Broken driver side mirror

So the street I live on is bound and determined to make my vehicle-owning life a living hell. First, my CRV was rear ended and then my Grand Caravan driver-side mirror was sideswiped. I don't see other cars on the block or along the street having this problem but it happened to me within a few months time for both my vehicles.

I have a two-car drive way but sometimes my wife's family stops by while I'm at work. I come home and one of my vehicles and an in-laws' vehicle is in my driveway so I have to park my second vehicle at curb of the street. The in-laws leave and I end up leaving my vehicle parked at the curb for whatever reason like laziness or I'm already in bed. Then some idiot comes by and hits my vehicle(s) and doesn't own up to it because they're probably some stupid drunk assholes!

I looked all over the world wide web and local auto parts shops like O'Reilly's or Pep Boys for a cheaply priced replacement mirror. I didn't want to buy from a dealership because of dealership pricing. I almost had to because my particular model seems to be rare for some damn reason. It seems my mirror is in-between the two models that are widely offered from various vendors and dealerships. Either, I can find a replacement manual mirror or mirror with remote and heat. My mirror is remote with no heat. I have no problem having a manual mirror as I hardly adjust my van mirrors but I didn't want to order online and then the damn thing not fit/work like I thought. Then I'd have to go through the process of returning and probably getting screwed out of some of my money that I thought I was saving. Since I couldn't find my particular model on the Internet or in retail auto parts stores and surely didn't want to go to a dealership, I had an epiphany and thought of looking at a junkyard.

Hell, I haven't been to a junkyard in something like twenty five years! I didn't even know if they still existed...for pulling parts, anyway. I figured there were ones around where they just crushed, stacked and stored cars for scrap metal but what the hell do I know these days. I don't work on my own vehicle much at all these days since I'm busy and they have all these new technologies and shit that only "smart mechanics" know how to fix. Anyway, I googled 'junkyard' and found a few in my general vicinity. The closest was about fifteen minutes away. It closed at 6 p.m. and I get off of work at 5 p.m. but with rush-hour traffic happening at that time AND going the direction I'd need to go, I'd have to either leave work early or wait for the weekend. The weekend timing won.

I made my first trip towards the junkyard and got about three quarters of the way before I realized that I did not bring ANY tools for removing the mirror if I found a replacement. I went ahead and drove the rest of the way to know for sure the location and to be sure it actually existed. I mean it did have a website and all but I just wanted to be doubly sure.

It took me a couple of more weeks before I was able to head to the junkyard again. This time I was prepared. I brought the old mirror as well as my tool box of which I really only needed a couple of tools.

I walked all over this junkyard. It was much bigger than I imagined. The area where most of the vehicles that would contain my mirror was the farthest distance in the farthest corner of the junkyard from the entrance. It was a hot, dry day with a slight breeze and this place was very dusty. After about fifteen minutes, my eyes were watering from the dirt, my nose was running from the dust and I think I was getting a farmer's tan from the sunshine.

So long story completed, I finally got my driver-side mirror replaced.

compared to

Weekend breakfast

Over the past few years or so, I've tried to create a tradition of making breakfast at least on one of the weekend mornings for the family but usually Sunday. This is about what it looks like but with a bit more bacon, eggs (scrambled and over-easy), toast (french or toasted).

Add Dunkin Donuts coffee for me, milk for the family and breakfast is good to go in the House of Jay.

I believe creating this tradition has worked as many times my kids have had friends stay the night and I hear them say, "Dude, you picked a good night to stay over because my Dad makes breakfast with bacon and eggs in the morning!"

I'm a good—no, great Dad and husband!

Death by paintball

Okay, it didn't quite die from the paintball hit but it did lose an eye.

Tagged this freaking nuisance about 30 feet away running down the trunk of a pecan tree. Shot it in the head (eye).

It kind of staggered on the tree and then leaped off the trunk. It plummeted about 20 feet to my driveway.

I went to take a look and it was breathing/panting heavily with the damage eye towards me.

I hit it a few more times with paintballs just to add to its pain and misery.

I then took this photo.

I went back outside about an hour later and the thing was gone. Either it recovered enough to go to the squirrel shaman for an eye patch or a neighborhood cat had lunch!

Goodbye and good riddance!

Frying wingettes for buffalo wings

I've never "deep" fried anything before. I am trying to make homemade buffalo wings.

I was told to deep fry then put them in a container with the buffalo sauce to marinate.

We'll see how it goes.

UPDATE: I don't think they turned out too bad.

The kids, my kids and a couple of neighbor kids, taste tested and said it was very good. The buffalo sauce I used wasn't really spicy but probably more of what I'd call tangy. Next time I'll try a little more of a spicy flavor.

Overall, I thought I did a good job if I may say so myself. 1^st time frying and 2^nd time making hot wings. Good times.


