1.)I've played in one iSketch game and I think we might be able to keep it going weekly for a bit even if it is at the same time as Biggest Loser.
2.)I just visited the doctor for my neck and they are scheduling an MRI so that is a step in getting that accomplished.
3.)I've got a tentative date for my quals that I just might stick with.
4.)I've been watching CNN every primary night, listening to Political podcasts, and I have gone through the issues and come up with my stance for each of them so I can feel educated about the issues before I see where each candidate stands.
5.)I've ordered my first non-fiction book and it should arrive soon
6.)I've managed to keep up the ole flossing schedule so far!
7.)I've started planning the whitewater rafting trip
8.)And I've been hitting the Spanish pretty hard as described below.
So I feel like I have a lot of things going on, but nothing to the point where I can start crossing things off the list. Ah well. Slowly but surely!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Plan #2 Learning Spanish
Spanish has always been my Kryptonite. In high school, I took 4 years and the only year I managed to get an A in Spanish (my junior year) I finished 2nd in the class that particular year. The other 3 years I barely carried a B and I imagine I could have at least made the valedictorian race a little more interesting without it. Oh well.
Fast forward to college. In college I received one grade that wasn't an A. One. It was a C+ in Spanish Conversation.
Of course back then I had a horrible attitude about learning Spanish. It was something I just wasn't interested in doing. For some reason, in my junior year of high school, I really tried and did fairly well. Of course school let out for the summer and I didn't even think of Spanish for 3 months. Then when I got back, senioritis set in. In college, I just needed to fill requirements.
So why now? Why learn Spanish? Well I think it would be cool to be fluent in a second language. Additionally, if I ever travel to a Spanish speaking country I would like to be able to communicate. Finally, at this point in my life I think Spanish is the way to go if I want to try and learn a new language because I at least have some basis in the language. In fact, the more I am practicing the more it is coming back to me.
Since I've started this list I've been using the Coffee Break Spanish podcast as my tutor. Mark and Kara are excellent teachers and the first 10 podcasts I've downloaded have been a great refresher. Additionally, I've been listening to the Inspired Beginners podcast. These guys go a bit faster than Mark and Kara and focus mainly on conversation, which I find invaluable. If you give me a story in Spanish I can usually piece it together. However, I really fall apart in spoken conversation because the speakers go too fast for me.
So I've got my podcasts and I bought an old Spanish Stories for Beginners book from a used book store. Nothing has been quite as exhilirating as being able to understand the story you just read in another language.
My plan is to continue to go through the podcasts (there are 50 lessons to get through on one and 20 on the other). I'm also going to read my book and hopefully engage some people in conversation. I guess I should also practice... so here we go...
Hola! Que tal? Soy muy bien. Mañana voy a ir el cine porque quiero mirar Cloverfield. Desafortunadamente tengo que trabajar mucho mañana. Trabajo en mi casa. Me gusta mi trabajo porque tengo tiempo libre mucho. En mi tiempo libre me gusta leer y me encanta leer libros cómicos. Me gusta aprender espanol!
Or something like that!
Fast forward to college. In college I received one grade that wasn't an A. One. It was a C+ in Spanish Conversation.
Of course back then I had a horrible attitude about learning Spanish. It was something I just wasn't interested in doing. For some reason, in my junior year of high school, I really tried and did fairly well. Of course school let out for the summer and I didn't even think of Spanish for 3 months. Then when I got back, senioritis set in. In college, I just needed to fill requirements.
So why now? Why learn Spanish? Well I think it would be cool to be fluent in a second language. Additionally, if I ever travel to a Spanish speaking country I would like to be able to communicate. Finally, at this point in my life I think Spanish is the way to go if I want to try and learn a new language because I at least have some basis in the language. In fact, the more I am practicing the more it is coming back to me.
Since I've started this list I've been using the Coffee Break Spanish podcast as my tutor. Mark and Kara are excellent teachers and the first 10 podcasts I've downloaded have been a great refresher. Additionally, I've been listening to the Inspired Beginners podcast. These guys go a bit faster than Mark and Kara and focus mainly on conversation, which I find invaluable. If you give me a story in Spanish I can usually piece it together. However, I really fall apart in spoken conversation because the speakers go too fast for me.
