Today’s Daily Challenge
Write down one skill you’d like to improve that can help you in your career or volunteer activities.
Too often we get into a rut, performing the same repetitive tasks and doing only what’s required to carry out the basic functions of our job. If you want to move ahead – both professionally and personally – it’s important to step back. By thinking about what you’re doing and how you can do it better, you open yourself up to new learning opportunities and experiences.
Finishing the job. So many projects in my life are half done and since my life is more than half dome it’s time for me to start finishing them.
Sock It To Me
I left the office early so that I could get an hour on a treadmill or bike at LA Fitness before heading to the CocoaHeads Atlanta meet up. My timing and choice of clubs were perfect.
Inside the changing room of the North Druid Hills location I discovered something very problematic — I had failed to pack athletic socks yesterday. It was my good fortune to find that this LA Fitness’ store carried socks, and reasonably-priced ones as well. I bought a pair of standard cotton ankle socks for $2.30 and dumped the change received into the tip jar.
I managed sixty minutes of pedaling at LA Fitness. This morning my left foot, you may remember this as being the problematic foot from last year, is hurting a little, but not enough to be overly-concerned at this time.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Even when you are your own punisher.
With a workout completed and a shower under my belt I headed out to the mean streets of Druid Hills so that I could make it down to Kirkwood by 7pm. From the get go I was pissed when I realized that my left-turn lane from North Druid Hills to LaVista was not getting a green arrow. I sat through two full cycles before the eight cars ahead of me and I made it onto LaVista. As I had the night before I used my detailed knowledge of side streets to get me to my destination on time.
The meet up was good, I think that others are starting to recognize me at the meeting (even with the salt, salt, salt and pepper beard), though I managed to ruin the benefits of my workout by eating two slices of Pizza Hut pizza and a glass of Mountain Dew.
Side Note #1: Little known fact – cold pizza and Mountain Dew is the “Breakfast of Programmers”
Side Note #2: I want to believe that I coined the joke in Side Note #1
Side Note #3: I’m not a fan of Pizza Hut pizza
One other thing I learned last night is that Big Nerd Ranch is moving out of their current World Galactic Headquarters in a few months into their new office space over by Arizona Lofts — even closer to the (current) ITP Estate!
Let’s Do The Muscle Thing Again
I have a fully-packed bag of goodies in my gym bag today for an afternoon session of weight lifting. Let’s see if I can make my arms so sore that I can’t lift them over the weekend.
Speaking of weekends, this is one of the emptiest (in terms of commitments) that I’ve had in a long time. There is literally nothing on my calendar for this weekend!
Perhaps I’ll use the weekend as a springboard for house cleaning, outdoor chores, and cooking, all before Sunday’s football watching.
Today’s Personal Project
Second weightlifting session of the week on tap before I consume anything poured from a tap.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – good, slightly concerned about my foot
Current Music – silence at the moment as I just wrapped up watching the latest “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee”
Website Of The Day – Ever wonder how big or small these new fancy-pants cameras are? Check out Camera Size Comparison and you may just have your questions answered.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – stationary cycling, 65 minutes (last five were cool down)
Morning Weigh-In – Oops, I failed to check. Let’s say 215 pounds.
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~13.2 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 2 (1 cardio)
Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0
January Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber to fix all of the sinks at the ITP Estate
– walk no fewer than 75 miles
– have European trip plans in place, if not carved in stone
2014 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
– 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
– Sell the ITP Estate (tentative)
2014 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Continue to 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)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2014
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
House cleaning is high on our list as we’re having some folks over for dinner Sunday.
We need recommendations for a Mexican restaurant “in town”. Trying to find a location equidistant to meet. Is Zocalo any good on 10th st.?
Typing on the iPad is a pain.
-FP
Have you tried voice dictation (not Siri), pressing the microphone button on the keyboard?
I’ve not been to Zocalo in many years. “Equidistant” from what Moreland/???
Steve – you get used to 1 finger typing on the iPad, it just takes a whole lot longer (well, it does for me).