Sent on the Super Jay Network from Super Jay's BlackBerry®

Telephone books

Do these even get used anymore? I think these have been sitting on my porch for about a week now. I'm just too lazy to pick them up and take them to the trash in the back of the house. I'll probably do it by this weekend but should I really have to?

I don't know when the last time was when I cracked open the Yellow Pages. That's what Google, Yahoo and now Bing are for, right?

AT&T save some fucking trees and company cash. Stop printing these and start lowering your mobile rates and shit! You could also save in labor costs as you wouldn't need those scary child-kidnapping-looking vans driving around the neighborhoods and the guys running them to the doors/porches!

If someone actually still uses/needs these, you should work with them to get on the Internet and learn how to use it for business/phone searches.

I'm tired of seeing these on my porch when I don't use them!

Sent on the Super Jay Network from Super Jay's BlackBerry®

Backyard crawfish boil

This was from a couple of months ago and I guess I forgot to post it.

Anyway, near the end of March, our neighbors invited us to a backyard crawfish boil at their house. Our neighbor has a coworker/friend that is from Lafayette (I think), Louisiana and she was talking about crawfish to him one day. A couple of days later they decided to put the talk into action.

They didn't have time or the open wallet to start with fresh, live crawfish but they didn't get some freshly frozen ones. They weren't completely finished when we headed down the block to attend but the smell was very appealing. I wasn't too interested in eating crawfish and luckily I had basically just eaten so I had a decent excuse to refrain if I had to. As you can see, the neighbor's friend did a great job with the ingredients and all. I mean corn, carrots, potatoes and she even had sausage.

For those inexperienced, she had everyone grab a crawfish and she stepped us all through the technique. I partook in the training although I've had it many times before when I was younger. That way at least I didn't seem like an ass for not doing ANYTHING. All in all it was good times, good fun, good food and good music with some dancing thrown in later in the evening.

As a kid, my brothers and I used to ride our bikes to the local high school. It was about a 10-minute ride from our house. We would take some kite string, bacon and/or bologna, a net and a minnow-type bucket. The high school is where we went to catch crawdads (or crawfish to others).

No, there wasn't a pond or anything like that. So, where did we "fish" for crawdads? In front of the high school there was a U.S. highway. At the time it was a two-lane thoroughfare (it is now like six lanes with a center turn lane) and on each side of it there were what is commonly called ditches. Yep, those kind of ditches...the kind that catches water runoff from the road, parking lot of the high school, or just the very small greenbelts between the parking lot and highway. It sounds gross now but at the time that's just what we did as boys, a lot of the neighborhood kids did. It was amazingly a hot bed for crawdads of all sizes. Some would be like 1-2 inches where others could be like 4-6 inches. We captured whatever we could. Most of the time it was for enjoyment and passing the time but occasionally we did bring them home to boil and eat.

I know many people are grossing out and/or laughing. I have the same reaction now that I look back upon those great times as a kid. But you know what, those things tasted just the same (excluding the different spices used) as the one(s) we had this night at the neighbors. Again, I only recall doing it maybe three times max but I do recall the taste and texture now as then. My mom and a couple of brothers would do the brain-sucking thing but I didn't always. In fact, I can probably count on one hand how many times I partook in the brain-sucking. It was just gross to see the orangy, slimy guts that were inside the head. For some reason that I don't know and will probably not take the time to investigate fully, the head area of the crawfish/dad didn't cook like the lower body and tail. Granted there is more meat and muscle I guess in the lower portion but I just think that if the human brain was boiled long enough, it would harden or cook more like chicken/steak meat but the crawfish brains never did/do...at least in all the times I've had them.

Anyway, before I get too much more long-winded, I'll just say that this recent experience was a fun one and the people were great to spend the evening with. The neighborhood has really started to shape up and become more neighborly since the time we moved into it. Not that we were the cause of it, but there weren't so many kids around and the tenants weren't so friendly/neighborly (some still aren't but they are the rarity).

I'm gone!

We need to trim our "garden" and keep it that way

Okay, seriously!?

I get an email from the "landlord" saying that the city is pressing to have the alley ways more clear than they have been. They are no longer going to warn the tenants. They will just fine them.

She was nice about it and this is part of what she said:

You all do not have much back there but there are some weeds that exceed the 8” limit – behind the fence and garage. You need to trim them and keep them trimmed from now on.

I can't believe that this is what she considers "overgrowth" in the alley.

How stupid!

I will pull this shit up and leave it in the alley just to spite them. But then again, I may not be quite as angered when I pull it up and I will probably think more clearly and chunk it in the neighbor's yard.

Chevy Volt

Saw an article about the Chevy Volt. A plug-in electric car.

It's a novel concept but isn't plugging in the car going to tax the house power which in turn will make the power plants churn more which in turn will cause more air pollution? So is that still considered a 'clean' automobile?

I'm not an engineer but it seems like a logical theory to me.

