and I just don’t have the time to read updates twice these days. What I also knew is that there would be some backlash one people realized that I “Unfollowed” them. At last night’s Tweetup I found myself explaining this decision to more than one person who felt that I had slighted them by “Unfollowing” them. Social Networking can be so darned complicated…

ITP Flickr Pic
Nothing again. I promise that will change starting next week.

Dammants!
Well, this is one way that I can lose weight…

Before last night’s Tweetup I stopped at the East Atlanta Farmers Market and picked up two loaves of bread. I love locally-produced artisan bread, and managed to have two small chunks prior to going to bed.

I woke up this morning with the plan to split the bread, freeze some, wrap some in plastic to save it, and take some in to work for breakfast. Sadly, as soon as I picked up one of the loaves I noticed that there was a stream of black ants marching to and from the bread. Dangen! I don’t know about you, but once something like this happens I cannot fathom eating the bread, so I promptly threw out the loaves.

Other than providing nourishment for anteaters, what is the purpose of the black ant in the world? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Ich bin ein introvertierter
In one of yesterday’s comments I mentioned the “I Word,” no not “intercourse,” nor “iPod,” but rather “introvert.” Yes, it’s true I am an introvert, which probably explains why I try hard to express myself through this blog.

OH YEAH….
And for those of you partaking in tomorrow’s East Atlanta Beer Festival:

• Congratulations, it looks like the weather will be great
• Enjoy, but drink responsibly (unless you can stagger home)
• Wear sunblock. You will be outside in the bright sun for hours. Don’t wake up Sunday with a hangover and sunburn
• Have fun in my neighborhood and keep us in mind for your future drinking plans

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – good, but fat
Current Music – listening to the “Cranky Geeks” podcast
Website Of The Day – Who knows, once I relearn the computer technology that I’ve forgotten I’ll go back and relearn the things I learned in high school by going to Brightstorm.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 7 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 19 (19)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 27
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

Like all people, my life has its ups and downs.

I Love Receiving Money About Which I’ve Forgotten
Yesterday in the mail I received a check for $25 from MAC welcoming me to their family. I was thoroughly confused since I’ve been a born-again Apple user for nearly three years so I figured the “Welcoming Committee” was a bit tardy, until I remembered that this MAC is not the computer but the name of the company that manufactures flash remote triggers Pocket Wizards. The check is fulfillment of a rebate that I mailed back sometime in March and had completely forgotten about until yesterday.

I Must Learn That Little In This Life Is Set In Stone
I may be naive, but when I book flights at certain times I expect the airlines to honor their offering. My naivety is increased by my belief that if my plans are changed by the airline without consulting me that I should be compensated in the same way that they force me to compensate them when I chose to change my travel plans.

The other day I received notification from United Airlines that my return flight from Winnipeg had been changed and that my departure time would be three hours later than I had originally planned. Now, instead of arriving home at a respectable 7pm Eastern Daylight Saving Time, my scheduled arrival time is 10pm EDT. Dangen!

Has this happened to anyone? Should I be able to demand some for of compensation for the inconvenience thrust upon me?

ITP Flickr Pic
Nothing.
Again.

Putting A Damper On My Future Plans
As many of you know, every time I travel I’m looking for the place that I want to move next. In many ways Atlanta has not produced the “future” I wanted, and I think I may want to live somewhere else before I die (or get too old to enjoy life).

Yesterday I saw Kiplinger Magazine published this year’s “Best Cities In America” list:

1. Huntsville, Alabama
2. Albuquerque, New Mexico
3. Washington D.C.
4. Charlottesville, Virginia
5. Athens, Georgia
6. Olympia, Washington
7. Madison, Wisconsin
8. Austin, Texas
9. Flagstaff, Arizona
10. Raleigh, North Carolina

Well, let’s see… I’ve already lived in Huntsville; Austin was the other town I thought about moving to when I left Huntsville in 1995, so it’s obviously jumped the shark; I’ve no desire to live in DC; Madison gets far too much snow and cold; Athens? Nah, it’s worse that Atlanta (imho); Virginia? Well, it is for lovers…; I loved Flagstaff when I visited there a few years ago, but it’s expensive and this list isn’t going to help that; Olympia seems like it’s a Microsoft town; I have great friends who live in Albuquerque and Raleigh so they could be possibilities…