I like Pizza Hut pizza the best of the cheap pizza options, but that being said, I rarely eat cheap pizza anymore.
We’ve got the house back to ourselves finally – Felicia is flying back home today.
We have no real plans this weekend, hoping to go for a hike (or two), probably with Michelle & the dogs.
Did you hear they got an offer on the East Point house? Inspection is today, that wil make or break the deal. Luckily for them, with all the reno they did, they might be okay on the inspection.
Wow, an offer already? That’s fantastic!
Pizza hut pizza tastes good but gives me pain in the belly after eating it.
Busy weekend here, Crossfit and Travis’s basketball game in the morning, start bathroom renovation for the rest of the day. Sunday mountain biking at Coldwater in Alabama (anybody is free to join if you would like), and Monday will be more bathroom renovation.
Steve, how about Nuevo Laredo for Mexican food?
Bob – which bathroom & what all are you doing?
I find Pizza Hut’s pizza way too greasy. Perhaps it’s because they use oils in their pans instead of cornmeal or flour to keep the dough from sticking.
We are doing both bathrooms starting with the guest. First one will be pretty easy, tile, toilet, vanity, sink, and paint. Second one will get a new shower insert along with tile, vanity, sink, and paint. Then it’s floors, yard, and on the market it goes!
and don’t forget Bob, a door to the deck! (sorry, couldn’t resist)
I’m sure that I’ve mentioned this fear before, but I fear fixing everything in my house and then not wanting to sell it because everything is the way I want it to be. Ugh.
Well, the neighborhood (that I still want to love) will still be crime-ridden, so there’s always that.
Oh yeah, forgot about the door. I need to get on Allan’s schedule for early spring.
Our friends would be coming in from the Lilburn area, so equidistant would sort of be the airport, but that doesn’t happen. There is a place in College Park but we haven’t been there ourselves.
Where is Nuevo Loredo, Bob?
I’ll try voice dictation next time.
That is always an option Paul, if the crime gets cleaned up you live in a great location. Now the possibility of cleaning up that much crime is pretty small.
Steve, Nuevo Laredo is on Chattahoochee avenue over by where the Dogwood brewery was.
I like Nuevo Laredo Cantina. Other options are:
Bone Garden Cantina (same part of town as Nuevo Laredo).
Mescalito’s in Grant Park near Oakland Cemetery.
No Más! Cantina in Castleberry Hill.
Oh sure Paul, you had to one up me with your fancy pants embedded links and stuff.
We pulled the trigger- Nuevo Loredo it is. The menu looks great and considering they have been there almost 25 years says something.
And on the day you are there there will be “free beer tomorrow” (which was what I called the restaurant before I knew its name)
yes Bob – I’d love to have Allan have a project that involves other people’s money – get him signed up!
Steve – send a message to Michelle – maybe there is something new in East Point?
What’s that place – is it Carumba Cafe that’s near Grady? I think Martha said it is good.
Bob, I just can’t stop myself some days…
I’m thinking of making the haul up to Kennesaw to go to the Burnt Hickory Brewery for their “tour” from 12-5 tomorrow. What else could I do while I’m in those parts?
I’m a little disappointed to find out that Burnt Hickory Brewery doesn’t follow me on Twitter. Don’t they know how much power I wield? Don’t answer that…
Burnt Hickory Brewery? Interesting, we might be game. I wonder where it is located? (I know, I can google) Want to go to Kennesaw Mtn for a hike? e are thinking about doing that.
I dropped a link in the previous comment, but here’s their address:
Burnt Hickory Brewery
2260 Moon Station Ct NW, Unit 210,
Kennesaw, GA
30144-5652
Hmmm, a hike. I might be up for that.
Not exactly next door to the mountain, but closer than either of our houses. We don’t have to do the steep hiking stuff, we’ve been doing some of the other trails, still some up & down but is better on my knees than the steep stuff. I’ll see what time Michelle is thinking, I told her we’d help get the dogs some exercise, but I see both working.
