The Enobling Journey

Why We Finally Decided to Join a Gym -- Sometime

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:20:00 +0000

Well, not a gym, but an “athletic club”. And I am getting sooooo anxious to get started.

Spouse was getting ready to join a local chain club; in fact she did join, but luckily they had a refund period. But it triggered a discussion once she got home. Sure, the chain gyms had good monthly deals, but with limited access to childcare. If we were both to join, we’d have to take turns. Not that we work out together, but it adds a level of complexity to the scheduling that I’d rather do without.

The athletic center is a little farther away, but had always been on our “Some Day” list. Really nice facility, indoor salinated pools (using salt rather than chlorine), indoor climbing wall, basketball, fitness machines, activities for kids, an outdoor pool during the summer; for an additional cost, the membership will include their tennis courts.

We toured the place, we all love it. It costs a little bit more; but all four of us can participate.

But there’s a catch. Membership has a waiting list.

Once we’d committed to joining, I wanted in. I want to go. It’s been several weeks already, and still a some time to go. We’ve been calling to find out where we are on the list. I think they’re getting annoyed at us.

Why This Is Good

My kids (and my wife, but she denies it) think I’m cheep. So everyone was surprised when I agreed to this.

I have several workout items at home, and they’re not getting used.
The boys absolutely love playing in a pool. Hopefully they’ll be able to do that more often.
I last belonged to a gym before I had children. I enjoyed it. In my mind, I used to go several times a week.
I’ve agreed to clear out the fitness gear. That includes dumb bells, my bowflex and a nordic track. That’s a lot of floor space. Although my bowflex is not the traditional clothes hanger, I won’t need it any more.
The locker room has a sauna.
The classes look great.
There is a psychology in using the investment as an incentive to work out.

I’m looking forward to the different class; spinning, yoga, cross-fit type workouts.

This is a collision of all my hot topics; personal finance, exercise, clutter and stuff, family.

I’m sitting around in the evenings, just wishing to head to the club.

Linkage

That’s Fit, 55 minutes, 5 days a week
Lose that Tyre, Weight Loss and Diet Cheat Sheet
That’s Fit, Exercise may be fountain of youth
That’s Fit, Healthy Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle
A Calorie Counter, The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide

Putting our workhorse out to pasture

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:57:00 +0000

In typical suburban fashion, we drive a family minivan. We got a great deal on it ten and a half years ago just after our first son was born. Before we got it, we drove just one car, and it was just not enough to haul around all the stuff that new parents tend to buy too much of.

In that time, we put 120,000 miles on it. There are chips in the paint, the windshield has been replaced twice, four sets of tires, consistent and quality maintenance. The exterior handle on one of the sliders will open the door but not close it. It’s been up and down the entire length of the West coast, from San Diego to Vancouver, BC.

We told ourselves that we’d replace it at 120,000 miles, at 150,000 miles, then 200,000 miles. We’ve weighed the cost of every repair against the possibility of a down payment for another car. Was it really worth a $1200 repair to keep the van going compared to using that money and adding a new monthly expense to our spending. Time and again, we sided with the van.

And yet, now.

It’s been running rough. I made an appt with the dealer we’ve been bringing it to since we got it. The estimate just for analysis was for a few hundred dollars. We went into worst-case-scenario overdrive. Started searching dealer sites and craigslist, looking all evening at different choices.

Brought it in. When I did so, I told them, ….it was like signing a DNR in a hospital. I didn’t even want the estimate to cost much, let alone the cost of repair. The guy grabbed a diagnostic computer, hooked it up, gave me a couple of possibilities, and told me the mechanic would check and they’d call me with some estimates.

After a few hours, I got a call from the shop; the suggested repairs would be $750.

We talked it out, decided not to. We believe we’ve finally reached the point where there is no ROI (that’s return on investment if you don’t speak corporate lingo) on anything beyond minimum maintenance.

Next…

Unsure. The “Committee To Replace the Van” has stated

Not another van at this time. I have a sneaking suspicion that we’ll need to revisit that once the boys are in high school.
Preferable not another white car; just changing it up a little bit.
Not sure about the VW reputation. The Jetta/Passat wagon is a good example of what I’m thinking of, size-wise.
Probably not new, but with a loan. With the savings we’ve been able to sock away, we’ll have a healthy down payment.
Want to cut down on road noise. Just a nit. Tired of having to keep turning up the radio over the drone of tires on black-top.
Something wagon-ish (I’m a little nervous about losing the cargo space of the van)
A roof rack, support for a thule or yakima rack.

