A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

Gluwhein.

HAPPENING NOW

SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT

Last night we took BluDog to a friend's house and it took him about 30 seconds to decided he wanted to own their Christmas tree so he pee'd on it.  Oops.  I'm sure in his head he was like, "Whoa, I thought we were inside but there is a tree in here...don't want to look like a fool in front of this other dog so I better pee on this here branch".

And, because this is the way things seem to shake out for us, there is talk of an approaching winter storm.  Which is cool because I thought driving for 13ish hours in good conditions would be boring.

I'll try to post during my travels but no promises.

Catch you on the flip side.

FAST AS FAST CAN BE

Maybe it's because it's the end of the year and time seems to be dwindling while my to-do list is expanding...maybe it's because I'm tired of never having enough hours in a day...maybe I'm tired of seeing so much time wasted.  Whatever the reason I have been really interested in finding ways to boost my productivity to complete as much high quality work in the shortest amount of time. 

Lately I've spent a fair amount of time reading articles and blogs about ways to boost efficiency and productivity.  Now, a lot of these are ideas work on paper but not in reality.  Others are great ideas but would only work if you were your own boss (ie-work on one task for 2 hours then take a 30 or 45 minute break to re-energize and refocus) or worked in an extremely flexible office. 

So far I've found a few suggestions which are feasible and have put them in place.  One, bundling all low priority tasks.  I have created a place for all of these assignments and tasks to "live" until it's time to complete them...so far, so good.  I've found I can get all of these low priority tasks done much quicker this way. 

Think about it, if you had one of these tasks crop up every hour, you would spend about 15 minutes and hour working on a low priority project.  Then think of the time it takes to get back into the required head-space for the higher priority project, about 5 or 6  minutes.  Pretty soon, all said and done, this low priority task is taking as much time time out of an hour as your high priority task.



I've also started scrutinizing my to-do list.  Obviously some tasks are very time sensitive and need to get done by a certain time.  Others not so much.  So the ones that have soft deadlines or no deadlines have been pushed to the bottom of the list.  I have found these are good Friday tasks.  Typically I can get most of them done in a day and it's a great way to start the weekend.

The most important take-away from my reading is this:  Not every task is a top priority.  And just because it is someone's #1 priority does not mean it has to be mine.  

Life is too short not to be as efficient as possible...at least in my eyes.

BIKE BUILDER

Because I don't already have enough on my to-do list I decided I want to build my own bike from salvage parts and (hopefully) a few new parts.  Why you ask...why not I say. 

One, I think it will be fun to hunt for the perfect parts...a great way to explore new neighborhoods
Two, I think it will be cool to have a totally custom bike. 
Three, I'm a glutton for punishment.
Four, I want a new project to tackle.

My goals for the build are pretty simple...don't spend more on parts than what a new bike would cost and make sure the wheels don't fall off when I'm riding it.

See, pretty simple.  Once I "officially" start I'll post some pictures.

TWO HEADLIGHTS

ONE HEADLIGHT

On the way to work this morning I noticed one of my headlights is out.  Typically, no biggie, it shouldn't take too long to replace.  But the weather isn't cooperating.  Today it was a high of 11 with the "real feel" at -5.  This weekend the mercury isn't supposed to reach 18. 

My brain has been in a tug of war all day.  The rational side pitted against the OCD side.  Who will win?  If I were a betting man, I'd wager this guy will be outside tomorrow cussing the OCD side.

NOT GOOD FOR PRESENTATIONS

It says "updating 33 of 80"

A GREAT START

The ability to drink coffee and watch the Packers is only one of a million things I'm thankful for...

KARMA

A while back my truck was parked on the side of the road and it was clipped by a passing van and the side mirror was knocked off.  I wasn't made because accidents happen and the road was narrow.  Plus, the guy was cool when I talked to him and took care of the bill. 

The other day I driving down a narrow street and accidentally hit a parked car's mirror.  So I left a note and told the owner to call me.  When he called me he was super cool about it, wasn't mad because the road was narrow, and I took care of the bill.  No harm no foul.

I've always thought that if you put good vibes out you'll get good vibes in return but rarely is it such a perfect circle and so easy to see. 

Moral of the story: Don't be a jerk.

TASK CHECKED OFF BUCKET LIST

Since our last adventure was a distant memory J and I decided last weekend would be the perfect time to grab our packs and head out in search of something noteworthy.  Not only did we find it, but we also managed to check an item off our bucket list. 

The task you ask...hike up the Incline in Manitou Springs.

A few years ago during our first visit to Colorado we saw the incline on our way up Pike's Peak and knew it was only a matter of time until we hiked it.  In fact, we were so drawn to it that it instantly was put on the bucket list.  The sheer fact that it gains nearly 2,000 feet in elevation in under a mile was impressive and daunting all at once and almost dared us to give it a try. 

Calling the Incline a "bunch of steps" is like calling the Mona Lisa "another painting."  There are areas of the incline so steep you can't see the ground when you look down and when you look up you can't see the top, just false summits.  I was going to count the steps but got side tracked after about four...but there are tons of 'em.

This adventure couldn't have come at a better time.  Although my legs were sore and I was tired I felt alive.  All of the thoughts and stressors that had been on my mind seemed to ease and vanish with each step.  Somewhere between the top of the mountain and the bottom I had come up with a plan of attack to conquer all of the things that had been stressing me out...and I was excited to get started. 

