Thursday, July 31, 2008
RandomCam
I am noticing a trend, I dont have many random pics of Sarah on my phone. Mental note to self, must remember to start taking more pics of Sarah
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Weight loss
I decided at the first of the year that I was going to set a goal of losing weight. I weighed in at 204 lbs to start the year. I want to weigh 175 lbs by my 37th birthday which is December 18th. In order to do that some things had to change and I needed to break down my goal into smaller attainable goals. First off I, I needed to cut down or cut out the soda intake. Second I needed to make better food decisions and include more fresh fruits and vegetables in my diet. Third by breaking my weight loss goal into two segments I thought it would be easier to attain.
With a starting weight of 204 and a goal of 175, thats 29 lbs to lose. Well Im not ocd but I needed a round number. So I opted to go with 30 lbs. The first small goal was to lose 15 of those lbs by June 18th. Well with some of the things that transpired in the early part of the year ( primarily my grandfather being diagnosed and dying of cancer ) eating and drinking right werent a priority. Still I managed to lose 7 lbs by June 18th. Not quite the 15 I wanted to its better than none. Since June 18th I have proceeded to get back on track and lose an additional 9 lbs ( 8 of it coming off since June 30th ) Im a little behind but I am remaining optmisitic.
Ive seen some major changes with the loss of these 16 lbs. Im needing to wear a belt in order to keep my shorts from falling off. The belt is on its last notch were as just 6-9 months ago it was on the second notch in from the end. My tool belt at work had to be cinched up as it was trying to fall off and my wedding band wants to fall off my finger now. Of course im too cheap and bit apprehensive to go buy new clothes because there it always the lingering fear of if I gain the weight back my clothes wont fit anymore. But at this rate im going to need to do something . Plus as Debbie says, I need to wear stuff that shows the weight loss off. We shall see.
I also know that I need to start doing some cardio work because at some point ( as it has in the past ) without exercise the weight loss will plateau. Plus if I want to return to running at the first of the year, I need to get my cardio back up.
So tune in next week, same bat time, same bat channel for the next update on my weight loss journey.
Thanks for reading
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Welcome Home!
Welcome Home Mitch, Merry, R.J. and Sara!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
This Week On Surprise Ink
The tattoo is my two kids astrological signs combined. Sarahs's sign is Pieces and Tyler's is Aries. When I came up with the idea and the design of the tattoo I thought I had better do something for both kids at the same time in case I really hated the process and wouldnt go back.
Im sure the question I will get asked for a while is did it hurt and will you get another one. As the homepage of Sketches Tattoos says ( the shop I went to ) Fuck Yeah It Hurt. As for will I get another one? Right after I got my tattoo, I wouldve said no. 48 hours later, yes I will get another one. I already have some ideas of what I want. Just got to sit down with pencil and paper and put down a good design. Although I have to come up with a design for Debbies second one first.
Speaking of Debbie, I know some of you have been checking out her blog. She has a request, if you check her blog out, she asks that you leave a comment of some kind please. Even if its just every once in a while.SHed like to know who is stopping by.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Reminiscing and things that me make...
Between my hour long commute each way every day and random observations, there are many times when the things I see remind me of people I know
Crane plumbing products
Litchfield Road
Wachovia Banking Centers
Loop 101 North
OSU license plates and frames
Minnesota license plates
Parrothead license plates
Parker and Sons Air Conditioning
Chipotle
Those are just some things that come to mind that I see on a regular basis that reminds me of friends. Want the asnwers? Leave a comment =)
Thanks for reading!
Monday, July 21, 2008
I Try To Hard
I cant put my finger on it as to why I get like this at times. Maybe its the fear of rejection, or that I didnt have a whole lot of friends growing up. If Im not there for my friends Ill lose them.
None of my friends have ever said anything to me like I need to back off or they dont need me or my advice, I just get this way.
This too shall come to pass.
Sorry for the downer post. Was alone at work and there are times lately that I dont like being alone.