So of those ten only two seem like viable options for me — and all this list is going to do is raise the cost of living over the next five years. I guess I’ll just have to keep on traveling.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay
Current Music – listening to the “Net@Night” podcast
Website Of The Day – BookCrossing is an interesting site which tracks books’ travels around the globe. If you find a book with a BookCrossing id you should log it on their site.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 7 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 18 (18)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 26
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

During my life I’ve started no fewer than ten bands. And by started I of course mean “thought of names for bands in which I’d like to play,” because not only have I never had enough musical talent to be a part of a band, I am way too old now.

“The Creatures Of Habit” is the latest band name I’ve conjured, mostly because it’s an apt description of myself. And having said that I tried two new things last night…

Duds And Suds
I tried a new laundromat last night! With the exception of the ass-clenching traffic which snarls North Druid Hills Road between Briarcliff and Clairmont the decision to try out the laundromat in Toco Hill Shopping Center was a good one (and of course, with the size of Toco Hill I’m almost surprised that there is only one laundromat in that shopping center).

The laundromat is small, but clean. I managed to swing three differently sized washing machines costing me a total of $7.25 and have all of my wash done in about forty-five minutes.

While waiting on my clothes to cleans I wandered next door to Toco Giant Package Store where I rung up almost $30 in beer purchases, including two 22-ounce bottles of Fat Tire.

I’m thinking that this laundromat may give the one next to Buddy’s a run for its money, at least for a little while.

I Could Have Used The Phrase “Pass The Poi”
That is if any of us had actually ordered poi at Waikiki BBQ. I arrived early (because I couldn’t get an dryers and time was running low), so I initially parked in the parking lot across the road from Waikiki BBQ and browsed inside of Tuesday Morning. For some reason I decided that I should drive across the street (Hey, my ancestors fought the Nazis so that I wouldn’t have to cross Briarcliff on foot!), and of course my laziness was mildly punished when the key fought me when I tried to remove it from the steering column. Since blogging about my car nightmares back in February this issue has arrived sparingly, but still frustrates me each time it does; I guess that it could thusly be called a “nagging condition.”

Once inside the restaurant things got a lot better. First, I was not the only one to arrive, in fact I was one of four Flickrites who ventured out for dinner. I ordered an appetizer of flatbread with a curry dipping sauce (I advise you not to do the same), a delicious Hawaiian BBQ combo (containing short-rib, some other spiced beef, ham (spam?), white rice, and for some reason macaroni salad), and a Sweetwater 420. For dessert I ordered (another) Sweetwater 420 and a platter of sweet plantains. Overall the night was a success as each of us seemed pleased with what we had ordered (with the exception of the flatbread). I can see myself stopping in for dinner on nights where I leave the office late and drive home down Briarcliff Road.

ITP Flickr Pic
I have nothing today…

It’s a darned good thing that I’ll be taking a photography workshop in a couple of weeks because I’m supremely frustrated with my photographic work. Last night I reviewed and completely deleted the two dozen shots that I took last weekend of my burgeoning planter garden. Most shots were “okay,” but “okay” is not good enough for me any longer.

I’m Swimming In A Sea Of Acronyms
And loving it! Although I’ve yet to become the proficient PHP and CSS/HTML developer I desire to become I am waddling on my way toward that achievement. The realization of how much I’ve missed software development was a correct one. I only hope that I can kick the rust and cobwebs from my brain quickly so that I can be doing some real development work again soon.

Rumor Has It I’ll Be At The EARL tonight
For some reason I submitted my name for a free ticket for tonight’s free Dead Confederate show at The EARL. I usually know better than to go to a free show because it always draws a packed house with whom I get frustrated, but it’s been a little while since I’ve seen Dead Confederate perform and rumor has it they are recording a live EP tonight.

