Blog, Blog, Blog

Changes

2010-03-04T18:49:00.000-08:00

First, I changed the run/bike/etc 1000 miles item to include swimming. I've been swimming three times a week, over half a mile each time, and the miles are adding up.

Second, I've got a new blog!!!

I've decided to sign up for a triathlon in August. This will follow me training as an overweight athlete. I'm really psyched about both the blog and the idea of a triathlon.

I'm also started running again, so that will start putting the miles on.

And we've got an out of state trip coming up, so that will be a goal or two.

Things are moving.

Again with the Best Laid Plans...

2010-02-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

I was doing good. I was doing really good. I was swimming three days a week. I was eating well. It was great.

Then it was my birthday and I slipped a little. I ate out a little too much. I drank a little too much. I missed the gym.

Then CJ ended up in the hospital and the whole thing blew up. I'm an emotional eater and I was stressed. I ate. I drank. I ate at McDonald's. Twice. I missed the gym.

We still don't know what is wrong with CJ and I'm still worried. But he's fine. He's got energy that I don't have. He also got four units of blood to get him there...

So, I'm back on. I went swimming yesterday and did only half a workout, but that is better than nothing. I started tracking my points again this morning. I started drinking tea again.

I think as long as CJ doesn't end up in the hospital again, I'll be okay for awhile.

PLANS!!!

2010-02-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

I've got plans people, plans!

First, I'm back on the weight loss thing. I'm done almost 5 pounds since the new year, a total of 12 since the beginning of this thing. Hooray.

Today, I started a swimming plan to go from swimming 0 to 1650 (that's a mile) in 6 weeks. I'm thinking it will take me more like 8, but what a great way to deal with the remaining winter and knock one of the goals off my list.

Next, we are starting to plan our spring trip. Looks like we will be going to New Orleans this spring. There we will hang out with two friends, knocking off two of five out of MN friends visited (I changed it to 5, 2 was too easy.)

Next weekend, I plan to have a professional massage. That's another goal, it will be the first of three.

Like I said, I've got plans.

Weight Loss Quest

2010-01-18T18:08:00.001-08:00

I'm back at the weight loss game. I rejoined Weight Watchers (online), I've rejoined the YMCA, and I've recommitted myself to doing this.

One thing I'm trying to do is take lots of different classes at the Y. While I love running and exercising outside, I hate, hate, hate the gym. I hate stair climbers and stationary bikes and elliptical machines and treadmills. They are so boring and generally make me want to leave and never return.

So, I'm trying to get into classes. Last Wednesday I took a spinning class. I had taken a couple before and they are painful. My ass hurts for at least three days after. But they are fun. I plan to take one every Wednesday until I get bored.

Tonight I took water aerobics. It was pretty ridiculous. I ended up face down in the water and in crazy positions a couple times trying to balance myself while running or doing sit ups or jumping jacks in the water. My heart rate didn't stay as high as I would like enough, but I used lots of muscles, core muscles, that don't get a lot of use normally. We did strength exercises and yoga too. I burned 450 calories, so it was a decent workout.

Tomorrow, my plan is to take a Zumba class. That's basically a Latin dance aerobics class. Being I'm super uncoordinated in the dancing sense, it should be very funny. Friday I plan to try out Turbo Kick, a kickboxing, dancing, sort of aerobics class. Again, I'm sure to look like a fool.

But, if these classes keep me going to the Y, they are worth all the embarrassment.

Obligatory New Year's Post

2010-01-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

First, what I've been up to. I've:
-rejoined the YMCA
-learned how to use weights and set up a preliminary routine
-set up free half hour meeting with personal trainer
-had friends and family (just a few) over for Christmas Eve, completing the House Party goal.
-made 5 hour eggs for Christmas Eve (which weren't that great) completing that goal
-saw 3 more documentaries
-tried one new wine

I mentioned earlier that I would be changing some goals.

I removed visiting 10 Minnesota Tourist Attractions a year. I was having a hard time defining tourist attraction. It was just too vague of a goal for me.

I removed the blood donation one since I'm not allowed to donate blood due to the rabies shots.

I changed the reading goal from 4 books a month to 3 books a month for 6 months.

I added taking 20 yoga classes. This will be harder than it sounds because I have a very difficult time with yoga. Every time I leave a class I have badly bruised knees. Even if I use multiple mats. I want to do and like yoga, but I don't.

I added visiting friends out of state at least twice. We just don't do this enough. Or ever. But we need to.