Yoda (in sepia)

P90X - The Proof, The "Restart"

I don't know how long it's been since I stopped (due to injury) but I believe that I am going to start the P90X-perience again this weekend. The problem is that I am still sort of injured and got a new injury to boot.

My ankle is still tender and occasionally stiff. I still play tennis and roller hockey but after the tennis my ankle is usually sore and the bottom of my foot feels like it's cramping. I have to stretch the muscle many times a day even after just sitting while watching television or being on my computer.

My newest injury is my right wrist. I play tennis and I put a lot of spin on my ground strokes with rotating or flicking my wrist. A few many times over the past few years I have mishit a ball and it vibrates the racquet or jams my wrist to a point of a twinge of pain and jarring. I tough through the pain and keep playing as much as I can. Sometimes, more than often, it passes, Other times, it doesn't but I keep playing. I'm male. It's what we do. I'm not saying it is smart. I'm just saying it's just what we do. Anyway, I might have to go get the wrist x-rayed. It's got a little bump between the socket of my thumb and index finger kind of near the middle backside of my hand. The wife thinks it might be a cyst. Some friends think it might be a displace metacarpal. Either way, I'm sure it would be best to get it looked at so I know for sure before they have to just cut it off. :-) My point of mentioning this injury is it makes it difficult to do push-ups because I cannot put too much pressure on it and it doesn't quite have the flexibility to bend like it should without some "enjoyable" pain.

I don't want to wait any longer though. I did enjoy the P90X workouts although I found it kind of difficult to fit in my schedule with having to deal with the wife and kids' schedules as well. I have a goal set in my mind to lose some weight and tone up the muscles before we hit the beach again this summer. It's not that I want to impress anybody else. I just want to feel good about knowing I look fit...for my wife, for my kids as well as for me.

Motivation has been lacking due to the cold but now that the weather is getting somewhat warmer it won't be as demotivating to do the routines in my garage again. It is damn cold in there when the weather is damn cold!

My plan is to start either Saturday night so my 7th day is on a Friday or start Sunday so it is on a Saturday. Either way, it helps to know the 7th day falls on a possible tennis/roller hockey day so I can either Stretch X or Rela-X.

We'll see how it goes. The wife express interest to do it with me. She's good at her weight watchers but wants to tone up and also build stamina and get her heart pumping strong. The problem is she is completely non-athletic. Not that it's a horrible thing but weight watchers doesn't really require any strenuous physical activity (for her anyway, I would be beating myself up sticking to the portion control and such because I lack good discipline).

Anyway, we'll see how motivate we both are this weekend.

P90X - The Proof, The "Pause 2"

It's been quite a while since I "paused" with the P90X work out. With the ankle sprain, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, I've been too busy (lazy) to start back up.

It's not complete laziness, though. The weather has finally dropped below comfortable in Dallas, Texas. Along these lines, I work out in my two-car garage. It's not insulated so if it's cold outside, it's cold inside the garage. And lately it's been too cold inside the garage. It's not too cold to work out in a parka but it's kind of hard to move around in one of those to do the exercises.

I did try to move the "work out" room inside to my sunroom but the wife put a quick stop to that. The problem is that I don't have a pull-up bar or anywhere to put one so I use the bands for the pull-up-type exercises. The problem with the bands is that they require some sort of hook on the ceiling to provide the resistance. This hook is easily installed in the garage without any fuss from the wife. Unfortunately, she's not so silent with putting it in the sun room.

So, I have to pause a little longer. Luckily, the weather in Dallas is freezing one day and 50-60 the next. I have done some of the Cardio X in my sunroom but it's not ideal and I don't feel that I'm getting enough of a "strenuous" workout with the cardio. No pain, no gain. No sweat...no...I got nothing. It probably does enough but I just like to feel it and I don't really feel it during or after the cardio.

Anyway, I hope the next week brings warmer weather. I may just get some thicker sweats than I currently have and go ahead and start up the routine again in the freezing garage. I'm lazy but I'm also kind of like jonesing for the routine.

We'll see how it goes in the days, weeks, to come.

2.4 ghz V-Tech Cordless Phone

Just a bit of nostalgia.

Again while I was catching up on episodes of Dexter, I saw this phone in the scene.

This was our first V-tech brand cordless phone that we had in our house. That was circa 1995. It's funny how it shows up in an episode of Dexter that was aired in 2009.

I'd have to say that we loved this phone. The product and call quality was very good. The range wasn't that far as it was just a 2.4 ghz signal and they didn't come out with the high frequencies for a few more years at least. We also liked the style of the phone and got a lot of compliments on it.

I'm glad at least our product purchases are famous if we aren't.

Kermit the...lizard

I caught this little, green fellow scampering around my kitchen.

Reptile on the loose

These are from back in October 1^st. I just happened to be rummaging through my pictures while watching Drag Me To Hell.