And that’s as far as we’ve gotten, so far. I will continue to chronicle the process.

GenerationX Finance, 6 Things to Know Before Buying Your Next Car
Wisebread, 6 Tools to Save Money on Car Repairs
American Consumer News, Tips to Avoid Getting Taken for a Ride When Buying a Used Car
Get Rich Slowly, Why I Drive a 13 Year Old Car
Bargaineering, How to Buy a Car (Without Getting Screwed)

Image “Out to Pasture” by Orin Zebest via Flikr

The Grouchiest 1.5 Mile Run Evvv-Arr

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:40:00 +0000

Jogging With My son

I have two kids, both boys, ages 10 and 7. Great kids. Love them to death. They can be a little bullheaded and argumentative sometimes. My older son’s initial response to most requests is “Whhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyy”.

So, we’d been discussing with him how to be a little more active. Christie had talked to him recently about the couch to 5k program, since she was thinking about starting the sequence herself.

So I took both boys out today. The younger on his bike riding along while M and I did the intervals for the first week of the couch to 5k program.

Even though it had been described to him in explicit detail, he balked at having to warm up, he balked at jogging after the warm up, at walking after the jog, and so on.

But, just like getting them actually move the toothbrush when its in their mouth, or close the door they just came through, wipe the spilt milk from the table or floor, and so on, I just try (and sometimes fail) to remain calm and give direction.

How to stop yelling at your kids at Stepcase Lifehack
Lunchmeat Safety Standards at boing boing.
How to Start Running – Without Feeling Like a Failure at Stepcase Lifehack

Goal Choice: Mopping or New Shelf

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:43:00 +0000

The laundry room floor is as muddy as the rain-sogged front lawn.

On the other hand, I have no where to put the vegan cookbooks I’ve been starting to acquire. They get shoved around, get in the way, shoved into another messy pile.

Today…

Get the boys up and ready for school, get to work, leave work to meet the boys after school, work while making sure they're getting their homework done, make dinner, take care of the dishes, get the boys ready for bed, put them to bed, break up the arguments, spend 10 minutes each trying to get them to do the two minute tooth brushing job, read to them, confiscate the gameboy being hidden under the pillow, and so on.

In the midst of all that, how to get something, anything, productive done, with little chance of getting to more than one.

Well….

The dirty floor is not a primary traffic area, and it will just get dirty again anyway. so up went the shelf. As long as we don’t drop the clean laundry on the floor, we’ll be fine.

2010: On My Way to 210

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:50:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

A year ago, I was in bad shape.

An herniated disk was the worst of my problems. Having escaped the bounds of my vertebrae, the disk tissue was compressing my sciatic nerve. Overnight, I went from mind-numbing, crawling-on-the-floor, screaming-in-pain agony to complete numbness in my left leg, hip to toe. There were one or two other health issues afflicting me; the only other one that was causing quality-of-life issues is a middle-aged thing ( I turned 40 last April), and that would be anal fissures.

Luckily, quite luckily, both issues were resolved non-surgically.

Due to these problems, my weight ballooned. I had once told myself that I would never exceed Homer Simpson’s weight of 239 lbs. (That’s his usual weight not counting the episode he intentionally got to 300 lbs to get on worker’s comp allowing him to telecommute.) I know that I was above 240 lbs, and I believe I peaked at 245.

Getting From There to Here

Started running. Trained for and completed a 10k in September. Then I got swine flu and pneumonia, and so I’ve only run twice since.
Over the summer, became a vegetarian, then a vegan.

Those are the two big factors. By November, I was around 220 lbs. I’ve been as low as 215 lbs. After travelling for the holidays, I checked the scale, completely paranoid that I’d gone back above 220. But no. Even after the many fantastic meals at my in-laws, I’m still 218 lbs.