I also have some goals for this year that I would like to accomplish, but feel odd adding to this. I want to run at 10 mile race this year. I want to get a personal trainer this year. I want to lose 75 pounds this year. I want to lift weights at least twice a week this year.

So that's where we are. Hopefully I will end in a good place this time next year.

Top Albums of the Year

2009-12-29T19:17:00.000-08:00

This year has been a good year for music. Here are my favorite albums of the year, in no particular order. Keep in mind, I am not a music critic. I don't know how to write a bout music at all.

Noisettes Wild Young Hearts
It is sort of funky. It is sort of soulful. It is a lot of fun. The lead singer, Shingai Shoniwa, has a fantastic voice that reminds me 1960s soul music. Great for working out, cleaning the house, or dancing to. I especially like this at work because it makes the day go faster.

The Decemberists Hazards of Love
I love The Decemberists. Have for years. So it was no surprise when this was near the top of my list. Another home run for the quirky rockers. This one tells a story, sort of a rock opera, through the whole album. While there is a single, it is better in the context for the whole thing. Good stuff.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Blitz!
Another upbeat, fun album. Which I think is my theme for this year. Great vocals. Fun beats. I'm clearly not a music reviewer.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Up From Below
This is some fantastic and trippy stuff. I think they are hippies, or hippie fakes or something. And they, all 12 or something of them, are out to change your mind about something, I think. I'm not exactly sure what this one is all about, but I like it a lot. There is sort of a retro feel, but all original.

Jeremy Messersmith The Silver City
A wonderful album from a local favorite. This album is just wonderful. Almost every song is about transportation in some way, which I love. His voice is beautiful. There is a nice mix of tempos and styles. Probably my most listened to album of the year.

Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
I saw they are called "French Electro-Rockers." I like that. It is danceable pop music. There is electronics. There is rock. There is high men's voices. I like it.

Noah and the Whale The First Days of Spring
This thing is sort of beautiful. The music spoke to me somehow. It is a real clean sound. At one point a whole orchestra comes in and it is fantastic. A really wonderful listen.

Failures all around

2009-12-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to be able to read 4 books this month. I haven't even read one yet this month.

I also haven't been running.

I haven't lost weight.

None of my financial or spiritual goals have even been started.

So, I've decided to reevaluate. I think I'll be changing some goals as of the new year for ones more exciting to me. I'm keeping that 4 books a month for 6 months goal because it interests me and is a challenge I want to accomplish. I think I'll be getting rid of that swimming a mile goal because I don't have access to a swimming pool.

So, thoughts on new goals to add? What should I be focusing on the next year and a half?

Win Something For Me

2009-12-11T13:22:00.001-08:00

See that sidebar over there? The one about winning Truffle Bliss? Go over there and win the Truffle package for you and me. You enter to win and then put me down as who you would give the second package to and we may both win. Wouldn't that be awesome? Or, if you are on a reader, click here to enter.

5K Failure

2009-12-06T08:44:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, I attempted the Reindeer Run 5K. I ended up walking about half of it.

I think a couple factors were at play. First, I started out way too fast. I was keeping up with people that I now realize were going much faster than my 15min/mile pace. Probably more around a 12min/mile. Secondly, I didn't have Jeff. I think running with Jeff keeps me going more than I wanted to admit. He's always pulling on his leash, which keeps me going and keeps my mind off my running. Third, and I don't know why this is, but my last few runs have been bad. On the day before Thanksgiving I ran an awesome run around Lake Nokomis, about 2.7 miles. All three of my runs after that were terrible. Either I had to walk parts of them or I was barely moving I was running so slow.

But, try try again. I'm considering running a New Year's Day run, but that seems inconvenient. I've been having some serious leg pain, so I may take the week off and reassess after that. I think I'll walk what I would have run this week. I'm really wanting to try a half marathon, so I want to keep running, but this leg pain cannot continue. It keeps me from walking down stairs like a normal person.

At the Last Minute

2009-11-30T18:50:00.001-08:00

Tonight I started and finished my fourth book of the month. I read the graphic novel Road To Perdition written by Max Allan Collins and art by Richard Piers Rayner. Very last minute, but it was a very good read. I really want to see the movie now. I also finished Far North this weekend. It was pretty good, not great.

For next month, I've started Never Let Me Go and have The Vagrants waiting for me at the library. I'll gladly take suggestions for other books. I love graphic novels, dark and depressing books, anything taking place in snow or the cold, and my favorite authors are Steinbeck and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I don't like feel good books or books with morals. I will not read Harry Potter, anything with vampires, or most series books. I do like young adult books as much as old adult books.

