along the journey

Today is the second day in a row I called in sick. I received two phone calls from Channel 2 news today. Same lady who talked to Rob the other day. I’m sure linking to that story is going to get me in good with her. They’re doing a story for the 5 o’clock broadcast about blogging and the lady who’s gone missing in Philly. She and her camera man just left. She twisted my arm for me to allow her to do the interview because I’m feeling crappy. I’m a softy. I gave in. When she arrived. I asked if I could say, “IT’S PANDEMONIUM OUT HERE FOLKS!!!” and during the interview I said it! It was just filler, but I did it anyway.

The interview wasn’t too bad. I dropped names of a couple blogs, so if it makes it to air here’s the links
A Fools Fate
Standing Cheese
Blogtimore.Com
Metafilter.com

So yesterday I ran 2.31 miles. For a whole mile I kept a 5mph pace, which is a 12minute mile. Not bad. I spent 36 minutes on the treadmill. Today, barely did 15 minutes on the treadmill. Had planned on getting back on after my weight circuit, but Mike was on his way out, and since I need very little help in ending my workout, I followed him.

But I was at Y by 5:45, which is an accomplishment for me and I did complete my circuit (not such an accomplishment, but is one nonetheless). I’ve got to tell myself that I did do something this morning.

Over the last couple of days I decided I was gonna go through my CD collection and rip a bunch of mp3’s. I’ve ripped all of the new cd’s I’ve purchased since I’ve had the mp3 player, but had never gotten around to my existing collection. I’ve come across a few that I wish I had had sooner…. like the Forrest Gump Soundtrack, or as I like to call it, Soundtrack for Fridays, MxPx- Life in General (hadn’t listened to that in forever), Considering Lily (for Amy, I like it too), and the Into The Woods Soundtrack.

One thing I noticed while going through my cd’s is that I have an awful lot of cases that are empty and I have no idea where the cd’s are, or the last time I listened to them. One that I’m particularly bummed about is the soundtrack from Rent. I bought it probably 6 or 7 years ago at Record and Tape Traders on East Point Blvd, during a trip to Baltimore, back when we lived in Cincinnati. Sentimental and damn good cd’s…. can’t find ‘em. Bah. I know there are a few others but I don’t remember them off the top of my head.

Next Tuesday Bradley Hathaway’s, All the Hits So Far, is going to be released. I’ve been wanting this since I read his blurb in Relevant a couple issues back. Dude is seriously very cool. Check out his video for Manly Man.

Men and their sons in the woods with fire and no moms
around, what could go wrong?
-our fearless trip organizer

Caleb and I were 2 out of about 24 others guys, young and old, that converged on Group Site B in Pine Grove Furnace State Park for a father-son camping trip this past weekend.

Nothing went wrong, that I know of. And that’s just perfect. Actually I lost 2 towels, because I left them at the beach. When I went back to get them the next morning they were gone. Oh, and it rained for about an hour Friday night. We had a blast. We sat around the fire, had great food, went swimming at a lake/beach type thing, rode paddle boats, and Caleb joined another guy on his kayak. Swam some more, sat around some more, watched the fire, stared at the stars between the trees. Slept on the ground, or rather, tossed and turned for a few hours while laying on the ground. Caleb slept like a baby. I’m sure he was worn out. It truly was a bonding experience, making memories.

The trip definately re-kindled a desire to go camping with my family. It was something that my parents did with me, and something Amy and I did a few times before having Caleb. But I definately want to get back out there again this fall.

I made it to the gym on Friday, but Mike was cutting out early, he said because he just wasn’t feeling it. I said what the heck, and asked him to get coffee with me. So we ran down to Zi Pani and had coffee and bagels before 7. I didn’t make it this morning. I’m thinking I have a cold or something, I’ve had a headache since Friday night. It’s right behind my eyes. Nothing I do makes it feel any better. A co-worker suggests that I get to the doctor, he says that he had similar issues last week, the doc gave him so medicine and he feels better than ever. I don’t have any other symptoms really. A bit nauseous in the car, actually yesterday was the first time I remember ever getting even the slightest bit carsick, I blamed it on the sun. This mornings car ride in to work was almost as bad, and was only 20 minutes long.

Have I mentioned how much I hate going to the doctor? It’s not an aversion to any particular procedure or anything, it’s just the whole rigamarole with getting an appointment and then showing up early, and then waiting for 20 minutes past your set appointment time, and then going over your whole medical history every fricken time…. I just hate it. Amy’s gonna make me call the doctor now, but I’m still gonna refuse.

I hope to get some pictures uploaded and on here this week. But I don’t know- 3 updates in a week, might be a little much.

So this week I’ve sort of been taking a break from the gym. Granted I’ve had good intentions. So I’ll go down the list of excuses:

• Monday: I wanted to go to the gym before heading out for OC, but my brother convinced me that we should probably leave early, so we planned on leaving at 5:30. We didn’t leave until 7:15 or so. I was frustrated that I didn’t go to the gym. I vowed to get there on Tuesday.
• Tuesday: I was so tired from being in OC on Monday and was significantly sunburned and wiped out, I just didn’t make it. I felt bad about it, but didn’t call and check in with Mike to let him know where I was. I promised to make it on Wednesday.
• Wednesday: Tuesday night Bo woke up at 2:30 or so in the morning and was inconsolable. Amy tried for a while and then I got up to take over. We were up for over an hour with him just crying and whimpering. I tried putting him down to play, I tried walking, sitting, rocking. Eventually I gave up. Put Baby Mozart video on and laid on the couch and held him so he’d watch it. He quieted down and we slept on the couch for several hours. Sleeping on the couch with a sunburned back is much more painful than sleeping on nice smooth bed sheets. I called Mike to tell him that I was sorry I’ve been slacking and updated him to this point. I told him and Amy that I’d go Thursday.
• Thursday: I MADE IT TO THE GYM!!!

Thus ends my tale for now.

Time sure does fly…. um. Ok.

The silence on the blog also corresponds to an abscence at the gym. So I’ve really been slacking. A buddy and his family joined the Y last week, which also corresponded to his med-school classes starting again. He wanted a few weeks to get into a routine before starting to workout, I encouraged him to include working out as part of his new routine. Consequently, that meant holding me accountable for getting there myself. So far so good. Today is the third consecutive day of waking up at the butt-crack of dawn to get to the gym. I was half asleep as I plodded along on the elliptical machine. I ran the last two days, I wanted to give my legs and feet a break. I also cut my circuit short too. I only did 6 instead of the 9 machines. That was mostly Mike’s fault, since he was leaving, it was all the encouragement I needed to leave too. I like to get home before 7. It gives me a few minutes with my wife and usually Bo, since he’s been getting up before 7.

Last week was an awful week, this week excellent so far. My brother and his family, from Ohio, are coming to visit this weekend. We’re gonna go to Ocean City. I’ve determined that it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve been to OC. We’re even going to make it an overnight trip. We’re gonna stay in Salisbury though, it’s much cheaper that way, which is about 45 minutes from the beach. I don’t know if I’ve ever had 2 consecutive days at OC. Living this close it’s almost as easy to go down just for the day. Or at least that’s how my family was.

I’m not going to commit to putting anything here, but here’s a start.