8/27/2013

Went for a morning run on the road—first time I’ve done that in a while (but I can look back here and find out how long), since I’ve been doing lots of flat, 5k running and running on the trails.  I went farther than I have, though, running 16 min downhill rather than the 15 last time.  But I was farther down the hill at 15 min than last time, significantly.  It took me 20 min back up, though, and it was very hard.  Didn’t take water  but have to next time if I go this far.  I’m drinking water now but going back out to run some sprints uphill. 

When I got back, there was a Comcast truck in the driveway.  Turns out there is no line on the pole outside the house, so they have to put one in. That doesn’t cost me anything, but a) it could take a while (he said hopefully they would contact me soon), and they might not be able to do it.  That would suck.  Truly.  Oh well.  (See update on this below.)

The last couple of days were wastes, as far as eating right and not having beer goes. Sunday, of course, after weighing in at 216, I did run hard, but then had the three beers and some pizza.  Yesterday, I did no exercise, and ran out of food I had brought to eat during the day and stopped and got a Little Caesar’s pizza.  Yuck.  Ate a few slices and then (yikes!) a couple more last night. I also had most of a beer at Betsy’s, a coffee porter, Thunderstruck by Highland Brewery.  Went and visited with Maureen, saw her cottage and we talked about some work plans I will detail here later.  Tomorrow night, Wednesday, I am going there to eat, with her and her friend Alice, and she’s making eggplant parmesan. She’s a good cook, this should be nice. We’ll lay out our business plans, which could start next week.  I don’t know if Alice is invited because she’s in with us, or just coming as a friend. 

Then Thursday night, Jade is having people over to her house for a pesto party. Should take something to eat for that.  Hmmm…

Played quite a bit last night. I think my song, She’s Got A Way, is about ready to record. Need to check and see if I have Audacity, or need to get it, or what, for simple recording.  Also, I need to have it because I’m coming up with lots of musical, song ideas, and need to get them down before they are forgotten.  I also like my new blues piece, in A, using D7 and E7 dominant chords.  I don’t know, though, even where the lyrics would go.  Usually, even if I don’t have lyrics, I can tell where they go, and can hum the lyric parts or sing dummy lyrics. With this, I can’t hear it.  Maybe Hettie can.  Need to call her and Frank today. 

I also have the other song, Still in Love, that I need to practice.  Have the lyrics written down, but need to see if I can recall the melody.  I also have the blues piece in D (dropped D), the fast piece, and I did a new part to it last night.  I do know where ly rics go in this one, so just need to come up with some.  That would make four new songs, not bad at all. 

Ok, go run a bit more.  Hard to get out there, but must be motivated.  It’ll be hard to lose 3 lbs again with my beer drinking and pizza eating this week, but have to make sure the scale at least goes the right direction.  Ate a hard boiled egg and drank some tea, now…go.

I did.  Ran the longer short section (from my marker around the second switchback) in 2:30, and I was doing it at 3.  So I am getting faster.  I did the run from the concrete slab, then, in :57. Did it again, this time at :52.  I told myself, if you do it in :50  or under the third time, you can stop for the day, otherwise, you do more sprints.  Incentive, huh?  My heart was pounding, and I waited for the time clock to come around to zero, took off and…:44 sec!  In the last 20 or 30 yards, I felt my heart pounding and felt myself wanting to slow down, and I thought, I am not going to lose it right here, keep pushing, keep pushing…and it paid off.  Ahhh.  Shower time.  Nah, gotta get some ab work, haven’t done them in several days. 

800 crunches, in the 4 different positions.  200 bicycles, 100 “side” crunches, 50 each side, with 15 lb weight, 100 crunches with 15 lb weight overhead (50 with feet in air, 50 on ground), 100 Russian twists with 15 lb weight.  So 1300 total.  Then 1 min plank, and two 30 sec side planks (1 each side).

Was eating some rice I made, with some pinto beans I made (I made a mirepoix and then cooked the rice in it), when another cable guy shows up in front of my house.  I go out and he was walking up the driveway, and he said, “that other guy must be blind, the connection is right here,” pointing to a pole, not the one the first guy was looking at at all.  So he gets in his little tub on the extension thingy he has on his truck, hooks it up, and it’s done.  I was hooking it up, the first guy comes back and rehangs the wire to the house, which was down (but still working) and I go in, hook up everything, call Comcast and now I have internet, including wireless internet service! Turns out the box they sent me (modem I should say) has wireless capability.  Who knew?  This is great.