Digital Wilderness

I stepped on the scale yesterday and received quite a shock – I’ve lost quite a bit of weight, about 25lbs since the holidays. I knew I was losing some weight due to running, plus I haven’t been in the mood to eat much lately, but I didn’t realize it was that much. Several people had commented that I looked thinner, but never being one concerned about things like this, I didn’t pay it much heed and promptly forgot about it. Now I know why there were comments! I can’t remember the last time I was at this weight. It’s a good running weight, though. Maybe that’s why I’m having a much easier time training for the 5K this year as compared to last year. Less weight to carry around. After the 5K, I need to put some of it back on, though. I’m feeling almost too thin. Of course, after last night, I have a jump on that already. Some friends and I paid a little visit to Montgomery Inn. Mmm… I skipped lunch preparing for this and got the king-sized portion of ribs – 14 of ‘em. Yep, I devoured them all. Well, maybe devoured isn’t the right word, but I did finish them all. Kudos to Kwadwo for finishing a king-sized portion as well. Mmm…

For years now, I’ve had a poll, changed weekly or bi-weekly, in the side bar. There have been 125 so far…and I’m out of ideas. Any suggestions?

Good stuff -

Music video of Foreverandever Etc. by David Crowder Band

Some funny Seinfeld quotes taken from 2Spare:

• I was the best man at the wedding. If I’m the best man, why is she marrying him?
• It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.
• Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them’s making a poop, the other one’s carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge.
• According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.
• The Swiss have an interesting army. Five hundred years without a war. Pretty impressive. Also pretty lucky for them. Ever see that little Swiss Army knife they have to fight with? Not much of a weapon there. Corkscrews. Bottle openers. “Come on, buddy, let’s go. You get past me, the guy in back of me, he’s got a spoon. Back off. I’ve got the toe clippers right here.”
• The big advantage of a book is it’s very easy to rewind. Close it and you’re right back at the beginning.
• I have a friend who’s collecting unemployment insurance. This guy has never worked so hard in his life as he has to keep this thing going. He’s down there every week, waiting on the lines and getting interviewed and making up all these lies about looking for jobs. If they had any idea of the effort and energy that he is expending to avoid work, I’m sure they’d give him a raise.
• Men don’t care what’s on TV. They only care what else is on TV.
• The idea behind the tuxedo is the woman’s point of view that men are all the same; so we might as well dress them that way. That’s why a wedding is like the joining together of a beautiful, glowing bride and some guy. The tuxedo is a wedding safety device, created by women because they know that men are undependable. So in case the groom chickens out, everybody just takes one step over, and she marries the next guy.
• Somebody just gave me a shower radio. Thanks a lot. Do you really want music in the shower? I guess there’s no better place to dance than a slick surface next to a glass door.
• You can measure distance by time. “How far away is it?” “Oh about 20 minutes.” But it doesn’t work the other way. “When do you get off work?” “Around 3 miles.”
• Are there keys to a plane? Maybe that’s what those delays are sometimes, when you’re just sitting there at the gate. Maybe the pilot sits up there in the cockpit going, “Oh, I don’t believe this. I did it again.” They tell you it’s something mechanical because they don’t want to come on the P.A. system, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to be delayed here on the ground for a while. I uh..Oh, this is so embarrassing…I, I left the keys to the plane in my apartment. They’re in this big ashtray by the front door. I’m sorry, I’ll run back and get them.”

Guy’s night tonight… We saw Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters. I don’t watch the TV show – wish I hadn’t seen the movie. I feel dumber. I had absolutely no desire to see it and should have stuck with that. I think I laughed for a few seconds at the beginning, but that was about it. It’s not even worth me linking it. Sorry to all you fans out there, just not my cup o’ tea. We had some fun Wii action afterwards, though, so that kinda made up for it. But I still feel dumber for seeing the movie and knowing 86 minutes of my life are now gone…

This week is National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. Go us! The week is full of events and such to celebrate and have fun. I’m part of the team that planned a scavenger hunt for the week. It was a lot of fun to plan, but disappointing that I can’t do it. There are other games, a penny war, prizes, lots of food and swag. Fun times!

My division of PPD has a sister lab in Brussels, Belgium, so we decided to do a food exchange with them. We sent them food local to this area as well as stuff they can’t get over there, or that is better quality here in the US – things like jelly beans, peanut butter, Montgomery Inn sauce, chili, beef jerky, etc.

They sent us food from their neck of the woods, too. When you think of Belgium, what do you think of. Yep – waffles and chocolate! Mmm… I had so much chocolate today, it was ridiculous. Could explain why I’m still up at 2am… Some of the food was good, some just different, and some not so good.

Here are some of the things that I tried and was able to find pictures/links for.

Balisto

Meurisse Zero

Lu Prince Roll N Choc

Cecemel

Today, I went for a run. It had been two weeks since I last had a run. I didn’t think I would make it very far.

Just call me Forrest Gump.

So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I’d just run across the great state of Alabama. And that’s what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I’d gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I’d gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going.

I ran my usual out route. Only I didn’t come back. I just kept running. And running. And running.

When all was said and done, I had run for 27 minutes and 45 seconds. Without stopping. My previous high was 13 minutes.

Wow…

I’m feeling really good right now. I wonder what tomorrow will be like…

Last week, some of us got together for Patrick’s birthday. We met at Patrick’s place before heading out and got a treat. Ben and Patrick were playing Guitar Hero and James decided to jump in and provide the vocals. It was quite a performance.

I managed to grab some short videos with my phone so those of you who weren’t there can share in the moment – and the rest of us can re-live it. Sadly, I could only do 5 second clips, and the quality’s not the best, but hey, it’s something. Enjoy!

And yes, that is an umbrella he’s using as a mic.

I hope you have an awesome, joy-filled, sunny, blue skies, truly blessed birthday!

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Do “pout” and “sulk” mean the same thing to you? Do you use them interchangeably, or are they different enough that each has it’s own time for use?

Long story/inside joke, so just play along for now…and give the right answer.