I think my plan for the evening is to show up at The EARL camera-less and shortly before Dead Confederate is to take the stage. If I get “lucky” by that time the room will have reached maximum capacity and I will be refused admission. If not you’ll certainly be hearing about the show tomorrow.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – frustrated for many reasons
Current Music – listening to “The News From Lake Wobegon” podcast from last weekend
Website Of The Day – Believe it or not I’ve been interested in gardening for some time. I blame Mel Bartholomew’s clean and organized plan called Square Foot Gardening for my obsession.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 7 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 17 (17)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 25
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

Dammit! I should have done laundry yesterday but I was too lazy. It’s not like I didn’t have all day yesterday, especially since I completely forgot about the morning bike ride I had agreed to do.

Ten Years And Counting
I went to last night’s Atlanta Moonlight Hash to celebrate my ten year anniversary of hashing. As expected the trail was short (approximately two miles), relatively easy (only two small spots in which we had to get wet and dirty), and was followed by beer and pizza.

To my surprise, I was not called out for my anniversary nor for the fact that it’s been forever since I ran a Moonlight hash, even though the person who is mostly responsible for my becoming a hasher was handing out the down-downs last night.

It felt good to run a Monday night hash, although most of the faces have changed, but I don’t see myself going back often because it’s too much like running.

Thinking Of Trying A New Laundromat Tonight
If I could put off doing laundry for one more night I certainly would. Tonight I am going to try and meet up with a group for Flickrites for dinner at Waikiki Hawaiian Barbecue on Briarcliff Road near LaVista Road (where Briarcliff intersects near Whole Foods / Mellow Mushroom / Thai Chili) at 7pm.

In order to allow myself this pleasure I need to have run my laundry through the wash, if not a drier as well. To do this I need to find a new (to me) laundromat because it’s not feasible for me to drive all the way to midtown to do laundry and then return to the Emory area.

I’ve located a laundromat in Toco Hill Shopping Center (I could also visit the Toco Giant Package Store for some Fat Tire while there), but am open to suggestions as well. Anyone know of a decent laundromat near the Briarcliff / LaVista area?

ITP Flickr Pic
What I did over the holiday weekend.

With the exception of running two hashes this is all I have to show for my long weekend. I learned how to make a triptych using Lightroom. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that I now know how to do this, it’s just that I feel like I should have been far more productive.

Look Who’s Been On Vacation From Social Networking
On Friday night I read my Twitter and Facebook updates, and then decided to take a break. I vowed not to return until today and so far have held true to that vow. At first it was difficult, much like kicking any addiction, but right now I’m okay with it all. I’ll be back, but for the time being I’m now enjoying the break.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay, settling in to my new surroundings
Current Music – silence at the moment until I get motivated
Website Of The Day – Ten years known as “Wee Little Bit” you’d think that I’d have jumped on the idea of Wee Web — it’s a site for parents with little ones. I do own Wee Little Bit — not that I’ve done anything with it.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – stair climbing, six flights of stairs

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 7 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 16 (16)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 25
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

I’m Falling Apart — Literally
After returning home from yesterday’s Black Sheep Hash I lost a toenail for the first time. Well, I didn’t really “lose” it, it fell off my toe. I can’t say that I was too surprised, as it had turned an off color after running this year’s snow hash. On that day I knew that my toe felt funny as I drove to the hash, but failed to do anything about it. I should really learn to follow my instincts better.

My toe was not the only casualty from the day’s activities. At about 7pm I laid down on the couch, and in a matter of moments I was asleep. I pretty much slept on the couch the entire night. So much for being productive last night.

ITP Flickr Pic
I threw my first party at my current residence on May 22, 1999. On that night I hung a big piece of brown paper and wrote “BE A PART OF HISTORY, SIGN YOUR NAME HERE” on it.

This piece of paper has been in my basement for ten years now and reminds me of better days. Sadly I’ve lost touch with just about everyone who signed this paper.

Nearly Ten Years Ago
When I moved into the house in 1999 I was looking for a local running group. Yes, back then I ran regularly and not-to-shabbily I might add. The Wendy who signed the above sign was the person who explained to me what a “hasher” was. This occurred when I mentioned one night that I was a member of the Atlanta Track Club, to which she replied “You? I figured you to be more of a hasher.”

