Bike odometer: n/a
Weight lost: 44 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 5.5
Hours billed this week: 4
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Feminism Is For Everybody by Bell Hooks
Recent listening: XO by Elliott Smith, Either/Or by Elliott Smith, The Lost Christmas Eve by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jimmie Rodgers, Not For Kids Only by Jerry Garcia & David Grisman
Recent viewing: Sportscenter, Bengals at Colts, Eagles at Giants, Medium, Discoveries This Week, Man vs. Wild
Recent playing: Sketchfighter
Recently accomplished: Sorted and stored computer stuff in garage, attempted to RMA hard drive (Seagate website messed up), reorganized workbench in garage, waited in line, called many Wii resellers
Imperative To Do: Buy Wii, dry van, finish garage, finish old blog entries, call mechanic, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive, Best of 2006
Cool Link: A Charlie Brown Scrubs Christmas
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 466
Weight lost: 50 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 9
Hours billed this week: 24
Meetings today: 3
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Feminism Is For Everybody by Bell Hooks
Recent listening: Coverville, DrugMusic
Recent viewing: Without A Trace, Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, And You Don’t Stop, Everest, Countdown, Sportscenter, The Colbert Report
Recent playing: Sketchfighter
Recently accomplished: Sorted and stored computer stuff in garage
Imperative To Do: Finish garage, finish old blog entries, call mechanic, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive, Best of 2006, memory rebate
Cool Link: Wil Wheaton reviews Guitar Hero II
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 466
Weight lost: 50 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed this week: 41
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Feminism Is For Everybody by Bell Hooks
Recent listening: Coverville, DrugMusic, NPR Story of the Day, Science Friday
Recent viewing: Without A Trace, And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip Hop, Sportscenter, Countdown, Mythbusters
Recent playing: Sketchfighter, Guitar Hero
Recently accomplished: n/a
Imperative To Do: Finish garage, finish old blog entries, call mechanic, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive, Best of 2006, memory rebate
Cool Link: International faux pas: Just reading the one for the U.S. is fun. Try another country!
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 448
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed this week: 11.5
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Feminism Is For Everybody by Bell Hooks
Recent listening: Coverville, DrugMusic, NPR Story of the Day, Science Friday
Recent viewing: Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, Cold Case, Giants at Cowboys, Colts at Titans, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show
Recent playing: Zuma, Sketchfighter
Recently accomplished: Cleaned garage (mostly), mowed lawn, winterized back yard, dried van, paid bills
Imperative To Do: Finish garage, finish old blog entries, call mechanic, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive, Best of 2006, memory rebate
Cool Link: AIM Fight: Are you on AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)? If so, you can take me on in an AIM Fight (my screen name is “rynosoft”), an idea conceived by one of the AIM programmers.
Standing by peaceful waters
On Friday we journeyed to Coos Bay to attend the memorial service for Tina’s grandmother, Ruth, who died a couple of months ago. Ruth had Alzheimer’s disease during her last years, so her passing brought about mixed emotions. Although it probably sounds weird, the funeral was one of the best I have ever attended. You can read all about it on Tina’s blog.
While we were there, we stayed at The Mill Casino (mentioned in Vital Statistics a few days ago). I considered playing some no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em but never really got the chance. I did spend about 5 minutes playing a penny slot machine called Mr. Cashman. After I read the help screen and switched to playing all three lines, I put myself in the black quickly and not long after that won big. I walked away with a 480% profit on my $1 investment.
The drive back yesterday was long and rainy. I noticed my left shoulder popping with even the slightest hand/finger movements so I had to do most of the steering with my right arm, a practice to which I am not accustomed. I thought I might have slept on it wrong and made a note to call my doctor today to get to the bottom of the problem. However, when I walked from the parking garage to my office this morning I realized the cause of my pain – I have been lugging about 15 lbs of laptop around on that shoulder intermittently throughout the weekend. I brought two laptops home for the boys to use in the hotel room. I guess that’s the last time I do that.
