Up Against the Chip

Resistance is futile

2009-11-25T16:17:24Z

Leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."

• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity

• Update your journal with the answers to the questions

• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions (I'll also answer more, if asked)

These are questions from suelet

1) What is your next "signpost" reward to yourself? The first one was the motorcycle....

I'm very concerned that I've back slid so much since having the band removed. I haven't set the next "signpost" yet. I think it may be the fancy digital SLR camera I've lusted after with a college course

2) What gave you the courage to join a formal singing group?

Funny I don't see it as courage at all. Singing publically never has been daunting for me. I was advised that I required a creative outlet and encouraged to take this as one.

3) If your nephew asked to live with you, would you take him in?

I would

4) If you could move anywhere, where would it be?

While I like PTBO ;) and enjoyed my time in Mississauga I think I really left my heart in Guelph and would move back there in a skinny minute.

5) What kind of music do you listen to when you're happy?

Anything I can sing with. It might be rap, hip hop, country, folk or whatever. I also listen to a lot of high energy music quite often and it feeds me that way too.

mabogosuncle @ 2009-10-21T20:28:00

2009-10-22T00:39:51Z

so I was trolling around on the interwebs the other day and came across this on fb. Half way through I reached for the mouse but stuck it out (don't know why off hand)

hope it brings something to all you out there.

The weekend activities

2009-09-21T19:57:25Z

So I attended an event (the first one in about 8 years or so despite me saying it was 10).
A friend of mine had been asking for some time for video of him fighting so he could analyze where he may be going wrong so I agreed and the result is this:

I also uploaded all the photos I took (including some multiples so I could do some editing later) to photobucket but I'm having issues. I'll figure it out I'm sure.. hey I figured the You Tube out enough that someone IN the videos commented on it so anything is possible.

Tonight

2009-08-18T21:06:28Z

off to the gym... make me think about the song Big Strong Man (My Brother Sylveste)

for those who aren't familiar here are the lyrics:

Have you heard about the big strong man?
He lived in a caravan.
Have you heard about the Jeffrey Johnson fight?
Oh, Lord what a hell of a fight.
You can take all of the heavyweights you’ve got.
We’ve got a lad that can beat the whole lot.
He used to ring bells in the belfry,
Now he’s gonna fight Jack Demspey.

That was my brother Sylvest’ (What’s he got?)
A row of forty medals on his chest (big chest!)
He killed fifty bad men in the west; he knows no rest.
Think of a man, hells’ fire, don’t push, just shove,
Plenty of room for you and me.
He’s got an arm like a leg (a ladies’ leg!)
And a punch that would sink a battleship (big ship!)
It takes all of the Army and the Navy to put the wind up Sylvest’.

Now, he thought he’d take a trip to Italy.
He thought that he’d go by sea.
He dove off the harbor in New York,
And swam like a great big shark.
He saw the Lusitania in distress.
He put the Lusitania on his chest.
He drank all of the water in the sea,
And he walked all the way to Italy.

He thought he take a trip to old Japan.
They turned out a big brass band.
You can take all of the instruments you’ve got,
We got a lad that can play the whole lot.
And the old church bells will ring (Hells bells!)
The old church choir will sing (Hells fire!)
They all turned out to say farewell to my big brother Sylvest’.

and here is some video of it....

just some silliness for the afternoon

Motorcycle madness

2009-08-18T15:25:44Z

Well after WAYYYY to much Angst, gnashing of teeth and wringing of hand Saturday saw me back at The Canada Center for Inland Waters (the scene of my June defeat) to practice and retest for my M2 exit test. For those not familiar here’s how the graduated licensing system works… you write a test that encompasses rules of the road, safety questions for motorcycles and the obligatory knowledge of road signs. On passing that you receive your M1 license – a 90 day certification that ministry of transport appends to your license stating that you are allowed to practice on a motorcycle (there are other letters too like L for limited speed motorcycle but for the purpose of my story I’ll stick to the M1). The M1 license prohibits you from riding a)with a passenger b) on a highway with a speed limit above 80 km/hr c) ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise and d) having any alcohol in your system. You must remain at an M1 level for a minimum of 60 days during which time you may take a course (or perform a test at a local Drivers Center) to graduate from an M1 to an M2 (more on the M2 later).

When I retested things were much different. The instructor commented a number of times and said that I was riding smooth like I was riding during the course. Not like I was during the test. While I was turned in knots and inside out during the test I could hear my friends like diverse arts, khatife, emortimer, and dizsolvedgirl (to name a few) cheering me on and assuring me I could do it. They were right. I accumulated 3 points (of a possible 12). The instructor later told me how close I was to doing it perfectly (I had 4.1 seconds to accomplish a certain exercise and it took me 4.45 seconds… .35 of a second from perfect hmph).

Yesterday I presented myself back at the ministry with my envelope and now officially have an M2 license in addition to my G license. Now I begin to teach myself the fine art of motorcycle mechanics. In the next week I will be endeavoring to remove the carburetors and get my bike running.

I’m still struggling with naming my bike too… Katsu’s suggestion that she might be a Blanche or Eunice while accurate I hope is premature I’ll see what the next little bit brings.

Test Anxiety

2009-07-15T02:17:37Z

I confess I have been feeling very very overwhelmed by it all lately. Not just the losing the band but many things, not the least of which has been the dawning realization that I have test anxiety. Here’s what I mean.

