Low And Slow

No, I am not talking about my exercise efforts. I am talking about the pork loin that I’ve had in a crockpot cooking since last night. I’m playing Den Dad today and feeding a handful of coworkers (pork sandwiches with baked beans from a can). For a while I have been trying to get people to volunteer to make one group lunch a week, this way we can all eat good food without spending cafeteria / restaurant money and it gives us all a chance to show off any “cooking” skills we might possess. The program has not been a huge success, but I keep trying.

Today’s Daily Challenge
Take a moment to recall something funny that happened to you and a friend.

Although we all have a few laughs from time to time, there’s nothing like silly adventures from the past to bring the funny right to the surface today. When we recall fun times, it reconnects us to important people in our past and reminds us that there are little pleasures to be found in everyday life. This can motivate us to reach out to those around us, and to try and look for or create new pleasant memories.

There was this one time at Band Camp…

Taking The Slow Train Home
When I realized the shoes I was wearing weren’t conducive to making a four-mile walk (even though they should be) I used this as my opportunity to opt out of getting exercise last night. It’s not to say that I got no exercise yesterday, I think my walking from/to MARTA racked up at least a half-mile.

My decision not to walk was also influenced by my missing the first MARTA train on my journey, having to wait at least fifteen (probably closer to twenty) minutes for the next, and then waiting at least ten more for the eastbound train to take me to my car.

Once I arrived at the Jackmobile I drove over to Edgewood Retail District where I stopped into Target for a few essentials and the into Kroger where I wandered the aisles like a zombie as I tried to decide what I was going to concoct for lunch today.

All of that brainpower used on today’s lunch overpowered any thought of dinner so I did a Monday night replay and had bread/salami/cheese/ice cream/beer as my meal.

Holy Crap!
Crap, I forgot to mention last night’s weird event of the day. Upon returning home I dumped off my first load of baggage and was headed out to get the mail and bring in the trash containers. To my surprise I came upon a young lady who was letting her dog shit in my front yard.

“Excuse me, do you happen to have any plastic bags?” she asked.
“Yeah sure, I’ll be back in a second.” I said.

She politely picked up her pup’s deposit, and I was glad that she didn’t then ask to put the baggie into my trash can (I would have let her, but I’d rather not have a bag of dog shit in my trash can until next week’s trash pickup.

I wonder what would have happened had I not happened upon her while her dog was doing his business…

ITP Flickr Pic
Darn, I didn’t make time last night to upload any photos that I took at the aquarium.

I Work In An Anomaly
I’ve thought about this before, but it struck me again today — the Perimeter Mall area is one of Atlanta’s anomalies. To date there is one gas station and perhaps one dedicated grocery store in a mile radius from the mall. I make the distinction of “dedicated” grocery store since there is a Super Target and a Wal*Mart within a mile, both of which sell a limited selection of groceries. I have to believe that somewhere there sits at least one local politician who has made a boatload of money from the restriction of these services to this area, especially in regards to the sole gas station.

Nearing The Final Stretch
Oh, that sounds ominous. Fear not, I am only talking about The Office. As you may or may not remember, I started an effort to watch every episode of The (American) Office, in order, one a day. I am currently in the midst of Season 7 (of 9) so I am squarely on target to finish this mission by year’s end.

While this may be my only “accomplishment” of 2013, I will at least be able to say that 2013 was the year that I left the office behind. *snicker*

Today’s Personal Project
A whole lotta juggling going on today. Not talking about my weight, but am talking about many other facets of my life.

Also, return to doing to coding exercises after work.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – good
Current Music – silence at the moment
Website Of The Day – I am not using my Kindle Fire (first generation) and ws going to donate it to E-Books for Troops, only problem is that they do not accept Kindle Fires. So, I found this article (given a catchier name by yours truly) How To Put Out A (Kindle) Fire as the first step in figuring out what will happen to this device next.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – “nothing”
Morning Weigh-In – 213 pounds (October 1)

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – 1
Carnivorous Meals – 2

Marta Rides To Work – 1
Bike Rides To Work – 0

October Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber to replace my malfunctioning faucets
– submit to important documents, neither of which I can talk about at this time
– walk no fewer than 75 miles

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
  6. So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love — by Cal Newport
  7. Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — by Steve Martin
  8. Who Am I: A Memoir — by Pete Townshend

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

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16 Responses to Low And Slow

  1. Martha says:

    Well I’m out of here…if anyone is bored or need errands ran during the day let me know. We got the stop work order at 8:20 am, I’m wrapping up a few things then I’m heading home.