So I've got my podcasts and I bought an old Spanish Stories for Beginners book from a used book store. Nothing has been quite as exhilirating as being able to understand the story you just read in another language.
My plan is to continue to go through the podcasts (there are 50 lessons to get through on one and 20 on the other). I'm also going to read my book and hopefully engage some people in conversation. I guess I should also practice... so here we go...
Hola! Que tal? Soy muy bien. Mañana voy a ir el cine porque quiero mirar Cloverfield. Desafortunadamente tengo que trabajar mucho mañana. Trabajo en mi casa. Me gusta mi trabajo porque tengo tiempo libre mucho. En mi tiempo libre me gusta leer y me encanta leer libros cómicos. Me gusta aprender espanol!
Or something like that!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
#18 Buy a Sweetass Suit
Why is it on the list?
I've needed a suit for quite some time. For the last... oh 6 or 7 years all I've had were two blazers (a black one and a navy blue one). While those were fine back in the day at this point in my life I was ready for something a little more stylin.
The Process!
I headed to the Men's Wearhouse (which I always want to spell as Warehouse... Wearhouse... so clever of them) with my wife because my fashion sense sucks. However I did have the vague notion that I would like a black suit because I have a lot of shirts and ties that would go nicely with black. I also wanted something with pinstripes.
The guy at the Men's Wearhouse was named Winston (I immediately suggested that as a good boy's name, but the wife said, "We're not naming any child of ours after cigarettes") and he was very helpful in picking out several suits for me to try on. After trying on a bunch I found out the one I liked best was gonna be around $300, which was alright, but the alterations needed to make it a good fit were gonna be another $50 or $60 bucks.
So ... I ended up going with a brown suit with some blue pinstripes that I walked out with for $300 after alterations. I know... that sounds like a weird combination. But it looks pretty damn sweet and it also matches a lot more stuff than I expected.
2 down! And.... I've uploaded a pic (with a windsor knot of course... though I did tie it a little long) at My Space.
I've needed a suit for quite some time. For the last... oh 6 or 7 years all I've had were two blazers (a black one and a navy blue one). While those were fine back in the day at this point in my life I was ready for something a little more stylin.
The Process!
I headed to the Men's Wearhouse (which I always want to spell as Warehouse... Wearhouse... so clever of them) with my wife because my fashion sense sucks. However I did have the vague notion that I would like a black suit because I have a lot of shirts and ties that would go nicely with black. I also wanted something with pinstripes.
The guy at the Men's Wearhouse was named Winston (I immediately suggested that as a good boy's name, but the wife said, "We're not naming any child of ours after cigarettes") and he was very helpful in picking out several suits for me to try on. After trying on a bunch I found out the one I liked best was gonna be around $300, which was alright, but the alterations needed to make it a good fit were gonna be another $50 or $60 bucks.
So ... I ended up going with a brown suit with some blue pinstripes that I walked out with for $300 after alterations. I know... that sounds like a weird combination. But it looks pretty damn sweet and it also matches a lot more stuff than I expected.
2 down! And.... I've uploaded a pic (with a windsor knot of course... though I did tie it a little long) at My Space.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Plan #1: Training Up for the Half Marathon
A few months ago I decided that there would never be a better time for me to train for an Ironman than right now. The physical demands for an Ironman are intense and it is going to require many hours of training. Thankfully, my current work situation is very flexible and my wife is very supportive so I think I can pull it off.
However, there are several things that are working against me. First, I have a tendency to give up during races when I am not living up to the standards that I have set. This leads me to question whether or not I have the mental toughness necessary to complete an Ironman. Secondly, this will be a long term commitment and I have a tendency to leave long term personal projects unfinished. Thirdly, I am currently battling a quad injury that I have had since October. I took some time off after the Thanksgiving Day Race, but I have decided that it is time to start training again. After a month off I feel like a fat slob. I am just going to hope that the quad won't get any worse. Finally, I also need to get my neck looked at before I start swimming again. Luckily, that is one of my 101 things! Well enough of the excuses. Hopefully identifying them and calling them out will allow me to work past them.