And for those of you looking for a recipe, I made a nice little salad tonight. A new store called Vinaigrette has opened in South Minneapolis. I got a fantastic champagne vinegar from there. I took a couple tablespoons of that plus a half a minces shallot, a tablespoon of mustard and a couple tablespoons of olive oil and mixed it all up to make a really nice vinaigrette. Get to this place if you have a chance.

2 Miles

2009-11-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

I've ran two miles, without stopping, twice now. I'm pretty damn proud of myself, even if I am super slow. I have 12 days to bump that up to 3.1 miles when I run the Reindeer Run. I'm a bit nervous and will be going for 2.5 on Wednesday. Wish me luck.

BOOKS!

2009-11-16T18:01:00.001-08:00

This month I'm back to trying to read 4 books a month for six months. So far this month I've read 31 Hours by Marsha Hamilton and Y: The Last Man Book One by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra.

I'm in the middle of Far North by Marcel Theroux as well as a few diet books. I also have Book Two for Y: The Last Man around, but that doesn't really count as a second book, just a continuation of the first. I have Never Let Me Go ready to pick up at the library, so that will probably be book number four for the month.

Documentaries

2009-11-08T23:27:00.000-08:00

According to the side bar, I have watched 35 documentaries since this all began. I don't believe that is an accurate portrayal of how many I have actually watched because I sometimes forget to add them after I watch them. I also have a hard time determining what is a documentary and what isn't. Is a 30 minute documentary a documentary? What if it has been on TV? Are reality TV shows documentaries?

Any which way, I love documentaries. I love social ones, political ones, scientific ones, and bizarre ones. Below is a list of some great documentaries. Check them out if you have a chance:

1) Stevie- One of the saddest and most disturbing movies I have ever seen. Not a feel good movie at all. Not recommended to any one in the Big Brother and Big Sister organization.

2) This Film is Not Yet Rated- A look into the film rating system. It is full of humor and very smart. Shows the hypocrisy in the American film rating system.

3) Helvetica- All about the font.

4) Very Young Girls- Many young women are forced into prostitution. This film documents girls trying to get out and their stories in New York.

5) Bigger, Stronger, Faster- Steroids. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

That's five. Not necessarily my favorites of all time, but some solid, good films. Check them out.

Long Walk

2009-11-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I went on a 5 mile walk today. We stopped to watch a Bald Eagle at Lake Harriet for awhile. It was just sitting behind the band shell on a light pole. It was really cool. We also saw a nice sunset over Lake Calhoun. I wish the iPhone camera was better, it is my only complaint. My pics of the eagle aren't very good.

It was so nice to take a walk for just the fun of it. I didn't have to do because I ran yesterday. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor and didn't have a pace to keep up. It was just a nice long walk on what will probably be one of the last beautiful days of fall.

Miles

2009-10-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

So, in the last couple weeks I have quit Weight Watchers and quit the gym. Not so good really, but I needed to start over. Weight Watchers just isn't working for me this time and I haven't been going to the gym, so why pay the huge fee?

But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'm starting over and figuring this all out for myself. The first thing I'm doing is working on my bad habits. Each week I'm setting goals for myself to work on my bad habits. I'm working on eating slower. Not eating from the fridge. Writing everything I eat down. And being less lazy. Because I'm sooooooo lazy.

So, to be less lazy, I've started the Couch to 5k Program. Many people know the program because it is extremely popular. Basically it takes you from complete laziness to running a 5k in 9 weeks. Today I completed the first day of week 3. Not bad. And this is adding miles, slowly, to my overall mile goal.

But, I'm doing more. I'm reading books about diets. Not diets as in lose weight diets, but on healthy diets as in balanced diets. I'm trying to get a handle on what I should be eating to fuel my body. I'm going to develop my own plan and follow that. Clearly it will have to based on the basic principle of more calories spent than consumed, but it will also need to be healthy. With lots of fruits and veggies. Ultimately it will be no different than the WW plan, but it will be, because it will be on my terms and will focus on my problems specifically, like late night eating, eating too fast, and eating because I'm bored.

But running, that's the amazing part. I'm going to sign up for the Reindeer Run in December. That will be very cool.

Cocina Latina

2009-10-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight Pete, Carys and I went to Cocina Latina, a new South American Restaurant on 38th and Nicollet. They say they are:

Cocina Latina, or Latin Kitchen is a mix of Latin and North American cuisine. Good food, good portions, and great service are what you will find here at the latest and greatest family owned restaurant in Uptown Minneapolis. Come on over and check us out. We can't wait to make you a part of our family.