    RE: Recalling fun times – I think one story that will always stick with me was at Black Rock Mountain, it involved fire, booze and TLS ‘spitting into the wind’…I think you remember this as well.

    I have a (first generation) Kindle Fire…I use it alot…but I’ve been eyeing the new Fire XD, it looks pretty nice…maybe for christmas.

    Great news, we got the conditions for the loan yesterday, they were very, very minor…now just waiting for a closing date.

  2. Barb says:

    Martha – I was wondering how long they’d make you stay at work……

    I hope today is less crazy than yesterday, but most of my issues were because my co-workers didn’t cover for me (as in they didn’t do shit) on monday when I was out of the office.

    I wonder why you can’t donate a Kindle Fire to the troops? that’s weird…..

  3. Ah, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. 🙂

    I use my iPad (third generation) daily, my Google Nexus 7 (first generation) about once a week though that might change soon, and my Kindle Fire rarely. I was going to use the Fire as a way to watch Amazon videos on my TV but the found that the Amazon app on my iPad can now do that too.

    I think that they only want the e-Ink Kindles that can hold a charge for days. The e-Ink Kindles can only be used for book reading (for all intents and purposes) so maybe that has something to do with it as well.

  4. Martha says:

    I bet there is some sort of restriction on ‘exporting’ certain technologies…

  5. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the cost breakdown for this lunch:

    – ~4.5 pound pork tenderloin (package) was on sale for $10
    – two packages of buns were $5
    – two containers of cole slaw (for sandwiches) were $5
    – a large can of baked beans was $4
    – spices were already on hand so they were virtually free

    overall the meal will cost me ~$25 which should feed six-to-seven people for an average cost $4.15 – $3.60 per person (not including any beverages)

  6. Barb says:

    Does everyone chip in? When Allan (or whoever) cooks at the firehouse they just give the cook money – so in this case $4 or $5.

    I bought some boneless country style ribs at this Farm Store in Ellijay last weekend, I need to figure out when to cook them, the pork butt I bought from that store was awesome.

  7. Stacy says:

    Trying to figure out how to drop in on your office at lunchtime now…. YUM!

  8. Anyone want to guess what tomorrow’s blog photo will be? 😉

  9. Barb, I missed your question. No, sometimes people bring sides but that’s not required. The theory is that if everyone cooks eventually it’ll all even out in the end.

  10. Steve says:

    Just now getting to the blog… man, my priorities are bent.

    Odd email of the day yesterday, related to Martha’s situation. The commuter bus folks sent out a blast email yesterday saying there would be a mid-day bus.. wow, that’s great news if I have a Dr.s appointment or something to do at home and don’t want to wait around… except they didn’t have the schedule- so I pinged customer service. Sorry, it was only yesterday so they could take home the furlowed gubmint workers. Damnit!!

    Glad to see you are still trying to MARTA.

    Wasn’t there a real grocery just over the bridge on Hammond? Considering the price of that real estate, I’m not suprised there aren’t many gas stations.

    -FP

  11. Paulie [eatl/ga] says:

    But there are so many cars in this area…

    There is a Publix on Hammond between P’Tree Dunwoody and 400. I thought that is more than a mile away however.

  12. Barb says:

    So, I’ve been thinking about it- how many mall areas really do have gas stations?
    I can’t think of any that close to Cumberland (but I’m sure there is one within a mile), but there are some near Town Center. Northpoint – there are a couple. Lenox & Phipps – I can’t think of any that close there.
    I’m on hold listening to bad instrumental music……….

  13. Steve says:

    I remember a time when there was a gas station on the Lenox Square property- basically where the food court is now- and there was a grocery store in the mall as well. Of course, this is 40 years ago and times have changed. Greenbriar- the first enclosed mall in Atlanta (Lenox was open air when first built.) had a grocery store and drug store.

    That really does ask a question- why did the food stores leave malls?

  14. Debbie says:

    To get away from the kids with their pants around their knees??

    Just got my outfit for my niece’s wedding this weekend. I had to call Steve to get a fashion ruling, so if I’m a faux pas, it’s his fault!

    Hope lunch was a success Paulie, it sounded really good.

  15. Steve says:

    Oh sure, call me for fashion advice, then throw me under the bus.

  16. Barb says:

    calling Steve for fashion advice, really Debbie?

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