Back in May (sunny May) I stopped on the way into a regular support group meeting in Toronto. I was going to write my M1 that day. I had studied very hard. Just shy of committing the manual to memory. I was ready. On my way into the course I idly thumbed through the guide book one more time. Patiently I waited my turn then wrote the test. I passed the Motorcycle test. I passed the road signs test. Then failed the rules of the road test. WHAT WHAT WHAT? Sure there were questions on there that I didn’t know the answers to but only 2 of them. I had 5 chances. 2 of the questions I just plain old blew (ok 1 I didn’t know the answer to but I’ve never got a ticket for parking too close to a fire hydrant so I must be doing something right). How could I blow these questions. I know how to signal left and right using hand signals. I’ve known that since grade 3 and the Greensville School Bicycle rodeo! I beat myself up for the next week. I tried to write the test again on my lunch hour one day. But I was supposed to be at work and I really had to get back and and and.. ok I failed again. FINALLY I passed on the 3^rd time through. Hmmm not encouraging.

Back at the end of June I took the Motorcycle safety course. I passed the written test (though I might add not as handily as I would have liked) but when it came to the riding portion of the test I failed to achieve a high enough speed (oh and I dabbed a foot). I washed out in the 2^nd test. I have never felt more crushed. I knew I would have to tell people. I doubt myself. And what I remember most was anxiety. Being so very anxious as it got under way. Also what I remember vividly was feeling like I was making excuses.

Now I’m faced with a HUGE test. Living without the band. I’m trying my damndest to put on the brave face but deep down I know how much I relied on the band. Other bandsters know how much they rely on theirs and are encouraging and supportive as are all my friends. But in the end, much like the motorcycle tests it’s me alone. Unlike the other two tests I will not have any excuse.

So how do I deal with it? Well in the case of the written I just kept taking it until I passed. I was determined that the stupid questions I didn’t know the answers to wouldn’t keep me from doing it again so I went on line and read like 150 questions . I took my time re read questions made sure I wasn’t giving answers too quickly and I relaxed.

In the case of riding test? Well I’ve booked my retest date. I have been practicing when I DRIVE and once I get the bike home will do some riding practice.

The band test? Well I have been focusing on my rules and feeling like I am failing. I know that I have no excuse now. If there is a failure it’s not the fault of poorly worded question or a motorcycle that’s got more torque than the one I rode the day before. It’s me. It’s my test anxiety.

Part of my text anxiety comes from the fact that (as the instructors at the bike course pointed out) I’m very unforgiving of myself. I make mistakes (small mistakes like putting down the ‘wrong’ foot and I beat myself up over it. I expect a perfection from myself. So am I failing at eating? I think so but wiring upstairs is frazzled so I really don’t know.

I remember when the first person pointed out that this was a test. I was filled with all kinds of dread because I knew of my test anxiety. But I also remember thinking guess what just because you suffer from it doesn’t mean that anything changes. You still have to do it.. and successfully so suck it up butter cup, put on your big boy pants and deal with it! So anyone want to rent some head space? It’s a little fucked up so I’ll give you a good deal on it.

remove band (a) from spot (s)

2009-07-11T02:39:01Z

about a year ago I was recovering my laproscopic band operation and I developed a staph infection. The procedure in that situation is to do a round of oral antibiotics which I dutifully followed.

A few months later I was back at the clinic and they couldn't locate my port. The up shot of this was I was injected multiple times in an effort that left me slightly torn.... from that point on the area around the port "wept" Nothing too major. It was noted on subsequent visits by the fill nurse.

On one visit I was advise to see my gp to get some 'cream to dry up the port site' Again I did as I was told and went to my gp. She thought it something else so she prescribed another round antibiotics which I again followed.

On the following visit the nurse noted it again and said I would need to see the surgeon if it didn't dry up.

I had even taken to putting gauze and polysporin on it to try to achieve this.

Well Wednesday night i got home and took the gauze off and notice that the needle tear had opened a little more. And when I sat down I hear air escape from it. Oh yeah and I could see inside my own body (kinda freaky) and see the edge of the port.

A quick consultation with a nurse friend convinced me that I had to get into the clinic. So I went in yesterday where I was informed that it was infected and that I would need to have the band removed.

To say the least I was devastated. I've done well with this and the thought of losing my edge had me down. But with some some fantastic support from dizsolvedgirl , and khatife I managed to back away from the edge. I recognized that it was a health concern but I still didn't have to like it. It did explain the general malaise I've been suffering from and the aches and pains I've been having.

My support system has been great though.   I couldn't have done this without them. and even got to quote emortimer's "Body, you're the worst room mate ever signed The brain" to Belina for a big ol' laugh.

After the surgery to have the band implanted I was hurtin. Coming out of it last time was bad. That alone made me apprehensive.

So I'm fine. I'm recovering and I'll beat this yet!

Thanks all!

Goals and rewards

2009-06-24T02:45:50Z

it's been a while and while I posted a similar video to FB I have recut it a bit and changed the titles around and figured I would post it here.

The story so far
Years ago I was coming back to Hamilton from Guelph. In the truck with me were Colgan (anyone remember her? I do and she's doing well btw) and Tark. As we drove south on highway 6 a pack of bikes passed us heading north. All three of us let out a collective sigh at the same time.

The three of us had our distinct reason for not being able to get a bike.

