Bugg Me, PLEASE!

This just in.....

The Body Bugg is Freekin' Cool!!!!

I know I have only worn it for two days, but I am here to tell you that I have never felt more in control of my weight loss up until now. Seeing my daily statistics, in up to the minute fashion, is really the key for me. Without it, I would continue to eat after dinner. I was careful, but I never really knew how much damage I was doing to my program.

Now, if I have an extra active day and want to eat a little more, I can with confindence that I am not ruining all of my hard work. On the other hand, if I had a less than normaly active day, I can see that it would be dangerous to do so. Furthermore, I have set a a goal form myself of 5 to 6 pounds a week. (Before you all go apeshitonme, Alan says that is a great goal and a safe one too.) In order for me to do that I will need to daily have a 2,500 to 3,000 calorie defecite or it won't happen. The only way I can know that for certian is with Da Bugg!

Like last night, if I am running a little short, I just hit the basement steps for multiple laps. Cool part about that is if it's late I can do it in my Calvin Klines. I also baught wrist and ankle weights yesterday. I intend to wear them all day long for added calorie burn.

I don't think the kids like me too much anymore, though. I told them we were going for a walk and there would be a suprise at the end. So with my appendages weighted, off we went. "Daddy, what's the suprise?" "Daddy, are we there yet?" "Daddy, how far do we have to walk?" " Daddy, I'm cold." "Daddy, how long is this going to take?" "Daddy, can we stop, my back hurts?" "Are we going to the park?" "Are we going to McDonalds?" Until I finally said, "If anyone under the age of 30 asks another question we will turn around without a suprise." Yeah, like that worked, for all of about 30 seconds.

We finally got to McDonalds, which is every bit of 3 blocks from our house. As we are sitting there, they licking the spoils of their lengthy trek in the form of a vanilla cone, and I enjoying my Super Size Diet Coke, the whining starts again. Little Man says to me in a very stern voice, "Daddy, why can't we drive next time?" Big Sister, almost crying says, "Yeah, Daddy, I don't like walking." "Ok," I said, "Next time I'll walk down here with my cell phone, and leave all of the underage whiners at home." I could see Little Man's brain gearing up to ask, so I beat him to the punch by adding, "And if you both think I will bring you something home, your wrong. If you want the treat you have to walk."

"But Daddy," Big Sister still almost crying, "we don't want to walk." "Big Sister, Daddy has to walk, because he needs to loose weight." Little Man pipes up very matter of factly, " But we don't." "You will if I keep driving you to get ice cream." "Daddy, got fat because he started bad habbits as a kid, and now it is taking a lot of hard work to make all of the fat go away, and stay gone. Do you want to be fat?....I didn't think so."

On the way home things were much better, complete with no whiners. As we walked a souped up Camaro rolls by, windows down with the teenaged filled interior blasting out some loud Rock music. Little Man very discustedly says, "Daddy, those people need to turn that music down, nobody wants to listen to that crap." To which I replied, "So true, Little Man, so true." At that point all of my frustration from a full day of whining (because it had started from both partied involved from the time they exited the covers) was whiped off my face, and a broad grin replaced it. I'm thinking he must have learned that one from his mother, lol.

The Results Are In

As of this morning, I have lost a total of 35 lbs, gained 13 lbs of muscle (Lean Body Mass), no longer need to take my Diabities Meds, and now have da Bugg attached to my tricept. I can't wait until I get home to see where I am at for the day. I am not able to upload calories out info from work. (which sux) But I am still tickled at how much more control I will now have over my weightloss.

Once I have reached that goal, I will be able to use the bug to "Pump UP," if I so choose, and that all depends on how I look muscle wise when I reach my goal. Alan has me only gaining 4 more lbs of LBM, which I don't get because I have gained as much as 6 lbs in one week? I will have to ask him about it. What usually brakes him is explain the science of it to me. I don't want to be as big as a bus, but I would like to be big enough where I still don't have to have clothes specially tailored but bigger than joe average at the gym.