It always amazes me how pushing myself physically and being in nature can make everything seem so right.  By the time we reached the parking lot I felt like a new man.

After all, isn't that what checking things off the bucket list is all about?

 



 

BALLIN'

YOU KNOW WHAT I DON'T LIKE?

I don't like the fact that it's dark at 5:00 p.m.
I don't like the fact that my after work run happens on a treadmill...and will for the foreseeable future.

Everyone is like, "Yeah, but it's light when you drive to work."  So?  Luckily there are no trolls on the prowl that magically disappear when the sun comes out.  And, my truck has headlights.  Both making the fact that it's light in the morning useless.

READ THIS...

Something this cool deserves its own post.

If you're smart, you'll read this article. 

LESSONS FROM THE WEEKEND

1. Birthday parties don't need clowns or cakes to be fun.
2. The Packer's are much better with Aaron Rogers calling the plays.
3. It appears most people had a tough week in the office football pool...but despite 2 bad weeks in a row, I'm still tied for first.
4. My friend is an awesome film maker and will one day be famous.
5. I would rather hang out with friends at a house party than go to a bar.
6. Don't eat chicken wings that are not fully cooked.
7. The time spent grocery shopping can be cut in half if you go early Sunday morning.

FAMOUS PERSON IN THE MAKING

Just watched a series of shorts at the Denver Film Fest.  Question time with the directors...my buddies film was the best.

STILL HERE

Don't worry, my fingers didn't fall off in a tragic work accident...I've just been really busy and haven't done that much cool stuff to blog about lately. 

On a side note...I'm going to take a suggestion made by my buddy, A-Harp, and start adding pictures of my adventures to the blog.  Luck you.

Stay tuned for some fuzzy and out of focus pics.

NO WINNER NO CHICKEN DINNER

Last night I couldn’t tell if I was watching Game 6 of the World Series or a throw-away game in mid-June.  The Cards just didn’t have the spark or the intensity required to win any World Series game—let alone one against a high caliber team like the Red Sox. 

It was almost if the Cardinals were thinking, “Ehh, if we don’t win tonight no biggie, we’ll get them tomorrow to even out the series.”  Obviously flawed thinking.

The Cardinals had the benefit of knowing it was do or die…to win or go home for the winter.  We’re not so lucky—we never know when it’s going to be our last game.  This is why it’s so important to live to the fullest every day.  I’m not talking about running a marathon every day or basing jumping during every lunch hour.  I mean we never know what tomorrow holds so enjoy today as much as possible.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to quote some cheesy inspirational poster or start talking about YOLO, all I’m saying is it’s important to keep things in perspective.  From time to time I have to take a step back and remind myself of this—to stop waiting for the “next big thing” and start living in the now.

And right now I’ve got better things to do than ramble.

HOME DEPOT OBSTACLE COURSE

Seeing as how I fancy myself as a handy-man and have an over abundance of (sometimes mistaken) self confidence in my ability to tackle home repairs I find myself in Home Depot quite a bit. 

Typically on the first trip of the day I never notice how distracting the place can be.  As the project progresses and the number of trips taken increases so does the distraction level.

Starting at the second trip of the day the store starts plotting against you. 

It starts in the parking lot.  All of a sudden there are twice the number of cars than spots.  Once you make it inside it gets even worse.  The aisle you need is full of people...and they're all in the exact four-square-feet you need to be in to get your supplies.  Enter backing up forklift.  It is always in the aisle next to you (or if you're lucky its in your aisle) and based on the duration of the backup alarm, will never reach its destination or move in any direction other than reverse.  But wait, its not over yet.  Next you get to pay for all your goodies.  And the way it works is you are destined to be behind the person paying in pennies or arguing that the 2x4 is only 3 feet rather than 3.5. 

I can hear the store taunting me and talking trash..."You think this is going to be your last trip of the day?  You better think again.  And oh yeah, don't let all of this stress cause you to slip up and be rude to your helper, cause you know, without them you'll have no shot at getting this project done today.  Have fun sucker." 

Luckily I won this round...but next time I might not be so lucky.

DIFFERNET CLOTHES...PSSSH

The need to have "winter" clothes and "summer" clothes is outdated could be avoided if office buildings were constantly kept at 70 degrees.  When I take over the world this will be one of my mandates so be ready.

No longer would people have to stand in front of their closets and say, "Hmmm, it's only going to be 32 today, what should I wear?"  32 or 102 wouldn't matter...wear whatever you'll be comfortable in at 70 degrees. 

Think about it, if you work in a typical office the actual time spent outside in "actual temperature" is pretty low...house to car, car to office, office to lunch (assuming you don't bring your lunch), office to car, car to house.  That's it.  Most cars have heat and AC, so no need to adjust your wardrobe for that part of your daily journey.  That just leaves the walking to and from the car...which isn't a huge deal. 

Nothing makes me madder than when someone cranks up the heat because it is cold outside...guess what?  We're inside! out of the elements.  If buildings were kept at a constant temperature all year everyone would know what to expect everyday and would dress appropriately.

This is a win-win for everyone...extra closet space for storage, time spent shopping for clothes would be reduced, money would be saved due to not having to buy clothes only to wear them a couple months of the year.  I guess that makes it a win-win-win.

Hopefully with green and LEED building practices on the rise this can become a reality in the nearish future.