Little did I know that on one night I’d run into a hasher (for those keeping score at home it was “Catamite”) at Gravity Pub. The hash was to have a happy hour on the Friday night that week (it was the Friday night before “Hedon”) and I was encouraged to show up. On that Friday night I was discouraged and just about to leave when I was invited to join in a game of darts by “Whiner,” who was there with “MC Hasher,” “Bunny Banger,” and “Sanitary Not.” A few beers later I was convinced to show up on the following Monday night at the Publix on Memorial Drive just outside the perimeter.

I don’t remember much about the hash that night. I do remember that I didn’t know to bring a change of clothes, however. I also remember being in a crowd of people listening to a conversation between Ultra Pastorized (a Unitarian pastor) and Goldie Locks, during which I unfortunately witnessed Goldie Locks pulling his shorts down to show of the pen work that someone had applied to his buttocks at the Hedon campout. At that moment I thought to myself “Huh, I didn’t expect that… but I’m not offended. I can hang with these people.”

I showed up for my first Atlanta Hash on the following Saturday, at which I met my friend and Moreland Day Spa proprietor Steve, who would be named five Atlanta Hashes later “Fag Pipes.”

And as Paul Harvey used to say…. “Now you know the rest of the story.”

I’ll be at tonight’s Atlanta Moonlight Hash to celebrate my tenth analversary of hashing. For this I am sure that I will most certainly going to have to do a down-down.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – a bit meh
Current Music – listening to a NPR podcast
Website Of The Day – This is a website dedicated to the band Ten Years After. I just couldn’t help myself.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – no work today!
Exercise (b)Log – hashing, about five miles. I wonder when the poison ivy will hit me.

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 5 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 15 (15)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 24
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

TGIFBATDW = Thank God It’s Friday Before A Three Day Weekend.

Hanging In The Hood
I met up with ITP-Reader “Martha” and her beau Jerry last evening at East Atlanta’s The Glenwood. Since I’ve stopped running and have been missing hashes due to many reasons I’ve lost touch with many of the ITP-Readers that I know IRL.

As I drove to the hood I saw ominous grey skies. However, I was happy to find that the rain had yet to start, the warm-weather weekly East Atlanta Farmers Market was still going, a bread seller was still there (I bought a loaf of country white and a loaf of pretzel bread), and that I scored a sweet parking space on Glenwood (huzzah for parallel parking skills!).

At The Glenwood I ate the night’s dinner special, blackened chicken tenderloin served over what could best be described as mac and cheese made with bowtie pasta and sprinkled with bleu cheese. Ahhhhh, health food! (okay, seriously, I need to start thinking a little more before I order.) After a few beers and conversation I ended the night with a mac-daddy espresso. The night was not cheap, but was quite relaxing so well worth it.

A Forgotten Thursday WTF!?
Yesterday morning I stopped at Einstein Bros Bagels in order to grab some coffee and a bagel. Imagine my surprise when I saw people running by wearing race numbers.

It was a Thursday morning and there was no holiday / event to which I could associate a race/run. WTF?

Will Get Woot! Again!!!
Well, I’ve gone and done it again. Yesterday I placed another order with Woot! Wine. This time I’ve ordered three bottles of 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon one each from three of Wellington Vineyards’ different vineyards. The price this go ’round was $55 plus the $5 for shipping.

Hey, don’t I have an expensive plumbing repair? Yeah, fuck it! I’m going to live it up while I can.

ITP Flickr Pic
New environment set up. The Soundgarden and Jewel Launch Interactive Magazines are from around 1995. I uncovered them in my bookcase upon moving.

When I first started this job in 1996 we used to have MTV and MTV2 playing in our lab constantly. At that time Jewel was a fan favorite and there was a running joke that she was on the tv every time we entered the lab.

It’s The Economy Stupid!
I received my annual property tax assessment from Dekalb County yesterday. The verdict? According to the tax assessor my house is worth about $27,000 less this year than it was last year. W00t! Wait. W00t? At least my tax bill will be lower this year.

