Where Does The Time Go?

Is it 9:30am already? Man, my morning walk (the first in eight days) really chews into my early morning.

Today’s Personal Projects
Sort laundry (though I don’t know when I’ll find the time to actually wash it).
Clean out my briefcase.
Pack a box of stuff to take to Goodwill tomorrow.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Check to see if you are up to date on having your teeth cleaned.

Dental check-ups and cleanings are an important part of good oral hygiene, but they tend to get lost in the fray of hectic work and family schedules. Going to the dentist can help prevent cavities, tooth loss, and also catch early signs of gum disease.

Yeah, I’ve got this task scheduled like clockwork.

Is It 8:00pm Already?
I got caught up with writing some code last night and didn’t leave the office until about 8:00pm. By the time I arrived home (after getting stuck briefly in the GA400 construction near I-85 South) I had enough time to prepare and eat a bowl of noodles (consuming a Carolina Brewing Company Pale Ale along with it), and perform a little computer maintenance (downloading/updating/backing up) before falling asleep.

Rock.
Star.

Is It August 8th Already?
Longtime friends know that today marks the turning point in my life which prompted this blog to start eight years ago. Eight years? That means I’ve been without a steady girlfriend for nearly nine years? Holy shit.

For those that don’t know, on August 8th, 2004 I was carjacked in my driveway at gunpoint by two asshats with guns. I was scared shitless, and wondered what life was all about.

My 2002 Honda Accord earned the nickname “The Jackmobile.”
I don’t think that I’ve gone to a gym since (the carjacking prompted a “Life’s too short to spend it in a gym” reaction).
For a (long) while I let my weight go.
I became furious and needed a writing outlet — www.InsideThePerimeter.com was born (well, two month later).

Today I still shudder when I hear and see a car drive slowly down my street. Life-changer indeed.

ITP Flickr Pic
Photography is a funny thing, elements of a photo go unnoticed when you are trying desperately to make sure the subject is in focus.

Take for instance the feature of this elephant which clearly labels it as being a “male.” Honestly, I didn’t even notice this until I started post-processing.

Jackmobile And I Don’t Always See Eye-To-Eye
This morning the Jackmobile did one of those things which make me consider getting a new car. For some reason, when I unlock the driver’s door using a key instead of a key fob, the Jackmobile’s alarm system is occasionally activated; the horn blares as the lights go on and off, until I can get the key fob to stop it all.

It’s embarrassing (for me).
It’s annoying (for me and anyone around me).
Even though I have a workaround (always using the key fob) I feel that I shouldn’t have to be concerned with this problem and contemplate my next vehicle.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – meh
Current Music – silence at the moment
Website Of The Day – Don’t want to spend a lot of money on a piece of software? You may be able to get something similar cheaper by checking out Alternative To.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – still not checking

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 18
Carnivorous Meals – 3
Pancakes Eaten – 0

Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0

August Goals
– Eat no fewer than forty-five vegetarian meals
– Take at least one load of stuff from my house to Goodwill
– Take unused electronics to recycling center
– Post at least ten new photos during the month (let’s try this again)
– Lose at least two pounds (net weight loss)
– Finish two books (audio or otherwise, comic books do not qualify)
– Not to get sick for the entire month
– Exercise for thirty minutes no fewer than twenty days
– Ride no fewer than 150 miles (might be hard given the amount of travel scheduled this month)
– Walk (or run) no fewer than 75 miles
– Do no fewer than 750 sit-ups
– Do no fewer than 300 push-ups

2012 Goals [will be a little less fluid than last year]
– Get my weight under 200 pounds, or at least whittle myself back down to where wearing a 36″ pant size is comfortable
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Run Sharpened Stone as a real business
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Ride in no fewer than five 50 mile or 50K bike rides
– Run in no fewer than one one 10K
– Submit at least one application under the name “Sharpened Stone” to Apple’s iOS store
– Restore the ITP Estate to a condition where it can be put up for sale at any time
– Buy a new iPhone (iPhone 5?), a new iPad (iPad 3?), and MacBook Air [look, not all goals have to be altruistic]

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient and profitable programmer in Objective-C
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
– See more live concerts than I did in 2011
– Eat more pancakes
– Drive/Fly somewhere for a real vacation

Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2012

1. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me — Mindy Kahling
2. Flotsametrics and the Floating World: How One Man’s Obsession with Runaway Sneakers and Rubber Ducks Revolutionized Ocean Science — Curtis Ebbesmeyer
3. God, No! — Penn Jillette
4. The Elephant to Hollywood — Michael Caine
5. Here Comes Trouble — Michael Moore
6. How We Decide — Jonah Lehrer
7. Steve Jobs — Walter Isaacson
8. Death of a Salesman (Penguin Plays) — Arthur Miller
9. Fahrenheit 451 — Ray Bradbury

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]