BIKE LANES

I wish every major road had a bike lane adjacent to it.  I'm not talking a bike lane that is simply painted on the road (which are totally safe...no way a car could cross that reflective line and hit ya).  I'm talking about an honest to goodness lane built for safety.  A lane which is separated from traffic via a concrete wall. 

It would be interesting to know the number of people who don't use bikes as their major mode of transportation due to unsafe riding areas. 

HIPSTERS: THE SAME...BUT DIFFERNT

Last night I went to grab a few drinks and watch the game at a new watering hole.  The bar was in a cool area of town, had good prices and food, and had the game on....a win in my book.

One thing I noticed was the amount of hipsters in the bar.  I wasn't surprised since, as I mentioned, the bar was located in a cool area of town and everyone knows that's where hipsters congregate.  I'm sure it could be argued the hipsters made the area of town cool...and I would typically agree.

Up until last night I always thought of Hipsters as people who were totally different and always doing their own thing.  Then I looked around and realized all of these people had the same definition of "doing their own thing".  Sure, this thing may be a little different than societies norms, but the subculture all seems to adhere to the same set of norms...therefore making it all mainstream. 

(Don't get me wrong I am in no way passing judgment or making a statement about this group.  After all, on paper it looks like I could very well be a hipster...I wear clothes from thrift shops, have facial hair, ride my bike, have a vinyl collection, listen to bands no one has heard of, appreciate the arts, work in a creativity industry, think outside of the box, etc. Point being, a lot of people have hipster qualities but aren't necessary hipsters) 

This realization made me think back to another popular counter-culture--the hippies of the 60s.  They were protesting against "The Man" and "traditional society" and dressed in a way that was different to set them apart.  But, if you look at most hippies they all dressed similar to each other.  I guess its important, on some super deep human level, to be able to look at a group and quickly tell, "Yup, these are my people" or "Nope, I better keep walking".  Maybe that's what has kept humans relatively safe for all these years.

This realization makes me feel better about listening to popular bands, wearing clothes from traditional stores, and sometimes going along with the mainstream. 

RAN ON THE ROCKS

This past weekend I participated in the Run The Rocks 5K which supported the American Lung Association.  The run was held at Red Rocks which made for some spectacular views.  But, these views came with a hefty price-tag...hills. 

This might have been the most grueling 5K I've ever ran.  I'm a runner.  I have ran a marathon, I have ran a half-marathon, and I log some decent mileage each week.  This run flat out whipped me. 

The first 2 miles were mainly downhill...nothing tough about that.  Just had to keep my legs moving and let gravity take care of the rest.  The last mile was a different story all together.  It was all uphill, so much so that I should have used a ladder to get to the top.  I'll admit it...I walked almost all of the last mile. 

Even though I can't say I ran the whole thing I can say that it felt great to be physically pushed to the limit. 

Who cares about sore legs...after all, it was for a great cause and allowed me to run with some friends and co-workers.  Not a bad way to spend a weekend morning.

TIME

I think the way most American's view time is skewed.  It's almost like we try to cram as many things as possible into a specified time frame with little regard for reward and personal satisfaction.  Where is the good in that?  I mean, other than getting to do more things--which isn't always a positive.

If success was measured differently, say on the fact that a job was done well and in a timely manner rather than by the sheer amount of tasks completed, I think plenty would still get done and personal satisfaction would be higher.  Which would make people go above and beyond, which increases quality and quantity, which provides a high sense of satisfaction, which...well, you get the idea.  It is all related and circular.

Just for grins, I'll use one of my typical Saturdays for an example.  Each Saturday I have a list of chores/errands that need to get done.  All combined, the total amount of time to complete the list is about 5ish hours.  Since I know that once the list is done I can relax and have fun, I tend to tackle the chores in a fairly aggressive and efficient manner.  Quality isn't ever an issue because if I don't do them correctly the first time, I'll have to spend more time fixing the mistakes which means less time having fun. 

Now lets change it up a little bit.  If I completed the list of chores and then, rather than having the option to relax, I was given another list of chores, what incentive do I have in completing the first list in a timely manner.  If I were to complete it in 5 hours that doesn't mean I can have fun any sooner than if I completed the original list in 9 hours. 

I feel the same argument can be made about business.  Rather than rewarding an employee with more work for being efficient, why not reward them with time off or time to work on personal growth projects?  Again, quality would not suffer because if it wasn't done correctly the first time, more time would be required to fix the wrong.  I have a feeling this would also strengthen and streamline procedures and practices.  Which would strengthen the business as a whole.    Happier employees and an efficient company.  Seems like a win-win to me.

LAZY NIGHT

Last night I had what I like to call an "old man night".  I got home from work, ate dinner, watched about 4 hours of TV, read for an hour or so, then went to bed.  That was it, nothing productive was accomplished from the minute I stepped through the front door.  It was good but not great...they never are.

Every once in a while I get the urge to do absolutely nothing...and I do.  But by the end of the night I feel bad about it, like I wasted the night.  Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that my schedule allows for these nights on occasion, but I never feel as refreshed after them as I would if I were productive for a few hours and then watched 1 hour of TV.  I mean, was it really necessary to watch 4 episodes of Law and Order: SVU? 

Oh well, we've been traveling at break-neck speed for a quite a while now, so I guess a lazy night is good for you every so often. 

BROKEN

I think the gas gauge in my truck is broken.  And when I say I think it's broken, I mean I know it is.  I ran out of gas yesterday and the gauge showed just shy of a quarter of a tank. 

