This week I lost 4.6 lbs., and am 27.8 pounds from my goal weight (169 lbs.).
Continue to monitor my progress and other health and wellness information over at A Year of Loss and Health, Pirate.
5k (Semi) Challenge
13 years ago
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
We Are Made of Words
This is, by far, my favorite sculpture in the downtown Des Moines sculpture garden.
It sure is impressive lit up at night.
It sure is impressive lit up at night.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
For Mom
Sweet. This looks like it could actually be funny.
It's also my one of my mom's favorite movies - made cartoon.
It's also my one of my mom's favorite movies - made cartoon.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Building a Better Pirate
The cover to a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly was eerily prescient.
In fact, that's just what I've been doing recently. Once again, I threw away all my hard work at being healthy and keeping organized and living fully in the present. So I've had to start over again.
No promises, but this time I think it might just stick.
Not that it isn't tough. The last three weeks of work before summer vacation are always rough. Add to that pressure the second job, the possibilities of additional summer work, the whole online dating thing, and it's pushing the edge of overwhelming.
On the plus side, I noticed a second gray hair in my goatee. That, I am excited about. (Truly.)
In fact, that's just what I've been doing recently. Once again, I threw away all my hard work at being healthy and keeping organized and living fully in the present. So I've had to start over again.
No promises, but this time I think it might just stick.
Not that it isn't tough. The last three weeks of work before summer vacation are always rough. Add to that pressure the second job, the possibilities of additional summer work, the whole online dating thing, and it's pushing the edge of overwhelming.
On the plus side, I noticed a second gray hair in my goatee. That, I am excited about. (Truly.)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
First Ride of the Year
Today was my first bike ride of the year. And boy was it memorable.
I wasn't even planning on going for a ride today - the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I worked early and was off by 3:30. When I called home to check in with the Monkey (@crshaver), I found out he was trying to convince himself to get his bike down and take it for a ride. More power to him, I thought, and hung up.
And then I reconsidered. The weather was perfect, warm and not too windy. I had signed up for yet another RAGBRAI. I felt the lack of training last year during the ride. I really should get out there, I thought. It was near perfect conditions for a ride.
So I called him back, and told him to take my bike down too.
I don't think either of us planned on anything too lengthy for our first ride, so I took us about 7 miles out of town. (I wanted to check a distance for the rides I'm planning this summer.) We make it to what would be our turnaround and reluctantly decide to take the ride a bit farther.
That was probably our first mistake.
Not more than a half mile into our now longer ride does the Monkey's back tire blow out. This is the same tire he'd been having problems with last year when he put his bike up for the winter. The same tire that was completely flat when we aired up tires before leaving. The same tire that make all kinds of popping and hissing sounds as we aired it up.
And of course, we have no friends in the area. Nobody around that can bring him back. Even the bike shop that is only 2 miles from where he blew out was a no go - closing at 5, the time being 4:50.
So off I go on my bike to get my car to bring him and his busted bike home.
I take my phone with me, both of us joking that I should be careful. Don't want to blow a tire.
I'm making decent time back to our original turnaround point. And then I head West. (The entire ride home is West.) And what we thought was a headwind from the North turns out to be from the North WEST. Balls!
Still, I persevere. I make it to within 2 miles of home when I suddenly realize that the key to the house is in the Monkey's bike bag. Back with the Monkey. Bigger balls!
I call mom just to let her know how hopeless this bike ride has become. Her advice: you really should put one of those keyless entry pads on your garage. (Long story.)
And I'm off again, back the way I came to get the key.
After an additional 7 miles of riding I finally make it home and get the car to go pick up the Monkey.
Who says the first ride of the year isn't memorable?
21.64 miles in 1:28:16 riding time, average of 14.6 mph.
I wasn't even planning on going for a ride today - the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I worked early and was off by 3:30. When I called home to check in with the Monkey (@crshaver), I found out he was trying to convince himself to get his bike down and take it for a ride. More power to him, I thought, and hung up.