Link Love

MacDaddy over at Get Fit Slowly shops for some wardrobe updates to highlight his weightloss.
He also provides a year-end wrap up.
FrugalDad provides a Frugal Diet Plan for 2010
Mary encourages weightloss by small steps on John Is Fit.
Michael, also at John is Fit, discusses mindset in weightloss.
Matt, at FiveCentNickle, writes on the financial impact of obesity.
Chris Pirillo offers 50 weightloss tips.

Links to Some Money-Related Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Just a quick post to point readers to a few recent articles I’ve seen that I think are relevant to some of their life-changes.

To disclaim, I am not a financial professional, and have neither verified nor validated the suggestions in these articles. Please consult with your own financial advisor to determine if the suggestions for your own needs.

Some tax tips for children and newborns, from cashmoneylife.
Strategies for Retiring in bad times, from The Family Wallet
Living cheaply in the long term, from WiseBread
Also from WiseBread, 6 pay-down strategies for debt.
Essential Year-End Money Moves from Lifehacker.
The Good Human provides 10 Ways to Convince A Non-Green that Going Green Saves Money.

The Philosophy of Invisalign

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:08:00 +0000

I just started my third set of Invisalign aligners. At two weeks a set, that's a month done, several more to go.

The process starts by taking a current snapshot of the teeth, envisioning what they should look like, and then breaking the difference in to two week increments.

When I first pop in a new set, my teeth get sore for a few days, resisting the pressure to be somewhere else. The discomfort carries over to other activities; eating and speaking mostly. But the discomfort eventually evens out.

I think the best comment I received in the orthodontist's office was "if they ( the aligners) aren't in the teeth aren't moving."

Change won't happen on it's own.

Integrating a new habit works much the same way; difficulty, resistance, discomfort, acclimatization, progress.

I rarely get resistance now when the boys need to empty the dishwasher. It's more about who does the clean ones and who gets the dirty dishes. But it took weeks of persistence as a nagging parent just to get them to absorb that it's their job.

Cutting meat and dairy wasn't terribly hard, but they're always there; every meal, every pizza I make for my kids, all the flavors of cream cheese in the cafe for a morning bagel.

Working our way out of debt isn't just about throwing money at the problem. Our spending habits have changed greatly and still need adjustment.

If you compare different sets of Invisalign, from one week to the next, it's nearly impossible to pick out the differences. I'm looking forward to getting sets four through six and holding them up to the first pair. It's one thing to know things have moved, but seeing is much more satisfying.

Feeling Less Dirty the Vegan Way

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:23:00 +0000

Did not go vegan for political or ethical reasons. Part of it was vanity (weightloss) and part of it was logic (humans are the only creatures to consume milk past weaning or that from other species).

One thing I’ve noticed is a decrease in the state of feeling dirty.

I normally shower in the mornings. I’ll add an extra from time to time after a workout or yard work. Sometimes if I’ve showered in the evening I don’t take one when I wake up. If it’s a day of house or yard work and I’m just going to get sweaty again, why bother, right?

But if I were at work, I would still feel like I needed a shower, a little grimy; hair feels unwashed, skin a little oily, etc.

These days, there have been a few times I’ve gone through half a day of work before remembering I skipped a shower.

I don’t claim that I can go for days without bathing, and I believe that everyone around me is grateful that I don’t.

Take Back The Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:06:00 +0000

Now that I’ve recovered from the flu, pneumonia, and a hacking cough of four weeks; now that the lazy days of summer are past, it’s time to take back the mornings, and use that time to get done what I need to get done.

Nearly two years ago, I wrote about an automatic timer that is used with a lamp. It brightens gradually over 30 minutes, helping to wake up more gently.

So, adding that to the earlier light from turning back from daylight savings, I will be

Running
Resistance training
Planning and organizing my day

Not all of that every morning, but each a few times a week.

Dumb Little Man presents Small Changes for a Lifetime of Fitness
That’s Fit on Crosstraining
Also on That’s Fit, Middle Age Men must Train Smarter

Joe’s First 10k Race, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:01:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I started to write about my first 10k race. Here is the rest of the story.

A little bit of hoopla at the start line, and we were off.

Or, more appropriately, the first several hundred people at the front of the line were off while everyone else shambled forward a few steps at a time until the crowd thinned.