Luckily I was close to home when it happened and my lawn mower has a 4-stroke engine.  So I didn't have to wait long for the misses to bring me some gas. 

Guess I shouldn't have been surprised, I track my mileage per tank and right before she ran dry I was impressed with the extra mileage this tank was giving me.

Lesson learned. 

NICELY DONE

It is a safe bet that many of the closets in the small farming town I grew up in had something with the Carhartt label sewn onto it.  Carhartt, typically known as the Cadillac of work wear has been a staple on jobsites and farms for years…so seeing the brand shouldn’t strike me as odd.  But it does.

Now I live in a metropolitan area where the majority of people go to work in offices rather than fields.  Yet I see the brand everywhere.  On college kids, on preppy looking guys in smart glasses carrying briefcases, and on hipsters…groups people who I’d assume have never set foot on a job site judging from the relative cleanliness of their coats and clothes. 

Hats off to Carhartt and their agency—reinventing the brand and moving it into the mainstream is no easy task.  As long as they remember who, and what, made them the industry leader.  If they continue to produce a quality product (remember when a main skate-shoe brand tried to move into mainstream, forgot about the skater kids who made the brand profitable, started making cheaper shoes for the masses that were not a quality and functional skating shoe…resulting in near bankruptcy) I see this as a win. 

Kudos.

RUNNING UPDATE

My old iPod is still going strong.  I have been listening to playlists my 8 year ago self made.  Interesting (and sometimes questionable) picks, but it has been great listening to all the old stuff while running.  It is amazing how quickly you will be taken back down memory lane by listening to music.

Also, I've started getting really bad side cramps.  This is a new thing for me, and I don't like it one bit.  I know it has to do with your breathing, so I need to do some research about how to fix it.

TRAVEL TIPS AND TIDBITS

1. Everyone see to hate the Dallas/Fort Worth airport but I thought it was OK.  Not the worst I've been in, not the best.

2. I think major airports should have bars and coffee shops open 24/7.  One traveler's midnight is another traveler's noon.  

3. When you're sitting next to a guy (on a midnight flight) who has headphones on, his hat pulled low, and has made to attempt to make small talk, there is absolutely NO reason to ask him where he is from.  This will result in a rude/dumbfounded look.

 4. Why do parents think it is OK for their 3 or 4 year old kid to act like a complete heathen?  I get it, long flights can be grueling for even a seasoned traveler so I'm sure it's awful for little ones.  But, that does not give them the right to intrude on a stranger's personal space. I may be a jerk for saying this, but I don't know you're kid, they are not related to me so I don't have to like your kid, and I don't think it is super cute when they stand on the chair next to me and jump up and down while drinking, and spilling, soda.  Control your kid or take them to a unpopulated area in the terminal for them to blow off steam.

4   5. If I were in charge, I’d load planes in the exact opposite way it is done now.  The lower your boarding number, the sooner you would board.  Why should the people who shelled out the serious cash for first class have to sit on the plane longer than anyone else (and no, I’ve never sat first class, I’m always in the back).  I think first class should be last on and first off. 

      I would also change the way the overhead bins work.  Each seat would be have a designated space in a bin, so there would be no need to get on the plane early to have a spot for your luggage.  Actually, if it were up to me, no one would have carry ons…everything would be checked except what you could carry in your hands sans bag.  This would eliminate the overly-long and slow process of getting off the plane.

  

ADIOS

TRAVEL FUN

Got a new tube of mini-tooth paste and a new tooth brush to prep for my trip.  Despite my new toiletries this trip will be more work than fun.  I'll be back in a few days. 

DIFFERENT VIBE

We don't have internet (gasp, no cable either) at our house which typically isn't a big problem since there are plenty of coffee shops near-by that offer free Wi-Fi.  Last night we needed to use the internet for a bit so we set off for the nearest Wi-Fi coffee house.  Only instead of us both going in a car, I rode my bike because I didn't want to stay long. 

Although it wasn't raining very hard when I left my house it was pouring when I arrived.  As I was locking up my bike this older gentleman was walking to his SUV and made a friendly comment about how this isn't ideal biking weather. I smiled and we briefly chatted about the rain as he made his way past.  I thought nothing of the encounter and was heading toward the door when an SUV stopped beside me.  It was the older gentleman.  He asked if I wanted him to take me to my car so I could drive home rather than ride.  I declined the offer but it made me think. 

Denver has a different vibe and feel than any other city I've ever lived in.  It is almost like a small town which just happens to have tons of people living in it.  Maybe its because almost everyone is a transplant and remembers what it is like to not know many people or maybe its this awesome weather makes everyone happy.  Whatever it is, I love it.

CHANGE UP

The other day I attended a seminar which discussed writing for the web.  One major point is the writing style is completely different than writing for print because the reading styles are different. 

This got me thinking, why not start writing text books in the same way we write for the web.  In our "never enough hours in the day" world, it is silly to think people are going to read a whole textbook rather than skim it for important points. 

Plus, with more students spending more and more hours on the web, it is feasible to think these reading habits will jump mediums and be used when a book is being read. 

Maybe re-writing text books will be how I make my first million.

NIGHT LIFE

Thanks to a generous co-worker we were able to go to the Rockies/Cards game last night.  It was a beautiful night for a game and it was nice to do something different in the evening.  And tonight of course, is running club. 