I know I am putting the cart before the horse, but I can't help it. (This is not a shameless bid for complements, even though it seems so.)

It's Here!

The Bugg that is. Now I have to spend time setting it up online ect. so I Alan and I can take measurements ect. tomorrow.

Accountablility just got beefed up.

Happy Friggin' Monday!

Sorry for being so bright and chipper, but I haven't felt this good in over a month. I started my "Increased Weight & Rep" Ab Workout this morning and am really feeling the burnnnnnnnn in my gut. (But that's a good thing right?) I commented about all of the muscular changes I am seeing. He replied, "Yeah, now all we have to do is uncover it." Then he grinned and said, " It's spring yeah know, time to take that extra comforter off the bed."

In other news. I have been subconciously thinking about getting some "Ink." I can't beleive either, because I have always been very against it. IF and it is a big IF, I get one it will be small and hidden. I may get my family's crest on my left pec, or I am thinking about a very small "24" for 24 hour hour fitness on my left ankle near my heal, OR one of those band thingies on my right biscept, and were it meets on the outside have a US flag that bleeds into and becomes a German Flag.

I don't want "sleaves" or to be totally covered in tats. I don't want them all over so that I can't be dressed up without them showing, or so that if I go to the pool, the first thing you notice about me is all of the ink. I am still very undecided about it. Furthermore, they are expensive so I would have to save to get one. Oh well, just a thought.

Finally, My Poop's In A Group!

I can't remember if I have blogged about the fact that my Dr. gave me a month's worth of meds for an issue I had, and said that it would likely make me feel like crap. Well, she didn't lie that's for sure! I finished the meds about a week ago, and I am finally feeling well again.

This means that my workouts are also getting back on track. Loosing 1 lb. a week cause you feel like such shit you can't even get more than 5 minutes on the bike. I have never stopped with the resistance training, however, and Alan has been very supportive of my month long "rut" as he called it. It felt a lot more like the Grand Canyon than a rut.

Thankfully, I am starting to see lots of changes in my body, besides the fact that my weight has been stagnent lately. Tuesday, discovered much to my delite, while scrubbing under my armpits in the shower, as all good little German boys aught do, that I am starting to get some FREAKIN' AWESOME PECS! (Which seemed not to be there at all, just a week or two ago.)

Then this morning, after my shower, I was standing at the bathroom mirror wearing a tank-T-shirt (which some of you may call a "Wife Beater") and as I began to apply moose to my wet hair putting both hands at the back of my neck I noticed, OMG LOOK AT YOUR BICEPS, AND YOUR SHOULDERS, AND THOSE TINY LITTLE UPSIDEDOWN V SHAPED MUSCLES THAT GO FROM YOUR SHOULDERS TO YOUR NECK!

Then, I stood at the mirror flexing and telling myself that while I still have a long way to go in the loosing department, the gaining department is doing just fine! Furthermore, I am a sexy dawg! LOL Then I realised if I didn't get my "POOP in a GROUP" and stop posing in front of the mirror that my fat ass was going to be late for work!

I was eventually able to tear myself away from the mirror, and make it to work, but it was tough.

Spring Is Here!

As you can see these are some of my favorite, aka well worn shoes. The unfortunate thing is that I can't wear them for extended periods of time because they hurt my feet, for lack of arch support. I have never liked sandals in which ones toes hang out. Even if ulike me you have nice looking toes. I thought about saving these for, "It's Friday, put your feet up." But then I would have to do it every Friday, and that's not something I want to commit to.

Birthday Boy Wearin' Green

Yes it's my Birthday, the 41st to be exact, and yes it is also St. Patrick's Day. No, I am not Irish. If you have been reading here long you will know I am very German. I was, however, born in an Irish Catholic hospital. My Mom said that all of the Nuns wanted her to name me Patrick. I.AM.SO.GLAD.SHE.DIDN'T! They did say, they were happy with Timothy. According to them, it was the next best thing. This was also the hospital that Harry Morgan, for Dragnet and M*A*S*H fame was born. So there is my brush with fame.