And then I reconsidered. The weather was perfect, warm and not too windy. I had signed up for yet another RAGBRAI. I felt the lack of training last year during the ride. I really should get out there, I thought. It was near perfect conditions for a ride.
So I called him back, and told him to take my bike down too.
I don't think either of us planned on anything too lengthy for our first ride, so I took us about 7 miles out of town. (I wanted to check a distance for the rides I'm planning this summer.) We make it to what would be our turnaround and reluctantly decide to take the ride a bit farther.
That was probably our first mistake.
Not more than a half mile into our now longer ride does the Monkey's back tire blow out. This is the same tire he'd been having problems with last year when he put his bike up for the winter. The same tire that was completely flat when we aired up tires before leaving. The same tire that make all kinds of popping and hissing sounds as we aired it up.
And of course, we have no friends in the area. Nobody around that can bring him back. Even the bike shop that is only 2 miles from where he blew out was a no go - closing at 5, the time being 4:50.
So off I go on my bike to get my car to bring him and his busted bike home.
I take my phone with me, both of us joking that I should be careful. Don't want to blow a tire.
I'm making decent time back to our original turnaround point. And then I head West. (The entire ride home is West.) And what we thought was a headwind from the North turns out to be from the North WEST. Balls!
Still, I persevere. I make it to within 2 miles of home when I suddenly realize that the key to the house is in the Monkey's bike bag. Back with the Monkey. Bigger balls!
I call mom just to let her know how hopeless this bike ride has become. Her advice: you really should put one of those keyless entry pads on your garage. (Long story.)
And I'm off again, back the way I came to get the key.
After an additional 7 miles of riding I finally make it home and get the car to go pick up the Monkey.
Who says the first ride of the year isn't memorable?
21.64 miles in 1:28:16 riding time, average of 14.6 mph.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Written by a 5 Year Old?
Today Now! Interviews The 5-Year-Old Screenwriter Of "Fast Five"
Even if this was true, it's hard to fault the level of enjoyment you get out of FAST FIVE. Totally unbelievable, totally insane.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Disney Princesses...Sucker Punched
Enjoy this creative mashup that substitutes Disney princesses in for the girls of SUCKER PUNCH.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Commercial Overload
Here are all 61 of the Super Bowl commercials condensed down into a 2-minute mashup.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Dumbass Move, Pirate
I'm not entirely convinced it was my fault. I think it was a glitch. Or a ghost.
There is no way I locked my keys in my car while it was running.
Except, I did.
This wouldn't have been such a problem - I have spare keys - only they are at home. Locked in the house with no one home. The brother that lives with me: in Florida. The closest spare home keys: with my mother. I'd call her, only my cell phone is in my bag. Locked in my car. And her phone number...I'm not 100% sure I remember it. (I never dial a number; I speed dial.)
My first reaction - after swearing and stomping around in the parking lot - was to punch in one of my windows. Break it with a rock or something other than my fist? Didn't even cross my mind. After deciding it would be more expensive and more of a hassle to replace the window, I chose not to break it - and my hand - in an attempt to unlock my car. I then had the ice scraper - the reason I got out of my running car in the first place - wedged into a crack of the door and was in the process of trying to pry it open when I decided that any further action on my part to open my locked car was going to result in more trouble than it was worth.
I went back inside work to try solve my locked door problem. (Beats standing in the snow storm outside.) With no real clue who to call - and here's where my brother will laugh his ass off because he's been telling me to get AAA ever since I bought my used piece-of-crap car - I had to stop and think this situation through.
After attempting to get ahold of my one local police contact with no such luck, I called my grandparents to get my mom's cell number. See, she has a key to my place. If I could just catch her before she heads home from work, she might be able to swing by and get me into my house so that I can get my spare car keys and unlock the door.
Only, I get her voicemail. And the kicker? She can't call me back because of my lack of cell phone and no direct line to my phone at work - everyone in the office had gone home to beat the snow storm outside, leaving all incoming calls routed through to voicemail.