Once across the line, it was possible to get a slow jog going. Better runners move ahead of you. Lots of groups passing, so I try to keep left to stay out of their way, but not so far left that I’m stepping on the walkers and slower runners.
(Slower than me?? Not many of those.)

The first mile was a breeze, slight downhill grade. Same through the second mile, but haven’t hit my stride, yet.

In the third mile we started up the overpass leading to the Interstate Bridge.

Slowed down a bit, took a few walk breaks. Once on the bridge, was able to start running again through to about the mile 4 marker.

It was around this point, on the West side of the river approaching Waterfront Park, that the pain set in on my left foot.

I had experienced this pain earlier in the year. Treadmill or road, it didn’t matter. After getting better shoes, as well as trying a couple of different gel inserts, I thought I had it licked, but there it was again. A burning in the sole of my left foot spiking a bit more with each impact.

So, I alternated between walk and run, and kept it down to a dull roar.

By this time, the faces around me were pretty familiar. I know that I’m no spring chicken at 40, but I think that most of the people around had good 20 years on me.

Run. Walk. Run. Walk. I’d pass the slower people. Then the quicker walkers and slower runners would pass me again. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Then I saw her. My nemesis. My enemy. She was 70’ish, shorter, a very determined gait with a bit of swagger.

And she carried her cane under her right arm. She was one of those who was in front of me half the time, behind me half the time.

I would not let her finish before me. Consider me sexist or agist. I just didn’t want it to happen.

Much the same through miles 4 and 5. Most of this was on concrete and not blacktop, so a little tougher on the feet and knees. Coming into sight were the newer high rise condominiums that I had scrambled through the previous day searching for an ATM, so I knew the end was getting close.

Walk. Run. Walk. Run.

Old woman, shuffle, shuffle. She kept her cane under her arm, and it swung back and forth with her gait. Dangerous!

OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!!!! Foot killing me. Finish line in sight. Slow down. Get ready to walk it out the rest of the way.

Then, from behind me, I hear “KEEP GOING, DON’T STOP. I’ve been behind you all morning. YOU’RE DOING GREAT! YOU CAN KEEP GOING!!”

I look behind me, and a woman I’ve never met or seen looks me in the eye and starts waving me forward.

So, I go. Pain be damned, I sprint out the last few hundred yards.

I totally left that old woman behind.

I was able to check the official results online later in the day, and I finished in 87 minutes. Based on my training runs, I was expecting about 90 min, so right on the nose.

Epilogue

The 10k was sponsored by Widmer brewing and The Old Spaghetti Factory.

It’s 9:30 in the morning, and everyone was eating pasta and drinking free beer. The coupon for the complimentary beers (yes, we were allowed two of them) was actually part of our number pinned to our shirts.

It was good beer, but the pasta was a little too al dente for my tastes.

While I hope to keep running similar events, at this time, I don’t plan to extend my training to include marathons and half marathons. 10k is quite sufficient.

Alarm Clock vs. Smartphone

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:26:00 +0000

In the constant ebb and flow of mess and clutter on and around the nightstand, in addition to the regular purge of outdated Newsweeks and finished crosswords, I took a moment to consider the hardware.

Alarm clock with a single alarm, using either radio or CD.

My iPhone with numerous, easily programmable alarms using the built sounds, or a large variety of apps to download; wake to mp3s or stored podcasts. Some of them will display the time just like an alarm clock if you charge while you sleep.

But with other clocks floating around like on the cable box, that last isn't necessary for me.

It was an easy choice, gives me more space for my glasses, makes it easier to customize my schedule, such as getting earlier to run MWF and lift TTh, and rotating the alarm sounds so I don't get too accustomed to any one in particular.

Unclutterer offers advice on getting rid of your old devices and hardware.
Ian's Messy Desk on starting the declutter process and 4 tips trap your inner pack rat.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

An Easy Crop for Harvest: Basil

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:27:00 +0000

I started a few basil seeds early in the Spring. I tried to get them going in a little sub-irrigated planter that I’d read about. It’s really just a large soda trimmed and water in the base.

Unfortunately, after moving it outside, I lost track of it with my other projects, and it withered. Once I cleared out some overcrowded space in the front yard, I moved the witherd plants up there, plenty of water, and now I have a pesto to make.