Well when I started this latest journey I resolved I would reward myself as I hit milestone markers. I decided when I lost 100 pounds I would get my bike licence (well get it started). I have and what good is a licence without the bike to ride? SOOOOO I bought a bike. I've posted photos and here is the video of it running (many many deep thanks to Katsu without whom the bike would still be boxes etc or costing mucho dinero at the local bike shop).

It struck me as I was cutting it together that in many ways it's a metaphor for my life too.
enjoy, I know I will be.

Meet the new boss... same as the old boss

2009-06-09T02:06:15Z

Last week after weeks of struggling with the work out motivation I tried a throwback work out for me. I had jacked the work out up higher and higher and higher. My average heart rate was through the roof and it was tremendously high impact.
Last Thursday I after a chat with dizsolvedgirl I realized I need to change it up. Shake up the work outs. Trick my body.
So Thursday I resolved I would work out BEFORE dinner. I would dial back the intensity. And add some more iron to the mix.
It worked too. I hit the treadmill and used the heart rate control program. I walked for an hour. It was MIND NUMBING BORING but I didn't feel like I had spent every morsel of energy.
Then I jacked it up some more and hit the iron. it was a good work out. I felt good.
So that told me something. Dial it back, take it easier.
Tonight I did it again. And I found somewhere where I think I can turn up the intensity. When I hit the weight section I start dumping more weight on the stack and driving the reps (or is it sets?) up.
I come away feeling good. And because it's early I get home and have enough gas left in the tank to go on for a bit and unwind.
I'll keep at it for a while and let you know how it goes.

Wikipedia: June 6

2009-06-08T01:03:43Z

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

June 6 is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 208 days remaining until the end of the year

Of note:

1644 – The Qing Dynasty Manchu forces led by the Shunzhi Emperor capture Beijing during the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. The Manchus would rule China until 1912 when the Republic of China is established

1813 – War of 1812: Battle of Stoney Creek – A British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats an American force three times its size under William Winder and John Chandler

1925 – The Chrysler Corporation is founded by Walter Percy Chrysler.

1944 – World War II: Battle of Normandy begins. D-Day, code named Operation Overlord Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in France. The allied soldiers quickly break through the Atlantic Wall and push inland in the largest amphibious military operation in history., commences with the landing of 155,000

1968 – Robert F. Kennedy, 64th United States Attorney General & former U.S. Senator from New York (b. 1925) is killed

1984 – Tetris was released.

2008 – Brent Connell has Laparoscopic Gastric Banding Surgery performed at (then) TLBC in Toronto Ontario Canada

Ok so the last one isn’t there really... but in my world it is. Here’s the story (for those of you who missed the first act). For years I had thought about having this procedure done. I had researched it and worked towards it. My weight was obviously out of control and spiraling upwards. Very very good friends had expressed concern for my health and in the last year I had begun to really feel the tolls of carrying that much extra baggage around.

In May I started investigating the financing as this procedure wouldn’t be covered under OHIP so I would have to shell out of pocket myself. Once I secured the funding the whirlwind began. I had a quick consult with Rosanne at TLBC (now Slimband) I had the ball rolling. In a days time I had a package from Fed Ex with questionnaires and requests for blood tests etc in it. My surgery date was booked when an opening became available on June 6^th.

Pre Op I had become very concerned that I would fail. I was terrified of it. I mean I had paid a lot of money and if I didn’t succeed this time it would speak volumes of the kind of failure I was. The lack of commitment I had. And I was worried that if it did fail well what next? I mean I’m taking MAJOR invasive surgery as the final option (my own Battle of Normandy I suppose).

The surgery was the easy part. Dr. Yau has an ease and confidence to him that left me feeling like I had made the right choice. The wait for him? Well that’s another story. Suffice it to say I was there on time... The recovery it was a little more difficult but not bad. The post op diet (while necessary) was not something I ever wanna do again. For that matter the general anesthetic wasn’t either... it’s not my friend.. runs in the family I guess.

The day before the surgery I took pictures. I look back at these pictures often. I wasn’t happy. But I made it a point not to be smiling during them to really show that I wasn’t happy. It worked. Unfortunately I was hoping that I would see marvelous differences in them. I don’t. Hell I don’t see any differences in them. But I post them regularly and try to see myself the way the others do. I work at it.

I work at it every day. I remember thinking I had taken the easy way out... but let me tell you this isn’t the easy way out. I am at the gym regularly reshaping my body. I can now only eat a cup of food at a time. That cup has to be good quality food. If I opt to eat crap for that cup my weight loss becomes harder. I get support and lend support to others who have had this surgery. I admit where I fall down. I try to see where I succeed. I take praise (ok so I try to take praise). I try to be proud of myself. And on and on it goes. It’s all work.

I said early on I know this isn’t a magic bullet something that will fix all my woes. But I suspect on some levels I did think that. I get frustrated when my weight loss is slow. I get burned out with the gym. I still crave old foods some of which (DEVIL QUEEN) I can eat and some of which I can’t.

In the end the support of my post op support of my family, my friends, and my co workers even has made this journey somewhat easier.

Today I’m 106 pounds lighter. I’m not at goal yet but I’m moving there. With luck (and a lot more work) maybe next year I’ll be at goal. But for now I’m a little better. And working on getting better and better every day. Thanks to all for your kind words and your support.