Birthday's aren't a real big deal with me, and haven't been since shortly after my 21st birthday. I will say that my 25th birthday did hold some joy in that my car insurance went down a great deal. Today, didn't feel any different than any other, nor any different than it did when I turned 30, or 40, and I suspect than when I turn 50. I was only mildly irritated that I had to work manditory overtime today for training reasons. Training consisted of 4 hours and 20 minutes of waiting until the computer system was at a point that we could be shown what to do, and 10 minutes of training. (You read it right, 10 flippin' minutes!) Can you believe they actually sent someone from the Cedar Rapids IA office, to conduct the training? WHATEVER! At least the overtime will help put a dent in the cost of the Bodybugg.

My party will be held a week from tomorrow. It will be a dual party with my Nephew who is turning 14 on the 25th. As Greekchickie suggested I am getting myself a Bodybugg. BTW, Greekchickie, I am not smiling in this picture, and you will have to get over it. Just sit back, breath deeply for a moment with your eyes closed until it passes.

The BUGG Is Going Around The Club

For weeks I have tried to talk myself out of the BODYBUGG . While it is Über Cool, it is also Über Exspencive. While trying to talk a friend of my out of it at work, I talked myself into it. Yesterday, I spoke to Alan about what I could do to afford it. Unfortunately, the deal they are offerring requires you to buy 10 full training sessions, not 20 half sessions like I buy, plus the reduced price of the bodybugg, and free internet access to your information. (If you can't get the data, off the internet, it doesn't do you any good.)

The Bodybugg allows you to see a up to the minute picture of how many calories you have consumed (without writing it down, how cool is that) and how many callories you have burned, and weather or not you have created a deffecit. So you go on line and check before you go to lunch and if you don't have a deffecit, you know you need to move your body some kind of way to create it. In other words, walk your fat ass around the block!

I will likely be getting one near the end of the month, and will keep you posted.

Dolphin Damage

This is the crack in my camera I told you about. I have received the new part and have installed it. The chips around the edge are from were I had to pry it out. I can't believed I ever calmed down from that. Leesa from POMM, said she thought she would have cried. I might have had I not been so incredibly angry! Well, it is all better now, so time to forgive and forget.

Country Church Illuminated

Country Church At Night

Weekend At The Country Church

Workin' It All Out

This morning at the gym I had my normal upper body workout, and cardio was not more stressful than usuall, so why oh why did I have to go to the bathroom? I had to get off the bike to go pee. I held it for a mile, or so, and finally relized it was stop or pee on myself.

Then I get home, and have the Mother of all Download Dumps! I think I crapped a toddler, I swear it. So today, everything was liturally worked out.


OK, OK, I'll change the subject! I have found my next photographic challenge. I an ramping my knowledge base up in order to try HDR Photography . HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, you take anywhere from 3 to 16 images at differing exposures, then using Photoshop software you combine them. This process takes the Highest Dynamic Range from each exposure, and creates one image. It is almost better than they human eye can see. Some of it goes off the deep end, but I kind of like the arty ones because they look like the modern version of a 30s or 40s post card.

When you click the link, make sure you scroll to the "More" images and click some of the thumbnails. The images with mulititonal (is that a word?) skies are the most dramatic.

Here is a great in door example. Here & Here are out of doors examples.

Enjoy!

I Am Having A Sale....

On what?

1. One extra large plastic tarp
2. 100 feet of nylon rope
3. 5 rolls of duct tape
4. Shovel
5. Gag cloth
6. one claw hammer
7. Rubber Gloves
8. Coveralls


Well you get the picture..... I found out that the person mentioned in the post below, has no earthly idea just how close she came to having a cracked skull to match the crack in my camera.

As it turns out, I was able to find the part, and will be able to fix it myself for less than $13. The point was not ever the money but the fact that it was being covered up.