I caught this mean little booger on my patio canopy. I was pretty fast but not fast enough. Once I got this little shit between mu fingers it was sort of hissing and it bit me a few times. My wife and kids weren't at the house during this time so I was going to keep it until they got home. I put it in a little Tupperware container for about an hour. The little shit was running around crazy trying to find a way out.

I decided to let it go but when I popped off the lid it kind of like sprung out and hit the kitchen floor running! It ran to the dining room and ran up the wall. I finally caught the little bastard...again...and was able to put him back on the canopy but not before I made his ass pose for a few pictures. Kermit he is not!

P90X - The Proof, The "Suffering" - Day 3, Week 1 to Day 3 Week 3

It’s been a while but I’m on week 3 day 3 (or day 15 total) of the P90X-perience. You liked that, huh? If you aren’t familiar, the workout is over 6 days with the option for the 7th which is either rest or Stretch X. I didn’t stretch the past two Sundays (my 7th day as I started on a Monday and go, for sure, through Saturday) because I played tennis for 4+ hours on Saturday AND Sunday so I figured that was my “Stretch X” or even a good workout.

So, let me get right to the recap of days 3-10. I don’t think I’ll type for each day as weeks 1-3 are the same set of exercises over the 6 (or 7) days.

Day 3, Shoulders and Arms
As stated previously, I don’t work out and haven’t done so in a very long time when I did. These exercises are new to my muscles therefore I think I’m wimpier during them and more sore after them. That’s not saying that I am a complete and utter pussy. I did the routine. It just was difficult and painful, especially after already being sore from days 1 and 2. I wasn’t that sore after day 1, chest and back. I got a little more sore before day 2 workout of plyometrics. Before day 3, I really didn’t know if I was going to make it. My triceps hurt badly. My biceps hurt badly. My pectorals hurt. My lower body was sore after plyometrics—I contribute this less sore to me being a regularly scheduled tennis player which already works my calves, thighs, and hamstrings although these exercises are different the muscle structure is already somewhat there. That’s my opinion anyway. That means I’m a lower-body strength person and the upper body could use some serious work.

Shoulders and arms does this. It kind of adds to the already used muscles from chest and back because there are sort of similar bends of the arms. The sitting lifts were loads of fun. Good movement for the upper shoulder and back. Master Tony says, “Everyone does 16.” That’s everyone but me. I did do 12 with 15lbs on the first round but didn’t want to overdo it as there is a repeat. The second round I was able to do 15. Form is important and I think I got it down with the second attempt. There were a few other exercises that were mothers but I’m not too motivated at this time to provide much detail. Just know, they suck, they hurt but they are also fun. My soreness was in my mind the whole time during the workout but it did not hinder me like I expected it too. I did get shaky on a few moves but I maintained.

Day 4, Yoga
Still a bit sore in the tricep/bicep area, I was looking forward to yoga as a more relaxing time. Was I ever fucking wrong! I have a new appreciation for those people that do yoga. I ignorantly assumed it was like an old-person’s exercise like maybe Tai Chi or something where it’s about stretching and movement and balance. Yoga is all these and much more. I don’t think my body was built to bend or just move in the manner Master Tony requires. There were some movements like bringing my knee up to my chest after the downward dog I was like, “WTF ever!” I think part of the difficulty was my spare tire but the other part is I just am not that flexible! Like I said, I have a lot more respect for those people that do yoga and can move/bend like it requires. I’m also thoroughly impressed with Master Tony being able to do these moves (which I’m sure there wouldn’t be a DVD for it if he couldn’t) while looking to be so muscular and physically “big.” It’s truly impressive. Maybe with time, I too will be able to bend like Master Tony.

Because of my limited flexibility, yoga was somewhat more difficult than the weight exercises. The transitions from one pose to the other are inconceivable without more flexibility. I had to modify the graceful movements of Master Tony and crew to choppy-but-I-got-there movements. Again, with time, hopefully I will be a graceful eagle soaring from one position to another.

I appreciated yoga for the extra stretching of the muscles…all muscles, mind you…to help get more of the soreness out.

Day 5, Legs and Back
Master Tony may say that Plyometrics is the mother of all P90X workouts but legs and back is no slacker! There is one move where you lean against a wall with your back straight. You start out with the thighs at a 45 degree angle for like 15 seconds or so. Then you lower to a 90 degree angle for about the same amount of time. I believe this went on for a minute maybe longer because it hurt so gosh darn much I can’t remember the time correctly but the pain and burn I will never forget.

There are some other exercise done but you can tell which one I remember. Again, I fell that I already have somewhat strong legs but this exercise was a total different way to work them.