These two post-work activities help me realize there is more to life than working, eating, preparing for tomorrow, and repeating.  Sometimes its easy to forget there are activities you can, and should, do to relax and unwind during the week.  I know after running club I have a renewed energy and sense of accomplishment and "can do" attitude that drastically improves my mood and efficiency for the rest of the week. 

Waiting to do all of your relaxing on the weekend seems like too little payoff  for working 10+ hours a day for months on end.  By no means am I suggesting people need to go out and get wasted every week.  But I am saying that its important to do something to remind you what all the hard work is for. 

HAPPENINGS-PAST AND FUTURE

This weekend, much like the past week, was a good blend of fun and productivity.  Saturday morning I was out the door by 7 a.m. to get a jump on the to-do list.  By 3 pm I had the entire weekend's worth of chores done. 

The rest of the weekend consisted of losing at cards, watching football, watching rain, bike riding, grilling, and hanging out with friends.

Last week I focused on making my mornings more efficient and less stressful.  I ironed my shirts and packed my lunch (actually J packed my lunches) in the evenings rather than in the morning.  It is amazing the difference this made.   This week, I'm adding one more step, I'm going to get back in the habit of working out before work.  I'm going to do it for the rest of the week, because, you can do anything for 4 days.  In the past, this has made my days even better...hopefully it will do the same this time around.

GOOD TIMES

Just when I think the pub our running club drinks at can't get any better, I find out they have all you can eat wings on Thursday for $5...this will make my wallet love me but my pants hate me.  The discovery was made thanks to a high school buddy who invited me out to grab some drinks last night.  That's right, a mini L-town reunion right here in Colorado.  It was a great way to spend my Thursday night.

Maybe this just shows that if I want to find good deals I should be going out every night.  Something to think about.

FILM FEST

Last night we went to the Best of Denver 48 Hour Film Fest to watch a short film our buddy acted in.  The film was awarded Best Actress and Best Use of Dialog.  It was a very cool black and white silent film that had the right mix of drama and spookiness. 

The theater was filled with a great vibe and lots of energy and creativity.  A perfect way to refuel so I can make it 'til Friday. 

THANK YOU

I have a lot of thank yous to address today.

First, thank you to all of the military personnel, both former and current, who have fought to keep our country safe and way of life secure before and after 9-11.

Second, thank you to all of the political leaders, past and present, who have helped command and make decisions for the country's safety.  Even if you don't agree with a specific a political leader or policy you can openly share your feelings and thoughts without fear of being woken up in the middle of the night by the secret police knocking on your door.  Because of that great privilege, please review thank you #1.

Third thank you for the feedback on the blog.  In the past 2 days I have received two comments about this electronic tracker of my thoughts...both much appreciated. 

OOPS

It was brought to my attention that this lil ol blog has more than 2 readers...sorry for short changing my readers. You're all very appreciated.

PURE AWESOMENESS

Some weekends are just OK, some are downright terrible, and some are so awesome it feels like a dream.  Well my 2 faithful readers, this weekend was on the awesome side of things. 

Awesome Event #1:
Took my trek down to a local sporting goods consignment shop and traded it for a bike that actually fits the misses.  Now when she stops she can actually touch the ground.  I have to admit, she was a trooper for the past few months...never once did she complain about having to ride a bike 2 times too big.  Plus, just in time for the second awesome event of the weekend.

Awesome Event #2:
Tour De Fat.  Simply amazing.  I saw some cool and creative costumes and bikes (my personal favorite was two bikes connected together and made to look like a pirate ship).  Although it was so hot the sidewalk was melting we still had a good time.  Meeting up with some long lost friends helped keep everything leaning towards awesome.

Awesome Event #3:
Tried my hand at yoga. It was much tougher than I thought it would be.  Aside from feeling like a stiff, inflexible fish out of water it was really fun.  The cool part was we were down town in a city park, so for the few moments that my body was contorted in the direction of the city and I could see through my burning sweat-filled eyes, I could see the skyline.  Pretty awesome.

Awesome Event #4:
Football season.  Watched the Packers' season opener with another set of friends.  Although they lost, it was still great spending my Sunday watching football and eating chili.  If our defense gets better, I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

Happy Monday.

Tour de fat

FIXED

One of my iPods is about 10 years old.  For the past few years it has been playing this little game, "Will I Work or Won't I"?  The game is really stupid and has the potential to be very frustrating.  For the past year or so the answer has been steadily, "No, I won't work". 

I came across the old iPod the other day while cleaning out boxes and thought, this is your last chance, you'll work or you'll be thrown away.  Pushed the button and nothing.  Fine, into the trash. 

But before I could toss it my curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but take it apart to see what the insides looked like.

I pried the outer case open with a knife and started poking around.  All of a sudden, the screen flickered and stayed on.  When I closed the case and pushed "play" it started working again.  So now I have a working iPod.  Needless to say this was enough to keep it out of the trash.

Just goes to show what a pocket knife and a little curiosity can accomplish. 

RUNNING PANTS

I finally got my new pants back from the tailor and they fit perfect.  Only took two pairs of pants (they made the first pair so short they couldn't be fixed so we started over with a fresh pair) and three trips to the tailor.  I did get a $25 gift certificate, so I guess it was worth it.

In other non-pant news, tonight is running club and I can't wait.  It is amazing how much enjoyment I get from running with this group...and the free beer is nice added bonus.  

