If only I had done some…
This weekend I wrote a lot of code (that shit makes me happy) while worrying about my slow recovery from February’s cycling accident (that shit makes me unhappy). I think that I am still making progress it’s been seven weeks and my hip still pops and hurts when I make a misstep.
My Productivity Occurred Indoors
After waiting out the nasty storms at Taco Mac (of course) on Friday night I drove the Jackmobile home; it didn’t leave my driveway for the remainder of the weekend. Instead I stayed at home and in addition to writing code I listened to a lot of podcasts as well as gathered things which will be toted off to Goodwill later this week. Oh, and I watched a movie — Jack Goes Boating — which, for as much as I love Philip Seymour Hoffman and the woman who played Holly on “The Office” (Amy Ryan), I can’t recommend. The movie was slooooow. Think of it as “Rocky” without the boxing. If you’ve seen “Jack Goes Boating” I’d love to read what you think of it.
Lack Of ITP-Flickr Pics
It’s been seven weeks and the things that remain constant are hurt, concern, and a lack of creative drive to do any photography. Actually the latter has lasted longer as tonight I’ll be skipping the Roswell Photographic Society photo critique for the fourth consecutive month.
I did spend some time validating my belief that the shots I took last Wednesday night of the Polder thermometer reading over 150 F when its probe was submerged into ice water were crap though.
Something’s Wrong With This Scenario
While working around the house yesterday I decided to crank up my old stereo and listen to the Mets v. Braves game on the radio (how 1950’s of me!). As had happened the last time I tried this recently, the game played for a few minutes before I lost signal and silence prevailed. Apparently the radio signal inside my house is terrible (or have the radio stations gone digital? ;)) because scanning the FM dial produced no more than ten stations. I know that radio listenership has declined in the past decade, but I’m certain that more than ten FM stations remain in this city. The AM dial results were even worse!
So, being no more than four miles from Turner Field I resorted to listening to the game over the internet using the MLB iOS app (love it!), and since I am a Mets fan I listened to the New York broadcast (love it even more!). It’s been some time since I’ve heard commercials for PathMark and White Castle.
This has not been a good year to be a Mets fan. This weekend didn’t help that either as the Mets dropped a double-header on Saturday (they made up for Friday night’s rainout) to the Braves. Luckily for me I listened to the one game of the series that the Mets managed to win. I actually considered going to the game, but my desire to remain at home was too great.
RealiTV Update: The Amazing Race – I’m Feeling Peckish
I wasn’t sure that I could dislike Team Goths Gone Wild any more, and then I watched last night’s episode of The Amazing Race. Seriously, they cannot get eliminated soon enough for me.
Wait a minute, did one of Team Trotter just urinate in public on a building? That’s not an The Amazing Race penalty? Wow, if that’s so he’s lucky not to have gotten arrested, never mind eliminated from The Amazing Race. Really? Did I see that correctly?
While I really like Team Noun I have to wonder how many times they can make questionable decisions like being the only team to willingly take a flight which lands thirty minutes after all of the other teams. I understand that the chance of delay was greater for the other teams, but if you are all on the same flight you all get delayed the same amount of time. Wild chances like that should be saved for the final leg, dudes.
I know that I could eat my portion of that meal in twelve minutes. That shit looked tasty. I might have to travel to Vienna just to eat that. Who’s with me!?!?
I’m okay with Team Assburger winning this leg. I’m less okay with the constant in-your-face product placement that has become the norm in television. Hey everybody, let’s get into this Ford Focus (which apparently doesn’t have a navigation system which can give you directions to Schloss Strassburg) and use the fancy-pants reverse camera system. Boy I sure do love this Ford Focus. I hope I don’t spill my Amazing Race-flavored Snapple while we zip around in this 2012 Ford Focus, because if I do I might shit my 100%-cotton Fruit of the Loom underwear.
The hills are alive, with the sound of elimination….
Wait. What?
DAMN YOU AND YOUR NON-ELIMINATION STAGES!!! I can’t take much more of Mallory. There is nothing overly-aggravating about her, but she’s a lot like my nagging pain and discomfort which bugs me constantly.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay though I’m scared about my hip
Current Music – listening to the latest “Typical Shutterbug” podcast
Website Of The Day – Maybe I’ll start reading Learn Food Photography for inspiration.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – not checking at the moment
Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 0 (0)
Vegetarian Days – 3
Carnivorous Days – 14
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
April Goals
– “Completely” recover from the bike crash
– Not to get sick for the entire month
– Not get fired from my job
– Run at least once
– Lose two pounds
– Go out on a date with someone else
– Read an entire book, specifically The Mole People: Life In The Tunnels Beneath New York City
2011 Goals [will be a little more fluid than in past years]
– Reduce my weight by 25 pounds based on the my weight as measured on February 1st
– Completely read the book Daily Negations which I received as a Christmas gift.