Day 6, Kenpo X
Day 6 for me falls on a Saturday. Saturday mornings I play tennis from about 8:30am to 12pm. I hadn’t played tennis in two weeks because of all the rain we’ve had in Dallas. I was still a little sore in the upper body and my lower body was a little drained and loosy-goosy from the previous Day 5 Legs and Back. Granted the exercise movements may not be the same but I made an executive decision to pass on Kenpo X. After such a long layoff from tennis my back gets sore from my service motion and I guess overall ground strokes. My body was sore to begin with and now it was even more sore and weaker. I justified passing by saying the tennis workout was four hours versus 30mins to an hour or Kenpo.

Day 7, Rest or Stretch X
I played tennis again on Day 7 from about 8am to 2pm. It wasn’t high-intensity tennis as on Saturday but it was hot and I did get good exercise. Besides, I’m not sure I know where to find Stretch X. I don’t think it’s a DVD. If it is, it didn’t come in my package or maybe I haven’t look well enough for it. I will try again. I like a day of rest, especially after all the tennis, but I think I prefer to keep the P90X going if I’m not doing long hours of playing tennis. I also won’t skip an exercise that isn’t like Yoga, Kenpo or Stretch even if I have already played tennis. I think I like and require the other exercises for now.

Day 8, Chest and Back
I’ve repeated Day 1. It wasn’t as painful as the first time around. My muscles are still pretty tired and drained from the work out but I’m more prepared for what to do and my muscles know what to expect as well.

Day 9, Plyometrics
Once again the mother of all P90X workouts, was just that. I enjoy this one more than others. I think it’s because most if not all of the moves are easier for me as they are my lower body muscles versus the upper body ones.

Day 10, Shoulders and Arms
Shoulders and arms must be the second mother of all work outs. As with the other work outs, I feel better now that I’ve done it once. I know what to expect. I know to use better form. And my muscles have experience it once so it’s not as vicious the second time around.

Day 11, Yoga
Unfortunately, this time I had to miss yoga. I have a sick child and had to “baby” them because it could be a relapse of the flu of swine. I do what I need to do to make sure the kids feel safe in all ways and at all times. I did take a short walk. Not too long or too far because the rain interrupted it.

I think that brings me up to speed with the whole P90X-perience thus far. Hopefully all will continue to go well and I will get better at doing the exercises. I don’t expect at this time to look like Master Tony or his minions in the video. I would be happy with dropping about 30-40lbs and have better strength and stamina.

On that note, I had weighed myself about a week or so before starting P90X. I was 226 lbs. I weighed myself the morning of Day 8 and I registered at 217 lbs. Out of curiosity if I really lost any weight, I weighed again the night of Day 9 and I registered at 219 lbs. Between the night of Day 9 and the night of Day 10, I weighed a couple of more times and I seem to have stabilized at 219 lbs. Now how much this had to do with P90X or steps I had sort of taken a few days before, I’m not sure. I’m not complaining.

I will continue with the regimen. I am not completely following the nutritional requirements but I am also not eating as big as portions as I used to. I also make choices like instead of bacon cheeseburger I have a Healthy Choice steamer or instead of a barbecue bacon burger I will have a hamburger.

Next week is week 4 and it starts a new routine for the week. I’m excited but also nervous as I don’t know if I fully excelled at weeks 1-3. Although Master Tony says, “Do what you can do, just keep good form,” I feel like maybe I should have been able to complete more push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or whatever than I have. I definitely can do more than before and they aren't quite as painful compared to when I started but it almost seems like I’m unfulfilled at this point. The workouts are intense and I feel drained but good afterward. It’s just a feeling. I guess maybe I should wait to see what week 4 has in store before I start complaining.

P90X - The Proof, The "Pain" - Day 2, Week 1

I'm a couple of days behind on this but I will maintain the updates (I hope) for anyone that cares. I just don't always have the time to post the day of, the day after, or maybe even longer. So without further adieu...

As mentioned in a previous post, I officially began the P90X program. I haven't completely immersed myself in the program in the sense that I don't buy their products they recommend to go along with the work out program. I just can never justify purchasing products without knowing 1000% that they are worth it. I just have better things on which to spend my hard-earned dough, although I may look into the recovery drink they offer. I think it'll be explained later within the following text or next post why I might (that's a BIG might) go back against my thought process for this one product.

I originally stated that I didn't feel that sore. I lied. Well, I didn't lie at that time. I'm sore as shit now and have been since about 6pm Tuesday night, before DVD #2 - Plyometrics. Not to mention that I had a slight headache all evening Tuesday before doing Plyometrics. In fact, I was very near deciding to skip Plyometrics and do it the next day (Wednesday). I wasn't going to not do it at all. I just wasn't feeling like I could fully apply myself to the process feeling badly. I contemplated all evening right up until the moment of hitting play.

Yes, I decided to go for it. Or as Master Tony would say, "BRING IT!" So I brought it, although reluctantly.

My arms were more sore than the rest of my body. My hamstrings and thighs were a little sensitive to heavy exercise but the arms, my dear, sweet, loving arms. Up to the time I started Plyometrics and after, my triceps were very sore. It's amazing how sore they got from about 12pm when I originally posted about DVD #1 - Chest & Back to about 5pm the same day. I must say that I could have dropped to the fetal position at times of movement which I used my arms.