LABOR DAY HAPPENINGS

While most people spent the last "summer" weekend bbqing, boating, or doing other similar things, I was in the middle of a desert working an event for the first part of the holiday weekend.  Despite the heat it was a good time and I think some good was accomplished.

The rest of the weekend consisted of having a shrimp boil, introducing BluDog to two new pals, and helping friends paint their new house.  All in all a very good weekend. 

BUSY BUSY

I've been in all day meetings for the past few days.  Nothing new to report other than I'm ready for fall.

NUMBERS

I would like to know the percentage of high school students who go to college verses the students who attend trade school, join the military, or immediately join the work force.  I would then like to know the same number in 20-30 years.

My bet would be the number of students who attended college right after high school will drop in the future.  Not because education is losing its importance, but based on the experiences of my generation.  Think about it.  Everyone knows quite a few college graduates who have a pile of debt and low paying jobs which don't require a degree.  Not because these people are stoners who play video games all day but because the job market is so lean.

On paper college should be the answer.  Most of our grandparents had manual labor jobs.  They saw education as a way to advance their kid from the field or factory to the office--many times meaning a better life.  So, it goes to figure our parents had the same thought-process.  If the wheels didn't fall off our economy this might still hold true.  But it doesn't.

It could be argued that attending a trade school might be a better option than going to college.  I know when/if I have kids, I'm going to strongly suggest they give that route as much consideration as college.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see what the numbers say.

BUSY BEING LAZY

This past weekend I set out to accomplish a few goals (watch 3 movies, go for a bike ride, go to the gym, grill 2 times, and stay in both nights).  I didn't say they were very productive goals...but goals none-the-less.  I'm happy to report that all of these goals were met, although I only grilled once.

The highlight of the weekend was the ride on Saturday.  We didn't really have any specific destination or distance we wanted to go.  We ended up down town and checked out the local scene.  It was awesome.  Nice weather, not much traffic, and a sense of freedom from not having a plan or schedule.  I hope to have a few more days like that before good weather is a thing of the past.

GOALS

For the past couple months it seems like we have been traveling at 100 mph.  A lot of fun and adventures have been had while traveling at warp speed, but this weekend my goal is to slow it down a bit.  So, I've made myself a list of lazy-man goals. Here they are...

1. Watch 3 movies
2. Go for a bike ride
3. Hit the gym
4. Grill 2 times
5. Stay in Friday and Saturday night

So while all you young kids are going out and getting crazy I'll be sitting on my couch with my feet up.  I couldn't be happier about it, either.

WEEKEND ADVENTURES

Boulders, mud, standing water, and steep inclines...all of which were experienced (and overcome) on our trek to the top of Chinn Lake (10,000 ft +) this past weekend.  It was the most intense off-road driving I've ever done and the truck handled great.

Next on the list was fishing in Barr Lake which was less than eventful due to the extremely low water levels, but fun none-the-less.  Good thing we have grocery stores and don't need to rely on our food catching abilities in this day and age.  Although eating only what you catch or grow may help me lose a few pounds...

Toss in eating at a few great restaurants, a day trip to Red Rocks, checking out a few local shops, and relaxing on the patio and you've got the gist of my weekend.  An awesome couple days and a great way to introduce Big Ron to a very small sample of what Colorado has to offer.  Come on back now, ya' hear.

HAPPY EARS

Thanks to a super-kind co-worker, my ears have new music to listen to today (about 8 CDs worth).  Some bands I've heard of, others not so much.  So far, both new and old groups have not disappointed.  Happy Friday to me!

NO RUNNING

Tweaked my back the other day so I didn't go to running club last night.  Super lame.

MEASURE TWICE

I bought some new fancy pants the other day and because my legs are a weird length they had to be hemmed.  The tailor was quick with the ruler and my pants were measured quickly.  Maybe too quickly.  When I tried them on at home (I know, I know) they were way too short.  Heading back to the tailor tomorrow eve to see what can be done to them there britches to make them the correct length.

COFFEE

Our break room has been graced with a new flavor of coffee...it's the small things in life.

Lists

I’m back…for today at least.  Over the last few months I’ve been doing a lot of things.  Most make me happy, some not so much.  Here is a quick list of the things that have made me happy.

1.       Traveling to the mountains
2.       Joining a running club
3.       Biking more
4.       Eating healthy
5.       Making new friends
6.       Doing good work at work
7.       Reading books
8.       Seeing family
9.       Seeing people wear fanny-packs
10.   Going to concerts

Here are some things that haven’t made me happy

1.       Drinking coffee that was too hot
2.       Driving behind slow people
3.       Listening to bad music

MY LEARNINGS...

1. Blogging is way more difficult when you don't have a personal computer.
2. A super slow (dial-up age) computer might as well be a paper weight.
3. Strangely enough, adults love balloons.
4. As soon as you swear off coats for the year it snows.
5. Sometimes  no matter how much you plan you still miss the point.
6.  You never realize how important company is until its gone.
7. When a shirt says "Do not dry" it means it.
8. It is impossible to "Suck it in" all day (See #7).
9. Sometimes it is worth the $3 dollars to let professionals clean your dress shirts
    (see # 7&8)
10. No amount of running makes up for an all you can eat buffet.

