People Call Me Crazy
Crazy like an old fox…
Today’s Personal Project
Get some work done, go home, get some cleaning/organizing done.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Add one new type of leafy green veggie to your shopping list, such as kale, spinach, or cabbage.
Leafy greens are great for so many reasons! They are packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals, including A, C, E, folate, and calcium. They provide fiber, which helps fill you up and aids with healthy digestion. Thanks to their antioxidant properties, it’s also believed they may help to prevent some kinds of cancers. By buying a leafy green you’ve never eaten, you may discover a new favorite.
Perhaps I should add “go grocery shopping” to Today’s Personal Project
A Busy Saturday Indeed
I woke early and drove up to The Majestic to meet up with my photography friends. To my surprise, I was once again one of the last to arrive on the scene. We wandered about The Majestic taking photos before going inside for breakfast. As we ate our breakfast we were surprised to see my friend Maigh walk in; she had arrived at breakfast to get a little “her” time. Oops, wrong time for that…
From The Majestic we wandered as a group down to the beltway, taking photos along the way and back. I spotted a Red Tail Hawk sitting in tree, but unfortunately none of my photo attempts worked; others had far better luck/skill than I did.
When we arrived back at our cars we drove over to the Carter Presidential Center to go into the Carter Presidential Library/Museum. I’ve lived in Atlanta for eighteen years (in fact today marks my 18th anniversary of starting my first Atlanta job — see below) and had never stepped foot inside. The tourist attraction is nice, I’m not miffed that I spent $8 to see it, but I doubt that there is any reason for me to return.
I split off from the pack at that point in order to drop off my unwanted electronics (an easy process) as well as head down to the Georgia World Congress Center to pick up my packet for Sunday’s race (not that hard of a process, but it did cost me $10 to park).
From downtown I met up with my photog friends for lunch at DBA Barbecue in the north portion of Virginia Highlands. It was at that time that I knew LA Fitness was no longer in the plans.
I returned home briefly and took a nap (seemingly my answer to everything these days) before heading northward again. I dropped off clothes at the dry cleaner near work and went over to REI before getting the text that the ITP-Reader Bob birthday bash was on its way to Rocco’s in Marietta.
I was under the impression that the I-285 weekend road work was completed, so I was quite miffed to find out otherwise. Luckily I was able to wind my way around to Powers Ferry and then Windy Hill in order to pick up I-75 North there.
A fun time was had by all at Bob’s gathering as we watched football, drank beer, and ate food. Instead of keeping the partying going I headed back to East Atlanta, stopping at Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand for a Red Velvet Cake Shake before returning home again to watch the beginning of the Packers/49ers game.
ITP Flickr Pic
Entrance to the Carter Presidential Center.
I’m A Galloway Method Believer
For me to say that I was prepared to run 15k (aka 9.3 miles) on Sunday morning is about as preposterous as Lance Armstrong saying that he didn’t dope. There, I said it.
After getting guilted into trying the Hot Chocolate 15k on Friday I determined that the only hope I had of completing it was using the Galloway Method.
I was picked up at the ITP Estate by ITP-Laura, her sister, and brother-in-law who were all nice enough to encourage my participation.
There was an angel near us on that day — not because I made it through the race, but rather because she gave me a tissue that I used in the paperless port-a-potty before going out for my attempt.
My plan was to “run” for ten minutes and then take a one-minute walk break, which I quickly changed to a two-minute walk break, and then a three-minute walk break for miles seven, and eight.
I would have kept this plan to a “T” if not for making a critical math error along the way. I miscalculated my second stopping time, failing to account for the two minutes of walking I had performed. There was also the time during mile eight were my feet hurt so much that I wound up walking up one of the race’s last hills.
But I finished.
And I finished in a time that I deem to be acceptable.
Though you can see from the age and sex breakdowns that a lot more people finished with times that I deem far better than just “acceptable.”
I had many more comments about this race, but I am once again pressed for time.
And For The Rest Of Sunday
I took naps, watched the Falcons blow a nearly-insurmountable lead only to pull another game out of their ass, and read a lot (well, a lot by my standards) as I let my feet and legs recover.
Eighteen Years Ago “Today”
Not exactly “today” but rather eighteen MLK Days ago…
I had been working in Huntsville, AL for three years and was ready to leave. Huntsville, at least at that time, was a great place to raise a family but a lousy place to be a single guy. The main three business types in Huntsville were — military, space and rocketry, computer engineering — non of which are known (especially twenty years ago) to attract many females.
“Atlanta, or Austin, where ever I get a job first” was my plan. Fortunately(?) my friend Bill got me a job interview at Daugherty Systems, the company at which he had just taken a job, and I nailed it.
My first day of work was scheduled for MLK Day 1995. Upon realizing this I called HR and asked “Do I start Monday or Tuesday?” “On Monday, why would you be starting Tuesday?” she asked. “Well, because it’s MLK Day and I assumed that most of the businesses in his home town would observe the holiday.” I said. (side note: I had been getting MLK Day off the previous three years in Hunstville.) “Nope!” she replied. “See you on Monday then.” I said and hung up.
