Exercise Log: January 25 - 30

This week I moved 25.84 miles, burned 2845.8 calories and weigh 140.9 pounds.

Monday: ran 3.45 miles in 35:00
Wednesday: ran 5.9 miles in 1:05:00
Friday: 2.72 miles on elliptical in 35:00
Saturday: ran 6.34 miles in 1:08:06

Sunday:
Push ups: 25 max; 91 total
Crunches: 166 max; 385 total

Thursday:
Crunches: 211 - got the badge to prove it

Friday:
Push ups: 32 max; 122 total

Was sick Tuesday.

I did it!

211 crunches without stopping. 40 of them with a large dog standing over me. Now on to 100 push ups. Took three weeks to get to 200 crunches, taking much longer for 100 push ups. I think I am at week 10 of the six week push ups program.

The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

My kind of church music.




Video lasts 3:16

Lyrics:

Have you ever been close to tragedy?
Or been close to folks who have?
Have you ever felt the pain so powerful,
so heavy you collapse?

I've never had to knock on wood,
but I know someone who has.
Which makes me wonder if I could.
It makes me wonder if I've never had to knock on wood.
And I'm glad I haven't yet because I'm sure it isn't good,
That's the impression that I get.

Have you ever felt the odds stacked up so high,
you need a strength most don't possess?
Or has it come down to do or die?
You've got to rise above the rest.

I've never had to knock on wood,
but I know someone who has.
It makes me wonder if I could.
It makes me wonder if I've never had to knock on wood.
And I'm glad I haven't yet because I'm sure it isn't good.
That's the impression that I get.

I'm not a coward,
I've just never been tested.
I'd like to think that if I was I would pass.
Look at the tested, and think there but for the grace go I.
Might be a coward,
I'm afraid of what I might find out.

I've never had to knock on wood,
but I know someone who has.
Which makes me wonder if I could.
It makes me wonder if I've never had to knock on wood.
And I'm glad I haven't yet because I'm sure it isn't good.
That's the impression that I get.

Never have,
I'd better knock on wood.
'Cause I know someone who has.
Wonder if I could,
it makes me wonder if I've never had to.
I'd better knock on wood 'cause I'm sure it isn't good.

And I'm glad I haven't yet,
that's the impression that I get.

Exercise Log: January 18 - 24

This week I walked, ran and biked 37.42 miles, burned 3413 calories and weigh 142.6 pounds.

Monday: ran 3.25 miles in 34:25
Tuesday: biked 8.78 miles in 35:00
Wednesday: ran 6.44 miles in 1:07:23
Saturday: ran 9.15 miles in 1:35:21

Sunday: Push ups - max 50; 170 total; Crunches max 106; 291 total
Tuesday: Push ups - 44; Modified - push ups 56; 100 total; Crunches 151
Friday: Push ups - 96; Crunches max 136; 331 total

Creamy goodness

Ruthie performs a bit of civil disobedience that I could participate in.

Beetle Bailey goes surreal.

Agnes is becoming one of my favorite comic strips.

It is not pus, it is the creamy goodness within me emerging.

New addition

Mary Worth returned to her comic strip after a 15 day absence.

Our family has new addition, a cockatiel named Janie. He was advertised on Craig's List as a female but he has the coloring of a male. So far he gets along well with Salvador, not so well with Edgar. I will post pictures soon.

We are thinking about giving Janie a different name. It was not his original name. The person we got him from acquired him when her brother put a birdcage outside to dry and Janie flew into it. This is the fifth story I've heard about a cockatiel just picking a person to live with. Unfortunately for Janie the person is allergic.

Janie did come with a lot of accessories that I'm trying to integrate into the surroundings.

Loki's training is going well. Today he pretty much ignored the little yapping dogs from across the street even though they were in our yard and one of them nipped at Loki's tail. He looked at the little nipper and then turned away to sniff around for something more interesting. The neighbor's dogs are becoming way too territorial.

I live in an all-male household.

Earth, Wind and Fire: Shining Star

Funk and soul in church?



Video lasts 3:16

Yeah, hey
When you wish upon a star
Dreams will take you very far, yeah
When you wish upon a dream
Life ain´t always what it seems, oh yeah
Once you see your light so clear
In the sky so very dear

You´re a shining star, no matter who you are
Shining bright to see what you can truly be
That you can truly be

Shining star come into view
Shine is watchful light on you, yeah
Gives you strength to carry on, yeah
Make your body big and strong, do ya hear me now
Born a man-child of the sun
Saw my work had just begun
found I had to stand alone
Well, bless it now I got my own oh yeah

So if you find yourself in need
Why don´t you listen to his words of heed
Be a tiny grain of sand
Words of wisdom, yes I can

You´re a shining star, no matter who you are
Shining bright to see what you can truly be
You´re a shining star, no matter who you are
Shining bright to see what you can truly be

Shining star for you to see, what your life can truly be
Shining star for you to see, what your life can truly be
Shining star for you to see, what your life can truly be

Exercise Log: January 11 - 17

This week I walked, ran and biked 37.93 miles, burned 3770.7 calories and weigh 143.6 pounds.