Again, I must justify my wussiness by restating that I have never formally worked out. I've done weights in the past like curls, bench press, butterflies, should press, shoulder rolls and the like but that was when I was younger, more active, and had more time in my days/evenings. I'm trying to change my mental attitude as well as the physical. So praise my effort.

Anyway...once again, the warm up was gratifying. It got the heart pumping and the blood flowing. It loosened me up a tad and the stretching help a bit with the sore muscles...a tiny bit! The pangs I felt in the triceps were trying to tell me, "Quit you wussy!" but I persevered. Again, the stretches helped to relieve the soreness and tightness but just temporarily. Plyometrics is indeed focused on the lower body. Thank God! The biceps and triceps are saved for the evening.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the Plyometrics DVD. It sounds weird to say that I enjoyed a work out but that's me. I'm a lazy mofo but I do like strenuous activity now and again. It kind of helps me prove to myself that when I can endure and last doing something so physical that I realize I'm not a complete Jabba the Hut. Anyway, it felt great to do some lower body (thighs, quads, glutes) exercises. Some of them require a little coordination, luckily I found mine, and balance. One exercise I found odd, I don't recall the name at this time, is the one where you run in a circle around a towel or shirt or whatever you have around that won't cause physical pain or damage if you step on it. I didn't find it to be a difficult move at all but at the same time I didn't find it a difficult move at all. Okay that's not entirely true. It is a little difficult to maintain this imaginary pivot and radius that Master Tony wants. You stay facing forward and you run around this object without turning your body. If you could put the DVD into extreme fast forward and loop on this exercise, you probably would sort of see an upside-down cone shape the body makes. Or it's like some giant is holding your head still in one place between his thumb and pointer and you are running in a circle without being able to turn your body. Anyhow, I've not totally mastered this move as I've done it once but at the same time Master Tony has not completely mastered it either because his line (as he likes to call it) occasionally faltered. So, I didn't feel too bad but I did at least try to maintain some semblance for what he was looking. It was cardio and it did work out different muscles in the front and back of legs but it just didn't seem as intense as the other exercises.

The one exercise I can tell you is good is the one where you stand squatty with your legs apart, toes and knees sort of pointed outward (I think). You kind of take a hike (yes, like in football) and jump in the stance to your left. You repeat but jump to the right. It may have been called Leap Frog Squats but not totally sure. I like this exercise a lot and I felt it! I still feel it a bit.

Again, my legs are usually worked on a bit during my weeks because I play tennis, rollerblade and mountain bike. These muscles are already worked to an extent unlike my arms and upper body. That's why I think my soreness in my arms is WAY more than my legs although some could make the mistake that they didn't work out as hard with the legs as arms and think they didn't get the effect of exercise. Wrong! In my opinion, of course, but I believe it works and is correct for me.

So, Day 2 was in the bag. I didn't get to bed until about 11:45pm Tuesday night. Once again, I was too tired to take a shower and no puking this time. I made sure I wiped off the sweat or it dried (gross, I know) before I laid on the bed. During the workout the headache stayed at bay. It was more like a twinge than anything else. I was surprised as I thought that the endorphins would kick in and it would go away altogether. But it didn't. When I went to bed, it was still a twinge but I knew it was going to suck ass later.

Missed telemarketing calls

Like many who are losing credibility (as if there was any) in our government, I have lost it in the National Do Not Call List. It doesn't work. I truly believe this is a shitty "band-aid" the American government put on one of the biggest problems of American citizens.

I signed up back in 2007 and it says you'll never have to sign up again since it passed as law in 2008. It doesn't work. I get calls on a daily basis from shitsticks I've never heard of, care to hear of, or don't even know who the hell it is at all.

Yesterday, I decided to take some steps on my own. First, luckily for me, I just got a new set of cordless phones. They are the Panasonic Dect 6.0 KX-TG6445T phones (if I feel motivated maybe I'll write a review on them...maybe) that I got from Fry's. I didn't pay the currently listed price because it was on sale a week or so ago. Anyway, they have a built in call block feature that you can enter any number and supposedly it will block the call. I say "supposedly" because I just used it for the first time and won't know until it is used. Then again, I may never know because I don't know if there is a log for the blocked calls. I may have to actually read the manual, dammit!

Second, I went to the Do Not Call registry list and submitted a complaint on the violators! Hell yeah! Now, whether or not this works (I have more faith in the call block on the KX-TG6445T) I may never know but it does make me feel somewhat better like when people write in a diary (or blog, :-P) and feel like they are actually venting to someone "real." Okay, I don't really feel better but I guess I can say at least I tried SOMETHING.