Drying and Using Basil
How to freeze basil
Make pesto like an old Italian grandmother

Image: Basil Update #3 by JessAndTheCity via Flickr

Some Initial Thoughts on Going Vegetarian

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:54:00 +0000

It was a few months ago that I went vegetarian. And it’s been a month since taking the next step and going vegan. But first a few notes on that first step.

Not a big problem to give up the meat. I was already eating so little meat, it wasn’t an issue. And the substitutes are usually sufficient to sate any cravings.
It was really uncommon to run into any problems eating out. Veggie burgers are common options at most restaurants.
I absolutely, positively do not miss drive-thru. Especially anything with ground meat.

There are many arguments to be made for dropping meat from your diet. I’ll give you some links, but I’ll leave it to you to decide. I’ve seen or read some of the books and movies, and the others come highly recommended.

Websites

Vegetarians have a much smaller impact on the environment.
An AARP and NIH study says red meat = dead meat.
Meat is unnecessary to be a power athlete.
Real Delia provides 5 reasons to go veg.
The American Dietetic Association fully supports a vegetarian diet.
5 key steps to make the transition.

Movies

Books

Joe’s First 10k, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:48:00 +0000

It is one week post 10k.

In the days leading up to the Pints to Pasta 10k last Sunday, I ran a few times, leisurely, but trying to see what my pace would be like for 6.2 miles. Based on those runs, I was guessing between 90 and 100 minutes.

Bad Procrastination #1: Registration

As of Friday, hadn’t registered yet. I go to the website, but they’ve disabled online registration due to the proximity of the run. But I could still go to Portland Running Co. on Saturday morning, right? So I thought. In a rare moment of looking before I leap, I called the store. Ahhh HELL!! They’ve already stopped.
I’m panicked now, thinking that I’ve completely missed it, what I’ve been working toward for six months.
RELIEF!! For a few hours, later in the afternoon, rigistration will be open in the Spaghetti Factory parking lot. (the pasta in Pints to Pasta.)

So, packed up the family, as this would be a good opportunity to buy lunch. Plus, my kids would have flipped out had I got within 100 feet of that restaurant without them eating there.

They went in to get a table, and I went to the signup table. Get to the front of the line.
CASH ONLY!!!
OK, this isn’t a sign. Run to the table, empty our pockets. $32 among us. Three dollars short.
Dash out to the car, and drive around for 20 minutes looking for an ATM. Find one, get the cash, head back to the parking lot, register, get my number and shirt. Now I can casually take my meal with the family.

Bad Procrastination #2: Planning

I had never run that far. I had no idea of what to do the evening before? Is it like taking a blood test? Should I fast for 12 hours before?

So I jumped online, and did one of the things I do best. Googled it.

Obviously, there are a lot of different opinions.

I ate lightly, had trouble falling asleep, made sure all possible alarms were set, and turned out the lights.

On to the Main Event

Got up, got dressed, filled my water bottle, made some toast and jam, and away I went.

Tried, and I do mean tried, to follow the parking lot attendants to the limited parking spots. Then changed parking spots when someone jumped out of the bushes and argued with the event volunteers about parking in “his spots”.

Checked in, and then got in line with 1000 others to catch the shuttles to the starting line.

“Shuttle” is a euphemism for school bus. And of course, everybody made wise cracks about feeling like a 6th grader.

Perhaps for the more experienced racer, the bus ride was a non-event. In my mind, though, it was endless. It kept going and going. We were on the freeway, for crying out loud. And I would have to run all the way back!!!

Busses unload, and the crowds mill around, waiting for things to get started.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Ready? Set…

Well, it doesn’t kick off like a 100m dash.
It’s a slow, slow process. It’s like an hour glass'; a huge group trying to squeeze through a narrow gap, and then spreading back out again.

We had RFID sensors on our shoes; as we pass through the start and finish lines, the system records our times.

GO!!

At this point, unless you’re at the front of the pack, it takes a few minutes to get some elbow room.

I’ll let you know about the race next.

My First 10k Is Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:20:00 +0000

It’s what I’ve been working toward most of the year.

I’ve slacked off a bit the last few weeks. Work has been much more hectic and the boys have started school, so the ability to disappear for over an hour of running plus clean up time has suffered.

