Day 368 - Three Something Wednesday

Not much response to the riddle, trivia yesterday. Perhaps a bad selection from the fun bag on my part. Lets give it another day and see if anyone takes a peek back to yesterday for a crack at any of these before I give out the answers. I know one member of my family who I believe peeks in here from time to time should recognize that castle. "Should", being the operative word there.

So what shall we do today?

Lets do something responsible for ourselves, something sincere for someone else, and something a few notches outside of our comfort zones.

Here are my three somethings...

For Myself:
Spend some time in reflection upon a commitment I've made? No More Fast Food.
A year ago yesterday I made that commitment. For the last 8 months of 2010 I bet I didn't eat a fast food meal more than 5 times in total. Here in 2011, I bet I've had a dozen. While not a all out fall of the wagon collapse of this commitment, I think it is safe to say I have a limb or two hanging over the wagons edge.

Today I am committing to getting those limbs safely back within the wagon but reaffirming to that commitment to change. Next week I expect to be released from the hold I've been placed on from lifting weights and strenuous exercise while I recover from last weeks surgery. I will be ready; man I can't wait to grip that bar and knock it around. Fast food will not benefit me in any way towards reaping maximum benefit from that exercise. Choosing to eat No More Fast Food will!

For Someone Else:
I am hoping others, YOU,  who read this will join me in this sincere act for someone else.
The someone else is Lynda over at Taking Less Space. In her post linked there from yesterday she stepped up bravely and owned up to having slipped up hard on the diet yo-yo. Please go read for yourself and help her any way you can.

For Lynda, this is what I have for her to ponder this day... Think, just stop and think quietly (after you read this post of course). Listen to the voices inside right now, who do you hear? I am willing to bet the $3.49 in my pocket that your Evil Inner Dialogue is back and louder than ever. Now listen harder to that evil, can you identify what its been feeding off of that has pumped up it's volume in your head? Find it, whatever it is, and focus on improving/eliminating that one loudest source of evil. For now, forget about all the other sources of angst, today they are not important. One day, today, you can choose to find & fix the primary root of your weight gain. This you can do, today, tomorrow and any day you choose.

Outside My Zone:
I'm going to have some fun with this one, I can't help myself; sorry (not). I have a personal purchase to make soon; not going to say what it is here to protect surprise factor from onlooking eyes. In most buying situations I do not haggle price much if at all. This item does have some room for price haggling. So I am going to haggle my face off.

The amount I may be able to haggle down is irrelevant as I have no intention of making the actual buy today, my need today is product comparison. The fun will come from observing the reactions of the store sales people as I drag them through a haggling that is really more of a hazing.

Do you have three somethings?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 367 - Pull Over And Play

For good reason most of my recent posts been serious. Positive and with great news and plenty to feel good about as well, so I'm all good with the recent string of serious sharing. But today, the last sentence is the last serious one I plan to share on this day.It is time to pull over and play for a day. Join me if you care...

Recently I stated it had been a while since we've had a picture riddle. So for starters lets do just that, sort of. Sort of in that this picture riddles a bit different than those we've done in the past where you had to guess the larger object from a picture of a small section of that object. Today, you get to see the whole object; the castle picture above.

1. Where on earth is that famous, or infamous, castle located?
I know some of you are castle buffs, most are not. I think we would all appreciate the hard work that goes into building a castle. No? Ok, then how about the pain of seeing hours and hours of your hard work washed away when the tide comes in washes your castle away; no? I'm the only one?? Hmmm...

Don't care about castles period huh, Ok. Try this...

Nicknames can be cruel, especially for those over weight and doubly especially for kids who are over weight. But not even the mightiest to live have escaped the scourge of a heavy nickname...
2. What world leader was also known as His Roundity?
3. What world leader was also known as The Slobberer?