2007 was a great year for me. I completed my first 15K (albeit slower than I would have liked). I completed my first adventure race. I set a personal best for a 5K (21:35). I completed my second triathlon (6mi canoe, 5.5mi run, 18mi bike). I'm hoping 2008 can be even better.
With these things in mind I have decided to start with realistic goals and build towards completing an Ironman in 2009. This year, I plan to complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run) and a Half Marathon (13.1 mi) which I will use as building blocks for the marathon, HIM, and IM in 2009.
If you are interested, my entire race schedule for 2008 (and training logs) are located here . Using the great resources of Hal Higdon and Beginner Triathlete I've put together a training plan from now until the Olympic Triathlon in July.
So there ya have it! As my main man Kevin Bacon says in Tremors, "I've got myself a plan!"
However, there are several things that are working against me. First, I have a tendency to give up during races when I am not living up to the standards that I have set. This leads me to question whether or not I have the mental toughness necessary to complete an Ironman. Secondly, this will be a long term commitment and I have a tendency to leave long term personal projects unfinished. Thirdly, I am currently battling a quad injury that I have had since October. I took some time off after the Thanksgiving Day Race, but I have decided that it is time to start training again. After a month off I feel like a fat slob. I am just going to hope that the quad won't get any worse. Finally, I also need to get my neck looked at before I start swimming again. Luckily, that is one of my 101 things! Well enough of the excuses. Hopefully identifying them and calling them out will allow me to work past them.
2007 was a great year for me. I completed my first 15K (albeit slower than I would have liked). I completed my first adventure race. I set a personal best for a 5K (21:35). I completed my second triathlon (6mi canoe, 5.5mi run, 18mi bike). I'm hoping 2008 can be even better.
With these things in mind I have decided to start with realistic goals and build towards completing an Ironman in 2009. This year, I plan to complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5K Swim, 40K Bike, 10K Run) and a Half Marathon (13.1 mi) which I will use as building blocks for the marathon, HIM, and IM in 2009.
If you are interested, my entire race schedule for 2008 (and training logs) are located here . Using the great resources of Hal Higdon and Beginner Triathlete I've put together a training plan from now until the Olympic Triathlon in July.
So there ya have it! As my main man Kevin Bacon says in Tremors, "I've got myself a plan!"
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
#17 Learn to Tie a Windsor Tie Knot
What is a Windsor Knot?
A windsor knot is a method of tying a tie that in my opinion looks a little more stylish than the standard Four-in-hand knot most people are familiar with.
Why is it on the list?
I first heard about the Windsor knot from my Father when he was teaching me the four-in-hand knot. He didn't know how to tie a Windsor, but he told me how nice they looked and that my Uncle was an expert at tying them. Though this conversation occurred over 10 years ago, the thought of tying a cooler looking tie knot stuck with me and this list finally provided me with the motivation to finally try and learn to tie what I thought of as a Double Windsor Tie Knot.
The Process!
As will be quite common with this list I started with trusty ole Wikipedia. It was there that I learned that the term Double Windsor was a misnomer. The real name was simply Windsor knot, or a Full Windsor knot. Next, I tried out a variety of youtube videos that purported to show how to tie a Windsor. After finding several poorly made videos I found this one:
However, as I was attempting to watch this video and learn, my sister saw me and decided she would learn as well. She busted it out quickly and then proceeded to teach me how. After several days of repeated practice (like I said... I had a slight head start on my 1001 days) I think I have managed to tie a pretty decent Windsor Knot.
1 down 100 more to go! And fear not! I will post pictures of my mad Windsor knot skills when I write my blog about another item on the list I have completed. Stay tuned!
A windsor knot is a method of tying a tie that in my opinion looks a little more stylish than the standard Four-in-hand knot most people are familiar with.
Why is it on the list?
I first heard about the Windsor knot from my Father when he was teaching me the four-in-hand knot. He didn't know how to tie a Windsor, but he told me how nice they looked and that my Uncle was an expert at tying them. Though this conversation occurred over 10 years ago, the thought of tying a cooler looking tie knot stuck with me and this list finally provided me with the motivation to finally try and learn to tie what I thought of as a Double Windsor Tie Knot.