And leave it to me to leave registration to the last minute. Luckily I found the one remaining place taking signups. Out of 2000 possible runners, I got 1991.

Otherwise, a little bit of housework and yard work today, a late spaghetti lunch, and otherwise, a few light snacks here and there, keeping hydrated, and heading to bed early.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Vegan Running Mom at Run Vegan Run
Worst habits of runners
Gadget guy goes running at Get Fit Slowly
Identify your foot type at Lifehacker
Recharge your run
A 3:2 Inhale Exhale Ratio For Improved Runs

How Goes My Weighhtloss

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:09:00 +0000

It's been some time since I've written about my weight goals.
Within the past year, I'd reachieved my maximum weight of 240 lbs.it is just one of several issues that I chalk up to my herniated disk of a year ago. Once I'd regained feeling in my leg I started running. Within a month or two I got down to 230. And that felt pretty good. With a bit more attention paid to what I have been eating, I was able to get down to 225. But that five pounds took nearly twice as long as the first ten. Grrrrrrrr.

A few months ago, my wife had decided to go vegetarian. I had already been considering the same change, so I went at the same time. That was not a difficult decision at all. We already were eating such a small amount of meat, no big deal.

It was 225 for a while. After listening or reading to a few different resources on weight loss I went eve a step further by trying veganism. This has been tough. While not being fanatical about there is a lot of milk and eggs in a LOT of food. In the two weeks since then, I've dropped another two pounds.

I am not attributing the weightloss to any one factor. It is a combination of them. I still have a bit of ice cream now and then (Bad vegan, no carrot). My workouts have a bit more sparse as I've gotten busier at work.

I am pretty enthused about being under 225. It has been years since I've been under that weight. I am looking forward to hitting 220, hopefully within the next few weeks.

Skinny Bastard -- Really enjoyed the book. It’s a quick read, extremely annotated. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re not like Ann Coulter and made up references. They make a good case for dropping meat and dairy. So I’m giving it a shot.

Yell At Your Fat – Podcast for weightloss.

Life is like…..Paddling a Kayak

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:02:00 +0000

My loving and lovely wife arranged for me an intro kayaking class this past weekend.

The group class is offered by Next Adventures, in SE Portland. We met Sunday morning by the Sellwood Bridge. Spent a few minutes on the grass, going over a few pointers, then headed out into the Willamette River.

This is peaceful, quiet water. Barely a breeze, overcast, and early enough on a Sunday morning that there was no speed boat traffic.

If you’ve ever seen kayakers on smooth water, it looks incredibly easy. And I’m sure, with experience and practice, it is easy.

But it was a struggle. I’d work to go straight, and would end up heading to the left. In trying to get back right, I’d overcorrect.

Back and forth. Then, I’d stop forcefully, re-orient down river, and then do it all over again.

The two instructors in the group offered several suggestions, one of them even going so far as to say that my boat often has the same issue with novices.

But, per the suggestions, adjusted the stroke (foot to hip), reached out a bit farther, and things improved. Not completely, but improved.

How Like Life, Then??

Most things are usually more difficult than they originally appear.
Sure, you caaan figure it all out yourself, but having someone who knows and can help, that’s better.
If you find yourself fighting to and fro so much that you can’t get forward, you’re doing something wrong.
Sure, you can stop paddling, but you’ll have no control of where you end up.
There’s no harm is stopping, re-orienting, and beginning again.
IF you’re spending so much time working so hard, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a river, passing by Bald Eagle sanctuaries, with no way to enjoy it.

So What??

Fighting debt, losing weight, becoming a better father, a better husband, greening our household, becoming more involved civically.

There is no sure path. And there is no easy way to to progress in so many direction.

Look for the fun. Take your time. Ask for guidance. Accept suggestions.

And be prepared for the pain. My shoulders have been knotted up for days.

Fricken Sweet…..Corn

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Lawn corn, that is.

	The first growth out of the seeds. I think this was before I moved some of the sprouts around to increase spacing.
	Same location, a few weeks later.
	Top part of the corn stalk, called the tassel. This produces the pollen which produces the pollen that pollinates the ears. Captured in the shot is one of the pollinators.
	The base of the stalks. From here, you can see the ear of corn starting to emerge. Also, to the right of the stalk in front, you can see the leaves of a Hubbard squash plant starting to grow out.