More to come... but for now before and ~~after~~ now photos

I'm a model you know what I mean

2009-06-07T05:26:56Z

Come and gather around and hear a tale my friends.
Over the Easter Weekend Autobadgirl was in town. In a conversation we had I ended up fortunate enough to be invited as her guest to a wedding (hey I think that makes me the arm candy and I think that's a compliment).
But as the last year has seen me shed 106 pounds (that's another entry though my old dress clothes are... well I describe them as clown pants. I always picture that cartoon with the pants being filled with water and fish swimming around in them...
So off I go to buy new clothes.. and without too much more ado (the actual dress pants will have to wait until I get a tie that matches the shirt) here are some pictures of new clothes as modeled by the super model formerly known as the Supper model.

This is the beach wear. The stuff I wasn't in the market to buy. But It looked fun.... I figure I'll wear it to the beaches walk... It's Nautica which is kinda a brand name and something I'm not really used to at all (brand names that is)

this fun (albeit long) number is a bowling shirt. Again did I mention I was going to buy dress pants and a dress shirt and maybe a new tie?
This not it.. BUT it is silk... it is fun. It is comfortable. and it is taken in. Amusing story I tried on another bowling shirt and LOVED LOVED LOVED it (didn't so much like the 160 dollar plus price tag but loved the shirt). But the shirt was too tight across my ample spare tire... The shirt was a 3 (and I SO want to think of myself as a 3 x) but because of the cut and the fit and the style I had to move to a 4 and they didn't have the same shirt in the larger size (or a smaller dollar value) but they had this shirt in a 4 (and a smaller price tag too) but they had to so some alteration on it to make it fit... Alterations are a good thing.

I did buy a great pair of gray dress pants.... when I took them out of the bag and laid them in the chair Kiri immediately showed her approval by getting on them. As seen above... pics of them being modeled to follow... promise.

The bike

2009-05-30T21:12:51Z

I have wanted to buy a bike and ride. For a while it was money that kept me from doing it. For a while it was my body. And for a while it was what I'll just define as fear.

Well with the changes I've undertaken in the last year I'm leavling lots of that behind.

I had a goal for my 40th to go to vegas and (amont other things) rent a Harley and ride it out to Hoover Dam. Well I didn't. But that's as much because I dind't have a bike licence. So I resovled that when I got down 100 pounds I would get my bike licence. When I got my tax return this year there was a little extra jingle in my jeans so I burned through it by buying this:

Its a 1985 Yamaha Virago 1000. I figure it's a good starter bike. Need a bit of work but I'm lucky that one of my freinds is an acomplished mechanic and has offered to help me.

vrooom sputter sputter vru?

2009-05-29T16:11:58Z

LOL
Well today In my quest to move forward with my motorcycle stuff I thought I best had book my motorcycle course. Sheridan College offers a motorcycle safety course at the Canada Center for Inland Waters and their campus in Oakville. 3 Days (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday).
And an exit test.
SOOOO I thought mmm some practice wouldn't be out of line... maybe since I have my licence and (hopefully I'll have the bike this weekend) I can get some riding practice in before hand... why don't I get some insurance on the bike. So off I surf to Riders Plus (thanks Mark and Dean) and get a quote. I call there to book the rate BUT they won't insure me until AFTER I sucessfully (and lord I hope this sucessfully isn't as tough as the last sucessfully) complete the Class... so no riding yet. Yes I understand that I was putting the cart before the horse in some ways (really I should get the safety on the bike first) but I'm eager!
Oh well.. I've waiting this many years I can wait a little longer.

Vrooom

2009-05-28T13:54:19Z

I passed my M1.
For those of you unfamiliar with Ontario's graduated licence system that means I may now drive a motorcycle (arriving Saturday probably)
that is properly insured durning daylight hours but not on a highway with a speed limit that exceeds 80 km/hr. I am also prohibited from carrying a passenger. The M1 is only valid for 90 day but I must remain at it for a minimum of 60 days during which time I will take a Motorocycle safety course. In order to graduate to an M2 I must (after the 60 days) pass a operation test which is administered with the safety course.
yay

A weekend recap PLUS humor stories about my charm

2009-05-25T15:56:36Z

After a nice weekend coffee with emortimer I was informed that I didn’t post on here enough… ya ok… busted… AGAIN… so I figure I will try to start….no really…

And where to start?

Ok well the thing that’s praying on my mind…. Saturday morning I wrote my M1 test. For those not from this area and unfamiliar we have a graduated licensing system in Ontario. You start off with a 1 then go to a 2 before getting your actual unrestricted licence. (this is very simplified there’s timing and restrictions but y’all can look it up if you’re THAT interested in it… Suffice it to say that after 23 years of driving I thought I would be ok. I bought the motorcycle handbook. Read it. Studied it. Prepared for the test. Spoke to someone who took it recently. I was ready.

Well when I wrote the test I passed the motorcycle section. I passed the road signs section … but the rules of the road for the G1 (which wasn’t even a gleam in someone’s eye when I took my test) I failed – JUST. There were question that weren’t in my handbook about graduated licensing and questions about street cars (that I never deal with). Now I can rewrite but I’m cheesed because the answers to these questions weren’t in the handbook! Ah well I’ll take care of it soon.

Then there’s the amusing story of what shall be referred to as my girlfriend…

Month to month I post goals. May’s goals were:

Mental:

Stop using the F word (fail)

Use a positive affirmation daily

Visualize success daily

Physical

Burn 14000 calories in the month (plus the other 1030 short from last month)

Add a resistance component to every workout (preferably opposing muscle groups)

Lifestyle

Stay away from Dairy Queen

Eat a serving of protein every 3 hours

Only visit Starbucks on weekends no more morning visits

Leave the TV off and finish the book you're reading (and maybe start the rest)

A few weeks ago I was talking with a good friend of mine and she asked how I was making out with the Starbucks aspect. I said I had only been seeing her on the weekend… why did she miss me? Did she mention me? I miss her! Hence my new girlfriend is Starbucks.

