End of 2010

Okay, so I want (wanted) to lose some weight this year, to get in better shape.

I wrote this part of this post on January 1st, 2010:

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Here it is, the start of a whole new year. A whole new decade, to some. And here I am, still overweight and regretting the fact that I wasn't better at trying to do something about it.

My weight, as of 1/1/2010 is 214.2 pounds. Not good, for my height!

So, let's see if I can do it this year. What weight do I want to get to?

Well, for my height, build and sex, an 'ideal weight' is somewhere between 142 and 148. Not sure if that is reasonable for me, since I have always been a bit stocky (or husky, if you want to go with the lovely 70s/80s term I dreaded when shopping for clothes).

So, I will aim for 160 pounds. Any more than that will be a big bonus. But that sounds good to me. What that means is I have one year to try and lose 54.2 pounds.

Wow. Okay, well I can do it, right? Time will tell. I will leave this post sitting in the draft bin here, and will not check it or update it until December 30th, 2010. I will add what the year has been like for me, exercise- and weight-wise, and what my weight is then.

I hope I can do it this year!

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And here is what I added to this post on December 30, 2010:

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Okay, joking aside I did lose some weight.

Last week, the scale said 199.something. Today it was 203.8.

Not down to 160.

But I did exercise more, in the form of walking with our two dogs almost every single day. So, while I didn't lose what I planned to lose, I am not that upset over it. I am healthy, my doc is happy with what I am doing and I am okay with who I am, definitely more so now than I was this time last year.

Here's to more walking and staying healthy!

And a happy & healthy 2011 to all of you, too!

Kreativ Blogger Award

Geof @ Enter The Man-Cave awarded me this:



Very cool to start of a new year with an award from a fellow blogger.

Thanks, Geof!

Course, there are some rules:

The Rules Which MUST Be Followed:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

Okay, did 1, 2 & 3, so onto the rest.

Seven Things About Me

1) If the name of my blog didn't clue you in, I am a coffee junkie. Drink a lot of it. Come the holidays, my favorite creamer is Coffee-Mate's Peppermint Mocha. Damn, I love it. With the holidays over, it will be hard to find. But my Mrs. brought home a new flavor I love, International Delight's Sweet Buttercream. Damn, it's good.

2) I am trying to lose some weight this year. Have a goal of December 31st set for it. Even wrote a post for that day with what I hope to have lost. Of course, too much of the Sweet Buttercream coffee creamer will NOT help.

3) My family and I have saved $405.00 by posting our books on PaperBackSwap.com. The site is really easy to use and saves us from tossing out old books and spending a fortune on new ones. Check it out if you read a lot, or if you want to decrease the clutter too many books can create.

4) I am constantly in awe of the advances in electronics. Seriously - a memory card that is almost as thin as a credit card and about as big as a thumbnail can hold upwards of 5,000 pictures? What the hell? When did we arrive in the future?

5) I only read one book at a time, and I have to finish any book I start, even if it bores me to tears. Only twice have I not done this. Once was Tolkein's The Hobbit. Yeah, I know, but I just couldn't get through it. The other was the novelization of the Poseidon remake. Ugh, that was one boring read.

6) Some movies I can watch again and again (and again): Halloween (the original); Jaws; Friday the 13th (any one, really); Overboard (love this dumb flick!); The Thin Man; Rear Window. Plenty more, but those are enough.

7) I cook meals and do baking for my family, but I tend to stick to simple, tried-and-true recipes. Not into making things with too many adjectives or 97 steps. Simple and tasty, and I am good to go, though.

Hope these didn't bore you, and if they did, too bad! :)

Now, on to the 7 blogs:

1) Ravyn's World
Ravyn is a relatively new blogger, but what she has posted so far is pretty awesome. She has written some deep, heartfelt, emotional blogs, and they really are great reads. Cathartic for her, I hope, and moving for the rest of us. She also occasionally posts "Understatements of the Week", which can be damned hilarious!
Check out Ravyn's World here.

2) Irreverent Irrelevance
JeffScape has a blog devoted mainly to his own writing, whether it is creative fiction or just his random musings or reviews. His talent with the written word means there is always something good to read. Occasionally something you want to yell at him about, but it all makes for a great blog.
Check out Irreverent Irrelevance here.

3) Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness
Cal is a buddy to the North, a good guy with a warped mind and skewed sense of humor. No, wait! Those are good qualities, and what you want to find in a blogger. He posts rants, reviews and tons of pictures, often of the most bizarre things one can find on the net. Always interesting.
Check out Cal's Canadian Cave here.

4) waystationone
This is the blog of writer Brian Miller. He posts amazing, personal prose and poetry from his own experiences in life. He is quite talented and always moving, oftentimes simultaneously plucking at heartstrings while hitting your funny bone. Not easy to do.
Check out waystationone here.