Unfortunately, she is employed by my parents, and I don't have the power to deal with it. However, for other reasons (Like she actually isn't doing the job my mom hired her to do, but is taking all of the money as if she has....) My mother is going to tell her shortly that we no longer need her services. Things have calmed mightily since my kids moved in with us. Plus they are older and better able to help now. So, in the end the problem is solved.

My friend says I should leave the parts out on my desk so she can see that she didn't get away with anything. Had she not tried to weasle out of it, I would have said, no biggie and let it go. Let us just say, she is very lucky she didn't kill my lens, or I wouldn't be trying to sell all of the above items.

Liar Liar Pants On Fire!

I have finally calmed down enough to blog about this. Our cleaning lady, if you can call her that, (Long Story) comes every other Tuesday. Last Tuesday she broke a large glass dolphin statue I have on the shelf above my computer desk. I got it at the MN Zoo two years ago, and it was very sentimental to me. (I already checked and they don't have it anymore, and I can't find it on the internet either.)

The puzzling thing to me is how the top of my desk did not break. Given it is glass, and the statue was very heavy and broke into pieces. Thursday the mystery was solved. My camera, was sitting on my desk in front of my flat pannel monitor. I just happen to notice what looked like a stray thread from the strap sticking out over the camera, just above the screan that gives all of the vital statistics, near the shutter release button. When I reached over to grab it there was nothing there. On closer inspection it wasn't a thread at all, but a crack in the clear plasic covering over the LCD screen. I knew right then what the dolphin had hit.

Our cleaning lady is also our hair cut person. Actually, she was that long before she cleaned for us. The three of us had our hair cuts on Sat. When I got there she was nervous about the dolphin. I told her shit happens, and I ment it. She kept on about it telling me how badly she felt. I carefully brought up the subject of how incredible it was that my glass top desk didn't break. Then the dancing began, and she went into this story about how she caught the dolphin before it hit the desk ect. I knew right then it had hit the camera, and that she knew damn well it did too. Why oh why did I let it slide? Well, the crack is "under" the plasic and doesn't effect the camera's function. it is mildly annoying to have to look around it to read the LCD, but I can deal with it. Especially since I discovered I would need to send it directly to Canon for many weeks to have it repaired.

What really pisses me off, is she knows how expensive my camera is, and she knows it means the world to me, and she LIED LIKE A BEAR RUG about breaking it. If she would have fessed up to it, it would have been different. Oh, I forgot to tell you that she moved the broken dolphin to the other side of the room, with a note about how sorry she was. (Smoke and mirrors, so I wouldn't put two and two together about the crack in my camera.)

I.Hate.being.lied.to!

Bed Head I

It's an EVERY MORNINIG THANG.

Bed Head II

It's an EVERY MORNINIG THANG.

Lunar Eclipse

Man it was cold out. Pritnear froze ma finger off! 30 degrees minus whatever the flippen windchill was!

Father Forgive Me For I Have Sinned

It has been 6 days since my last post.......And apparently, some people have a problem with that. LOL

Truly I had not realized it had been this long. Things have been crazy busy here this week. Nothing monumental, just incompleted homework from the previous evening, and the butt headedness that insued when the Evil Troll Father, forced the dear sweet, inocent, faultless, perfect child to actually complete his homework before returning to school. (Imagine that, the teacher actually expects you to bring back to school the homework you completed for her to grade. Who knew?)

Tomorrow is Weigh-In and Measure Day. I expect you will hear good things from me tomorrow. Yesterday, at work, someone looked me over and said, "You know it is a really good thing you wear suspenders, don't you?" Yes my friends, it is nearly time for me to buy new britches. Had I only been wearing a belt, I would likely have purchased pants long before now. With Suspenders, however, you can skate a little while .

I would love to stay home and sleep on this rainy Thursday, but there is now chance of that happening in this lifetime. So off to work my sorry ass will go.