Riding The Storm Out

Taco Mac was my safe haven for last night’s powerful storm.

I’m about to be in a meeting (after fighting some tough traffic) so today’s blog will be even shorter than yesterday’s.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Take 5 minutes today to unplug from technology and enjoy the scenery instead.

Just as your email inbox gets too full, so can your brain! Smart phones, laptops, and TVs all add to audiovisual clutter that our brains must then sort through. Even though these gadgets provide entertainment, they also add stress and can increase the levels of cortisol in the bloodstream. Over time, higher levels of cortisol can damage the heart, cause high blood pressure, and suppress the immune system. Taking time to unplug and enjoy the scenery allows you time to recharge the most important device: you.

I was without power last night so I’m ahead of the “unplugging” curve. Even with that is still managed to entertain myself via iPad…

Thanks To ITP-Reader Martha For The Head’s Up
Fellow East Atlanta “BBQ Steve” is the star of this Big Nerd Ranch video “Cocoa Got Blocks”. This video may entertain only those as nerdy as yours truly, but I want to share the love.

ITP Flickr Pic
“Riding The Storm Out”
Riding The Storm Out
I arrived back in East Atlanta last night to find that most of my neighborhood, including my house, were without power; this happens far too often. The day’s heat combined with the lack of power allowed the temperature in my house to raise to a sweltering 89°F by the time I arrived home. So, I grabbed my iPad and a camping chair and waited for Georgia Power to perform their magic.

Happy Father’s Day
It is well documented that I have failed to become “fathering material.” However, that doesn’t stop me from wishing those who have procreated a Happy Father’s Day this weekend.

As for me, I will be using one of the upcoming fifty-one “Happy Never Fathered A Child Day” Sundays as an excuse to buy myself a new 13″ Apple MacBook Air.

Today’s Personal Project

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – foot still hurts
Current Music – silence as I am about to make a conference call
Website Of The Day – nothing today since I’m already late…
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – not checking

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 1 (1 cardio)

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 15
Carnivorous Meals – 18

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

June Goals
– get my foot to stop hurting
– return ITP-Reader Martha’s coffee percolator to her

- return ITP-Terri’s crutches to her

- not get sick

- finish at least two of the books I am reading

- take at least one box of things to Goodwill

- post at least ten photos in the blog

- drink a lot less alcohol

- prepare a house repair plan and budget

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

  1. Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
  2. 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
  3. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
  4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — by Douglas Adams
  5. Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness — by CC Chapman

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

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25 Responses to Riding The Storm Out

  1. Steve says:

    That was a pretty good storm last night- I think by the time it got to JEFDSDR, it had lost a little punch and had picked up quite a bit of speed. That didn’t keep me from unplugging the electronics and cable, as the lightning was still a poppin’.

    I swapped mower blades (changed to a mulching blade) on the rider we are shuttling back and forth between the farm and EP. There was not the first nick on the old blades- clearly mower blades think the EP yard is heaven.

    I also removed the remnants of Brownie’s winter home (my parking space) and took them to his summer home- the hay shelter. Hopefully he will keep his bucket collection in one place. No shoe theivery last night that I am aware of.

    60 miles tomorrow, mostly on the Silk Sheets course, according to the cue sheet I saw. Looking forward to it!

    And Jenka, we’d love to have you join us next weekend.

    -FP

  2. Barb says:

    For those keeping score at home – I’m up to S on my cell phone contacts list – I’m hoping to get finished today. Holy crap I had lots of useless things in that list, which makes the multiples of them even more annoying.

    We never lost power somehow……. I’m really not sure how. Then, there was that really weird yellow sky after the storm. The poor little lime tree was sitting in a pool of water, so we tried to drain it, I didn’t want it to drown. lots of little tree branches down, but nothing major.

    This is how oblivious we were to the storm. Sure we heard it storming, but so what? Right? We were watching something DVR’d, had no idea how bad it was out there, until we got a text from Bob asking if we were hunkered down.

  3. Jenka says:

    DAMMIT! I was going to send you Steve’s video! Martha trumped me!

    Anywho. Martha and I were at Elder Tree catching up last night when the power went out. We actually stayed and continued chatting for a while until it became clear that the power wasn’t coming back on any time soon. Good thing we had cash on us! I almost never carry cash!

    Steve, I would LOVE to come down to the day spa for the next Slacker day, but next weekend I’m actually moving into my new apartment. I sign the lease today, and the last weekend in June I’m going to Florida, so next weekend will be my big move.

  4. Martha says:

    Jenka and I rode out the storm at the Elder Tree. The whole Village was dark, we left before the power came back on (thankfully we both had cash). It’s probably a good thing the storm broke when it did, another drink or two and Jerry would have had to come it get me. It was a great night out, just what I needed 🙂 Ormewood Park was all lit up when I drove home, Jerry said the power didn’t even flicker at the house.