5) Adventures in Nerdliness!
Darius has a blog which can be simply described as "awesome". He covers the gamut of pop culture and always has something of interest to read or see, not only for us nerds, but for the masses in general. I guarantee you won't be disappointed or bored at his site, there is just no way!
Check out Adventures in Nerdliness! here.

6) Super Blogliness!
Okay, I will admit I am a bit biased here. This blog is run by Nicole, who is family. She is an amazingly talented writer, and not just for her age. Some of the creative pieces she produces would make seasoned writers jealous. She has an energy, however, that does fit her age, so be prepared for lots of exclamation points!!!
Check out Super Blogliness! here.

7) My Power is Beyond Your Understanding
Biased again, the owner of this blog (who goes by the handle Cracked Like an Egg) is also family. But the posts here are fun and always entertaining. From sports and pop culture to Christmas and creative writing, if you are looking for something unusual, visit here!
Check out My Power Is Beyond Your Understanding here.

I could go on, with honorable mentions and such, but I am gonna limit it to these seven. I will be commenting on their sites to make them aware of their wins. If they don't choose to accept or post, that is fine with me. Not everyone is as keen on these awards, so to each their own!

And here's to a great 2010. Let's hope I keep up the posting that earned me this award in the first place!

Happy 2010!

End of Year Meme

Electronic Cerebrectomy posted this, and I am following suit:

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1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Went to Halloween Horror Nights.



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2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Well, if you are asking if I lost the weight I wanted to lose, then no. If you are asking if I am gonna try again, then yes.



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3.Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope.

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4.Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

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5.What countries did you visit?

Zip.

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6.What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More willpower to get up and walk.

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7.What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

Was pretty shocked the week we lost a buttload of celebrities. Halloween was memorable, too. And Christmas is always a great memory.



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8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Wrote another novel.



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9. What was your biggest failure?

Not losing the weight I wanted to.

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10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Threw out my back twice, but it isn't anything extraordinary.

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11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hmmm... The Trick 'r Treat DVD!



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12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Well, I am pretty proud of our oldest and his wife. They found and purchased and moved into a home of their own that is just awesome!

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13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Appalled? Tiger Woods or Jon & Kate, I suppose. Depressed? Rob Zombie and his Halloween 2 crapfest.

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14. Where did most of your money go?

Mortgage, bills, food, the usual suspects.

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15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The new Friday the 13th movie, which wasn't earth-shattering awesome, but was pretty good. I liked it!



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16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

That movie mash, The Golden Age of Video, a YouTube video/song.

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17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier, without a doubt.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, but working on it.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, in more ways than one.

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18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Walking. Writing.

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19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Eating! And worrying.

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20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Well, I SPENT Christmas 2009 with my family and I plan on doing the same in 2010.

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21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Already deep in love.

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22. How many one-night stands?

None.

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23. What was your favorite TV program?

Modern Family is great. Also love Sanctuary.

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24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Not really. Annoyed, yes, but not hatin'.

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25. What was the best book you read?

Enjoying the Alfred Hitchcock compilation I am reading right now.

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26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Feist. Love her!

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27. What did you want and get?

The Trick 'r Treat DVD. And a set up for a couple of pet rats, which was a surprise, since I wasn't planning on doing it yet. Exciting!

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28. What did you want and not get?

Another season of LIFE or My Name is Earl.

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29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Trick 'r Treat. Also liked the new Friday the 13th.



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30. What did you do on your birthday?

Spent the day with my wife and kids, just chilling out. Think we may have eaten at Chili's or something.

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31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A lottery win? I dunno, not complaining here.

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32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Hah! Jeans, t-shirts and a much-worn hoodie.

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33. What kept you sane?

My wife. Watching my kids grow and change. Coffee. Writing.

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34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Kristen Chenoweth. :)



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35. What political issue stirred you the most?

Health reform, I suppose. I tend not to get too political.

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36. Who did you miss?

My little brother, I suppose. We don't get to spend too much time together.

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37. Who was the best new person you met?

Tie, I suppose, between Cal and Dr. Monkey.

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38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

"Sometimes you just need to unsubscribe."

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39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

"We came, we saw, we kicked its ass."

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A Stocking Full of Links to Browse

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! Here are some links I have found interesting over the past week. Grab a coffee (with Peppermint Mocha) and enjoy:

Here: 57 Different Way to Say "Merry Christmas". Feliz Natal!

A little late, but here is a comic book version of "A Christmas Carol", to read online.

Also late, 10 Bizarre Christmas Traditions, 10 Unintentionally Scary Santas and the 10 Most Underrated Christmas Specials.

From the FOX network, Happy Fringemas!

Some geeky Christmas trees. I like the LEGO one the best.

This looks very cool and we may be getting one ourselves. Fun & easy works!

My son got one of these for Christmas, to help create a new tradition. Very cool.

Looking towards the new year, I can't wait to see the documentary "His Name Was Jason". Here is the newly released trailer.

Interesting Pile has a rundown of the marathons airing on New Year's Eve & Day.

Hope everyone has a great week, a Happy New Year and a healthy, happy and fine 2009!