Have A Great Memorial Day Weekend Y’All Yous Guys
Ah, three-day weekends….. How I love you so. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the Atlanta area for this weekend looks a bit sketchy again, but I’m not going to let that keep me from going to Sunday’s Black Sheep hash, as well as Monday’s Atlanta Moonlite Hash to celebrate my tenth hashing analversary.

Whatever you wind up doing please do it safely. Too many people get injured on three-day weekends thanks to irresponsible drinking and driving (boating/motor cyling/gun firing/etc).

I’ll have a post up on Monday if you are around, if not, I look forward to interacting again on Tuesday.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – I have a hunger for learning. Must. Find. Time. To. Learn.
Current Music – listening to “The Typical Shutterbug” podcast
Website Of The Day – NSFW, but a lot of fun (at least for me, and ITP-Reader Betsy if she reads today) Gordon Ramsay Swears At You
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) – 12 (12)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 21
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

I think spacial downsizing will be a common thread in my life for a while. It’s happening in one of the areas about which blog posts are never written, and eventually it will happen with my house.

I brainstormed a lot about the house yesterday and came to no final conclusion. However, I may have struck upon another option that, while expensive, would be cheaper than the most expensive option proposed thus far.

And enough about plumbing, at least until the good news of it being fixed is announced. And don’t fret that the downsizing applies to this blog. Admittedly today’s post is brief, but it’s only because I have so much to do this morning. I have plenty of quality material lined up for tomorrow, and for a bonus post on Monday.

My Word Of The Day Is “Focus”
I’m doing some transitioning (no, not that type of transition) in my life and it’s time that I define on what really matters and focus on it. It’s a simple concept to comprehend, but one I’ve had difficulty mastering.

ITP Flickr Pic
The vegetable (or fruit in the case of tomatoes) plants are doing well, although with the exception of the basil and parsley none are producing edible goods. I know, this is expected, and besides without a functioning kitchen what would I do with them?

This is also further proof that the Topsy Turvy™ grow-your-tomatoes-upside-down planter is bunk.

It Takes A Village To Make Me Go Out Drinking
In days of yore Thursday night meant “dart night at Gravity Pub.” I miss those nights, but honestly know that that they can never happen again because all of the participants have moved on in life.

I’ll be at The Glenwood in East Atlanta for dinner and drinks (Martha, if you are skipping the volunteer meeting and want to meet up then let me know what time). It’s long-past time that I go out in my neighborhood again — and tonight I plan on checking out The Glenwood’s non-smoking section. Woot!

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – on a scale of 0-9, a 3
Current Music – silence
Website Of The Day – You say “Lego.” I say “Meh.” You say “Frank Lloyd Wright.” I say “Yeah.” You say “Lego Architecture Including Plans For Some Of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Signature Buildings.” I say “I. Want. NOW!” (sadly, they are not available just yet however)
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) – 11 (11)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 20
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

(kidding)
_sorta

Things went about as badly as they possibly could have yesterday. All of my fears were realized and and at least one more was introduced. Yippee!!! As if there weren’t nearly enough things wrong with my life! I never thought the decision I made to purchase this house ten years ago would haunt me so. I’ve passed my wit’s end. I don’t think rationally any longer.

I’m not trying to be a downer, but let’s just say that yesterday will never make my list of “Best Days Ever!”

Cut And Run?
That’s the decision I’ll be making in the near future. What is “important” in my life? I plan to work a lot more because I love to code. I plan to spend time at home getting rid of “things.” I plan to make decisions which will radically alter the days that exist from now until I pass.

I’ve learned a lot — like I’m not sure that I ever want to own another house, or at least I’ve learned many things which will be “deal breakers” if the time to buy another house ever arises again.

If there is a positive in all of this, I’m not upside-down on my loan. I could possibly sell it and make a few bucks (not much, mind you), but at the moment I see no living alternative that I think is fiscally responsible for me.

Looks like it’s a life of eating out and laundromats for Paulie for the foreseeable future.

ITP Flickr Pic
One of the few things going well at my house.

If only I had a functioning kitchen in which I could make pesto.

And now for something better, even if it began because of a bad thing…

If You Are A Cyclist Who Wants A Ride Tonight For A Good Cause
Tonight is the annual Ride Of Silence which is a slow-paced ride to make awareness of cyclists who have been killed or seriously injured while riding on public roads.