Saturday morning I stopped off and was treated to a complimentary coffee based on the fact that I’m so charming (You know I’m charming right?).

When I saw my friend in person…. We were sitting in a group situation and she said: “so I was gonna stop and see your girlfriend today but she’s too expensive” prompting my reply that I had stopped that morning but she gave it up to me for free… oddly enough lots of strange looks from the people across the way who were eavesdropping lol.

One last thing of note from the weekend. Civil servants are not noted for their sparkling personalities, at least the one who work at the licence bureau aren’t renowned for it (apologies if you happen to be a civil servant and are offended by that comment). Well the nice girl who started me off and did my eye test etc. As she prepped me she asked for my licence explaining that she would need to take a photo.

Then she looked at my licence and noted OOOH we really have to take a new picture… You’re doin great… sure was a nice start to the day… I will eventually post the licence for you too.. once I get the new one to compare it to.

The latest

2009-05-10T22:54:58Z

Well there has been some inquiries about my before and after (now?) picutres... I have been posting them on my blog for the clinic but haven't been sharing them here as often. Matter of fact I have been very lax about my posts here of late. I really should do it more often but so often don't have much to say. At least nogt much that I think anyone else would be interested in.

So without much to talk about here is the latest round of photos of my progress.

The image on the left was the day before the surgery. The Magic number was 448.5
The photo on the right was Sunday May 10. The weight as of Monday was 342.6

Those workouts really add up

2009-04-01T02:10:16Z

Great journeys start with small steps....

At the beginning of this month I didn't have a goal except to work out a little more. When I get into the gym it frees me. It quiets my mind and makes me forget about the pains. It makes me fight though things too and gives me the opportunity to reflect and sometimes create.

Faithfully I started heading into classes or onto the machines wearing my heart rate monitor watch which tells me what time it is.. but also what my heart rate is, how many calories I burn etc, etc, etc. Then I would come home and plug those values into my handy dandy spread sheet.

A few weeks ago I realized that I had burned a few hundred calories and decided what I needed to do now was set a goal... so I came up with a number. A seemingly unattainable number at the beginning of the month: 14000 calories.

Nightly as I worked out I would update the spread sheet and post the results as a status update on Facebook. People cheered. They wondered how I burned that many calories. They praised me and encouraged me.

Now I am a gym guy. I like Classes, I really like Step... I even participate in body flex (although I’m it’s b**ch, but I am working on making it mine).

Tonight is the last night of the month. A month in which I have passed the milestone mark of 100 lbs.

A month that I have rediscovered the joys of Step and improved. I have things to improve yet and I have next month’s goals to set.

But I present for you the spread sheet:

Date	Duration	Time in Zone	Av H.R.	Hi H.R.	Calories	% Fat

March-01	1:02:00	00:17:50	126	165	739	40
March-03	0:12:00	00:00:40	114	141	120	50
March-07	1:03:00	00:22:44	153	173	1043	45
March-08	1:02:00	00:17:50	126	165	739	40
March-10	1:02:00	00:46:52	143	156	930	65
March-12	0:55:00	00:23:08	137	173	769	35
March-13	0:37:00	00:14:06	134	157	497	40
March-16	1:42:00	01:34:59	140	166	1453	35
March-17	0:48:00	00:46:22	130	148	610	40
March-18	1:03:00	00:55:06	133	163	826	40
March-23	1:05:00	00:45:49	136	167	936	38
March-24	0:58:00	00:54:09	132	157	735	40
March-25	1:13:00	00:51:34	126	175	870	40
March-26	1:03:00	01:06:00	135	151	894	35
March-29	1:48:00	01:03:48	148	178	1904	15
March-30	1:07:00	00:44:45	146	176	1181	15
March-31	0:34:00	00:21:22	143	171	574	15

	17:14:00	11:27:04	135.4118	163.6471	14820	36.94118

Amped Up

2009-02-21T16:49:01Z

Today I was back to the Guelph Y for another Step Class. This time was different from the last one though. The last time it was an instructor I remember from when I lived in Guelph 5 years ago. The routine was a routine she was doing then and I remembered it. I still got a HEFTY work out from it though (as a matter of fact emortimer thought it perfect for me... assuming I had turned into a hummingbird).

Last week I had to work so I couldn't make the trek to Guelph again but I'm off this week so this morning ta da... there I was. Well today was NEW instructor. Woo hoo! She had a routine I had to learn! Double Woo Hoo! I did it! Double Double Woo Hoo!

And the numbers are in here's what they look like

07/02/09
59 Min
907 Cal
25% Fat
Max Hr 178 (101%)
Av HR 156 (89%)
46 Seconds (yup that's not a typo) in the target Zone

07/21/09
60 Min
916 Cal
30% Fat
Max HR 179 (102%)
Av HR 156 (89%)
30 Min 18 Seconds in the Target zone (managed that a little better today)

And I am amped. Mostly because after a session with Dr. Barry Simon I was having a hard time "getting" what he was talking about. The biofeedback excercise was just not getting though. One of the things he talked about though was being in the zone. Well I couldn't for the life of me think of what it felt like to be in the zone. Today I felt like I was in the zone while the instructor was teaching the new routine! And while my HR was still way too high I could bring it down fairly quickly. And I was feeling ok.

