Hope all of you who celebrate Christmas had an enjoyable day yesterday. I spent Christmas Eve drinking at my boss’ condo with him, another coworker and a friend of our working community. Given that I cannot drive like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, or perhaps because I think I can, I chose to spend the night on his couch. This may sound extreme, but the plan was to convene for dinner again on Christmas, so I packed a change of clothes “just in case.” Martha, I saw your comment too late on Tuesday, hope you had a good go of it yesterday.
For Christmas Eve and Christmas we dined like royalty. The four Christmas Eve participants did a fair bit of grocery shopping we went to — Aldi, the Buford Highway Farmers Market, and Kroger (This was an emergency trip when I realized that the cork in the wine bottle that I was opening wasn’t going to behave as it crumbled and I would need cheesecloth through which I’d have to strain it. Fear not, the wine was still wonderful! I tested a corky sinful before walking the two blocks to Kroger.) On Tuesday we dined on spiral-cut ham with vegetables and a traditional Ukrainian tuna and egg salad. On Christmas we cooked chicken and salmon, with which we ate leftover ham, some beets, carrots, green beans, etc.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Sit on the floor facing a chair, rest your arms on the seat, round your back, and count to ten.
This yoga-inspired challenge gives a gentle stretch to the muscles in your neck, back, and arms. The slow breathing as you stretch also helps to relieve stress.
I could use some stress reduction.
Damn, These Guys Are Industrious
8:30am and the work has already started. Good thing that I dragged my fat ass out bed early enough to move my car from under my carport (which is to get painted) and drag out the ladders they left behind on Saturday. Silly me left them in a visible location believing that Santa Claus wouldn’t abscond with them to help him reach some of his taller chimneys, so I put them into my basement.
ITP Flickr Pic
Hmm, might have wanted to take a photo or two for the blog.
Bad Paulie.
Work At Home
While the men work on my house for the next two days I shall be working from inside of it.
Of course the problems that kept me from seeing “A Christmas Carol” still lurk, which is why I’ll be working from home instead of relaxing about while the painters paint.
Today’s Personal Project
Stop worrying so much, or if I can’t stop worrying, do something about the problem.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – fat and hurting, trying to convince myself that all is well
Current Music – none, though I’m listening to the sound of elves working on my house.
Website Of The Day – If you still have a few shekels burning holes in your pocket then check out Amazon’s Year-End Sale.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – n/a
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – too fat
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)
Days Of Bed-Making – 0
Vegetarian Meals – 21.5
Carnivorous Meals – 29.5
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
December Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber, and a painter to work on the ITP Estate
– dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC?
– follow up on some critical life details
– 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
- Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
- 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — by Douglas Adams
- Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness — by CC Chapman
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love — by Cal Newport
- Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — by Steve Martin
- Who Am I: A Memoir — by Pete Townshend
- Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? — by Billy Crystal
- Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good — Andrew J. Mellen
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Happy Boxing Day! I believe this is the day you would give all your “staff” a present- the housekeeper, chauffer, the PAINTERS! (just sayin’).
A quiet Christmas on the farm. Santa brought Debbie things for her camera and some music, and brought me some nice shirts, socks and a work helper sort of thingy- a tripod base with a clamp on top- maybe you have to see it.
The downstairs furnace is on the fritz. When we got up yesterday, it was 57 in the house and the heat wasn’t on, though the fan was blowing. A check of the outside unit last night revealed it was not running, even though the inside unit was. No breakers tripped… that’s the best I got. Hopefully, something simple.
Family Christmas at my brothers in Lilburn. We’re an odd lot when we get together, which thankfully, isn’t very often. I guess all families are like that to some degree?
Back in the orafice and not many others are here…
What’s the bowling rumors for Saturday?
-FP
I survived a week with my parents! They are at the airport, hopefully not lost. They get to go all the way to gate D30 – that should keep them busy.
It was a good time overall, but we are ready to have our house back. I guess they’ve had some snow & ice up in Iowa, so my brother is planning to try to get the driveway cleared before going to pick them up.
Mary & TJ leave for Spain Saturday, but don’t let Mary know I told you, she is convinced that telling anyone will get them robbed.
We cooked a fine looking turkey on the Egg yesterday for Christmas dinner, (which was pretty big for just 6 people) so we have many leftovers from that & from the party, I don’t think I will need to go grocery shopping any time soon.
I’m trying to figure out what I can make with everything, I know a Shepherd’s Pie is going to happen with all the leftover mashed potatoes, some sort of ham/broccoli/cheese casserole with the ham, Allan is working on more turkey stock to make more soup & most likely some sort of turkey casserole.
bowling Saturday will have to be later in the afternoon/evening for us, or Sunday. (since I fogot we get to take Mary & TJ to the airport early afternoon)
The painters are getting a present — WORK. 😉
I assumed bowling at night.
Good luck with the furnace, Steve.
Anytime I have someone working for me, I always make sure to check on them and bring them a Coke or bottle of water. Doesn’t have to be any more than that to say “thank you”.
I assumed bowling in the evening as well. We have the Burns Christmas sometime on Saturday.
Oddly, as I drink a Coke myself now, I think of that more in the summer time. I have let them come in to use my bathroom, okay toilet since we all know my sinks are malfunctioning at the moment.
Working from home is nice, except when you’d rather be collaborating with someone who is in the office. Such is the case for me today.
While I know neither have been healthy for me I have adored the two bacon sandwiches on thinly-sliced rye bread I’ve eaten today.
just bacon on rye?
Yep, just (peppered) bacon on rye.