Seems the brain bats we did recently were enjoyed so lets throw one in here...
4.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZ
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

And last but not least, an oldy but goody from the joke department. We obviously are all into computers anywhere from a little to ALLOT. If you disagree then I am interested to know who printed thos post out on paper and handed itto you? Enjoy...
5. Gender and Computers

Top nine reasons computers must be male:

1. They have a lot of data but are still clueless.
2. A better model is always just around the corner.
3. They look nice and shiny until you bring them home.
4. It is always necessary to have a backup.
5. They'll do whatever you say if you push the right buttons.
6. The best part of having either one is the games you can play.
7. The lights are on but nobody's home.
8. Big power surges knock them out for the night.
9. Size does matter

Top nine reasons computers must be female:

1. Picky, picky, picky.
2. They hear what you say, but not what you mean.
3. Beauty is only shell deep.
4. When you ask what's wrong, they say "nothing".
5. Can produce incorrect results with alarming speed.
6. Always turning simple statements into big productions.
7. Smalltalk is important.
8. You do the same thing for years, and suddenly it's wrong.
9. They make you take the garbage out.

Have Fun Today!!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 356 - Hurry Up & Wait

Happy Friday to one and all. Well not everyone. The person responsible for gas proces, no happy Friday wishes for you. Booo I say! Yep, that sign is legitamite. Here in Chicagoland the cheap stuff is above $4 a gallon in many places. Took that gas picture yesterday while driving to a doctors appointment.

The visit with the ortho re: my knee/hip led to a disgnosis of maybe this, or that, but whatever it is take these pills and go for physical therapy too. Let me tell you, if I wasn't preoccupied by the cancer stuff, I'd have left that appointment less than impressed. However, being the look at the positive chap I am, I took it as good news. If all I need to do is take a pill and work on my stretching with someone, fine by me!

The visit with the medical oncologist saw me give three vials of blood yesterday. Today we wait to hear the results of the gaggle of tests they are running on it. Hopefully today I'll get that news. Otherwise the doc & I had a long talk and he did well to paint out all of the likely outcomes considering the PET Scan with what we know now. So I feel well informed, not happy about some of what I'm am hearing, but I believe I'm doing this right at present and I know in the end victory will be mine.

Oh, yesterdays answers to the brain batters... you got them. Tish was first take a crack at them and nailed them...
Look before you leap
Grown up
Fast Food

Here's a different puzzle for your Friday fun...
You have a basket with five pears in it. Can you divide these pears amongst your five kids in order for each kids to get a pear and still have one pear left in your basket?


Mmmm, pears....

Enjoy!

 

 

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 258-259 Last Day & Birthday



Link to Hunting Blog post


Today is the last day of the year and that means it is Cameron's birthday. There he is proudly displaying the antlers from his first deer which he harvested in October. This week we finally mounted those antlers for him.

We'll celebrate his birthday later today with buffalo wings I am sure; he is a connoisseur of buffalo wings if there ever was one. As well we will celebrate New Years eve and ring in the new year from the safety and comfort of our home.

I'll hold off on any year-end wrap up and year-new posting material until tomorrow. Have some fun stiff to get on to with the family this morning but I wanted to put up a quick post for Cam's birthday. Also, answer the riddle from the other day.

This riddle was way too way as most everyone got it right; the defrost vent from my truck...

Nothing wrong with ending the year on an 'easy' note. The challenge to continue getting healthy in the new year will certainly be just that, a challenge, and a welcome one at that.

Enjoy your New Year's celebration! Be safe & Have FUN!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 257 - Riddle Some Dunham

What do you say we end the year with a picture riddle... I don't think this one is too hard, but then again I know what it is. Take a look, take a guess, have some fun.

Yesterdays exercise was cardio, another 4 mile walk outdoors. I timed myself for the final mile to see if I had a PR in me, been quite a while since I've timed myself. Finished mile number four in 14:51 minutes, just walking; no jogging this day... put that PR up on the board, shaved over 1/2 minute over the last time I just walked a mile.

How are you folks out east doing with the recent snow storms? We have nothing to really complain about weather wise in the midwest. Sure some snow, sure some cold air; but nothing like what you folks are dealing with. It was a brisk 20F morning for yesterday's walk. Took the below shot with 1/2 block to go on this walk. My house is the one there with the American flag; sadly it is the only house within eye-shot that flys the flag every day this planet spins around the sun...