After some more telephone work, I managed to get ahold of my spare house key, my extra car keys, and eventually made it home.
Needless to say, my night did not go as planned. Any drive I had to eat healthy, exercise, clean house, and do work evaporated. I'm writing the night off.
On my To Do list for Wednesday (the next night I have any free time): a AAA membership, a list of important phone numbers to keep in my wallet, and some research into keyless entry to my garage.
There is no way I locked my keys in my car while it was running.
Except, I did.
This wouldn't have been such a problem - I have spare keys - only they are at home. Locked in the house with no one home. The brother that lives with me: in Florida. The closest spare home keys: with my mother. I'd call her, only my cell phone is in my bag. Locked in my car. And her phone number...I'm not 100% sure I remember it. (I never dial a number; I speed dial.)
My first reaction - after swearing and stomping around in the parking lot - was to punch in one of my windows. Break it with a rock or something other than my fist? Didn't even cross my mind. After deciding it would be more expensive and more of a hassle to replace the window, I chose not to break it - and my hand - in an attempt to unlock my car. I then had the ice scraper - the reason I got out of my running car in the first place - wedged into a crack of the door and was in the process of trying to pry it open when I decided that any further action on my part to open my locked car was going to result in more trouble than it was worth.
I went back inside work to try solve my locked door problem. (Beats standing in the snow storm outside.) With no real clue who to call - and here's where my brother will laugh his ass off because he's been telling me to get AAA ever since I bought my used piece-of-crap car - I had to stop and think this situation through.
After attempting to get ahold of my one local police contact with no such luck, I called my grandparents to get my mom's cell number. See, she has a key to my place. If I could just catch her before she heads home from work, she might be able to swing by and get me into my house so that I can get my spare car keys and unlock the door.
Only, I get her voicemail. And the kicker? She can't call me back because of my lack of cell phone and no direct line to my phone at work - everyone in the office had gone home to beat the snow storm outside, leaving all incoming calls routed through to voicemail.
After some more telephone work, I managed to get ahold of my spare house key, my extra car keys, and eventually made it home.
Needless to say, my night did not go as planned. Any drive I had to eat healthy, exercise, clean house, and do work evaporated. I'm writing the night off.
On my To Do list for Wednesday (the next night I have any free time): a AAA membership, a list of important phone numbers to keep in my wallet, and some research into keyless entry to my garage.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Not My Marathon
My brother is running the Walt Disney World Marathon this morning. I received his first text at 1:20 AM as he was getting around to head out to the race. Later I saw that he started his run at 6:04:48 AM.
I believe my uncle signed me up to receive race updates via email, and for this I couldn't be happier. See, I was supposed to be running this marathon with my brother.
And then I didn't train. Not like I was supposed to. Not like I promised to. Not in time to run this marathon I sort of talked my brother into running. How completely uncool of me.
As I slept in bed this morning, the updates came in. 5 miles at 58:31; 10 at 1:58:09; half at 2:37:41; and 20 at 4:15:51. I'm sure he's near done by now. I'm proud of what the little Monkey is accomplishing at this very moment. I wish him the best.
My plan is to be at the Disney Marathon next January. I think my brother said he might even go down and run the half. Hopefully this time I won't disappoint him, or myself.
Congrats, Monkey!
I believe my uncle signed me up to receive race updates via email, and for this I couldn't be happier. See, I was supposed to be running this marathon with my brother.
And then I didn't train. Not like I was supposed to. Not like I promised to. Not in time to run this marathon I sort of talked my brother into running. How completely uncool of me.
As I slept in bed this morning, the updates came in. 5 miles at 58:31; 10 at 1:58:09; half at 2:37:41; and 20 at 4:15:51. I'm sure he's near done by now. I'm proud of what the little Monkey is accomplishing at this very moment. I wish him the best.
My plan is to be at the Disney Marathon next January. I think my brother said he might even go down and run the half. Hopefully this time I won't disappoint him, or myself.
Congrats, Monkey!
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