Monday: ran 3.43 miles in 35:00
Tuesday: biked 4.24 miles in 18:41
Wednesday: ran 6.20 miles in 1:05:00
Saturday: ran 7.58 miles in 1:20:08

Push ups:
Sunday: 35 max; 125 total
Monday: exhaustion test: 46
Tuesday: 40 max; 130 total
Friday: 46 max; 152 total

Crunches:
Sunday: 61 max; 196 total
Tuesday: 66 max; 200 total
Friday: 87 max; 246 total

This day in history

On January 13th, 1854, Anthony Faas patented the accordion.


When the Mayan Calendar ends all accordions, knowledge of accordions and accordion music will vanish from the universe ushering an era of peace and prosperity. Not at all the cataclysm predicted by many.


On an unrelated note:

Some UU bloggers have asked what Unitarian Universalism can offer. Agnes' friend has a good set of suggestions:

1. Teach me to be useful
2. Teach me how to laugh with true joy
3. Teach me how to make a really good pie

Join my army of hope starved sycophants

At age 14 I aspired to become a cult leader. Not a scary, Jim Jones sort of cult leader, but more of a Bajwan Shree Rajneesh (sp?) type. People give me money and stuff in exchange for a bit of happiness and hope. One avenue for achieving my ultimate objective - getting as much money as possible in exchange for as little work as possible.

Several factors redirected my aspirations:

1. Lack of resources on how to become a cult leader. Nothing in the library at Spring High School or in the Harris County Public Library System. Too shy to ask the librarian. Allegedly, I checked out a book from my high school library on brain washing techniques and never returned it. I convinced the librarian someone else put my name on the check out card. I never dotted my i's with little hearts. That and I did not remember checking that book out or even seeing it on the shelves. The loss of that book did not become too much of a roadblock in my life.
2. Very high scores on the introvert scale. Cults require people - lots of them.
3. A lack of charisma, public speaking skills or the ability to exert a lot of control over my own life much less the lives of others.
4. Can't fake it forever. Consequences of exposure too great.
5. Lots of potential, not so much ambition.
6. I actually care and have a conscience.
7. Realized it was kind of a weird ambition and that I can affect the world in a positive way without minions. Minions would be nice once in a while. Maybe I can rent some.

Icicle Works: Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)

1980's New Wave in church?





Lyrics:

Love come, Down upon us
Till you flow like water,
Burning with the hope of insight
Feathered, look they're covered with a bright elation
Stolen in the sight of love

[Chorus]
We are, we are, we are all just children
Finding our way around in decision
We are, we are, we are rather helpless
Take us forever
A whisper to a scream

Birds fly
In the eye of the faithless daughter
broken at the bitter end
Wasted, sacrifice for a new nirvana
Right time send us on our way

[Chorus 3x]
We are, we are, we are all just children
finding our way around in decision
We are, we are, we are rather helpless
take us forever
a whisper to a scream
a whisper to a scream
a whisper to a scream

(We are, we are, we are all just children
Take us forever
A whisper to a scream)

We are, we are, we are all just children
Finding our way around in decision
We are, we are, we are rather helpless
Take us forever
A whisper to a scream

We are, we are, we are all just children
Finding our way around in decision
We are, we are, we are rather helpless
Take us forever
A whisper to a scream

---------------------------------------
I think of these songs as something to play and listen to rather than sing, if used in an actual worship service.

Exercise Log: January 4 - 10

This week I walked, ran and cycled 36.36 miles, burned 3541.1 calories and weigh 144.1 pounds.

Running and cycling:
Monday: ran 3.25 miles in 35:00
Tuesday: cycled 5.92 miles in 27:00
Wednesday: ran 5.35 miles in 57:01
Saturday: ran 6.30 miles in 1:05:54

Push ups:
January 4 - exhaustion test: 35
January 6 - max: 27, 103 total
January 8 - max: 30, 105 total

Crunches:
January 4 - initial test: 75
January 6 - max: 33, 123 total
January 8 - max: 41, 155 total

I will do the third set of push ups and crunches on Sunday.

I have entered the 3rd Annual Armadillo Dash Half Marathon (March 1) and the Big D Texas Marathon (April 5). I'm training for Big D and will run Armadillo as one of my long runs. I will have moved into a different age group by April 5. I will make the transition on February 21 so I will also run Armadillo in my new age group.