Vital Statistics
Miles driven yesterday: 227
Weight lost: 44 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 9
Hours billed this week: 37
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Running With Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
Recent listening: XO by Elliott Smith, Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coverville, Taking The Long Way by Dixie Chicks
Recent viewing: Colts at Cowboys, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, Scrubs, Bruce Almighty, Buccaneers at Cowboys
Recent playing: n/a
Recently accomplished: Numerous Harvey runs, recycled cardboard, cleaned and lubed bike, paid bills
Imperative To Do: Finish old blog entries, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive
Cool Link: The Mill Casino: From where I write this
Vital Statistics
Bike odometer: 297 miles
Average speed: 11.1 mph
Weight lost: 40 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed this week: 32:30 (three days)
Current reading: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, The Prince by Machiavelli
Recent listening: The Rock Report: Decemberists Interview, Box Set by Buffalo Springfield, Back To Mine by Morecheeba, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn by Bright Eyes, Necktie Second by Pete Droge, Half Nelson by Willie Nelson
Recent viewing: Cold Case, World Series, Countdown, Larry King Live, Martha Stewart (Amy Sedaris was on)
Recent playing: Zuma, Halo, Klax
Recently accomplished: Paid bills, returned stuff to hardware store
Imperative To Do: Finish old blog entries, get Thomas’ computer to boot, rake, clean garage, clean gutters and downspouts
Cool Link: Crazy Biker Chick—An open letter to motorists who dislike cyclists.
Vital Statistics
I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday party. Thirty of my best friends showed up and we partied way past dark. In the day time it was lots of kids, sunshine, music and burritos. At night it was music and adult conversation around the fire pit on the deck. My life is good at 40.
Yesterday I received a mystery CD in the mail. It has readings by Jack Kerouac and came from Cheektowaga, NY. I’m quite sure I did not order it and have no idea why I received it. It came addressed to “Mick Ring” which rules out all of the places I order from online. If you know why I received this CD, I would love to hear from you.
My mom offered to help me refinish my deck this week, so I’ll probably take a day or two off work so we can get that done. After a few rainy days last week, it’s been sunny and is supposed to continue that way. We should take advantage of it while it lasts!
Bike odometer: 201 miles
Current reading: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, The Prince by Machiavelli
Recent listening: n/a
Recent viewing: Giants at Seahawks, Bengals at Steelers, Sportscenter, 60 Minutes, The Simpsons
Recent playing: Zuma
Recently accomplished: recovering from party
Imperative To Do: Refinish deck, hair cut, new rear fender for bike, finish old blog entries, fix toilet (call plumber), rake
Cool Links: Some Scion stuff:
- A review by Automobile magazine
- A review at edmunds.com
- Photo gallery at edmunds.com
- “Media tour” at edmunds.com
Vital Statistics
Today Tina and I celebrated losing 20 lbs. each by having sushi for lunch. It’s been remarkably easy on the South Beach plan. Tina tells me everything I can and can’t eat which makes it even easier. I wouldn’t be able to do this well without her.
On Saturday I rented a power washer and spent the rest of the weekend cleaning the deck and all of our concrete. After 8 hours on Saturday and 6 hours on Sunday, my whole body is complaining today but especially my back. It doesn’t feel like I “pulled” anything, though, so I’m sure it will be OK in a few days.
My mom is getting here on Wednesday and we’re having a big (for us) birthday party for my 40th birthday on Saturday. You are invited!
Bike odometer: n/a (drove today)
Current reading: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, The Prince by Machiavelli
Recent listening: Coverville, MC Front-A-Lot, MC Chris, It’s The Jump Off
Recent viewing: Dead Zone, Countdown, An Evening with the Dixie Chicks, Sportscenter, The Simpsons, The Alternative, The Daily Show, National Pie Championship
Recent playing: Zuma
Recently accomplished: Recycled styrofoam, power washed the deck and concrete, emailed birthday invitations
Imperative To Do: Clean CPAP stuff, bank, refinish deck, hair cut, service van, new rear fender for bike, mow lawn, follow-up phone calls for birthday
Cool Video: Four-year-old drumming prodigy
Vital Statistics
Apple introduced new iPods, a new version of iTunes and added movies to the iTunes Music Store yesterday. The new version of iTunes has a really cool feature that lets you browse through your music like you would browse through your albums back in the day. I really, really like it. The new iPods have better games including Zuma! Man, if I got one of those I would never read again.
Bike odometer: 147 miles
Current reading: I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe, The Prince by Machiavelli
Recent listening: Coverville, Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses by Slipnot, De-Loused In The Comatorium by The Mars Volta, Spillane by John Zorn
Recent viewing: U.S. Open Men’s Final, Colts at Giants, Dead Zone
Recent playing: Zuma
Recently accomplished: Bought new bike seat, labels for my sister’s CDs
Imperative To Do: Bank, refinish deck, hair cut, service van, new rear fender for bike
Cool Link: Ultimate Lego Chaingun