Looking to hit the weights today and get in some more cardio too. Trying to finish the year strong while also sweating past any damage I may have done over the long weekend. Also taking advantage of being home this week.

Last night was family fun night; as part of our Christmas gift to our kids, their grand parents & my sister in laws family we took them to see Jeff Dunham. If you don't know this comedian, check out some of his website or his act on youtube. If you do know Jeff, then you won't be surprised that we had a blast. My throat & sides are sore from laughing so much.

Are you finishing 2010 strong & having fun doing it?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 232-233 Hack Hack, Sneeze

First order of business is the riddle from Friday, there it is; a medical waste bin. At least I think that is the right name for the can where the staff disposes of the used rubber gloves, IV lines, etc... more accurately the riddle picture was of the access on the lid; yeah this one was a tough one.

Figured a tough one would be appropriate for December as this month usually is a tough one on those trying to lose weight. Your guesses proved that it was indeed tough too. Excellent & creative guesses as always ranging from a swimming pool drain to the inside of my colon (if only it were that clean) to a plastic thing from a box of pizza (Papa John's comes to mind). There were a couple that reference a bucket also, perhaps we can say those were closest. But lets just call it a tie between all that participated for this one shall we.

Ok, second order of business, the 13.1 mile walk, jog or crawl from Sunday. Christine put this event together and she completed hers in impressive fashion. Be sure and stop by her blog and give her a high-five!

As for myself, nothing high-five worthy here... On Friday I came down with a cold, Saturday I tried to medicate and kick it to the curb. Sunday I awoke and told myself I was feeling better and went out and set off to click off some miles... 

Getting psyched for the a.m. attempt, lets hope everyone shoveled...

Didn't take long to understand that as much as I wanted to feel better I was void of energy. The 20 degree air actually was refreshing for a bit but it was a burden too which was a definite signal for me to cut this short, I got in just 2 miles. Normally I am not bothered by the cold and have no issue getting out and enjoying it. But when ill, the cold is not as a welcomed. Back inside I took it easy most of the day and then headed back out in the evening to get in some more miles... 

Blurry shot of my evening walk in the neighborhood, aint the lights pretty!

Oh I had delusions of grandeur to try and get in the rest of the 13.1 miles but another 2 miles was all I had in my tank. Frustrating... So I'll have to get out there and get in the rest of those miles this week.

Feeling better today, at work, and looking forward to a great week.

Hope all had a great weekend and that you have a healthy week planned; do you?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 230 - Riddle, Tuna, Snow, Fitness Warrior & Meow

December is off and running and we need a picture riddle to keep it going properly, don't you agree? What oh what could that picture above be? Have an idea; then tell us what you think it is. Have no idea; then take a guess anyhow. Have fun and I'll get you the answer tomorrow.

Let us see here, I think I will keep things on the lighter side today just because I can.

Speaking of lite, here is a picture of my lunch from yesterday; tuna steak over sauteed veg & brown rice. Oh and a huge dollop of cucumber sauce which I punted. Amazing how the cafeteria can put out some really great dishes on some days and them some horrific messes on others...

This was taken earlier this week from one of our office building cat-walks. Snow flurries teasing and taunting us. This Saturday the weather folks are calling for 2-4 inches; I've procrastinated long enough in cranking over the snow blower and be sure it is ready for the season...

 

THANK YOU Bobbie!

Recently I was one of the lucky ones whose name came up as winners of a give-away Bobbie was having. And here it it, my very own Fitness Warrior towel from her recently launched line of Fitness Warrior gear. If you are not familiar with Bobbie of her line of goods, check out those links!

And we will wrap up the post with a gratuitous cat picture. Zinger & Nacho here, can you tell that they want the cat nip I have in hand...