This year’s Atlanta group will be riding from Piedmont Park at 7pm and is being organized by my friend Maigh (where she finds the time to do everything that she does I’ll never figure out).

If things were different in my life right now I’d be there tonight. However, I plan on putting in a few extra hours of work tonight to start making up for yesterday.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – shitty, worn out, confused, wanting life to be “normal” — like everyone else’s, tired of being shat upon, ready to become a workaholic again in order to forget about my troubles
Current Music – silence
Website Of The Day – Say you are sitting in the theater and you feel like you have to pee… Pull up Run, Pee to figure out the best time to go so that you don’t miss any action.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – does worrying, fretting, cursing, asking why so many bad things happen to one’s self count?

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 10 (10)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 19
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]

This morning finds me still at home, waiting for a plumbing company (All City Plumbing) to call me at 8am. Hopefully they will be able to come over, assess the damage, and provide me with a reasonable estimate and timeline for a repair. I’ll probably try to get a second estimate before having the work done, but I’m really anxious to get this house back to being a “fully functional” house so that I can use it as I pay for it, and someday dream of selling it.

[Update at 8:20am] Damn, the plumbers won’t be able to make it here until sometime after lunch today. Now what to do? If my office were nearer I’d hop in the car and head into the office until 1pm and then head home. But is it really worth driving all the way to Perimeter Mall just for about four hours of work?

Mow, Mow, Mow, The Lawn, Gently In The Breeze
I had two options last night

1. Rush home, repair the chainsaw, tackle some of the bushes in the front of the house
2. Rush home, mow the front and back lawn

I went with option #2, and miraculously managed to also get the chainsaw chain back in place last night so that I can either tackle the bushes either tonight or tomorrow depending on what time I head to the office today.

In addition to all of that nonsense I managed to spray some weed killer, kill an ant infestation in my garbage, and clear out some of the junk in the utility room so that the plumbers can look at the pipe.

And yet I still ended the night depressed, mostly because of all of the unfinished business in my life. Dangen.

Money Comes In, Money Goes Out
After mowing the lawn I strolled to the mailbox and found that it contained a check from the Federal Gubment. Yep, two months after sending in my tax forms my Federal Income Tax refund has arrived, and just in time to put it in the bank so that I can write a check to the plumber, the guy I’m hiring to fix and paint my soffit as well as repair my gutters, and the credit card companies that allow me to buy the additional raw materials needed to keep this house from caving in on itself.

Calgon, take me away!

ITP Flickr Pic
When in Denver I met Antonia Lofaso (from Top Chef: Chicago) after she did a cooking demo.

Little did I know that I would also be able to walk away with an autographed apron.

Household Tip: Air Circulation Is Good
Last night after cooking dinner (nothing fancy, I just heated up a couple of sausages) I decided to clean out my cast iron cookware. I fired up the burners to cook off the little bit of food stuck to my surface so I could re-oil the surface.

If you plan to do something like this, you may want to be smart than I was… You should open windows and/or doors, and turn on fans so that the smoke generated doesn’t activate your smoke detectors. At least I know that (some of) my smoke detectors work, right?

Watching The World Get Older
I’m back from a five minute break during which I got some (strong) coffee that I’ve brewed and watched, with marvel, some young mockingbirds. From their appearance and awkward maneuvering I gathered that the two birds who chose my deck on which to land were fairly young. Balance, preen, squawk, fly a few feet, and repeat. And then an adult mockingbird arrived with a mulberry plucked from one of my backyard trees and fed it to the young.

The light was beautiful and the interactions were things that I’ve never witnessed at such close range. Now, if only my camera had been handy…

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – pensive really nervous and hating my house because if it’s not one thing it’s something else; wishing I had breakfast.
Current Music – listening to Leo Laporte’s “The Tech Guy” podcast
Website Of The Day – Some days I think I should give up, knock down my house, and put up a Dwelling Shed.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car (planned)
Exercise (b)Log – yard work

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 9 (9)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 18
Marta Rides – 0

May Goals
Whoops, I didn’t even consider this. Perhaps something will be here on Monday.

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]