First to the table was my drink. I ordered Lulo Juice. Having never heard of lulos before, I quickly googled to find that it is a small citrus fruit, also called Naranjilla. They mixed the juice with crushed ice, or maybe they blended it, and it was frothy and cold and tasty.
(Excuse all the pics. They are from my iPhone which doesn't have the greatest quality.)

I ordered for my entree the Lamito Saltado. This was one of my favorite dishes at a now closed restaurant, so I was excited to try it again. Basically, it is a Latin version of a beef stir fry in which one of the stir fried ingredients is french fries. It was very good and served with a huge amount of rice.
The picture doesn't do justice to how much food is on this plate. It is huge.

Pete got the Goat Stew and I was pretty jealous. It looked fabulous, also served with a lot of rice. I tasted a bit of the sauce and it was well seasoned with deep spices. I didn't taste much, but there was a warmth to the spice that was immediately present and I want to try this dish the next time I'm there. Carys got beef tacos that were standard beef tacos.

We tried dessert too. I got the Figs and Cheese.

Basically, because that picture sucks, it was three big figs in a super sweet syrup topped with some queso. The figs themselves are very sweet, so if you don't like that, stay away. The cheese does a nice job of balancing the sweetness. The cheese is dry and salty and overall a very good dish.

I really liked this place and hope to go back. It is nice to see something new in the neighborhood.

Awesomely Awesome

2009-10-03T15:12:00.001-07:00

Driving down Blaisdell today I saw the awesomest car ever. A Cadillac with a spoiler!
Look at that spoiler.
And portholes too!

Much Ado About Nothing

2009-09-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today Brandi and I saw Much Ado About Nothing at Theater in the Round. It was great. It had tons of energy, was very funny, and innovative. It is showing one more weekend and I highly recommend it.

Also, Ken Burns' National Parks is playing for the next 6 weeks on PBS. Each episode will also be on their website for the week in between episodes. A great chance to see a documentary. I plan to watch each episode.

Meatless Monday

2009-09-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

On this lovely Meatless Monday I made some wonderful corn and potato soup with a Mexican flair.
As weeknight meals should be, it was fast and easy. I took this Epicurious recipe and adapted it for our tastes. That means using the adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers, cinnamon, cumin and leaving out the cilantro and jalapeno.

I served it with simple tostadas topped with refried beans and cotija.

(pics taken from my iPhone. I still love that thing.)

Awesome Phone

2009-09-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

One of my goals was to get an awesome phone. And on Friday, CJ and I both got the definition of an awesome phone, the iPhone. We had planned to get them next summer, but my employer is cracking down on who gets Blackberries and mine is being taken away. I knew I could live without a smart phone, so with lots of arm twisting (ha!) I convinced CJ that now was the time.

Bats, Blood, Basketball, and Needles

2009-08-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

What a week.

Early Monday morning, about 3:00, CJ woke up and there was a bat in our bedroom. We stared at it for about 5 minutes before deciding to sleep on the air mattress in the living room. We closed up the room and headed downstairs. I had only slept for a couple hours at that time and the rest of the night went about as well.

Monday I gave blood, as planned. I blogged about it and how I was changing my goal to give blood whenever I can, not just when the blood mobile comes to work.

Monday night was crazy. CJ went after the bat. It was flying around the room. He tried to hit it with a tennis racket, suck it up into the vacuum, capture it with a towel and a bucket, and shoot it with a pellet gun. None of those things worked. The bat flew off and couldn't be found. Well, that riled both of us up. Add that to the non-ideal sleeping conditions and you have two very unhappy, not well rested people.

I was so tired, I called in sick to work just to get some sleep on Tuesday.

By Tuesday night, some people in the know had caught wind of our bat situation and were sending us links about how we needed to contact our doctors and get rabies shots.

Tuesday night CJ went after the bat again. And it was nowhere to be found. He banged around in the room. He flicked the lights on and off. The stupid thing wouldn't come out.

By Wednesday, we were calling our clinics and getting appointments to find out about rabies shots. Wednesday afternoon I went in to the doctor. He told me unequivocally that I had to get the shots. He had called the MN Dept of Health and I needed to do what he said. I mentioned that I gave blood on Monday and he said that I had to call them to not let my blood be used.

Dammit. I didn't want those shots.