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 214 - Feeling Great Because

From R2D2's wife to a variety of lamp switches, as always no shortage of creative guesses at our picture riddle. Ann of Ann Is Livin' Large No More gave us two guesses, Her first was a "chrome-plated under-desk-mounted bourbon dispenser", which falls into the category of 'how cool would that be to have'. Her second was a "Liquid Soap Dispenser" which was correct. Well done!

There you see it, a Liquid Soap Dispenser. I took that picture last week while at my annual visit with my oncologist. It has been a bit more than nine years since I kicked the beast off me, or out of me if you prefer. This annual is an extension of my annual physical with my primary care doc with the added bonus of extra blood work up and extra poking & prodding. All in all very routine from year to year. However this visit comes after this summers brief dance with melanoma. He was surprised to hear that the spot on my my cheek he labeled 'nothing to worry about' a year ago was later diagnosed as as melanoma in situ. I could tell he was bothered by this, and maybe he should be. I chose not to make much hay out of it as the good news is it has been removed and I am feeling great.

How about you, are you feeling GREAT today?

If YES, why?

If NOT, why?

I am feeling great because I am healthier today than I was yesterday.
Because I am way more healthier than I was on April 17th of this year.
Because I have a gorgeous wife who I love dearly and kids that haven't worn me out yet.
Because I know how to be healthy and know I can do it.
Because I believe the Chicago Blackhawks are going to break out of their funk soon.
Because I look forward to exercising which is something I never thought would happen.
Because I get to go deer hunting this weekend.
Because I have come to know so many cool people through blogging my way to a healthier me.

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 213 - Guess, Sweat n Bacon

Guess if you dare, or not. But today is picture riddle day. Some riddles are easy, some not so much, what about this one? Have fun! I'll get you the answer tomorrow, or maybe earlier.



Quick re-shout out for Kelly with this post which shows pictures of some of those who participated in her 5k this past Sunday. Lotsa sweatn going on there, take a look.

After I got back home from my 5k on Sunday I spent a few minutes catching my breath. Then it was off to get breakfast in as I was starving. My wife & daughter jumped in and whipped up some french toast for everyone...

And not just any french toast but creme brulee french toast. Stuff is awesome, but oh so not good for you. I ate a slice and felt guilty about it for most of the day. I was in the kitchen cooking too. With my sons help we got busy cooking up the venison bacon...

before cooking



after cooking

On Saturday my son & I went & picked up the venison we had processed from our October hunts. Here is what 97 pounds of venison bacon and 48 pounds of venison snack stix looks like...

Ok, now that I am all hungry for venison, I am going to eat my apple now. No venison on the menu today. I have the days eats planned out. Something I figured I needed to do a better job at to shore up my efforts here. So simple breakfast planned, fruit for snacks, lunch shall be a visit to the office cafe salad bar and tonight is pasta night w/ veggies. Will have to be careful at dinner, more veggies than pasta.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Responsibility 199, Gotta Do It!!

Day 201 - My Endurance Video

Fruit Count: 73 - We have collectively eaten 73 pieces of fruit the past two days. Nearing 1/2-way to our goal of 199. Let's keep eating fruit people, it's good food for you; shout out how many pieces you eat today!

Our picture riddle was a good one if I may say so. Anne our Carb Tripper came right out of the gate with a great guess; a ceramic cow moo moo pitcher that pours cream. Now I have seen such a thing, and not just pouring cream. I wish I had one (Ok not really, don't add that to my list for Santa please) for if I had that would've made a great pic-riddle.

Dawn of Fixing Myself Thinner was first to touch on what it is with her guess of 'plastic horse toy or something'. Ann who is Livin' Large immediately followed up with her guess of  'a chess piece'. Then not long after that yet another Anne, Anne of How I am Losing It finished off the completeness of our riddle with her guess of 'a Knight from a chess set'. As you see there, that is indeed what it is. Good Fun. Well done!

Yesterday I got in my second of two committed cardio sessions for this week. My son & I returned to Lake Andrea where I set a challenge for this visit of jogging 1 mile of it's 2.25 mile loop. Not 1 mile consciously, that would be nice, but I am not there yet. Previous visits I jogged .85 of a mile, so I was looking for a slight challenge up for me to make it a mile.