P90X - The Proof, The "Puke" - Day 1, Week 1

I started the first day, first DVD of P90X last night. I've cleared out a nice little spot in my two-car garage where I have a TV, DVD player, area rug, and weights. I do have a fan in there but I didn't turn it on as it wasn't hot in there last night but it was humid due to the current weather conditions in Dallas.

The warm up was just dandy. Just watching, it doesn't seem like the warm up does much for getting the pulse up and the blood pumping. I was totally wrong. It was actually a worthy warm up and stretch to begin the workout. A good thing too as I've never had a work out session like this. I've worked out but at home, by myself, and not an organized-type session.

Anyway, the exercises were pretty intense for someone who has never worked out and probably has never used such specific muscles on a consistent basis as these exercises tend to pinpoint. The military push-up, the diamond push-up, declines, the wide fly pull-up and the dips push-ups (I forget the real name) are all moves I haven't done in a LONG while or I've never, ever done before in my life. I think positively to myself though and say, "I'm not supposed to do a lot of these moves like the people in the video but I will!" I had to remember that I've never "worked out" before. I've never used exercises like this before. So, the more I do them, the more I believe I will be able to do them and so on. That's the plan, anyway.

I need to start the DVD earlier as I started about 10:30-11pm and it's like an hour long work out. Yeah, this isn't no "crunch an hour's work into 30 minutes" promo. They do provide timed water breaks and you can even take a quick break during occasional "I-can't-do-anymore-reps" moments. It's like they understand the normal Joe will need to take breaks and are okay with that as long as you are consistent with the reps and push yourself to almost muscle failure...the 2nd time around. You do the routine once and then you will do it again so it is very recommended to hold back a little on the first wave. Trust me on this. I didn't heed the warning and my reps on the second set were a few lower than on the first. I think that's to be expected but some of the exercises I was too low in comparison. I will be smarter next time or continue to do the same. I really don't know if it is that detrimental. Maybe I should just follow the "rules."

So, after this long explanation/description, I must say that I was thoroughly sweaty and drained from the workout. This is important because I don't sweat like a normal human being. It must be my Polynesian background or something but where someone else would have made puddles, I barely make drops. I also was sweaty because I did this in my garage, outside, which the weather was a little humid and I think made it similarly so inside the garage even though I had all the doors closed.

The funny thing is after the workout, I exited the garage to sit on a patio chair in the cool nighttime air and I started to feel like I was going to puke. I hate to puke. I hate how my mouth salivates when a puke feels like it's coming. I try to spit the excess and continue on my way but this time was rather difficult. I was already not feeling 100% before exercising. I had some really bad gas and the occasional stomach pangs like I had to drop a load but never did before working out. I think this was more of a contribution to my puke feeling than the actual working out but I'm sure the working out pushed me over the edge.

Almost like clockwork, as soon as I completed the DVD and sat down, I continually spit in hopes of avoiding a heaving. No dice. About 5 minutes, I had that heaving convulsion like it was coming. It did but not as much as I thought and just the one time although I felt like it could come again. It just never did. The puke wasn't really full of anything. It almost was like chucking congestion or drainage because it was like almost clear mucous. Yeah, gross I know but I thought about it positively and chalked it up to a damn good workout, worthy of another! Ha!

It's about midnight by the time I head into the house. I'm tired mentally, physically and was ready to hit the hay. The problem was about ten steps into the house I got this overwhelming feeling like I had to take a shit, an upset stomach, diarrheal-type shit. So, I make a beeline for the kids bathroom. I had to peel off my shorts and briefs as I'm sweaty. I make it on the seat just in time before the explosion. It was like never ending. Now I have the shit sweats and I have to take off my damp shirt and wipe my head, chest, and gut. It wasn't pleasant to say the least. After expelling all that I could, it was a two-flusher with a side of Lysol Disinfectant so my kids don't keel over when they enter their bathroom in the morning before school. Anyway, just a little more description...the poo was greenish in color which made me realize that all I had for dinner was two medium bowls of Lucky Charms (they're magically delicious, ya know!) about two hours before working out. So, the milk and the sugary sweet cereal obviously played a major role in my temporary "sickness." Note to self: don't have a bowl or two of cereal before doing a P90X routine!

After clearing my colon, I went to bed. Yes, I was sweaty but I sat in front of my fan upstairs and "dried" for about five minutes so I could go straight to bed. I didn't want a shower to take too long or rejuvenate me a little before going to sleep. I know me and once I got into a hot shower I could be in there for 10, 15, even 30 minutes easily. If I did that, bedtime would have been like 1:00am and I have to get up at 6:30am to ensure the kids are up and getting ready for school. Anyway, I hit the pillow and that's about all I can remember before hearing the alarm at 6:30am. I got up and took my shower, refreshed and somewhat sore. My muscles were not too sore really as much as they were fatigued. My arms felt like I was carrying 15-20lb weights in each hand. My body ached like when you feel the onset of the flu. I wondered if I was going to be able to do DVD #2 tonight. If it requires anything like weights or pushups or the like, I think I'll take a day break and continue tomorrow because I think my muscles are too dead for tonight.