So does anyone wanna join me for round 2 tomorrow it's called step yoga and sounds like it will be fun... no really it does!

The Soundtrack Game...

2009-02-17T04:22:22Z

Everyone's doing it again... I'm just a victim of peer pressure. Weird thing is the number of songs by Brad Paisley that came up despite
the fact that shuffle was on.

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For the first question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool...just type it in man!

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE

Opening Credits:
I Know (Meagan Smith)

Waking Up:
General Taylor (Great Big Sea)

First Day at School:
Disclaimer (The Dears)

Falling in Love:
Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve)

Losing Virginity:
Watermelon Crawl (Tracey Byrd)

Fight Song:
Alcohol (Brad Paisley)

Breaking Up:
I’m Gonna Miss her (Brad Paisley )

Prom:
Whiskey Lullaby (Brad Paisley)

Life:
The World (Brad Paisley)

Mental Breakdown:
I Go Blind (54-40)

Driving:
Hell Yeah (Montgomery Gentry)

Flashback:
Gone Daddy Gone (Gnarls Barkley)

Getting Back Together:
Churches Under the Stairs (Brendan Canning)

Wedding:
ON The Street Where You Live (Dean Martin)

Birth of Child:
Longview (Green Day)

Final Battle:
My Town (Montgomery Gentry)

Death Scene:
Me and Billy the Kid (Joe Ely)

'Cause all the cool kids are doin it... 25 things about me you may or may not know

2009-02-10T02:58:55Z

1. I would like a dog, but I'm very particular about size and shedding so I think a Whippet, Grey Hound or Poodle... depends on the days you catch me on and two of the choices are limited by my cat.

2. I just realized that 25 is a lot of things

3. I want to get my Motorcycle licence this year

4. I am a Starbucks addict . I have 'my own drink' (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) it's a Venti Quad Sugar Free Soy Caramel Machiatto.. for those who don't speak Starbuckeze that's an extra larger 4 espresso, sugar free, latte made with soy milk and topped with a caramel drizzel

5. I wish I had organized religion. Being able to say to someone "you're in my thoughts" just seems pale compared to "you're in my prayers".   But I have such disdain for hypocracy and won't pick up any religion just to be able to offer empty words to people.

6. I would like to to think that if I tell you something take it to the bank

7. I miss the SCA and I don't. I have talked with Emortimer and come to the conclusion that yeah I miss some of the people in the SCA but the activities not so much.. well with one notable exception, I miss SCA combat

8. I am often late. It's usually because I get so wrapped up in doing one thing I lose track of time or because I misjudge transit time.

9. I had planned on spending my 40th birthday in Vegas.... circumstances didn't allow for that but I went to the Casino in Hull instead only to find that I didn't like it that much. Now Vegas might be better but Hull just seemed like a money pit to me.

10. I have a list of things I would like to do in Vegas including shoot a machine gun and rent a Harley and ride it out to to Hoover dam (see Item 3)

11. I am very proud of my nephew and dote on him and am really stoked about my brother's new baby and my new godson.

12. I like kids a lot. I identify with them some strange way, but I don't want them. People are astounded when they hear tha but my reasons are my own. I don't anticipate changing them and I have no regrets about it.

13. I was asked what my best vacation ever would be.... I said I hadn't had one yet but was planning it... but looking back I would have to say some of the "wars" I went to.... I have great memories of camping in Faeringoldia and the year of Osis and Heither's reign leap to mind.

14. I so often feel like the odd man out in the my office.... all the boys talk sports sport sports (imparticularly Hockey)... I could care less about sports with one exception

15. I like Nascar racing. Originally I didn't but then I found out you could bet on it and it became more interesting. Now most Sundays you can find me enjoying the race and when I'm truly lucky enjoying the comradarie of race fans.

16. I am not a proud Canadian. I find that as a culture we identify ourselves as what we aren't and I object as it's hard to say what you are by saying what you aren't. I also think that so often the things that many people accuse our neighbors to the south of being we are guilty of ourselves!

17. I wish I read more, but TV is so damned easy. I take solace in the fact that I go in Jags of reading and I will suddenly read voraciously. Right now I have 3 books on my list of things to read (Jillian Michaels Making the Cut, Phil Gordon's Little Green Book and Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson) plus dizsolvedgirl has some books that sound fantastic too! Gotta hope the reading bug siezes me soon lol I used to be good to read magazines and even subscribe to some but I have been pretty lax about reading them lately. Even magazines that intrigue me into buying them I don't necessarily ready right awy

18. I have a fear that I'm an attention whore and that's so very strange. I don't mind public speaking or singing or otherwise 'performing' but I so often just want to blend into the back ground and I hate having my photo taken.

19.  A few years ago I didn't think I would be blogging. Now I kinda enjoy it. 'Kay I'm not as dedicated as some of y'all out there but when I blog there's usually something worthwhile going on.... it also has meant learning a new skill set and I've only just begun.

20. My favorite place to live was in Guelph. The town is just so nice I would move back there I like that the apartment in Mississauga had a wood burning fireplace but loved the layout in Guelph and my sister decorated it in TOO COOL a fashion!

21.   I'm into music. Singing, dancing, etc. I would love to take the time to take Singing lessons and learn guitar ahh someday I suppose. some of the nicest compliments I have recieved have been how people feel when I sing or that they will always remember me dancing.