Different from those previous attempts as well was the length of the jogs. Before, most legs were .125 miles; now for this challenge I mapped out four .25 legs; thank you Google Earth. As well as actually completing those four .25 mile jogging legs without stopping (my primary challenge here) was the added challenge to try and complete the loop in less than 29:32, my previous best. Here is the course I mapped out...

Away we went and the skinny on our result is this...

• The four .25 mile jogs: Achieved, all four loops jogged without stopping!
• The loop time: We completed the loop in 29:46 minutes, oh so close but no PR (Personal Record) today.Oh Yeah!

Andrew ran ahead of me at the end of the loop & took a short video of me finishing. Enjoy at my expense ;-)

The heavy breathing you hear is him, the cold air tickled his asthma. The heavy dude in black coming towards you, that's me. As I neared the line & saw him shooting I let out what was supposed to be a laugh but instead sounded like a goat giving birth to a pregnant-moose; a moment to visualize... I also blurted out 'Enough' although I am not sure why. Probably glad the the end was achieved. I'll give myself an Oh Yeah!

Endurance, that is the word for the day. This trait to me speaks to the ability to overcome the stress and fatigue that can come with the effort needed to be better than obese over the span of a lifetime. Sure, it applies to smaller spans too, such as my Lake Andrea challenge there. I've had to build up my endurance to be able to do that. Six months ago, no way. Eating better and Exercising better allowed that to happen. Now six months from now, whether I just maintain what I have now or improve my ability to do better; either way I'll have to endure the effort needed to do so. If I stop putting in the effort, then my endurance recedes and I recede back towards greater obesity. That's not going to happen.

Quickly, this post is way too long already; but here is yesterday's food intake...

Note to self; the "Red Robin Fajita Fiesta Pollo Salad" that appeared to be healthy and which was my dinner actually accounted for 910 (F54, C57, P49) of those calories; ugh! I should've known better, and I do.

Give me your FRUIT and give me your latest OhYeah! moment!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 200 - Take A Swag

Wednesday seems like a fine day to have a bit of riddle with our good eats and exercise. So there it is, it is a thing or thang, maybe it is a this or that, perhaps even a what or huh... you tell me. Give us a guess. No idea what it is, the give us some swag (silly-wild-ass-guess). Tomorrow we'll see is any have nailed this riddle to the wall or knocked a nasty hole in it.

Fruit... yesterday we had a bit of fun on my 199th day here where we called out here, on facebook & twitter to see how many pieces of fruit we could eat. Thanks Lanie for the idea! I counted FIFTY pieces of fruit, including the four I ate. That is about a trio of fruit for those who stepped up to play, I'd call that a huge success. But it is not 199, so lets keep piling up apple cores, banana peels and grape vines on this thing; hit me up with how many you eat today and we'll keep this going until we get 199.


Decisiveness, a trait we have all embraced at times. Question is, are we decisive consistently? In April I decided to lose weight. That fine spring day, April 18th, I took prompt and determined action to do get healthy. Decisive behavior and a serious decision goes together like socks and shoes. No, like Laurel and Hardy. What, you don't know who they are? Hmmm, Mike and Molly?

Nope, not going to say that I am always consistent in being decisive. Certainly I feel I am more often than not. And in being honest there are some aspects in life I am more decisive than others. Family gets my decisive side quickly. Self needs I have been more reserved in being as decisive. That is a fault I have come to believe, one I am working to correct. Getting my butt in gear on getting healthy is proof of that.

Had another good day yesterday. My eating was good and I believe a bit better than the day before. The fat percentage was much better. I'd like to flip-flop those carb & protein numbers, I'd have to change things up further to do so. I take in a great deal of fruit and salads and veg which are primarily carbs. And it has been that way, what you see in that chart, for the most part since April. Those, I think, are high quality carbs so the numbers as you see them here should be fine for the long haul; please do share your thoughts if they differ.