HEAVE HO

Because it was raining when I got up, and I knew there was no way I was going to park close to my office, I opted for a bit more casual look today...dress pants (not slacks) and a pullover sweater-ish top, and brown dress shoes.  (I typically wear dress slacks and a button down.  Yes, I would put these clothes a little bit higher on the dressy list, but not by much.)  Mind you, I've never claimed to be super fashionable, but I thought I looked OK.  I was wrong.  The first thing one co-worker said to me was, "Are you planning on moving furniture today?  You're soooo casual".  What do you say to that??? 

It's like when people tell  me, "Whoa, you've got a lot of gray hair" or "You've gotten so much grayer since the last time I saw you".  No shit. You don't think I look in the mirror?  Plus, since I've been getting gray hair since high school, you're not exactly letting me in on a secret.  My new reply is, You gotten so______ enter [fat, ugly, many more wrinkles, etc]. 

EARLY XMAS-THANKS SIS

Due to the super-awesomeness of my sister, I now have a working computer. So, here is another over due update from D-CO.
1. Snow doesn't snow anything down out here. Which is awesome.
2. Having someone to explore with is way better than doing it by yourself.
3. My bracket should be at the bottom of a trash can.
4. I'd assume most people will be getting presents from the giant REI store for the next year or so.
5. TurboTax has customer service...they just are not responsive.
6. There is always a real possibility that people may hit your vehicle when it is parked on the street.
7. Mothers who are trying to get their kid in a car seat don't care if they ding your door. (Totally unrelated from #6).
8. Gas stations and most grocery stores only sell beer with 3.2% alcohol. Money wasted but lesson learned.
9. It is important to keep your old student ID in your wallet.
10. Chili here is more like salsa. Fooled once but not twice.

INFO OVER-LOAD

What a time for my computer to shoot craps...right have so much to write about.  Lucky for you I've been keeping a mental note of things to write-worthy things.

1- Living in Colorado is pretty much amazing. 

2- At the gym I go to almost everyone is friendly and says the customary "excuse me" when social courtesy dictates...except for the over 50 crowd.  I've never been mean-mugged by so many older people in my life.  On a side note, there is no need to have elestic around the cuffs of sweat pants. 

3- My cats like to play...at around 3 in the morning.  They also like to attack my legs when I'm sleeping.  I now have some pretty awesome scratches and have been woken up more times than I can count.

4- Despite my best efforts, I haven't found a good gas station yet.  On the plus side, I have drastically reduced the amount of money I spend in $3-$5 dollar increments.

5- The weather here is perfectly suited for a person with a short attention span.  6 inches of snow one day, 60 degrees the next.

6- My old EIU t-shirts and sweat-shirt have been the cause of many conversations.  I met a guy in a grocery store who grew up 30 miles from L-town.

7- While exploring I need to remind myself to drive faster than 20 mph.  I really doubt people are using their horns to say "Welcome to Denver" 

8-  Parking here is pretty limited.  It is funny to see people's faces when I start to parallel park the truck in a smallish space. 

9- Not having a computer at your beckon call is really weird...hopefully that lil' situation will be taken care of quickly.

10- I have never been a fan of wearing coats, and that feeling has only strengthened lately.  You would think  having more pockets to put stuff in would make life easier.  I've found that it makes things more difficult because it messes up my routine of putting certain things in certain pockets of my pants.  I could just not put anything in the coat pockets, but having unused pockets doesn't make sense to me.  I'll be happy when coats are no longer needed.

30 DAY UPDATE

Red lined in overdrive...that is how I would describe today's productivity.  By far the most notable accomplishment was taking the time to go through my clothes (OK, mainly t-shirts and jeans) and decide what to donate. 

Was this so tough because I have a ton of clothes, all of which are high quality and slightly worn?  Nope.  It was so tough because I have two main mindsets when it comes to T-shirts.

1.  I'm a pack rat and overly sentimental.  Oh man!  I was wearing this shirt when [insert something cool only to you] happened...how could I ditch it?  Better save it for another decade or so. 


2.  By getting rid of shirts that no longer fit I am giving into reality.  Honestly, is it wrong to want to fit into shirts I wore when I was 18?  Just 15 pounds slimmer and I could totally rock that t-shirt from the no-name band I loved in high school...those guys totally got me.  I've been saying this for at least 12 years...all the while the shirts sat in a box.

But today I was tough.  Overall, I donated close to 100 shirts, a few pairs of jeans, and some button downs. 

I hope that someone out there truly values how precious these treasures are.

MARDI NA

For the second year in a row I will not be attending this one time favorite festivity.  I guess you could call it growing up or just being lame, but either way, I'm not sad I'm missing it. 

30 DAY UPDATE: MONTH 2

Task 1: 1 hour of house work a day
This is going splendidly.  Getting a lot of stuff done and starting to see quite a bit of progress.

Task 2: Start a bed time routine/Fall asleep faster
(I realize something must be done for 30 consecutive days before it is a habit, so this might be a little flawed, but...) 

So far, I've tried the following...
Tactic:  Reading before bed. 
Hope:  Fall asleep while reading
Verdict:  The first night I read about 90 pages and was wide awake.  The second night I read about 115 pages and was wide awake.  After I quit reading I still laid awake for about an hour.  Fail.

Tactic: Download an app, Brain Wave Tuner, and listen to it while laying in bed.
Hope: These magic sounds would lull my head into a slumber
Verdict:  The app kept shutting off before I was asleep.  The sounds almost made me nauseates.  I only did it for one night but it didn't put me to sleep.  However, I will try it again.  Not fail, not pass.