22. I have problems accepting compliment. People say nice things about me or to me and I'm afraid I appear cavalier about the compliments when in fact I'm not sure what to think or how to accept the compliment.

23.  I started taking time for myself on Sunday mornings. I would head off to Starbickies (see #4) and have coffee etc while I would journal. Felt like I was taking time for myself.

24. I like my gagets. My Ipod with wifi built in GENIUS!

25. I have been "Tagged" in other peoples posts like this. ONCE I mentioned other people, but then felt bad about. I won't go down that road again.

Before and After February

2009-02-10T02:24:02Z

Before and After February
Originally uploaded by frateking

ok lets try this again.... I didn't like my last post so poof off it came.

I also blog for the clinic that did my surgery. I post photos on that blog of my progress so far. Every month I take new photos then (thanks to dizsolvedgirl's advise) mash them together (that's the technical term I'm sure) in Powerpoint. This month I even labled weights on them... woo hoo look at me I'm more computer geek than ever.

So without further delay here's the ballywhooed photo.

I'm a chump I'm a chump I'm a chump chump chump

2009-01-30T03:26:44Z

So Tuesday night I was all achy and whatnot. I thought I would take a couple of tylenol.... that was bad. Paarently the tylenol didn't wanna make the transition into my stomach. I ended up with it partially being digested in the pocuh which didn't agree with me at all... I couldn't sleep. I spent the night coughing up black crap which I am going to assume is the nice tasting coating off of the tylenol..... not to self no more tyelnol... only goodies
I bring up that story only as back ground though... you see last night I was very tired after going to work on very little sleep. I thought I would CRASH large... no dice. I think I ate something that didn't agree but I couldn't get to sleep and then I started coughing and being generally very sick... by the time 5 a.m. rolled around I hadn't slept more than 2 hours. I was sick. It hurt to go up stairs. I called in sick. A few hours sleep and tada I felt OK. Not great but ok. So being the chump I am I went to work. I prolly shoulda taken the day off of work. Why oh why dind't I just stay home and allow myself a relaxing day off?

S-O-S Help / Advise Required

2009-01-20T21:08:01Z

I have been having a huge problem lately. It all stems back to my brother’s marriage about 10 years ago.

You see he married this woman Patti, she had a son we’ll call D who was 6 at the time. Prior to the wedding D was with his biological father and we were informed that when he found out about Dean and Patti’s impending wedding the father back handed his son. This was their (her?) grounds to deny the biological father access to his son. At that point there had already been a bitter custody fight between the biological father and Patti where she kept going back to court and going back to court to get what she wanted. She was receiving legal aid so court didn’t cost her but as he was paying for a lawyer he was going broke so when this happened he just rolled over and gave up.

Dean and Patti pulled D out of the school he was in and relocated him to their new school district, but they did it in mid year. The child lost his friends adding to his already stunted social development. They allowed D to be isolated from his biological fathers family (granted Dean was doing that to maintain the peace in his home).

Six years ago in May they had a child (S). I had no contact with him in the beginning because Patti had threatened that if ‘we didn’t do what she wanted she would with hold contact with him’ well I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow someone to emotionally blackmail me that way so I opted to not interact with him.

About 3 years ago the strain relationship between Dean and Patti snapped. It was ugly. She kicked him out. During the interim she called the police on him when he took THEIR son to see our parents. She has played too many games to list. But key among them is that she has been hauling Dean back and forth to court. She is unemployed so on legal aid (wait doesn’t this sound familiar?). Every time Dean goes to court he has to take a day off work. Dean can’t afford a lawyer anymore so he’s trying to represent himself (an uphill battle).

Dean has custody of D (at D’s request) but not his own son. As 2008 began the court ordered custody arrangement said that Dean got S on Sunday and Monday Wednesday Night and Thursday meaning S started most school days with Dean. But as school approached back to court we went. Patti managed to sell the courts that Dean shouldn’t have that kind of custody and got the order changed to her having S Monday through Friday and 1 weekend a month. The court order that mandated this also stated in it that Dean and Patricia were to move no more than 10 km further from each other.

Patti remarried (Zippy is just as his name implies) but that hasn’t changed her. She has to be in control of every situation. They finally hammered out a custody agreement last fall. Dean has met a new girl and is expecting their first child together and is engaged now too. On Christmas day when she came to pick up S, Patti announced that they had moved to a town that’s at least 35 km further away, however, she assured Dean that S would stay in the school. A week later she changed the tune on that.

All of this has caused me a great deal of stress. I can’t stomach that she will be committing the same sort of emotional abuse of S that she has to D. She has accused D (as well as Dean, her father D’s biological father and anyone else she wants to ‘get even with’) of molestation. She has told S that he has failed to ‘pray hard enough’ for her to have a baby and that she was pregnant but ‘lost the baby’ (not really things you tell a 5 year old!).

We know that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior and in the past we have seen some less than exemplary behavior from her (and I have left out some of the names she called Dean with S in ear shot or even in the room!). We have seen her emotionally manipulate her children and attempt it with us. We have seen that she is not above separating a child from its father. Yet the courts still believe that the best place for a child is with the mother **sigh**.

Can anyone out there give me some advice?

top 500 worst passwords (ripped off of Boing Boing)

2009-01-03T21:32:27Z

Although my work password is close to some of these... I can thankfully say my home
passwords are moderately better.