Exercise was part of my day yesterday as well. The home gym routine was owned and as well push ups and sit ups were done. Oh, yesterday I meant to share this photo of me getting home after my walk/jog on Monday evening. It was a cardio session worthy of an Oh Yeah! I crushed my 2 mile loop where my PR of 29:03 minutes fell hard to an awesome late evening walk/jog effort. A new 2 mile 26:41 minute PR reigns and as well my new 1 mile PR is now 13:05 minutes. November has left the station with a full head of steam.

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 192 - Bacon & Belts

Yesterday was a good day, woke up early and hit the weights for an hour before work. Salads for both lunch (with tofu & egg) & dinner (with venison medallions). Looking for some even more good today.

Today's word is STRIVE. Striving for a day that is as near perfection as I can deliver. Perfection is impossible in my mind, we are human and not capable of it. But we can come very close and when we do, we succeed.

In yesterdays post I failed to mention a cool NSV. Last May, about 1 month after I started this mission, my wife & I went to game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. We also went this past weekend. In the nearly 5 months between the two events I've accomplished the ability to sit in that seat without smushing my hips against the armrest & I can cross my legs comfortably. I am giving that an Oh yeah!


Deb over at Deb Shrinks (who I also gave a shout out to this past Sunday) was first to guess yesterdays picture riddle correctly; a safe. I wasn't sure if I gave away too much of the safe door in the photo, but, then I never know how much is too much in so many aspects of life. Several others later guessed similar. Hmmm, I need to find a real doozy for the next time. Um, is doozy a real word? 

From our 2 deer we harvested the backstraps & tenderloins, the rest is being made into 48 lbs of sausage-stix (like slim-jims) & 97 lbs of bacon. My wife thinks I am nuts (out right ROFLAO nuts)  for having so much of it made that way. Then last night the garage door repairman came by to do his job. Thirty minutes of manly hunting talk later he took a check to cover the cost of parts & 10 pounds of bacon as payment for his labor. Nuts huh :-)

When was the last time you bartered for something?

New clothing that was made possible when I notched 40% of my goal.

Yes, long-sleeve shirt weather is here.

Belt, new belt - but how long before I have to take a punch to this one?

It came with 7 holes, and I am using hole 5, so just 2 more to shrink into.

The belt a size smaller would have had me using hole 1 but the tip wouldn't reach under the loop, odd.

I sound like a fashion driven socialite and I am so the opposite, too funny.

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 191 - Pic At This

Thought I'd spend today putting up some pictures. Why not start with a picture of something, something that you may or may not know what it is. If you think you do, offer a guess, otherwise, I'll come back tomorrow with what it really is. So take your best guess, it costs nothing and won't hurt a bit.

- - -

Our daughter Ashley turned 18 this week. It was just another day as a high-school senior for her in most ways with one exception; she got to vote for her first time. Thanks to early voting in Illinois . Her birthday cake was as she wanted, a stack of chocolate donuts with candles on top; and it was for breakfast. Hey, she wanted chocolate donuts before getting off to soccer practice.

- - -

Part of her day also included a trip to a couple of banks to close out her children's savings account and get her properly set up to bank as an adult. I wonder if she can spot me $5 until Tuesday?

- - -.

My wife and I went for a walk yesterday evening. Felt good to get out and walk for some exercise, first real cardio I've done in a week. All of the neighborhood trees planted along the roadside parkways are void of leaves. The rapid leaf loss this year has more to do with the high winds of late versus the temperatures which have been quite warm the past few weeks.

- - -

Good thing I saw this lawn decoration while it was still a bit light out. If I hadn't noticed it until one of my 4:30 a.m. walks I may have well been freaked out enough to run. Hmmm, that may not have been a bad thing. We used to go bonkers on the holiday decorations when the kids were grade schoolers. These days they could careless and participate less in such things. Thus we do not decorate at all for Halloween and my once Grizwold like Christmas display pales in comparison to a decade ago.

