Wonderful happenings!
I got a lot done today. You can definitely count me in on a lot of summer shenanigans.
First to explain the song:
Admittedly, I’m not sure if it’s the cheap headphones or the cheap radio player, but my arm-band radio no longer produces music.
So this song was playing in my head while I ran.
The reason? One little phrase:
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain
And you told me not to drive
But I made it home alive
So you said that only proves that I’m insane
It was just about to rain.
Which made me think of the next thing in this blog (see what happens when I run without music? I think):
Reasons I Run:
1. Exercise
2. Cardio – I am male, one of the main risk factors for heart disease
3. For my breathing – this is an area on which I will expend:
If you didn’t know, breathing is pretty restricted. As such, I have to be in better shape in order to breathe well and sound ‘in shape’. I thought I’d draw a picture, but since I’m an accountant, it was way faster to just make a chart in Excel, and screenshot it to a JPG. Here it is:
This chart explains why I should never let winter/Christmas/Tax season/anything else life feels like throwing at me get in the way of my being in shape.
4. I enjoy it, and I might be addicted to endorphins
5. It helps me maintain my stellar good looks (sarcasm intended)
6. Separate from my looks…. LEGS
Reasons I Run Faster:
1. To get faster
2. To increase my thigh range of motion (I take bigger steps, it makes me work more legs, and it makes me faster)
3. To beat the rain
Literally, today it was about to storm, so I ran home from my 2.7 jog about 2 minutes before a huge thunderstorm broke! I was pretty amazed!
Also business was big today. Meetings, but they’ll turn into more clients. Sooner than later, too!
Also, reconnected with a friend – she’s going to hang out tomorrow.
Dinner and games with another friend on Wednesday.
So much work to do, too! Remember the “good old days” when summer had time?
J Out!
Another great day to keep the great summer going!
Business
To start with, I did a lot of business. Nothing billable, but I’m working to greatly increase my offerings, create another revenue model, plus get everything lined up for that. It’s pretty tedious, but that’s how summer is in my business. I’m doing lots with people, though. It’s exciting!
Cooking
I had a jolly good evening. First of all, it’s grilling season, so I grill burgers, brats, chicken, and, and…. pizzas?!
It was perfect. Golden cheese, crispy crust. Yum!
Landscaping
If you’ve never been to my patio, there’s an awkward triangle of dirt in the middle of the patio, sidewalk, and grass.
It was always bad at holding mulch and it was over crowded.
I had the triangle cleaned out as far as old mulch and wretched Elm seeds (that are everywhere. Always. Dirtiest tree ever) are concerned. I took a good look at it and realized the problem:
Too much dirt
I proceeded to loosen dirt clean it up, and put it in a bucket. It’s good dirt, so I piled it in back where I’m going to tear out some plants (hopefully before it grows).
I was literally digging in dirt all night. I had a tool to loosen the dirt, but my hand proved more effective.
After I got the triangle below the brim of the sidewalk and patio by removing dirt, I filled it with mulch.
After that, I added my new solar lights.
The finished area?
My parents always tell me to wear gloves, but I never do. I figure it’s my fault for not having the calluses needed. Eventually from all the dirt, blood, cracked skin, and cuts, either my hands will adapt or they will fall off.
Hoping for the former.
If you haven’t seen me for a while, you may notice something:
In the last year or so, I’ve significantly bulked up.
I thought I was fatter, but I’ve been running everyday. I now run the big loop without stopping.
I’m just simply broader and a bigger man. I weigh more.
I’m not any slower, less flexible, or less graceful (from a dancing standpoint, who’s to say about my personality).
I think it’s a good change. Part of my process of manning up last year.
Tonight I went to the Uptown Scavenger Hunt, a meetup event from the group I’ve been doing a lot with.
The premise?
Walk around Uptown finding a bunch of random stuff on a list and photograph it.
I was in a group of six. Well, myself, Scott, and Ann had no idea where the other three went. So we just did it in a group of three.
It was so much fun! Petty sure I will have a good friendship with Scott and Ann. I just need a counterpart so I’m not always a third wheel.
Anyways, here’s the night in pictures with captions saying what they were on the list:
A guy wearing lipstick. Literally, he put on hot pink shiny lipstick.
A clock at 10:17
A cartoon tattoo. This was in a tattoo parlor.
Photo of team members with strangers at the Uptown Cafeteria
Team mates with spoons on their noses
Coaster signed by a bartender
Team member drinking from a tap. We were the only team to have this.
Plaid
Craziest hair
Sox that were plainly too high
Margarita
A white drink, a tall PBR (two items)
Chugging a beer with a stranger
Chugging a beer upsidedown
Photo with the irish band
Entire team in mid air
Human pyramid with whole team
Then it ended at a bar that had a dance floor
What an awesome night! Made some great new friends!
Sometimes I get distracted.
Maybe it’s by a new girl, maybe it’s memories of one from the past.
But I think about all the great things. I think of the great things coming very soon with a new job and my new degree. I have nights like tonight where I ballroom dance with friends, and afterwards hang out with other friends.
It all reminds me that no matter what goes on with the lady folk, I am incredibly happy, have a lot of good, accepting friends who care.
In short, I am very lucky. I am so happy and am looking forward to whatever else is coming next. There’s no such thing as bad cards in this game.
Perception is reality.
(And no, the song selection has nothing to do with the post. It was on the radio, and I like it)
Running season is here. I’ve mapped out the common runs from my house (“The Loops”).
They are as follow:
The Small Loop – around Minnehaha – 1.7 miles. That is what I do for a quick run.
The Big Loop – around Univeristy – 2.7 miles. That is what I do when I go for a run.
The Como Loop – Horton / Lexington – 4.0 miles. This I once ran, but I bike it often.