Ill have a much brighter post the next time
Friday, July 18, 2008
RandomCam
Storm brewin' sunset for Kris =)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
This is Spinal Tap, Finis
Im hoping that this will all be just a memory in the not too distant future
As always thanks for stopping in and reading!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Wish they all could be PA girls....
Monday, July 14, 2008
RandomCam
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Im bummed
Ok back to me being bummed. The group from the 30s got together and pitched in money to buy our friend Joe a gift certificate. Why the gift certificate? Well a week ago Joe did a very noble and heroic act. He donated bone marrow to help a little girl in her fight for life. He'll downplay as it was no big deal and anybody wouldve done it. Well most people might but not everybody is signed up for the National Marrow Donor Program ( I have been since '06 )
I read the thread that Joe started on the board about him not knowing what to say in response to the kind gesutre that the group did. The same day I read the thread, I got the email about donating to Joe's gift. Gee Im so glad I got an email after the fact. Sure the "group" mightve done this but "I" wasnt able to donate so therefore I dont feel that I did my share. I consider Joe a friend and I feel bad that I wasnt able to contribute. Ive always contributed when I could to peoples gifts when I was informend about them before hand. Maybe Ill just do something on my own for Joe. The least I can do is buy my buddy a beer the next time I see him. Ill get over this but it just kinda sucks!
Sorry this was such a downer post but if you read it, thanks for taking the time to read it!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Just a quick random thought...
Oh and after being called out in the comments section, Im coming up with a little something here in the next couple of days....
Until next time, thanks for stopping and reading!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My Friend, my love, my wife ( and her blog =) )
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Friends and blogs 3
Tonya Parker ( Onward and Upward ) is first up. Tonya is the lovely ( and extremely tall ) wife of the previously mentioned Kevin Parker. As with Kevin I met Tonya last year at the Flying Pig marathon. Tonya wasnt running the race, she was there in support of KP. I didnt get to talk to Tonya much at the meetup. She was fairly new to our group at that point so I dont know how many of the gang at the meetup interacted with her. I actualy got to talk to Tonya quite a bit more at the Madison race over Memorial Day weekend. Its kind hard not to talk to someone when you are sharing a room with them. Madison was Tonyas first HM and I was glad I was there to see it. She did a great job! The pic I am putting up I stole off her blog =) Its one of the awesome shots that Chris O'Brien ( HighHeat ) from our group took. It is Tonya about a tenth of amile form the finish line at Madison
Next up is Mitch Hammes ( Our Japanese Experience ) . Mitch is the loving husband of my friend Merry. While I have only been around Mitch a couple of times, he was very genuine and all around a nice guy. Both he and Merry and thier two kids are currently in Japan> Merry has been teaching over there for a year. They are just two weeks away from coming home. I really wish I couldve made it over their for a visit but the finances just wouldnt allow it. They are already talking about possibly take another teaching job in Australia in a couple of years. We might just have to make a trip down under happen.
Third on this list is Mary McDonald ( Running Away/ Traveling Around My Head ) McT or the Mayor as she is known on the board, she is quite the character. She had been lurking while we were still at CR and decided to join us right before we moved to Kick. She fit right in the with the hijinx, comreaderie and the support that we have all grown to love. Somehow amongst all the hijinx it was determined that Mary needed a imaginary poolboy. Well I won out over several other canidates. Still not sure what the job entails but I enjoy the title =) I got to meet Mary and her husband Bob in Madison. As much as we interacted on the board and PMed each other, I was a bit shy and nervous to approach her. All that went away when I got a big hug from her. I enjoyed talking to them both at dinner Saturday night and was glad I got to see them both finish their first HMs. THe pic of Mary and I was taking at the after party in Madison
Melissa Heaton ( To China and Back and Beyond ) is the last in this installment. Yet another member of our group, she's been MIA for quite some time. With good reason though. Last year Melissa traveled to China to complete the adoption process of adopting her daughter Mia. As part of that process, she missed the race the Flying Pig and my best opportunity to meet her. Although in pics she was sending some of us in her travels to China she was wearing the tech shirt from the Flying Pig so she had to at least made it to the expo. Oh well, hopefully there will be a time were I will get to meet Melis and Mia in person down the road.
