Project 365: Day 43

I bought some firewood for the winter - half a trunkload.

Fitness update

I set a record today for weight.  I clocked in at 187.4 lbs this morning which is the lightest I've been in more than two years.  My body fat percentage is still high, but will start to come down.

I've been doing my pushups, situps and chinups and played squash for the first time in more than ten years yesterday with a couple of coworkers.  Their goal is to play squash, tennis or badminton two or three times a week.  That sounds good to me as I know how to play all three and we can play for free at SUNY-Albany.

Project 365: Day 42

My right arm.

Project 365: Day 41

People at work play squash so I hit up Dick's Sporting Goods for some supplies: racquet, balls, goggles, headband and tennis shoes.

It's on like Donkey Kong tomorrow. I definitely need the exercise.

Project 365: Day 40

The view from my front porch.

Project 365: Day 39

Time for a mullet check.

It's definitely getting long in the back. Sweet. Hopefully the sides can grow in some more where I accidentally shaved.

Project 365: Day 38

It's time to get in shape.  I've said it before, but this time I mean it.

I'm going to try one hundred pushups and two hundred crunches.  Today was Day 1 for both programs.  I would've started last week, but I got sick.  I'm still feeling a little funky, but good fitness waits for no man.

I'll take a beefcake shot like this one each week to help track my progress.  I'm not obese, but you can see that there isn't much definition in my torso.  Not good.

Project 365: Day 37

Being sick for nearly a week can leave one scruffy.

Project 365: Day 36

I had a Popsicle for dessert tonight. 

Fitness update - the sick edition

I'm back on my weekend measurement schedule.  I've been sick pretty much this whole week and haven't done anything even remotely close to exercise unless sleeping suddenly became an Olympic sport.  Despite all that, I dropped four-tenths of a pound.  That's probably just in the noise and is probably due to poor nutrition more than anything.

I still feel crappy, but less crappy than before.  After breakfast, I'll take a shower and hit the store for some supplies.  I'm going to get some soup, crackers, 7-Up, DayQuil and NyQuil among other things.  I should've done that before, but I don't think I was thinking clearly.  The fake Tylenol PM doesn't seem to be knocking me out like I want so I'm not sleeping well.

I told my boss that I would be back to work on Monday so I better rest up to make that happen.

Project 365: Day 35

Sound the feasting horn!

I didn't feel like making anything or buying ingredients to make something so I hit up Subway for dinner tonight. I usually get a club, but decided to get a feast instead. I probably ate more calories in that one meal than I have the past six.

Project 365: Day 34

I felt much worse today than yesterday when I woke up so I got online and found the closest doctor in my insurance's network.  Here's the side of their pimped out building in Delmar.  It was white trash city there and I'm not likely to go back.

I did learn that I don't likely have H1N1 flu nor is it strep throat.  It could be a nasty sinus infection or a regular virus.  I hit the pharmacy on the way back for some generic Tylenol and generic Tylenol PM.  I've been chugging that today and have spent more time asleep than awake. 

My head still hurts, but not as badly as it did this morning.  It's not likely I'll make it in tomorrow, but I should be ok by Monday.  I hope so.  I don't want to be sick for more than a few days because it sucks and it's boring.

I still have a bit of a cough so I'm continuing the Zicam, but I stopped brewing up Theraflu because I was sick of the taste.  It wasn't knocking me out like I hoped either.

Officially sick of being sick

I'm ready to start feeling better. This headache/fever is really pissing me off because it makes it tough for me to sleep.

Project 365: Day 33

It's hard to take profile shots, but this one gives you a good idea of how the mullet is proceeding.

My hair is also sticking up strangely.

Project 365: Day 32

I got sick yesterday from traveling.  Not cool since I rarely get sick and am not a good patient. 

Here is a shot of the medicine I got at the store on the way home from work: Zicam spray (hopefully won't burn out my sense of taste), Theraflu to knock my ass out later tonight, vitamin C and some hand sanitizer.

I have a cough, some chest congestion and probably a fever.  That sounds like a flu, but it could be a cough.  No diarrhea or nausea yet.

Hopefully I'm not rockin' the H1N1 because I'm not ready to die.

Fitness update

It looks like I lost some weight over the weekend with a slight uptick in chunk.  After sitting next to a US Women's Bobsled hopeful on the flight from Albany who could kick my ass six ways from Sunday, I'm renewing my beefcake challenge.  This time I'm serious.  I don't know how it'll be different from the other twelve times I've said it this year, but it will be.