Tactic:  Watch TV  until I fall asleep
Hope:  That by watching TV, my brain would be able to quit thinking about stuff and allow me to sleep
Verdict:  It worked, but I didn't enjoy waking up in my recliner in the middle of the night only to move to my bed.  Pass but fail.

HOW PROUD? SUPER PROUD!

It is refreshing when you see someone's hard work and dedication pay off...and in a big way.  I'm happy to report my cousin, Little Man, will be playing football next year at the college level. 

More info here. 

30 DAY #2 UPDATE

Today's housework hour consisted of:
-hanging pictures
-doing dishes
-grocery shopping
-folding clothes

Last night I feel asleep in my recliner watching TV...no routine update yet.

30 DAY-NEW CHALLENGE

During round two of this crazy idea two new challenges will be completed.

#1.  Spend an hour a day working on a household project. This can be anything productive from raking leaves to folding laundry to organizing my tool bench.  Because our house is almost always picked up and clean, this challenge isn't designed to make our house spotless, but rather help me check things off the to-do list.  My theory is that if I tell myself I will only work at a task for an hour, it won't seem so daunting because I'll be able to stop in no time.

#2.  Set up a "sleep routine".  For one reason or another, I don't sleep all that well.  On any given night, once I go to bed, I'll lay there for at least an hour (more often than not it's closer to two hours)before I nod off.  It has been this way for so long that it doesn't really effect my daily life, it is just annoying. 

I was recently made aware that I don't have a "sleep routine" meaning when I think it is time to head to bed, I'll stop doing whatever activity I'm doing and go lay down.  No setting out clothes for the next day, no making lunch...just brush my teeth and head to bed.  I've done some Internet research and one suggestion is setting up a routine.  Apparently this helps train your brain to transition from day mode to sleep mode, thus making sleep easier to come by. 

I'll let you know how it works.

30 DAY UPDATE

January's 30 challenge was to submit an article to Runner's World. Check.

 
Looking back at this goal, it didn't quite fit the 30 day challenge like I was hoping. It wasn't something I worked on every day.  Frankly, when I wasn't writing, it was pretty much out of my mind.

So, for the next month's challenge, I want to pick something that I will have to be mindful of every day.

Here are some ideas.
-Recycle
-Take the dog for a walk
-Try a workout that is featured in a fitness magazine and is hailed the "next big thing"
-Learn to play the guitar
-Become a "clean" eater, meaning eat nothing that has been processed

I'll keep you posted ('cause I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat) with my choice.

30 DAY UPDATE

Guess who just submitted an article to Runner's World...don't think too hard, it was me.  I'll keep you posted if it gets printed.

WEATHER SHMETHER

Do the grocery stores pay the weathermen to say its going to storm just to drive customers to their stores?  It boggles my mind at the number of people who think they need to run to the store at the first threat of bad weather.  It isn't 1864 you know.  The roads will be clear in under 24 hours, and if not, you could always order delivery or walk to the store. 

In case you're wondering, the ppredicted storm never showed up.

LONG JOHNS

It is safe to say waffle-knit thermal shirts under t-shirts are a staple in my winter wardrobe-casual collection. You would think these thermals would be easy to find...and you'd be wrong. Maybe word got out about my stellar fashion sense and people have rushed to all the local stores for one of their very own. But for some reason, I have struck out every place I've looked. It's not that huge of a deal, I could go online and order some easy enough. I just thought it was strange.

30 DAY UPDATE

The article has been edited and I think it is almost ready to be submitted as soon as I get a title nailed down.  Spending precious brain power on a title may be for nothing...when I wrote for my college's newspaper, they (the powers that be) wrote the titles not the people who actually wrote the articles.  Odd. 

1970 SOMETHING???

By looking at a few of the gifts I received over this past Christmas season, you might think Nixon was still president.

Example 1:
Thanks to the fine in-laws, and because I was such a good lil' fella this year, I was gifted a CB radio. I've wanted one for the past couple of years and now I finally have my very own. I went to the local CB shop and bought a shiny new antenna which is proudly mounted to the top of my truck.

Example 2:
My very own momma bought me a pre-amp for my turn-table. Seems my receiver didn't think it'd ever have the pleasure of powering such an object and didn’t have the required hardware. Now my ears can be tickled by sweet vinyl all around the house.

Who says time travel isn't possible?

30 DAY UPDATE

As I mentioned, the article seemed to ramble, so I did some editing.

Here is what I'm left with, "Running is good". 

Maybe I should find a happy medium.  I guess that is why we have rough drafts.

30 Day Challenge #1: Write an article for Runners World

You read that right, I'm going to write an article over the next 30 days and submit it to Runner's World.  I'm already on draft 2. 

So far it is going OK, but I tend to ramble (odd, huh) and need to do some serious editing.

NEW YEAR...NEW ME???

I've long given up making "traditional" resolutions.  I figure life beats you down enough without holding yourself to bogus claims.  More veggies-Nope. Not for this guy.  My resolutions typically consist of fun stuff...more camping, more concerts, etc. 

This year is different.  I was talking with my bro-in-law and he mentioned an idea he saw a Ted talk on...do something for 30 days. 

So, I'm working on making a list of what I want to do for 12 30-day periods...and lucky you, you'll get to hear about them via this lil' blog (yes, that means I am going to post more than once every 3 months).

If you have any ideas for my 30 day projects, let me know.