There is one more blooger on my list but that installment will come tomorrow
Thanks for reading !
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
My Friends and their blogs part II
Kevin Parker ( Michigan-Yeah Were Staying ) is up next. Kevin ( and his lovely wife Tonya ) is another one who I met for the first time in Cincinnati at the Flying Pig. Even though he doesnt see it, we all think he bears a resemblance to Mark McGuire. Being the shit starter that I am, I walked up to Kevin at the PIg expo and asked him if he was Mark McGuire. I could tell he was a bit bent and I introduced myself to him ( as I could no longer hold a straight face ) Kevins line of work is an athletic trainer and I have asked him on several occasions for help wtih some of my issues. He has always been obliged to help. Seems like every pic I have of Kevin he is in a crowd. This is the only one I could find were he isnt in a crowd. This is Kevin and Melissa ( Cranegirl ) at dinner in Madison. Ironicaly its one of only two pics I have of Melissa were she isnt hiding from the camera.
Next up is the sexy librarian from Boston, Maureen ( Moe, For Better or Worse ) Moe has been a part of the group longer than I have. Moe and I met in Philly last year. Interesting story as neither one of us were prepared for the half marathon we were slated to run. I told her several months before that I would run it with her. She was worried about me getting hurt from slowing down. Nonsense I told her, Ill be fine ( its not like im a whole lot faster than she is anyways ) We decided we would alterante running and walking each mile. Well my buddy Joe decided he was going to join us on our little 13.1 mile journey. The three of us ran and walked every step together from start to finish. It wasnt my fastest HM ( the Pig is still my PR race ) but it was the most unique one out of the 3 I have done. I enjoyed every minute and would gladly do it again with the three of them. Speaking of Philly and the three of us, he we are at the finish
Monday, July 07, 2008
My friends and their blogs
The first blogger on my list is Merry Hammes ( 12 on 12 ). I met her over 20 years ago when we were teenagers bowling in the same league on Saturday mornings. I only have one friendship that goes back even further than Merry's and mine. Merry was also my first girlfriend way back then. Sadly I dont have any pics of us together or even one of her thats scanned.
The second friend on my list is Stephen Andert ( CactusTri ). Stephen and I are part of a group ( 30 Somethings ) on a running message board ( KickRunners ). He and I met for the first time in Janaury '07 at the RnR Marathon expo in downtown Phoenix. This is a pic of me,Robiah and Stephen taken in February of this year in Apache Junciton after a running race we all ran in.
The third blogger on my list is Stacy otheriwse known as Dankinia on Kick. Its rather ironic that she has been a pat of our board for over a year and she is the member of our group that lives closest to me ( 10 miles ) but I have yet to meet here\ WIth her working nights and such its hard to set a time were we can get together anc actualy meet. Im hoping sometime soon
My fourth friend on the list is Joe Arcilla ( Just Squarely Joe ) Yet another memeber of the 30s group from Kick. Joe was actualy the first member of the 30s that I met. I was running a half marathon in San Jose, CA in Oct of '06. Unbeknownst to me Joe had posted on the board that he was planning on coming down from Napa Valley to cheer me on. I was having trouble towards the end of the race when I heard soemone call out my name. I thought who in the hell knows me up here. THen Joe said who he was. Tht was the little bit of a pick me up I needed to get me to the finish line that day. I talked with him briefly after teh race but had to hurry off to catch a plane home. Joe has been there for all 3 of my half marathons in one form or another. I need to plan my retunr to half marathons with him there. I dont want to break the streak :) This pic was taken of Joe, me, Beth and Kris ( both of whom Ill talk about in the next installment ) just prior to the start of the Flying Pig Half Marathon in 07. One of my favorite races!
Well that about wraps it up for this addition, Ill share more tomorrow. As always, thanks for reading
1 garbage entry coming up
Just dont know were to start. Guess Ill give it some more thought and hopefully be able to put together an entry here in the next couple of days. Guess thats why my blog is called Rambling, Ranting, Running, etc. Its one big ramble today.
Thanks for reading and Ill have something better soon!