    Your mower blades would not be so happy at the Knott St Homestead. I had to change the blade on our mower a couple of weeks ago, it was bent all to hell…

    I have a Nibbles story to tell but I don’t really think I can convey the humor of it with the written word, so please remember to ask me (if you’re interested) the next time I see you. Let’s just say she is a very food motivated pup.

  5. I’ll be headed to Florida the last weekend of June as well (not to start rumors…). Wave hi to me if you see the Jackmobile tooling down or up I-75 (assuming you are headed toward that part of Florida).

  6. Martha says:

    Jenka, are you headed back to Port St. Joe? Wish I could go with you. I recently found out one of my dad’s old girlfriends also moved to that area.

  7. Steve says:

    Jenka, you’ll be welcomed whenever, so plan on it next time.

    Bob, I just looked at today’s Tour de Suisse stage (which Paulie is probably watching, bastard.) and they are going through Klosters and Davos!. Somewhere I’ve actually been.

  8. Stupid meetings are keeping me from watching the Tour de Suisse. 🙁

  9. Martha says:

    Almost forgot, Jenka, Jerry didn’t just sign up for boxing, he bought the muy thai gear as well…you know, ’cause it was just $30 extra.

  10. Barb says:

    Martha – you always make me laugh – of course Jerry has to buy the gear!

  11. Barb, I’m looking forward to kicking the cast upon your deck tonight. Know of any routes I should avoid due to trees down / lights out?

    PS – I’ll be bringing white wine unless instructed otherwise. Requests?

  12. Barb says:

    any wine is fine – you should know us by now.

    I have no idea where trees are down, I guess maybe check the ajc website?
    I know Paper Mill is closed to replace the bridge, but I don’t think you’d ever come that way. (the total backway is get over to Johnson Ferry, take it north to lower roswell) but, unless the interstate is fucked, I’d just go that way.

    And- on a totally unrelated note – Allan finally got a replacement frame for his broken Salsa 29er. He’s so excited to have a 29er again.

  13. Barb says:

    Vhino Verde is a nice light before the meal wine (we call it enthusiastic drinking wine becasue it goes down so fast), and we are more a Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier type (compared to chardonnay).

  14. bob says:

    Love Klosters, beautiful place!

    I normally don’t get too concerned over weather but when I got alerts from both Google and Sprint I decided to turn on the news. When they said tornado going through mountain town park and heading straight for Roswell I got concerned. We had JUST put Travis to bed too so had to wake him up and actually take cover. It looked really nasty and thankfully (for us) it turned south and headed towards Sandy springs. Tons of lightning, heavy winds, and lots of rain!
    I guess now that I’m a father I take this stuff a little more seriously.

    Barb, is Allan going to bring that 29er out to Wheelhopper on Sunday? I’ll be on the new single speed 🙂

  15. Martha says:

    The storm was a little unexpected, I really thought it was going to stay to the north. I guess the worst of it did, a tornado was confirmed in Cheeroke County and my coach (I think she’s in Roswell) was still without power last I heard.

    Not only did he buy all the gear, he was wearing much of it when I got home…I guess it’s okay for me to hit him in the head now?

  16. Steve says:

    Don’t hurt your hand. I hear a baseball bat works well! 🙂

  17. It’s official, while I have only worn this cast since Tuesday morning I am “over” it already.

  18. Barb says:

    Bob – Allan needs a front derailleur that he didn’t know he’d need (Grant has to order it, Cycleworks doesn’t have it in stock), he pre-ordered the other parts he knew he needed. So no, he won’t be riding it yet. I dont think we will be making it to Wheelhopper, we need to go to Kat & Mango’s to get their camper, we are borrowing it for a party next weekend in Conyers. Its way too far to have to drive home & when we can come up with an a/c option, so we don’t have to campwith no a/c, we will.

  19. Steve says:

    Even if Allan doesn’t ride it, he should do a new bike down down!!

  20. bob says:

    That stinks, sucks to have new toys you can’t play with.

    Why not have Kat and Mango come out to Wheelhopper too? It’s in Decatur.

  21. bob says:

    And Paulie, we can configure some sort of push bike you can ride with the cast 🙂

    I hope your foot heals more quickly while immobilized.

  22. Unfortunately it’s not responding as quickly (read “impatiently”) as I hoped. We’ll see.

    In positive light, this hasn’t hampered my dancing any. 😉

  23. Barb says:

    I don’t trust Well Hung & the first time hare (but hell, I dont’ trust about any hare anymore), but we did give Mango the option…….. you never know, don’t plan on us, but……

    And Steve – it isn’t a new bike, it was a frame out of Salsa’s warranty room, but you have to look really hard for the blemish…..

  24. Steve says:

    New bike!!

  25. Jenka says:

    Darn, I really wish the email notifications worked! I was out and about all day yesterday. (Work? What’s that?!)

    HAH! re: Jerry. He’s nothing if not entertaining!

    Yes, I’m going back to Port St. Joe. Rachel’s moving to Macon in August so it’ll likely be my last chance. Paulie, you wanna carpool? Heh.

    THanks, Steve!

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