This has been relatively easy, so far. The boys have really enjoyed keeping an eye on the plot, amazed at the visual difference in height from day to day.

I haven’t heard of much success in home-grown corn. At this point, there are several distinct ears, I’d call them about half size. I need to figure out the right time to pick them before they start to harden and get bitter.

A Debt Relapse

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Not for lack of effort to avoid it, our household has re-entered a debt state.

It was no one thing. My wife, Christie, and I had agreed that we should each be able to take one or trips a year, apart, where we could spend time catching up with friends or relatives.

Then, enrolling the boys in day camp for the summer. They each have a week of summer camp coming up.

Birthday parties, wedding celebrations to host, getting both of the cars serviced.

Lower hours than expected at the hospitals, a few weeks off while family is in town.

It’s still a relatively small amount, not what we planned for. We were hoping to replace one of the cars this year, perhaps taking advantage of the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

We’ll have to wait and see. (Contrary to my sons’ belief, that is not an automatic “No”)

50 Actions to Pay Off Debt on Consumerism Commentary
Become a Debt Killing Machine on Frugal Dad
Calculate How Long You'll Be in Debt on Lifehacker

A Garden In Law Update

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:48:00 +0000

From my lovely and loving sister-in-law in Southern California. Sara, like me, is trying Square Foot Gardening (SFG) for the first time this year.

We have been eating zucchini, bell peppers, and lots of two different types of cucumbers. Also, almost every kind of herb you could imagine (except dill...I would like to have some dill).

Thanks for the update, Sara. Those vines look great.

10k Interval Training – On to Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Just wrapped up Week 3 of the Podrunner Freeway to 10k. I did this interval routine four times; once two weeks ago and three times last week, all on treadmill as that’s just how my schedule worked out.

The first attempt was, by far, the most difficult. When I stepped down from the machine, I was dizzy and my vision was going. I recognized that I was about to pass out. Got some water, sat down, and all was well. Finished that interval once more that week, but without nearly passing out. In fact, I was a bit surprised; it went much better than the previous attempt.

That weekend, the family went on a river rafting trip on the Deschutes River out of Maupin, OR. We took the half-day trip and had an excellent time. Kudos to River Drifters. There’s a reason why I bring this up, though. Heading into the very first set of rapids, I took a moment to look back and see that the boys were secure. Bump went the raft and out went I while looking back. The raft swept over me and I went into the rocks. Luckily, it was only my legs banged up, and we were able to proceed on for the 15 mile trip. Once we were done and I was able to start walking around a bit, I began to notice the knots forming in my thighs from where the rocks hit. It’s a week and a half later and it still looks like somebody painted an eggplant on my leg.

Thus, I was a little nervous to resume the intervals. Rested on Monday, and gave it a try on Tuesday. Luckily, no pain for lateral motion; it only hurt on the stairs.

So, did the two other runs for Week 3, and then on to the first interval for Week 4.

This was Saturday morning, on the 4th. I was at home, so this one was going to be a road run and not treadmill.

I really have a bad memory when it comes to how hilly my neighborhood can be. Sure, it’s no Nob Hill, but there aren’t any stretches that are just, plain flat. Courtesy of MapMyRun, here are the changes in elevation. Looking at it, I’d go uphill in either direction to get home.

I will make the next attempt of Week 4 on the treadmill. But I also need to do road running, since my objective is the Pints to Pasta 10k in September. (Just a bit more than two months to go.)

On the plus side, here is an elevation map for the Pints to Pasta 10k (assuming the route doesn’t change). Mostly downhill.

Link Love

The Ultimate Weight Loss Guide by a Calorie Counter
21 Reasons to Exercise by eMedExpert
That’s Fit on how to boost your mood with exercise.
Frequent walks as the transition to running a marothon, via Lifehacker.

Gardening Update for June

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:22:00 +0000

Cover of North by Northwest [Region 2]

For the original nine lettuce starts I picked up from the store, for or five are left. But with those, the three or four nights of the week we’re actually home, we have been having huge salads. It’s a butter crunch lettuce, and I just break off 20 or 30 leaves at a time, letting it continue to grow. You can see, to the right, how the stalks have been cleared.