- - -

This past weekend my wife & I went on a date. We took in our first hockey game of the 2010-11 campaign.

The Blackhawks 2010 Championship banner looks great hanging from the rafters of the United Center.

Now we need to get another, and another, and...

- - -

Today's word of the day is ABLE.

I am able to rule this day and end it healthier than I started it.

How was your weekend?

 Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 182 - Saturday It Is

Lanie nailed the picture riddle from yesterday right away. It was a cutting board. When I saw that I figured I made it too easy. But then a bunch of different guesses came in and the fun continued... easy or hard, there will be another day for another riddle.

Friday was a better day - Thanks for all the encouraging words!

This morning I am about to go out with the boys, and my niece, and trek through some Wisconsin hillsides and get in some more deer hunting. Looking forward to a great day outdoors, fresh air, void of stress and full of laughs. Outdoor activities, such as hunting & fishing, or activities such as skiing or hiking or basketball... activities such as these are great opportunities to get in exercise that is fun and do it with family and friends.

Not all exercise needs to be in a gym or on a running track. Not all family time needs to be in front of a television. Mix it up, mix in the fun. Now by mixing it up, I don't suggest mixing up hunting with basketball. Bad, only bad will come from that. And fishing while skiing, not likely to go so well especially if snow skiing.

What fun do you have planned fro this weekend? The weather is supposed to be summer-like in many areas that should be feeling the chill of fall right now. Get out and play!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 181 - What The Friday

Picture riddle for Friday this week. There you see it. Looks geometrical, looks patterned. Doesn't look like the sky or a tie. Or does it?

This weekend I will be off hunting with the boys again. I will schedule a post for Saturday to reveal the answer to this riddle which I doubt will go unsolved.

Did you eat smart yesterday? Did you exercise? My answer is NO to both. While I didn't horrible, it sure could have been better. And since I chose not to make time to exercise, well; yesterday was not a good one. You could even call it a set back.

Set backs are going to happen. They come with a cool challenge though; the challenge to not string them into days or weeks or more. Whether the set back is small or big, and then get on keeping the distance until the next one as far out as possible.

It having happened, I feel the need to recognize it, to announce it to someone; and I am doing that here to you now. Now, this minute, is when I shall move forward once again. My very next choice will be a good one, I am putting the set back behind me and taking a step towards a healthier day.

For a while last night when the day was done I caught myself getting mad at myself; an argument with myself you could say. Had it been audible it would have had allot of bleeping out. However after a few minutes of self-anger I just stopped it.

When I realized what I was doing I also remembered where I was. My set back left me standing in a hole, albeit a small hole. But realizing that I had two choices, keep up the anger and risk getting so mad I'd actually dig deeper. Or, stop digging and climb out.

How often do we allow set backs to continue, in essence we see we are in a hole and we figure we can dig a little deeper & worry about how to dig out tomorrow. or next week, month, or when we hit 320 pounds? I believe such thinking is what got me to be 320 pounds.

So I am in a hole, and when in a hole what should you do?

STOP DIGGING!

What was the last hole you were in and when? Are you in one now?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 174 - Goal Bashers, Sad

And the riddle picture is; well you see it there... Weider adjustable dumbbells. I love them. Hmmm, do they make adjustable barbells?

Great guesses as always, but nobody got this one. Springs or a fork were by far the popular guesses. The 'Galvanized French Fries' was the most unique guess, thanks for the chuckle Liz. Our closest was guess was the 'weight machine at the gym' by Julie. Well done Julie, If I gave out prizes for this I'd be at your door with your prize this morning. Our second closest, I'm thinking the 'chromed out pickup truck' by Manda. Ok while that wasn't that close, I just like it. Hmm, a truck that is all chrome, sounds like heaven; who wants a ride?

In yesterday's post I spoke with pride of my latest PR. What I am more stoked about is that I am jogging more & more with my cardio. Curious just how much of the loop I jogged I had to find out.