I’ve not had an MLK Day off since moving to Atlanta.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – sore, but a good kinda sore
Current Music – silence
Website Of The Day – Last Friday I subscribed to NSScreencasts — a site providing short videos regarding iOS development. I’m committed to continuing to improve my coding skills, I have a career to keep…
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – Friday = walking/running, ~5.5 miles; Sunday = running/walking, 9.3 miles
Morning Weigh-In – I forgot to check yesterday
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~14.8 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 3
Days Of Bed-Making – 0
Vegetarian Meals – 20
Carnivorous Meals – 18
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
January Goals
- lose five pounds
- walk/run no fewer that 100 miles
- read at least one book
- dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC
- take at least one box of things to Goodwill
- post at least ten photos in the blog
2013 Goals: Measurable
- Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
- Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
- Dissolve Sharpened Stone
- Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
- Completely run at least one 10k
- Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate
2013 Goals: Unmeasurable
- Simplify, simplify, simplify
- Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
- 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)
- Take two real vacations, perhaps one abroad
- Take a more proactive approach to meeting women (read “stop being such a pussy”)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2013
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
You would have beat me at that 15K, and you beat plenty of other folks in your age group. think positive.
and – I’d say you owe me lunch, but you never bet me.
For the amount of training I didn’t do I think I did spectacularly!
I figured that I could finish, though I didn’t think I’d do this “well.” I started having my doubts in mile eight, however. As a comparison, in my “heyday” (1999) I ran the Atlanta Half Marathon in 1:52.
We were thinking about going back to Wheelhopper this month, but that is next Sunday afternoon, and would over lap with the Falcons game.
And – I was thinking we should have people over to watch the game.
Such decisions…….
The game is at 3pm next week? I’ll be down that way in the morning to go to Imaging USA at the World Congress Center, but if you have a get-together I’m sure that I can make my way up your way by 3pm.
Great job at the race. My neighbor and I saw the traffic back up on the connector as we were heading to Red Top for a GUTS training run, thought there was an accident but we now beleive it was traffic for that race. Crazy!
I knew I was forgetting something last week, when I saw your text from Friday I remembered what it was…too bad I didn’t see the text until Saturday afternoon. Oh well, next time, thanks for the offer!
I met with my coach last night to plan my races for the spring/early summer. I’ve got nothing longer than a half planned (twisted ankle), instead going to focus on shorter, faster races and cycling. Searching for a 50 mile trail race in the fall, if any one has a suggestion. I was considering Lookout Mountain but the race isn’t until 12/21…that mean very little holiday fun.
Did anyone else get into Red Top Rumble? Just two weeks away!
Hmmm, I thought about tempting fate and signing up for Twisted Ankle again this year, and then read about the course change. I’m not so sure now…
I haven’t heard of the course change for this year. It was a bit different last year, a bit more road but not bad, we still got to do Becky’s Bluff, it was just later in the race. However, I am hoping they will be able to go back to the original course this year.
Hmmm, maybe I read a message concerning last year’s race then…
Yeah, the website is a bit of a mess right now…including saying registration is open but the only link takes you to 2012 registration.
Here’s the correct link for 2013: http://www.active.com/running/summerville-ga/twisted-ankle-trail-marathon-and-half-2013
We had Debbie’s friend and college roomate and her kids for the weekend, as well as getting the foster-Dane Lola into the day spa routine. Lola has taken over Debbie’s chair and, in fact hopped the baby gate last night and slept in it all night long- when Debbie went to let her out this morning, she wasn’t in the dog room, but asleep in the chair. I never turn the lights on when I leave, so I just assumed she was somewhere there in the dark.
The gathering of highlanders at Manuels was a success. Lots of old familiar faces (lots of old faces for that matter). A few in our kilts, which is always fun.
Burned some of the pile yesterday- would have been a while lot more fun had it actually been cold! Debbie has the bright idea of burning all the leaves around the barn- not in the pile, just laying on the ground.. I don’t really want to even attempt that without an actual fireman (and fire truck!).
-FP
Steve, you reminded me of the realization that I had on Friday while sitting at Taco Mac — this June will mark my 30-year anniversary of my graduation from high school. YIKES!
I think that *if* there is a class reunion this year that I will attend (I skipped 10 and 20). If so I better start shaping up now…
In all the years I’ve been in Atlanta, I’ve never had MLK Jr. Day off either and it always surprised me. Especially when friends back home in the Evil North would. Never made sense to me.
Great job on the run! Good for you for going (hey, it’s more than my fat ass did) and for the time.
Oh and don’t forget the Atlanta episode of The Layover is on tonight.
Just in case you don’t have the recorder set!
Oh, thanks for the reminder Stacy.
My class reunion is starting to get organized, I suggested the last weekend of July (the end of RAGBRAI), or I probably won’t be attending.
And- FYI Paulie – msot class reunions are now organized on FB, you may want to look using FB again, if you want to be in the loop.
My 25th was last year…I think 8 people showed up.
I’ve received 30 emails from my new ‘manager’ today…this isn’t going to be fun.
Only 30? Oh dear…
Hey Barb, is it maintenance night this Thursday?
I just realized today, that I can’t read a calendar – Mango was planning on coming over 1/24. So, its next Thursday 1/24, not this Thursday 1/17.
We didn’t have a 25 otherwise I would have attended it. If they organize on Facebook then I guess I won’t be going to 30 either.
for your afternoon entertainment if you like football – read this – but it is pretty long
http://profootballmock.com/nfl-qbs-on-facebook-divisional-roundup/