The Process!
As will be quite common with this list I started with trusty ole Wikipedia. It was there that I learned that the term Double Windsor was a misnomer. The real name was simply Windsor knot, or a Full Windsor knot. Next, I tried out a variety of youtube videos that purported to show how to tie a Windsor. After finding several poorly made videos I found this one:
However, as I was attempting to watch this video and learn, my sister saw me and decided she would learn as well. She busted it out quickly and then proceeded to teach me how. After several days of repeated practice (like I said... I had a slight head start on my 1001 days) I think I have managed to tie a pretty decent Windsor Knot.
1 down 100 more to go! And fear not! I will post pictures of my mad Windsor knot skills when I write my blog about another item on the list I have completed. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
101 Things in 1001 Days: The Beginning
As an avid video gamer and City of Heroes addict, I'm a big fan of the videos produced by the guys and girls at Watch The Guild. As I was looking through the website I came across the blog of Felicia Day, the actress who plays Codex in the videos. Felicia had blogged about this great idea called 101 Things in 1001 Days.
You can learn more about the goals of 101 Things in 1001 Days here. In the meantime, you can see my list on the right side of this page, and over the next 1001 days I hope to bring you frequent updates on my progress as well as my plans on how to accomplish these goals.
As for why I'm doing this.... well a few weeks back I was a bit bummed out about my chronic procrastination and the fact that I frequently start projects and then don't finish them. I'm hoping that by stating my goals and stating a firm deadline that it will help me achieve my objectives.
Alright! I may have had a wee bit head start, but I am giving today, January 1st 2008 as my official start time. My deadline... Sept. 28th 2010. Let's Rock!
You can learn more about the goals of 101 Things in 1001 Days here. In the meantime, you can see my list on the right side of this page, and over the next 1001 days I hope to bring you frequent updates on my progress as well as my plans on how to accomplish these goals.
As for why I'm doing this.... well a few weeks back I was a bit bummed out about my chronic procrastination and the fact that I frequently start projects and then don't finish them. I'm hoping that by stating my goals and stating a firm deadline that it will help me achieve my objectives.
Alright! I may have had a wee bit head start, but I am giving today, January 1st 2008 as my official start time. My deadline... Sept. 28th 2010. Let's Rock!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Sunspot
I love food and I love America. However, in my travels across this country I am usually disappointed in the sameness of it all. Mall Road in Florence Kentucky has the same restaurants as North Fairfield Road in Dayton which has the same restaurants as Kingston Pike in Knoxville which… well you get the idea.
Of course, the problem is that I just don’t know where to look. Or I’m worried that if I choose one of the local places it will suck. One of the things you know about a place like Red Lobster or the Olive Garden is that even though it won’t be anything to write home about, it probably won’t suck. However, I’m a firm believer in the whole variety is the spice of life thing so whenever I’m staying out of town the first thing I do is hit up the concierge and ask them, “I might only be here once. Where should I go and have a great meal?”
Usually that works wonders. However, another method I’ve used to some degree of success is to pick up the local city paper (like Cincinnati’s CityBeat) and check out the ads. Recently my wife found an ad in Knoxville’s Metro Pulse for a restaurant called Sunspot. Every Sunday Sunspot has a different brunch menu and well with a menu that promised “Our famous poached eggs over prosciutto ham and sauteed onions atop a lightly toasted foccacia bun. Finished with cracked black pepper hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fresh fruit garnish” we knew we had to give it a shot.
We arrived at Sunspot around 10:30AM and were pleasantly surprised that we were seated immediately as my experience with restaurants on Sunday mornings usually involves a 45 minute wait amongst a crowd of churchgoers. The first thing we noticed was how cool the décor was. Each table had a plexiglass covering under which were a variety of themes. Our table had pictures of what appeared to be a beard and moustache contest. The winner of the contest had carved his muttonchops into something vaguely resembling the naked lady mudflaps seen on 18 wheelers. Awesome.