That, along with some fresh spinach and some tender pea pods. It’s been great.

Looking forward to the next crops.

Corn:

Two batches planted. The first batch, I followed the planting directions, not reading far enough ahead to the “thinning” part. But rather than pull out some growing plants, I replanted them until they were all a foot apart. I’ve since put in a second planting, so should have at least two harvests. Not sure how long this will take, though. And definitely not enough room to recreate the plane chase from North by Northwest.

Here’s the kicker. It’s not planted in the square foot gardening frame I’ve put together, it’s in my front yard.

Tomatoes :

I’ve suspended a tomato net from my raingutter. The net is eight feet tall, and I hope to train a cucumber and loofa vine into the netting, as well. It has the Sweet 100 tomato from the back corner spot in the garden bed.

The tomato plants from my own starts are just starting to bud. But, when I was at the market the other day, they had a hanging basket with tomato plant with a lot of fruit on it for only $5. So, I grabbed it, anxious to start getting some tomatoes on the dinner table.

Treadmill v Outdoor Running

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:17:00 +0000

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

A few quick thoughts to share.

Outdoors is, well…outdoors. Fresh air, blue sky, bugs, and rain.

Treadmills are indoors. Protected from the weather, the gym may have TVs or monitors up for display. I don’t know where the controls are; at the time of day that I run, it’s either market analysis on CNBC and monster truck competitions on some sports channel.

Outdoors, you can set your pace and your stride to match your energy level without thinking. It just happens. Speed up, stretch out your stride, or vice versa.

On the treadmill, you may think you feel it’s a 5.2 mph day, but a few minutes into it, have to maintain your balance while you press the buttons to a different speed. And repeat, possibly a few times, until you find what works. But, I can keep on eye on the timer. At first, when I started running again, that was dreadful; Dear Lord, not another two minutes to finish this sprint. But now, it’s a measure and a goal.

Finished my last of three runs in the first week of the Freeway to 10k program. Sticking with it.

Running Title

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:58:00 +0000

I’ve been training with the Couch to 5k (c25k) program from coolrunning.com for several weeks using the podcasts created for the program by Robert Ullrey. Although some of those weeks extended to two weeks while I either needed some extra conditioning to get through the routines or didn’t have enough time to squeeze in the three runs a week.

I find it helpful to have a program, a routine, a plan for working out; something to follow. I have created my own in the past, but if someone has already done the work, why duplicate the effort.

That’s the first part. The second is having an objective. While there are many people I know, admire, and respect that enjoy running for running’s sake, but I’m not there. Having an objective, something to work toward is helpful. A few people I know that have tried and completed the couch to 5k program did exactly that. They completed it, then stopped. End of story.

So, I checked several websites looking for 5k events in the area around the end of June. Nothing. Nothing in July. August.

While I was at Portland Running Co. getting analyzed for the right running shoe, I picked up a flyer for the Pints to Pasta 10k.

It’s a bigger challenge, but the podcast training workouts I found, the Freeway to 10K, start at about the level I’m running currently. So, I’ll give it a shot.

Square Foot Gardening Is Even Easier Than I Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Joe) — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:53:00 +0000

I built the frame in in February.

I updated with some pics a month ago. In that time, the Brussels sprouts plants are three feet tall. No sprouts growing from them, yet. But considering that the winter snows left my cruciferous plants as nothing more than stubs, I think that speaks pretty well to the quality of the soil.

The spinach I started from seed, and the buttercrunch lettuce starts that I picked up from the market are ready to start pruning back for salads.

In fact, since writing the above last night, I was able to cut off several leaves of spinach and a bunch of lettuce. We had it for dinner with fettuccini alfredo. The boys love spinach.

But, back to being easy. The plants and seeds have been out there for three months. In all that time, there have been three weeds. 3. Tres. Troi. Drei. Some slugs. I’ve captured a few in a beer trap, but I haven’t yet placed out any slug poison. I’d like to get buy without doing so.

That frame is surrounded by a jungle of weeds. I can’t take two steps without kicking dozens of seeds around.

Who Else is Square Foot Gardening

I was chatting with my sister-in-law the other night who shared with me that she had put together three frames after buying the book on my recommendation. Here are some shots from her yard. Awesome work, Sara!! These look fantastic.

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