HOLD THE PHONE. Steve, you’ve never been to, or HEARD of, Nuevo Laredo? I find that shocking. It’s considered one of the best Mexican places in all of Atlanta. I say, “considered” because I’ve never been a fan of it. And the reason why I’m not a fan is because they are so popular that you have to wait an hour to get a table. By which time you’ve had 3 margaritas and you’ll eat pretty much anything that’s put in front of you. I mean, it’s fine. It’s your regular Mexican, from what I remember, which isn’t much, because of the aforementioned margaritas. It’s a pretty excellent marketing strategy.
I was all about to get excited about a trip to the brewery, and then you all had to ruin it with a hike. What is wrong with you people?
Twist my arm Jenka and I will pick you up and we’ll meet them at the brewery.
I have determined that I work with the lamest people on the planet. I have a vendor offer me tickets to a Gladiators vs. Solar Bears in a suite and I can’t get anybody to go with me. WTF?
Your friends might not be so lame. When is the game? Can we be contractors for a day? 🙂
yeah – can we pretend to work at McKesson to go to a hockey game?
Jenka – I’ve actually never been to Nuevo Laredo either, sort of for that reason. I can drink a good margarita closer to home without waiting an hour for a table.
And- I know it isn’t crossfit (damn cult), but really, you are against hiking? lol
If they just gave me a stack of tickets you guys would be the first I would call. I have to sit through a presentation and get the hard sale before the game though. That part is not so much fun.
what are they trying to sell? I can ask a bunch of stupid questions, then maybe they’d stop? Is there free beer in that suite? And- I told Allan about your bathroom project, told him to go help you spend money for a change. He just laughed at me…..
Seriously, let’s write up a contract for $1 and crowd up that hockey suite!
I have to really be in the mood to go hiking. I’m not, shall we say, a nature girl.
If this brewery thing is really a thing, I’m in! And I’ll take a free ride, too. We should get Martha to come watch us drink. HEH.
It’s a network controls company, they provide DNS, DHCP, and IP addressing solutions. Interesting for me and Steve but others would be bored to tears.
I thought about asking Allan to help with the bathroom but it is the small one and I don’t think we would both fit in there to do any work.
Jenka, the tour is in Kennesaw from 12-5. Text me your address and I can pick you up at noon and we’ll go to the brewery. Barb, meet us there at 1pm.
We should get Martha to come and be a designated driver! LOL.
1pm might be early for us, if the weather isn’t too windy, I really do want to go for a hike. And, I don’t really want to start drinking at 1pm, that would really shoot the whole day. But – who knows, I’ll text you in the morning, I might change my mind on that. I was thinking more like 3pm……(2 hours is plenty for me to be drinking beers at a brewery)
Okay, let’s meet at 3pm at the brewery.
Jenka, if you want in text me your address (or a public place to pick you up if you’d rather that) and I’ll do so at 2pm.
A pizza place that was on Man vs Food (or some crazy show like that) Big Pie In the Sky is up near there. I don’t know if their pizza is actually any good, but they have a super huge one that if 2 people can eat it in 1 hour they get some crazy prize. I told Allan he is NOT ALLOWED to attempt that challenge.
Barb, keep in mind the tour would be first, that’ll take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, depending on how big the brewery is. But yeah, I totally agree that we’ll only need two hours there, tops. Paulie, if you don’t mind driving, I’d appreciate it. 2:00 pm is perfect, and I’ll text you my address.
I saw that Man vs Food episode! But I can’t remember if he finished it or not.
Is this the record for number of comments on one blog entry?! I’m only commenting again just to get it closer to 40.
they did lose the challenge – they couldn’t finish that pizza.
I usually blow off the tour if I can, I don’t really care how the beer is made, can it be all that different that Dogwood, Red Brick, Sweetwater, Red Hare, etc…….
9and, commenting again to be in the game with Jenka.
I now have to rethink the Nuevo Loredo if it’s a big waiting situation. We were going to meet there at 6.
Quite a few comments. Great blog day.