The waiter quickly came over and brought us some nachos, which were fantastic. The nachos themselves were great (just the right amount of saltiness and crispiness) but the salsa was outstanding. It was a green tomatilla salsa that I had never tasted before, but it was perfect. We easily pounded the first batch of nachos and were on our way through a second when our meal arrived.
The Eggs Sunspot (the meal I described above) was excellent. Not only was the presentation exquisite for the prices we were paying but the food was truly outstanding. My wife’s Pint’s Pumpkin Pancakes (“Three fluffy, golden brown pumpkin pancakes filled with butterscotch chips and topped with cinnamon sugar”) were great as well. They almost tasted like candy.
So of course this Sunday morning we check out the old Metro Pulse to see what Sunspot has on the menu this time. “Texas toast stuffed with a fried egg and topped with sautéed tomatoes, onions, spinach and prosciutto. Garnished with a jalapeno hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fruit salad.” And let me tell you something. This was just as delicious as it sounded. If you know me, you know that I scarf down my food very quickly. About my 5th or 6th bite in I stopped and paused because the bite I had just taken was absolutely perfect. All the flavors present on the dish had come together wonderfully. I finished the meal around noon this time and I felt full until early evening. The meal was everything you could want in a Sunday Brunch.
So if you’re ever in Knoxville, be sure to stop in at Sunspot at 1909 Cumberland Ave. There phone number is 865-637-GOOD, and I assure you they are not lying.
Of course, the problem is that I just don’t know where to look. Or I’m worried that if I choose one of the local places it will suck. One of the things you know about a place like Red Lobster or the Olive Garden is that even though it won’t be anything to write home about, it probably won’t suck. However, I’m a firm believer in the whole variety is the spice of life thing so whenever I’m staying out of town the first thing I do is hit up the concierge and ask them, “I might only be here once. Where should I go and have a great meal?”
Usually that works wonders. However, another method I’ve used to some degree of success is to pick up the local city paper (like Cincinnati’s CityBeat) and check out the ads. Recently my wife found an ad in Knoxville’s Metro Pulse for a restaurant called Sunspot. Every Sunday Sunspot has a different brunch menu and well with a menu that promised “Our famous poached eggs over prosciutto ham and sauteed onions atop a lightly toasted foccacia bun. Finished with cracked black pepper hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fresh fruit garnish” we knew we had to give it a shot.
We arrived at Sunspot around 10:30AM and were pleasantly surprised that we were seated immediately as my experience with restaurants on Sunday mornings usually involves a 45 minute wait amongst a crowd of churchgoers. The first thing we noticed was how cool the décor was. Each table had a plexiglass covering under which were a variety of themes. Our table had pictures of what appeared to be a beard and moustache contest. The winner of the contest had carved his muttonchops into something vaguely resembling the naked lady mudflaps seen on 18 wheelers. Awesome.
The waiter quickly came over and brought us some nachos, which were fantastic. The nachos themselves were great (just the right amount of saltiness and crispiness) but the salsa was outstanding. It was a green tomatilla salsa that I had never tasted before, but it was perfect. We easily pounded the first batch of nachos and were on our way through a second when our meal arrived.
The Eggs Sunspot (the meal I described above) was excellent. Not only was the presentation exquisite for the prices we were paying but the food was truly outstanding. My wife’s Pint’s Pumpkin Pancakes (“Three fluffy, golden brown pumpkin pancakes filled with butterscotch chips and topped with cinnamon sugar”) were great as well. They almost tasted like candy.
So of course this Sunday morning we check out the old Metro Pulse to see what Sunspot has on the menu this time. “Texas toast stuffed with a fried egg and topped with sautéed tomatoes, onions, spinach and prosciutto. Garnished with a jalapeno hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fruit salad.” And let me tell you something. This was just as delicious as it sounded. If you know me, you know that I scarf down my food very quickly. About my 5th or 6th bite in I stopped and paused because the bite I had just taken was absolutely perfect. All the flavors present on the dish had come together wonderfully. I finished the meal around noon this time and I felt full until early evening. The meal was everything you could want in a Sunday Brunch.
So if you’re ever in Knoxville, be sure to stop in at Sunspot at 1909 Cumberland Ave. There phone number is 865-637-GOOD, and I assure you they are not lying.
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