Surprised that I'm looking forward to turning 40. May have something to do with my level of fitness and the ease in which I was able to maintain a 10:30 min/mile on my run this morning. I felt I could have gone another 6.

Dog Training

Last night, attended the orientation session for Loki's obedience class. It went well but he will have to stay on the opposite side of the class from two of the other dogs until we know how he will react.

I look forward to the next 8 weeks. I'm working on my current assignment: teaching Loki to associate clicker with treat. I think he has it.

-----------------------------------------

I got up earlier this week. I'm able to walk Loki in the morning, make breakfast and lunch, get dressed and make it into the office close to 8:00 am. Do this for three more weeks and it will become a habit. Ugh. I've found that I have a major bout of sleepiness from 9:00 - 10:00 am. I might attempt a 15 minute nap to see if that helps. I have a phone and people walk into my office. Maybe I can get 5 minutes uninterrupted.

Hooray for the weekend. I can catch up on sleep.

Sometimes God is puzzled and horrified

Cool retro style artwork on Dorian Grey.

Very disturbing.

Odd question in the first panel. What book is the mother holding?

Cow has the best punchlines.

Barney Google finally makes an appearance in someone else's comic strip. I saved this one a couple of weeks ago meaning to post it sooner.

Silver Vista Coach

I bought a bunch of post cards and greeting cards from a flea market. I post them on Flickr after I scan them. This is one of many ongoing projects. You can see a larger version by clicking on the card.

My favorite part of this card is the two boys climbing over the railing at the end of the train.

I don't have a date for this card.

What I learned on my holiday break

Thanks to a nice university job, I was on break from December 22 - January 5.

Things I learned while on break:

1. We own 101 wash cloths. We have received wash cloths for Christmas every year we've been married. I found wash cloths still folded in half exactly as we received them. I did not count the kitchen wash cloths we received just those designed for bathing. I found this out while organizing the cabinets in one of the bathrooms. I kept pulling out wash cloths and became curious as to how many we own. The number may increase as other cabinets, drawers and parts of the house become organized. Depending on how neurotic Walter and I become, we could go 50 to 5 days (using 1 - 10 wash cloths per shower per person - I'll leave it up to you to count the body parts) without washing a load of wash cloths. We got rid of 2 wash cloths because they had stains on them. This improves the chances of using one of the other 99 at least once.
2. I have acquired a lot of t-shirts either through blood or sweat.
3. Without a schedule I wake up at 10:00 am or later and go to bed at 1:00 - 2:00 am. I did not take naps. Pills facilitated my transition to regular work type hours.
   
4. Our bed frame has six legs. Walter bought four risers for the bed. A few days after putting the bed on risers the bed sagged in the middle. This sag brought us closer together but also caused some soreness. The bed is off the risers pending the purchase of two more.
5. The extremes in the weather has not compromised my immune system, yet. Shorts and tank top one day, multiple layers the next.
   
6. I have gotten comfortable with wearing medium shirts, tank tops and single digit sized pants.
7. The birds like to sing when the morning sun goes through their window. This can be annoying depending on how well I slept the night before.
8. Salvador sings every afternoon from 12:45 - 1:10 regardless of the condition of the sky.
9. I'm getting the hang of this organization and getting rid of stuff thing.
10. I like nightly massages.
11. When the white chocolate covered Oreos hit store shelves buy three boxes. The white chocolate covered Oreos are never in the cookie aisle.
12. I have a great family.
    
13. Wash cloths make decent hand towels.

Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

An idea so brilliant that I had to steal it. More like inspired me to think about the songs that move me and share them with others. Shamelessly stolen from UU A Way of Life - my kind of church music. Our tastes may overlap though mine tends toward the mainstream. I would pick Peace Train by Cat Stevens for my kind of church music, too.

My first pick for my kind of church music: Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel

Exercise Log: January 1 - 3

This year I walked, biked, ran and rowed 17.24 miles, burned 1565.9 calories and weigh 144.6 pounds.

January 1: walked 2.72 miles in 46:47
January 2: walked 1.46 miles in 21:18; ran 4.29 miles in 45:20
January 3: walked 2.14 miles in 34:58; rowed 1.27 miles in 10:00; biked 3.61 miles in 15:00 and ran 1.75 miles in 20:00

Push ups:
January 2: 176 total push ups, 46 maximum (35 regular, 11 modified)
I will repeat week 5 of the 100 push ups program and start 200 sit ups (crunches) training program next week.

Unitarians have great butts...

January 2, 2009 edition of The Devil's Panties

I guess the last panel is how one young woman perceives Unitarians.