Stymied
I wanted to go to the gym this morning and attempted another cardio workout, but last night’s fun and frivolity combined with a 9am meeting this morning did me in.
Today’s Personal Project
Pack for my Raleigh trip.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Lessen symptoms of eyestrain by giving yourself a one-minute eyelid massage.
Our eyes are busy! Between working at a computer, reading, or doing crafts or close work, it’s not hard for them to develop eyestrain and muscle tension. Massaging the muscles around the eye can help provide some relief from sore muscles. Bonus: Taking a moment to relax and focus on yourself is good for your well-being.
This is something I really should do more often.
Fun, Somewhat Fun, Sleep
After work I drove down to Virginia-Highland to enjoy a pint (or two) at George’s for Third Wednesday. The runners ran and I sat at the bar, looking at the pretty women. I chatted with ITP-Reader Steve as well as ITP-Lurker Claire 
for awhile before braving the cold and annoying drivers as I headed to The Shed for Mandy’s farewell.
I arrived a little after 8:00pm super hungry and was initially disappointed to see how fucking packed the bar area was (that Mandy is a popular young lady!). There were so many people that I could neither tell if ITP-Reader Jenka was still there, nor figure out a way to wedge myself in to the bar (something I care not to do). I would have driven home if not for my hunger and lack of desire to eat whatever leftovers have been aging in my refrigerator, so I decided to eat alone at a table.
As I entered the building I saw former-cheftestant Kevin Gillespie and his wife eating dinner (they live in the neighborhood and are soon to open “Gun Show,” Gillespie’s new restaurant in Glenwood Park). I may be overestimating his look, but I believe that Gillespie recognized me from Saturday night’s Southern Food Tour event where I asked him a couple of questions. Because Gillespie and his wife were trying to have dinner I chose the “high road” (not all do) and didn’t bother them.
I sat at my table (did I mention that I was alone?) and ordered up a Wild Heaven beer, two sliders — chorizo, lamb meatloaf — and two sides — roasted brussels sprouts, roasted parsnips/radishes. Did I mention that I was hungry? The food was really good, including the unexpected demitasse of tomato soup that was delivered to my table.
It was about 9:30pm when I finally returned home and I was supposed to do some work. I’ve learned that I can no longer pull all-nighters, but recently I’ve discovered that I can’t even pull half-nighters any longer. I was sound asleep by 10:00pm.
ITP Flickr Pic
Nothing today. I need to start taking photos again.
Fun Night Of Recorded-TV Watching Planned
I’m headed over to ITP-Reader Betsy’s tonight for some Top Chef: Seattle watching. I am going to be a good boy tonight and resist the temptation of beer/wine (it’s odd, no sad, that I went through four years of college consuming no more than five beers — didn’t expect that, did you!?!? — and now I struggle to go more than two days. I just love beer and wine that much…).
Betsy and I have slowly been making our way through this season and I expect that we’ll be knocking off another two or three episodes tonight.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – meh, disappointed I had to skip the gym, disappointed that I couldn’t partake in the fun at The Shed (not that Mandy and I were close or anything), hoping shit at work doesn’t stir today
Current Music – silence
Website Of The Day – Yesterday I wondered why no one kept a map of food truck locations in Atlanta (other than the Atlanta Food Truck Park, of course). Someone does! It can be found at Food Trucks Map, which is unfortunately only sparsely populated, which I think speaks more about the food truck culture in Atlanta more than the mapping service.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – Friday’s weigh-in was 211.6 pounds
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~2.5 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 9 (1 cardio)
Days Of Bed-Making – 0
Vegetarian Meals – 15
Carnivorous Meals – 33
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
February 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
- drink a lot less alcohol
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]
We were very boring last night.
I wanted to go out for at least a walk, but it started spitting rain, and it was cold, and I decided not to.
We had to “wait” for a friend to come pickup some wheels Allan had overhauled, but besides that, just watched some TV, ate some chicken enchilads & drank some redneck margaritas.
I’m just glad ITP-Reader Martha wasn’t taking up long-haul trucking driving lessons last night…
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/se-atlanta-road-closed-after-box-truck-crashes-bri/nWWCK/
Seriously, back in the Sunday Runners days I wondered when some truck would whack the shit out of this bridge as we ran under it. If memory servers me well, this bridge is also supposed to become part of the “southern” beltline .
Huh, just remembered two things I was going to put into today’s blog. Looks like I’m ahead of the game for tomorrow’s get-away day blog entry…
Wow, wonder where that truck was trying to deliver that bridge?
A nice, but chilly run last night. I managed to get 45 minutes in, which is one of my longer runs of late- it sucks trying to get back into running shape.
The 3rd Wednesday crowd looked pretty good from where I sat, although there were some civilians sitting in the back, which sort of threw things off a bit.
Lola is excited about her new forever home.. I could tell when I got home last night. Don’t tell Debbie, but I’ll miss her- I sure won’t miss the 4AM wake up barking, though.
