A Slow Start To December

Only three days into the month and I’ve already let my priorities get out of whack. I’m going to change that today.

Today’s Personal Project
Walk at least five miles.
Take at least one photograph with my DSLR.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Make a list of any medications you take, and store it in your wallet or mobile phone.

Having a handy list of your medications and allergies makes it easier to tell your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider what you’re taking. This information will help ensure that you’re getting the most benefit possible from your drugs and prevent harmful interactions between drugs (or between drugs and foods).

Believe it or not, I don’t have any medications I take regularly, though more than one person has suggested that I start taking anti-depressants.

The Flu Must Be Gone Because My Back Hurts Again
I woke up on Saturday morning feeling better than I had all week, though far from perfect. As I attempted to exit my bed I was reminded of the back pain I inflicted upon myself the previous Saturday while trampolining. While I’m certainly glad to be (mostly) rid of the flu (or whatever it was that smacked me shitless), I’d like to get my back to return to being pain-free. I’m assuming moderate exercising and stretching are in order.

While I’m thinking of it, I can now get massages again (I resisted because of, in part, Things One and Two). Anyone have a recommendation for a massage therapist?

I’m going to coin a new phrase today:
Achegain: A pain that recurs once another difficulty passes.

I Am One Of The Luckiest Apple Fanboys Around
For as much shit that goes wrong in my life I do have a virtual four-leafed clover attached to all of my Apple portable devices. On Sunday morning I awoke (after falling asleep watching a video on my iPad) and, certain that I had placed the iPad on the bedside nightstand, flipped the covers off me. I immediately heard a thud, the thud of my iPad hitting the hardwood floor. Fortunately, another one of my Apple portable devices seems to have survived my stupidity.

ITP Flickr Pic
nothing (yet)

Look At Me, Knowing People And Shit
On Saturday night, after eating dinner at Fellini’s in Candler Park and breathing a sigh of relief at the outcome of the SEC Championship game (ITP-Readers Steve and Debbie: How was your divided-house that night?), I joined my buddy Mike for the Japandroids show at Terminal West. While at Terminal West I saw the woman who cuts my hair, as well as former ITP-Reader D.D.D. Dave (I know that he’s a former reader because he asked me if I still wrote this blog. ;)) The show was good, though admittedly after a while all of the Japandroids songs started to get a bit repetitive to me.

212 Is Far Better As An Area Code
I should have done as I said and gotten onto the scale on Saturday. Had I done so and saw the numbers 2-1-2 then I would have gotten “Scared Straight!” and made sure that I’d gotten outside on this glorious weekend to get some exercise. Instead I worked (too) many hours, and with no weekend shower option at the office convinced myself not to walk.

I’m going to rectify that deficiency tonight; I’ve made an appointment with myself to get exercise at 5:30pm tonight.

Unfortunately my current condition means a temporary end to fish-n-chips nights at The Elder Tree Pub and nachos at Taco Mac. Oh well, it’s all in the name of a better cause I suppose…

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – trying hard to be happier
Current Music – listening to Christmas music, I want to put myself to a “Christmas spirit” again
Website Of The Day – One of the few Christmas “traditions” that I have these days is seeing Shakespeare Tavern‘s rendition of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” I’ll be seeing it performed again in a couple of weeks.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In212 WHAT?!?! WOW, THAT’S FUCKING TERRIBLE.

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 – 2
Carnivorous Meals – 3
Pancakes Eaten – 0

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

December Goals
– lose five pounds
– walk/run no fewer than 100 miles
– read at least one book
– dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC
– donate money to charities
– take care of myself first
– take care of my house second

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
– 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
  10. White Jacket Required — Jenna Weber

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

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6 Responses to A Slow Start To December

  1. Barb says:

    We started the laying of paver stones as wheel tracks in the gravel on Saturday – that is a project that is NO FUN at all. Trying to rake the gravel away & get the ground level for the pavers – I’ve had a more fun Saturday. It is slow work & we could only go as far as the pavers we had purchased. They are quite heavy & even with the truck, we didn’t want to get too many at a time. But – it was a gorgeous day to be outside & met some new neighbors moving in a few houses down in the culdesac – they seem young & foolish, could be interesting back there.

    I actually got on my bike yesterday, had a nice 30 mile ride on the SCT. Another gorgeous day, I really wish I could have called in sick today, as today is going to be better, but Allan is working on the pavers again, so I’m kind of glad I’m at work.

    I also have a house guest for a couple days, I’ve figured out with no one ever making phone calls & using texts has communication leaves a lot of details out. I didn’t know she was actually coming. But – its okay, we figured it out.

  2. bob says:

    I’m surprised you did not get out this weekend, the weather was awesome! Not too many Decembers are this nice.

    I had another cyclocross race yesterday at Serenbe, great times! I was able to beat a dude that normally beats me and out sprint another dude at the finish line.

    Good to see Steve all official and stuff working at the race too.

  3. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go outside, I didn’t go out because my back hurt and I am under a lot of pressure to fix the problems my app is having — NOW!!!

  4. Steve says:

    Beautiful weekend is not even adequate… stuuuuunnnninggg is more like it.

    We met the vet Saturday morning at her office- open just for the Farley, so he could get a laser treatment. I was a little surprised when she and Debbie both donned safety glasses. I just turned my back as if they were arc welding. I’m guessing the best explaination is it’s a little like a microwave in that it warms the muscles. She has used it on people too.

    Saturday after my 25 miles on the bike, it was time for some football!! First off, the Dogs played a great game and I’m sure had the Tide scared for most of the game. In the end, had the Dogs managed the clock better, there could have been a completely different outcome.

    Sunday, there was cyclocross at Serenbe. ITP-non reader Travis competed, and we judges decided he won his class “fastest person on smallest bike”. And I was too busy trying to decipher the finish order of the race prior to watch that race contested by ITP reader Bob and Wheelhopper “Coach”. Apparently there was some “lapping” as Coach asked me afterwards, “Did we ride 5 laps or 4?”. I told him the leaders rode 5… if you were lapped, you just got 4. He was happy with that.

    And Chef Debbie was at it again last night- Rosemary roasted turkey breast with fingerling potatoes au gratin. And brownies. It was “slap yo’ momma” good.

    -FP

  5. Debbie says:

    I think the true BCS game was played this weekend and predict that Bama will blow out the Irish. Roll Tide Roll.

    Last night was all about the herbs. My fave moment was when Steve asked if I had put anything under the skin of the turkey. No honey, Kroger had a special on gangreous turkey breasts. (The skin was lumpy and clearly green.) You’re supposed to put the herbs – rosemary, sage and thyme in the food processor with olive oil and make a paste, but I just stuffed the rough chopped herbs under the skin and rubbed olive oil and fresh ground pepper and sea salt over the skin. It came out super moist and tasty – bet it would work well on the Egg too.

    I’ll watch the finale, but after that I’m DONE with TAR. A non-elimination round let the Twinnies slide into the finale. How very lame.

    Enjoy your walk today Paulie. It is beautiful outside if a little too warm.

  6. Barb says:

    Debbie – too warm? not for Decemenber it isn’t……
    GORGEOUS DAY OUTSIDE, I REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO COME BACK FROM LUNCH.

    Sounds like a good idea for the chicken, we are doing a whole beer butt chicken tonight on the Egg, and we still have some herbs from Thanksgiving that I think are still good.

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