I'll hit Dick's to get a squash racket, goggles and some tennis shoes so that I can play on Friday with work people.  We'll see how I'm feeling though because I think I'm coming down with something.

Picture explosion from my trip to Minneapolis

I was in Minneapolis over the weekend to visit James and Carrie, two good friends from college. We hung out at their house shooting pool, playing games, playing Nintendo, watching football, visiting Carleton, going to see Minnehaha Falls, eating and going to the Vikings game. Super sweet. I can't remember a better weekend in recent memory.

Here are pictures in no particular order:

A shot from our seats at the Ravens vs Vikings football game at the Metrodome. Minnesota squeezed out a 33-31 victory.

On the way there, traffic was slowed to a crawl because this guy thought 30 minutes before a football game was a great time to block off two lanes to put up some unnecessary signs.

A view of the Mississippi from Minnehaha Falls Park.

Minnehaha Creek (?).

Minnehaha Creek (?).

Minnehaha Creek (?).

Minnehaha Falls.

Minnehaha Falls.

Minnehaha Falls.

New dorm at Carleton College.

Carleton College's Myers Hall where I lived my frosh year.

Carleton College.

My junior year dorm room in Nourse Hall. It was cramped with the two of us.

Carleton College.

Carleton College's Olin Hall where physics is housed.

Hill of Unknown Number of Oaks at Carleton. It was the hill of three oaks when I was there.

Carleton's "new" rec center. They built this palace the year after I graduated. Weak.

The rec center from the parking lot.

Carleton's Sayles Hill where I used to get my mail.

James and Carrie headed into Carleton's bookstore.

Favre dropping back to pass. He threw a touchdown on this play.

Peterson (not pictured) ran the ball.

The Vikings are ready to kick off.

Me and James at the game.

James and Carrie at the game.

Coin toss.

Project 365: Day 31

Here's a picture of my swag from the weekend: a Skol Vikings banner, a Carleton shirt, a Carleton stainless steel water bottle and a Carleton license plate holder.  Not pictured is a Minnesota Favre jersey.

Project 365: Day 30

Skol Vikings.  We caught them live at the Metrodome squeezing one out 33-31 over the Ravens.  They raced out a big lead in the first quarter and it looked like a blowout.  Then the Vikes got conservative and the Ravens came back.  The Ravens had a chance to win it with a field goal, but the dude hooked it wide left.  Phew.

That's me on the left and my good friend from college, James, on the right.  We're getting photobombed by a Ravens' fan, unfortunately.

Project 365: Day 29

This morning we drove down to Carleton College where we went to school to check it out. It happened to be family weekend so there were lots of non-students creeping around, but that's ok. It was cool to see the changes to campus since I hadn't been there since I graduated in June of 1998. They built a couple new dorms, a new dining hall and language center and a new rec center. The rec center is pretty pimpin' and I wish it had been there when I was. I would've been in better shape for sure.

The picture is of Myers Hall which is where I lived my freshman year.

Project 365: Day 28

I made it safely to Minneapolis, ate some good food, lost in ping pong and played poorly in pool.  It's all good.

Here's where I'll be sleeping for three nights. Sweet.

I also sat next to someone cool on the plane so the flight didn't seem to take that long.

Project 365: Day 27

I'm going to Minneapolis this weekend to visit some good friends from college.  I'm getting in around 7:30 which is after dinner so my friend suggested that I not check my bag to speed stuff up.  Here's a shot of the bags I'll carry on with me.

Project 365: Day 26

Here is a picture off my back deck.  As you can tell, I'm running out of ideas so please provide me with some.

Project 365: Day 25

The mullet project begins.  I have helmet hair, but I busted out my clippers, slapped on a No 6 guide (0.75") and shaved the front and some of the sides.

It's tough to take a picture of the side of your head. It took me five tries to get this shot so I hope you appreciate it.

Project 365: Day 24

I hit a new grocery store on the way home today since my coworker recommended it.  It's the same chain as the one I usually hit, but is apparently more upscale.  I agree and they have a bigger natural food selection.  I found the almond milk that I like and also saw this chocolate hempmilk so I bought some to try it out.  It guarantees no THC so I'm not going to get high, but I will get some essential vitamins and minerals.  It tastes alright.  It's thinner than real milk which is what I don't like about dairy-free "milks."

I don't think I'd get it again since it's pricey, but it was certainly worth trying out.

Project 365: Day 23

I fed my sweet tooth with a natural root beer float: natural root beer and natural vanilla ice cream.  Sweet.