All in all, I think it was a good session. I felt empowered, and drained, all at the same time. To me it's like my weekly Saturday tennis, I hate to get up at 7am on a Saturday to get out and play tennis until about noon but once I'm there, I'm usually glad I did.

I have to take the traditional "before" pictures so I can look back and compare (if I maintain the discipline to do the full 90 days) to the after pictures. I envision the hidden hotness, healthiness, that has been under my spare tire since getting married -- spare was more like a donut back then, now it's closer to full-size but I can still see my feet, er, toes. :-P

UPDATE: Tonight's DVD is Plyometrics. What the hell is that? A quick Google search and it seems it's just like jumping, hopping and lunging type exercises to improve stamina and the height of jumps. Good. No weights or upper body stuff. That P90X guy is a smart guy...for now.

Credenza

I've been in the market for a credenza. I've been looking for one for a few months. I didn't want an expensive one although there are some really nice and fancy ones. I just wanted something that looked nice, matched my office desk, made of wood (not that particle board shit), had lots of storage space and decently priced. I really don't need matching but my wife does because my "office area" is at one end of our fairly long and spacious bedroom. Why it has to match I don't know since the bedroom isn't exactly a conversation area nor is it on the main level so no one is really going to easily see anything in it. I just do what the wife says...on this anyway.

I have been scoping out Craigslist to find this much needed but worth tthe wait piece of furniture. In fact, I checked daily, sometimes hourly, at the free listings with a picture and the furniture section keyword: desk, has a picture and a max of $100 - although that is even above what I want to spend. The $100 max though can include a credenza AND a desk, or a shelf, or a whatever. So, although $100 isn't what I truly want to spend, if I can get something really good and worthy along with the credenza then it might be worth it.

What you find on Craigslist and even one place I will mention further into this post is that people think highly of their shit. In fact, some people are literally selling some shitty piece of furniture for the price of something comparable for brand new or even a slightly higher price BUT brand new. Now not all of the furniture is shitty but when people spend $500 and want $250, I'm not sure Craigslist is where it's going to sell. In fact, I saw a decent but used desk and sort of modified (the middle drawer was altered to sort of be a keyboard drawer) go from $100 to $60 over a period of almost two months and it still hasn't sold. Now, I'm not stupid and I'd be the same - I'd want something in return for my buying it originally but at the same time, if it's just been sitting in storage somewhere it wasn't exactly making money for you (me) anyhow. It's a tough decision, I know. But as a buyer, I'm not paying too much for something used or very used just because the seller feels like they deserve more money than it's worth.

Anyway, I finally got a chance to run by a store that has listed items on Craigslist called The Benefit Store. I went last weekend and spent about 30-45 mins walking the place and looking at different desks and credenzas. I saw some really nice ones but they were way out of the price range I was looking to spend. Some were probably pretty worth their price or close to it but no way could I afford $700 for a really cool credenza...but it was a pretty cool piece of furniture.

I ended up getting this baby. It was decently made, all wood and CHEAP! It was heavy and I got it upstairs to my bedroom all by myself. I'm just superman, I know! I got about 3/4 of the way up the stairs and I started thinking to myself, "What the hell was I thinking trying to do this myself?" The problem was I couldn't go back down the stairs because it was further than finishing pulling it up. So, I persevered!

Anyway, I'm thinking about a cheap hutch-type addition to the credenza or my current desk. We'll see what I can find. Of course, the wife says, "That's cool but make sure it matches!"

Easy instructions to follow, right....?

Toilets

So, as I just got done getting my ass ripped by a massive shit...yes, it's graphic but you didn't see the log!...a thought came to mind during the pain and suffering that I survived.

I think ALL toilets/plumbing should be of industrial strength and build. I mean how often do you hear about businesses having backed up toilets? The toilet I used has a motion/heat sensor and when I leaned a bit to wipe it automatically flushed. Luckily, I was prepared and I had to lean forward and increase the height my ass was above the seat a bit more otherwise, I think I would have had my own "stuff" splashed back up on my ass! Also, I could feel the pull of the suction when the toilet flushed. I was lucky I didn't get sucked into the nasty depths of public facility hell! I mean it sucked that huge log I laid like it was a cotton ball. It was quite amazing!

So, why don't they put in this kind of plumbing in all buildings, houses, etc., etc.? I'm no plumbing expert but is there some special plumbing that is used for the businesses versus the homes? The toilets themselves look like they should be universal between the two but it's the suction-flush versus the bowl-flush that must be the difference. Not to mention the piping must be much bigger since sometimes, often too many times, the home piping gets clogged from one simple but huge pooping!

Ah well! Note to self: if you ever decide to buy another house, build it and put industrial plumbing and toilets!