From Mark Burnett's 2005 book Perfect Passwords: Selection, Protection, Authentication, a table of the "Top 500 Worst Passwords Of All Time."

NO	Top 1-100	Top 101–200	Top 201–300	Top 301–400	Top 401–500
1	123456	porsche	firebird	prince	rosebud
2	password	guitar	butter	beach	jaguar
3	12345678	chelsea	united	amateur	great
4	1234	black	turtle	7777777	cool
5	pussy	diamond	steelers	muffin	cooper
6	12345	nascar	tiffany	redsox	1313
7	dragon	jackson	zxcvbn	star	scorpio
8	qwerty	cameron	tomcat	testing	mountain
9	696969	654321	golf	shannon	madison
10	mustang	computer	bond007	murphy	987654
11	letmein	amanda	bear	frank	brazil
12	baseball	wizard	tiger	hannah	lauren
13	master	xxxxxxxx	doctor	dave	japan
14	michael	money	gateway	eagle1	naked
15	football	phoenix	gators	11111	squirt
16	shadow	mickey	angel	mother	stars
17	monkey	bailey	junior	nathan	apple
18	abc123	knight	thx1138	raiders	alexis
19	pass	iceman	porno	steve	aaaa
20	fuckme	tigers	badboy	forever	bonnie
21	6969	purple	debbie	angela	peaches
22	jordan	andrea	spider	viper	jasmine
23	harley	horny	melissa	ou812	kevin
24	ranger	dakota	booger	jake	matt
25	iwantu	aaaaaa	1212	lovers	qwertyui
26	jennifer	player	flyers	suckit	danielle
27	hunter	sunshine	fish	gregory	beaver
28	fuck	morgan	porn	buddy	4321
29	2000	starwars	matrix	whatever	4128
30	test	boomer	teens	young	runner
31	batman	cowboys	scooby	nicholas	swimming
32	trustno1	edward	jason	lucky	dolphin
33	thomas	charles	walter	helpme	gordon
34	tigger	girls	cumshot	jackie	casper
35	robert	booboo	boston	monica	stupid
36	access	coffee	braves	midnight	shit
37	love	xxxxxx	yankee	college	saturn
38	buster	bulldog	lover	baby	gemini
39	1234567	ncc1701	barney	cunt	apples
40	soccer	rabbit	victor	brian	august
41	hockey	peanut	tucker	mark	3333
42	killer	john	princess	startrek	canada
43	george	johnny	mercedes	sierra	blazer
44	sexy	gandalf	5150	leather	cumming
45	andrew	spanky	doggie	232323	hunting
46	charlie	winter	zzzzzz	4444	kitty
47	superman	brandy	gunner	beavis	rainbow
48	asshole	compaq	horney	bigcock	112233
49	fuckyou	carlos	bubba	happy	arthur
50	dallas	tennis	2112	sophie	cream
51	jessica	james	fred	ladies	calvin
52	panties	mike	johnson	naughty	shaved
53	pepper	brandon	xxxxx	giants	surfer
54	1111	fender	tits	booty	samson
55	austin	anthony	member	blonde	kelly
56	william	blowme	boobs	fucked	paul
57	daniel	ferrari	donald	golden	mine
58	golfer	cookie	bigdaddy	0	king
59	summer	chicken	bronco	fire	racing
60	heather	maverick	penis	sandra	5555
61	hammer	chicago	voyager	pookie	eagle
62	yankees	joseph	rangers	packers	hentai
63	joshua	diablo	birdie	einstein	newyork
64	maggie	sexsex	trouble	dolphins	little
65	biteme	hardcore	white	0	redwings
66	enter	666666	topgun	chevy	smith
67	ashley	willie	bigtits	winston	sticky
68	thunder	welcome	bitches	warrior	cocacola
69	cowboy	chris	green	sammy	animal
70	silver	panther	super	slut	broncos
71	richard	yamaha	qazwsx	8675309	private
72	fucker	justin	magic	zxcvbnm	skippy
73	orange	banana	lakers	nipples	marvin
74	merlin	driver	rachel	power	blondes
75	michelle	marine	slayer	victoria	enjoy
76	corvette	angels	scott	asdfgh	girl
77	bigdog	fishing	2222	vagina	apollo
78	cheese	david	asdf	toyota	parker
79	matthew	maddog	video	travis	qwert
80	121212	hooters	london	hotdog	time
81	patrick	wilson	7777	paris	sydney
82	martin	butthead	marlboro	rock	women
83	freedom	dennis	srinivas	xxxx	voodoo
84	ginger	fucking	internet	extreme	magnum
85	blowjob	captain	action	redskins	juice
86	nicole	bigdick	carter	erotic	abgrtyu
87	sparky	chester	jasper	dirty	777777
88	yellow	smokey	monster	ford	dreams
89	camaro	xavier	teresa	freddy	maxwell
90	secret	steven	jeremy	arsenal	music
91	dick	viking	11111111	access14	rush2112
92	falcon	snoopy	bill	wolf	russia
93	taylor	blue	crystal	nipple	scorpion
94	111111	eagles	peter	iloveyou	rebecca
95	131313	winner	pussies	alex	tester
96	123123	samantha	cock	florida	mistress
97	bitch	house	beer	eric	phantom
98	hello	miller	rocket	legend	billy
99	scooter	flower	theman	movie	6666
100	please	jack	oliver	success	albert

These things amuse me... I need amusing. Holidaze LOL

2008-12-20T16:37:47Z

more animals

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