-FP
Someone is running into that bridge every few months…You’d be surpised how many semi-trucks run on Confederate everyday…no idea where they would be going. However, this looks like one of the worst I’ve seen.
Any yes, it will be part of the belt line, I have to wonder what sort of saftey precautions they will have to put in, I would imagine (based on the damage in the pictures I’ve seen) someone could be seriously injured if they were on the bridge when this happened. FYI the road was still closed when I left for work this morning.
When I left work yesterday about 2pm, it was really nice out. When I left for my run at 5 it was getting yucky. I ended up running back to the house to grab some cold weather gear…that’s when I discovered my new Garmin (it is wireless) will transfer the data automatically…so I had to start my workout all over again.
Don’t worry Steve, if I know Debbie, you wont have too much time to miss Lola before there is another to take her place. Paulie, remember Bean’s dog, also named Lola? The way he was with her at PM cracked me up!
Kindly do not give her any ideas- she needs very little help when it comes to finding animals she wants. And whatever you do, don’t mention mini spotted donkeys!!
Steve it is only fair, she is constantly posting picture of cute little dogs to my FB page (Nibbles really does need a little brother or sister). I want a baby pygmy goat…but so far Jerry has put his foot down.
Hey, hey, hey, donkeys and goats need love too! I’ve already found our next foster dog, I think. She’s a boxer mix that has been starved to just short of death. People suck.
Martha, thanks for the Nut Thins tip. The almond pepper jack flavor is awesome.
The Shed menu sounds really good. We’re going to have to break down and make a trip inside the perimeter for a nice dinner.
I really like the food at The Shed (though I admit mostly getting sliders when I am there). The Shed’s chef has just been nominated for a 2013 James Beard award.
Pygmy goat? That sounds delicious… *ducks* Duck? That sounds delicious too!
I may have to investigate these Nut Thins. I should have thought of this when I made a Target run yesterday afternoon. Speaking of which, I bought two more workout shirts — one red for, one hideous orange — both on clearance! The red shirt was $6.48, the in-your-face orange one was $9.08.
I hope you aren’t too hungry, a baby pygmy goat (I love to say that out loud) is no bigger than Nibbles…
I just sprung for a new long sleeve running shirt last weekend, but I really need new running shoes. Early packet pick-up for Charles Harris is tonight at Big Peach in Decatur, if I was smart (and motivated) I could kill two birds…anyone else running?
Debbie, a few people do suck, thankfully there are more people like you that are around to clean up the mess they leave…and help the innocent! I miss fostering, I hope one day soon I have the time and the space to start doing it again.
You must have just missed us. We actually left right after 8 because, yes, the bar area was so fucking packed. We would’ve stayed longer but we could FEEL the people behind us coveting our seats. So we said goodbye to Mandy and left.
If anyone gets a baby pymgy goat, I’m totally coming to visit.
Martha, I’m running the Charles Harris. I actually haven’t registered yet so I’m planning to hit the Decatur BP this afternoon. I wonder if I can pick up your packet for you?
A tip: do not do the eyelid massage if you’re wearing contact lenses. Just sayin.
Timing is everything, Jenka… Mine is always a wee little bit off.
Good point, Stacy. As a non-wearer of contacts I’ll add “or if you’ve just cut up jalapeño peppers.”
There are lots of things you shouldn’t touch after chopping peppers, the eyes are only a start (Jerry has a great story, though I find it much funnier than he does). Actually, it doesn’t hurt at all to take out my contacts, its the next morning, after they have spend all night marinating in contact solution and jalapeno juice that is the killer!!!
Jenka, I just checked the website, I can’t find anything about packet pick up for another person, I did find out that the course record (women’s) is 32:40, I think Donna’s record is safe from me for another year.
Hell, I can barely run a 5k in 32:40. However, I bet “Donna” isn’t 47.5 years old and two years post hip-dibilating bicycle accident…
Can’t speak for the bike accident but Donna is about my age (maybe a year or two older)…she’s one of the runners who’s race results I stalk (that group also includes our very own Sal). That is an older result, her 10ks these days are in the high 30s
There is far too much meat on my bones to ever think about running a 6 minute mile. I used to be able to run 1 and it was all I could do. Even 7 minute miles are pretty rare these days.
Uhhhh, yeah. Originally I was hoping to get a sub 54 time in order to get in the B corral at the Peachtree Road Race. But recent events (flu, car trouble) have derailed my exercise lately. I just want to run 6 miles now. That Donna is a whore.
Jenka – you just made me almost spit out my drink!
Last time I ran this race was in 2009, that is the same year I PR’d (49:12)…how the heck did I ever do that? I’m shooting for something around 54min…I’m hoping I can get there early enough for a warm-up run. Did you still want to car pool?
And, peppers & eyeballs do NOT go together, I do totally agree with that.