At this point we were tired. CJ didn't even look for the bat. It is hot enough that we would be sleeping downstairs anyhow, so we are just going to keep that room locked down until after the weekend and assume it will be dead by then. Or gone. But probably dead.

The first thing I did today was to call the Red Cross to let them know about my blood situation. They put a hold on my blood, so it won't be used. They also entered my situation into their database. I am not allowed to give blood for one year.

So much for that goal. I don't know if I will replace it.

This afternoon, I went in and got the first shots. Two in the thighs. Two in the hips. Two in the butt. One in the arm. The two in the thighs were the only ones that hurt, but my legs are pretty sore right now from them.

I still have 4 more shots to go. One Monday, one Thursday, one the following Thursday and one two Thursdays after that.

A couple good things have happened though. First, Pete and I headed to the gym and shot hoops tonight. I was a little worried that I would be too sore, but it helped my thighs a bit. But now they are super sore, as is my shooting arm. But that's one goal down.

I also went to WeightWatchers on Wednesday. I'm down a total of just over 10 pounds. That's pretty sweet.

Big Day

2009-08-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

Today I gave blood and I volunteered. I've decided to go off the work schedule for donating blood because I can do it much more often than that and I want to. I like donating blood and it takes a lunch break to do it. So, I'll be doing it much more often than just when it comes to work.

Fringe Festival... Whew! (goal completed)

2009-08-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

Well, the Fringe Festival is done. I saw a total of 20 shows. I didn't set out to finish my Fringe goal in one summer, I thought I would do it over 3 summers. But that's what happened.

I think next summer I'll plan more carefully. I wasn't able to see a single show between Monday and Friday due to other plans. That means I saw all 20 shows in 6 days. I also think next year I will take some time off work so I can attend some of the late night shows on weekdays and I'll volunteer to get some free shows.

But with that completed, I can move on to some of my other goals. Specifically I want to focus on losing weight, getting some miles in, cleaning the house and swimming one mile. CJ and I are rejoining the gym this week, so that should help a lot.

Fringe Festival Day 1

2009-07-31T14:05:00.001-07:00

The Minnesota Fringe Festival kicked off yesterday and I was able to attend 4 shows. I love, love, love the Fringe Fest, even though last year was the first year I attended. After seeing a couple shows last year I was hooked. This year I bought the Ultra Pass which lets me see as many shows as I want. I'm hoping to see 20 or so this year.

Last night I saw four shows. The first wasn't very good. The second was a fun comedy based on a Greek tragedy called Agamemnon. It was great and I'd recommend it to anyone. The third show was a great dance performance called Passage. It was fun, dramatic, hilarious and beautiful all at the same time. And a woman fell of the stage, which was exciting, and not part of the show. Finally, I saw Blue Ribbon Burlesque. A very adult show, it was pretty cool. There was juggling, dancing, singing, a live band and naked ladies.

So, off my list comes one dance show, one Burlesque and four fringe shows. Not bad for a night.

Adding Miles -FAIL

2009-07-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

I decided to go rollerblading today. I thought to myself, "it is good exercise, I'll get some miles in, and I've always liked doing it."

So, I headed out to Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. I chose this spot because I knew it had nice trails and would be less busy than the Lakes. I didn't know how my balance and stopping would be, so I wanted to be far away from large numbers of people who I could hurt or embarrass myself in front of.

I put on my safety gear: helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. I laced, buckled and Velcroed up my blades and headed out.

I was very wobbly at first. It had been at least 6 years since I had been on them, but I got moving pretty well pretty quickly. I made it about a quarter of a mile, when I encountered trouble.

I was heading down a hill when I noticed that the trail was heading into a parking lot and had a stop sign. I applied the break, and nothing happened. I applied the break again, and I barely slowed.

I realized I had a choice to make. I could continue down or I could try and stop myself in the grass. Continuing down meant hopping a curb at the end of the trail and speeding into a parking lot. I'd probably fall in the parking lot. Stopping in the grass meant moving on to the grass and running on my skates until I slowed myself. I had done this before, but wasn't confident that I'd be successful this time.

I chose the grass. I made it about two steps before I totally wiped out, ending up in the bushes. I hit my right knee hard. My glasses fell off my face. I got scratched up on my legs. My pride was destroyed.

My knee hurts tonight, as does my right arm. But I'm already thinking about trying to head out again. I used to be able to stop in a variety of ways, so I need to go to a parking lot and practice before I hit any hills again. Anyone know any flat, flat, flat places to skate?