Long Hump Day Ahead

Taking what they’re given because I’m working for a living.

Today’s Personal Project
Get myself ready for this weekend’s camping trip.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Share a healthy dish that you make for a special occasion.

Special occasions call for family, friends, fun, and food! But unfortunately, sometimes celebrations include foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt. A little bit of these foods is OK at a party, but it’s also a good idea to include some healthier offerings. By sharing your healthy special occasion dish, you may inspire someone to bring a healthful snack or side to his or her next party. And you may get some ideas from others!

Funny, for me the phrases “healthy” and “special occasion” don’t go together. 😉

What A Difference A Day Makes
I walked yesterday, and again today, about the same length. Yesterday’s walk was gross thanks to the blankets of humidity which filled the air. The cold front which pushed its way through town yesterday brought with it a clear, crisp morning that made this morning’s walk delightful.

I’m hoping that this weather holds in the Southeast through the weekend.

I Felt As If I Were Being Punked!
The call for beer at Taco Mac was too great last night. I met up with some coworkers and we were served by a lovely young waitress named Kaytee, who I believed relished too greatly in my inability to find a beer for my Brewniversity list.

My first attempt at ordering a beer was a Blue Point Pumpkin Ale, which Kaytee informed me that they did not still have in stock, even though there was no mention of the beer in the “Gone” section of the daily flyer.

My second attempt at ordering a beer was a Sisters of the Moon India Pale Ale, which Kaytee assured me that they had in stock. However, upon Kaytee’s return she informed me that they had the beer, but they didn’t have the button on the register which allows them to sell it, so she couldn’t bring me one.

I finally settled on a Finch’s Cut Throat Pale Ale, which was not as good as I hoped.

I’m getting very close to hitting beer #425, which does little more than score me a $50 credit with which I can buy more beer. At that time I’ll finally get around to updating the list in the right-hand galley.

No Third Wednesday At George’s For Me
Unfortunately I’ll be banging away at my keyboard tonight so I’ll have to skip ITP-Reader Steve’s “Third Wednesday at George’s” night. I’ll try again in October…

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fair
Current Music – listening to this week’s “MacBreak Weekly” podcast
Website Of The Day – The internet is a funny place. For shits and giggles I Googled for the actress who plays in the State Farm commercials featuring Aaron Rogers. The actress is Julie Reiber.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – walking, ~5.2 miles
Morning Weigh-In – I keep forgetting to check again

Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~59.6 miles
Wheel Mileage – ~50.0 miles
Pushups – 0
Situps – 0
Stairs – 0 flights

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 28
Carnivorous Meals – 22
Pancakes Eaten – 3

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

September Goals
– Wear “nice” clothes to work at least twice a week, if for no other reason than to have people wonder why I am dressing up. New!
– 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
– 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 100 miles
– Walk (or run) no fewer than 100 miles
– Do no fewer than 750 sit-ups
– Do no fewer than 300 push-ups
– Read a non-techincal book

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]