– Run Sharpened Stone as a real business — one which does not get penalized.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Enter no fewer than three photographic competitions / gallery showings
– Ride in no fewer than five 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Run in no fewer than two one half-marathon
– Submit at least one application under the name “Sharpened Stone” to Apple’s iOS store
The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
First- Martha – CONGRATS on the Ultra!!! Did you beat Jerry, or did he beat you?
I didn’t watch Amazing Race. Allan was at the firehouse & said they were out on calls so he hadn’t watched it, so I can’t comment on that.
But – Celebrity Apprentice was awesome last night, Gary Busey is just totally insane. I really don’t think I can ever see him as an actor the same again. And I wonder why most celebrities do that show, the editors realy don’t make most of the folks look all that good.
We never left the house at all on Saturday either.
So, my new vegetable for the garden this year is an artichoke plant. Has any ITP reader ever tried to grow one? I’ve done some research, and it seems like it should work, but I’ve never heard of anyone growing them around here.
Welcome to the Ultra Finishers Club, Martha. Seems strange hearing that from me, doesn’t it? 🙂 [for the record I’m a two-time Dances With Dirt 50k finisher — 2000, 2001]
I’ve never heard of people growing artichokes. Are we in the proper region?
yes- according to all I’ve read, artichokes should work okay in this region, and they had the plants at Home Depot, so I’m taking a $6 chance (the plant was a decent size).
Great job Martha!!
That was a huge portion of schnitzel.. auch du Lieber! And something tells me the cake wasn’t light.
My “experience” with public urination is dealing with European bike racers. The race bibles for the large stage races here generally say something about it and make sure they know it isn’t done in this country. The ‘trotters were probably just what the locals would do- though I don’t think I’d have picked quite that spot.
Have we heard from the North Carolina contingent?? Randy/Lisa.. everyone OK up your way?
-FP
Thanks everyone. It was really a fun time and I feel better than I thought I would. I’m just still really tired!!
There were some last minute changes to the course because of the storm the night before, there was no big creek crossing but plenty of other water and mud on course. I spent too much time just standing around at aid stations, changing socks and fiddling with my GPS, next time I’ll try to minimize the wasted time.
I saw just tons of folks, Sal and Marty, all the East Point hashers, I ran with James for a little while and even saw Michelle for the first time in ages.
For the record I came in about 20 minutes before Jerry. He seems to be handling it okay 🙂
Atta Girl! 😉 🙂
Oh yeah, I saw artichokes for the first time this year at Lowes. Maybe I’ll have to grab one and see what happens. I haven’t planted much, a couple of tomato plants, some jalapenos, an eggplant, two cabbage plants, some herb and a bit of lettuce. I just haven’t had a lot of time.
Martha – maybe between the 2 of us, we might make one grow! I think it would be awesome to get a home grown artichoke (or more, & it sounds like the 2nd year will be better, it is a perennial, so it will come back next year.
I heard from the North Carolina contingent. They are fine, though the weather got a lot closer than they wanted it to.
Good to hear!! I’m trying to reach my good Scottish friend in Sanford… looks like he’ll be doing all his shopping at the Home Depot because the Lowes is GWTW.
oh Steve – that was a terrible joke. (but – I did think it was funny)
It looks like I’ll have plenty of time for the garden, starting next week!!
I’m not so sure about what to do with an artichoke? I buy the hearts but I’ve never bought a whole, fresh on before? They seem like a lot of work?
Uh oh… Martha, that sounds a little ominous.
I knew it was coming just didn’t know the date until today. Friday will be my last day at DRH. I will get four weeks pay and benefits and I have an additional three weeks of vacation time to cash out, so it’s all good.
Martha – you’ve never cooked a whole artichoke? That actually surprises me. We trim the top & the stem, boil it for about 45 minutes, and then eat it as an appetizer, you dip the leaves into some sort of dip, scrape the “meat” (for lack fo a better term) off the leaves with your teeth, and eventually get to the heart. I’d never had one before I met Allan.
Lisa got to experience her first tornado siren in Raleigh – and I got to experience my first ever. It got a little scary for a while, especially when they started listing nearby street names with tornado touchdowns and structural damage (or complete destruction). We ended up with a bunch of limbs down in the yard, but no damage – we were really lucky.
Luckily, some of the employees at that Lowe’s store got everyone to the back of the store (where the roof wasn’t peeling away) and there were no fatalities or serious injuries.
I lived through a tornado when I was a little kid in Birmingham… I have no desire to repeat the experience.
Glad y’all are all right. Some lucky folks at the Lowes.
I sort of lived through the tornado that passed through Atlanta three years ago (March 15th). That’s the closest I’ve been and the closest I ever want to be.