The map below shows the path around the lake. Thanks to Google Earth I was able to highlight the patches which I jogged. Add'em up and I jogged .86 miles or 38% of the 2.25 mile loop. More than I figured I had before figuring it out; sweet! Look out 40%+, I'm coming to get'ya.

As I said in previous posts increasing my jogging as a percentage of my cardio is my current personal challenge. Whether at Lake Andrea, around my neighborhood, or yours. Upping the jogging is my goal of choice to keep my mission progressing.

Speaking of goals, do you set goals?

Do you feel comfortable doing so & sharing that you do?

Put me down for a 'yes' for both.

Recently I had an exchange where I was challenged that goal setting accomplishes nothing. My reply to the immediate challenge was actually to agree. Setting goals by itself accomplishes zip; it is your actions to reach them that gets that credit. My opinion, differ away if you desire to.

Certainly the act of setting the goal deserves credit too. For many setting the goal is the second action we take towards what it is we desire. The first action is commonly accepting the realization that something needs to change, needs a goal.

Debating a differing opinion is one thing. Arguing for the sake of whizzing in my general direction is quite another. That is precisely what this character was up to. Our chat went on to see me share example after example of my own experience where I chose to acknowledge an opportunity, set a goal, plan actions, do them, adjust as needed, and kick the sweat out of opportunity until I can call it accomplished. If I may be so bold, I was on a roll.

But no, nothing I said was going to convince this champion of condescension that anything I, or anyone, ever accomplished was due to setting a goal. According to this deacon of disdain all we need is just do what comes naturally pre-programmed and for some of us that means accepting less than pleasant results. Oh for the sake of… ugh.

For our reading sake here let me make a long discussion short, I took pity on this sultan of scorn and found excuse to exit the heavy air around us. Likely this admiral antagonist took my exit as capitulation to his point. Hardly.

My take away, in general goal-bashers do not challenge the concept because of you, me, us; those who set goals. Rather, they do so because of themselves. Likely there is an unhappiness about them they have not been able to shed, and have accepted it as fate. Sad, is my take away.

But, wait there's more… (tribute to Billy Mays; moment of silence)…

I shall not end this post, or any, on a downer of a note. Nope, not going to do it, No way!

I took something else away from that debate. JOY…
Joy in knowing that I set goals...
Joy in knowing that I am happy...
Joy in knowing I kick @$$...

To all of you, have a joyous day!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 173 - Riddle This Monster

Hello blogger loving - heatlhy craving - exercise wanting - happy folk. Does that sound like you? Sounds to me like a fine way to looked upon as.

Picture riddle for Thursday this week. There you see it. Looks shiny, looks symmetrical. Doesn't look like a liquid or a squid. What is it?

Wednesday was a great day on the exercise front. My son & I made a visit to Lake Andrea to chip away at my personal challenge there. Continuing to work to get around that lake's 2.25 mile loop faster and faster by mixing in more jogging with the walking. Last week we improved our time by 1:51 minutes doing just that.

This week we got after with even more intensity and achieved a monster PR shaving a monster 2:11 to finish in 30:55 minutes. Monster I'm telling you! Um, yeah, I was stunned when I looked at my watch (if you can't see it trust me it says 30:55)...

Cashed out, that was me afterwards. No time to catch my breath however, I had to take care of a little business before breathing, hydrating, celebrating. That done, I wanted to capture an Oh Yeah shot but my 'gasping for air' face over-rode my 'happy and prideful' face. So this is my Oh Yeah shot (why do us bloggers like to take pics in bathrooms? I cropped out as much of the porcelain furniture I could)...

Finally hydrating... my son tried to get a better Oh Yeah shot of me in a more celebratory moment. However this is not much better as I was too thirsty to pose and he was too impatient to wait...

After the exercise we went off to grab a meal & play before going to his high school for a presentation on college prep. Andrew was paying more attention to the baseball game on TV than his game controller where I was focused on the video poker battle between us...

But he didn't need to may much attention to the poker as he was wiping the floor with me as I kept getting hand after hand like this...

Finally, some food...

Have a MONSTER Day!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!