The Warmest Color

Today's Workout:
 - Swimming and Healthy Eating

Hoo-Ray! Today has come, and I get to eat chicken! After so many nuts and vegetables, I am really looking forward to some animal protein. I woke up salivating over the dull, white meat I would be consuming later.

The pleasure of eating meat was quickly overshadowed by my desired to have cheese and beer. Jake, Stacy, and I sat down around lunch time to play cribbage. As with any game of cards, cribbage is more enjoyable with a beer, so Jake and Stacy both grabbed one. I enviously sat and watched them imbibe.

I am only vaguely aware of how it happened, but somehow I transitioned from a young, college student who would only consume beer as a punishment, into someone who appreciates and savors the different flavors the malted beverage. My ability to tolerate beer came from sheer exposure (I can't help it that I'm awesome at boat races), which grew into a forced liking of beer necessary to be cool, and now we have landed at a mutual respect. I respect beer for offering many different styles appropriate for any mode, and Beer respects me for drinking it (responsibly?).



This mutual respect and appreciation for beer, made it difficult to game with the charlatans and not grab a drink myself. However, I stood strong and resisted. This could be why I ended up winning. Clear Head, Full Heart, Can't Lose!

We swam soon after lunch, which was great because my feet were so cold. I couldn't wait to jump in the hot tub and feel warm again. 
...Maybe I should have though. The extreme of the hot tub on my toes burned worse than beach sand in July. Quickly, I acclimated and savored the time in the warm bath.

About the time the hot tub became unbearable, a family with a few small kids entered the pool too. The youngest boy was so excited to be in the water that he stripped his outdoor clothes instantly and ran around the pool area naked waiting for his suit. The tiny streaker shrilled excitedly when his mom finally came over with his trunks and swim diaper, then launched into the warm arms of his grandpa and the water. Eventually tiring out every member of his family, pool time ended before he was ready to leave the water.

While all the commotion to our left was happening, Jake swam gracefully in the water. He would disappear below the surface for minutes, only to pop up in an unexpected location afterwards. Almost shark-like in his surfacing, but more friendly.

Good Yawping Stance

I, on the other hand, apparently lack grace in the water. I wish I could video tape my attempts at swimming, because I have a terrible time picturing how it looks. I splashed around back and forth for a while, then decided it would be fun to learn how to turn like a real swimmer. I approached the wall on the deep side, pushed forward to flip underwater, and yawped as water came rushing up my nose. Looks like I need to return to elementary swimming lessons and learn to blow bubbles betters.

Taking a break from submerging, Stacy and I had contests holding our breaths till we were blue in the face and on the verge of fainting. She won the set, but I am pretty certain she was bending the rules a little. Now I plan to practice and increase my lung capacity more for future showdowns.

After our lazy exercise, I was off to the store for dinner ingredients and produce for the next few days. Apparently, the best time to grocery shop is a little after 5 on a week day. The part time high schoolers, having just started their shifts, where sitting at open check out lanes awaiting customers. With my pick of line, I obviously went to the girl with the superfly, blonde / cerulean hair. The way the color streaked through her mane resembled raindrops or icicles. I should have said something about how I liked her hair, but regretfully did not.


Back at home, Stacy's blue hair also made an interesting development. What was originally supposed to be a dark indigo color hidden beneath her blonde strands, it really took on more of a bright blue shade. Until today that is. We were sitting on the couch, and I noticed part of her bangs looked almost purple. Me, being a person with perfect colorvision, reliably recognized this hue adjustment. Stacy, however, did not believe me until there was pictorial evidence backing me up. After shrieking with disbelief, she spent the next few minutes texting everyone about her hairs of a different color.

From blue toes to blue hair, today definitely had a shade. I wonder what tomorrow's will be. (Also, 1.5 mile run)

But I don't want to be what I eat

Today's Workout:
 - 3 mile run

I started my healthy eating plan yesterday, and things have gone about as I expected. Only on the second day of the new food plan, and I have already had kale 3 times... Ugh.

It is the world's worst vegetable. And the worst part is that one day I will probably like kale. One day soon even, kale is on the schedule everyday for the next 20 days. With that much exposure, I will likely have a hard time turning away from the dark, earthy green.
        (I was googling words to describe the taste of kale up above, and two things became apparent. First, almost everyone on the internet hates this superfood. And second, someone compared the taste to a cross between brussels sprouts and asparagus - my two least favorite vegetables before I met kale.)

Besides spending most of the day cooking or cleaning up after cooking, Jake and I went for a run indoors again. The weather today has been terrible, super windy and raining at different strengths all day. While seeking refuge from the elements, we encountered an unexpected climate. The exercise room was extremely hot and humid. About a mile and a half in, I started getting a little lightheaded. I ran about 2.5 miles and had to throw in the towel. 

A pretty slow day all around, but pushing forward to tomorrow. I am looking forward to eating meat for the first time in a couple days.

You got Chili in my Chocolate

Today's Workout
 - 4 1.5 mile run

Alarm clocks bright and early this morning. Jake and I were setting out on the road for our long run early. Well, sort of. I was up early with the alarm, then I piddled around wasting time on my computer or something. Finally it was time to go out the doors or else the whole day would be bust. We slowly plodded along a new path, having to cross a busy highway to run on a gravel road. Uncertain of how far it would take us, we sadly found out that the road stopped not long after the dog park.

We turned around at the end of the line and headed for home. The plan was to recombobulate and finish the next 2.5 miles from there. However, this run followed the path the morning took and lacked motivation. Even though the theme of the past two weeks has been motivation, today it evaporated.

More like 45 mins of reflection

Once back in the house, Jake took his typical, use all the hot water, shower. During this time, I made my grocery list. The theme for the next few weeks will be nutrition, so I was making plans for lots of produce. 

Since Jake's lengthy shower meant I didn't have enough time to wait for the hot water heater to reboot, I had to go to the store sweaty. The two of us split up to do our own grocery shopping. If it weren't for the game day snacks I was making today, I would have never left the produce section. Check me out, so healthy and green.

If only the store sold Gold Star

In addition to football, I was having some friends over to play cards. As usual, I was pumped for cards and loaded with trash talk. Considering that I am starting to eat healthy tomorrow, I planned that today will be full of beer and cheese. I made an spicy artichoke and corn dip, that could have been spicier, and Cincinnati chili dip. There is something about chili made with chocolate (sandwiched between cheese) that really motivates a person to eat better.

Tomorrow no exercise, just food stuff. Back Tuesday with quarter mile sprints again.

The Steph Truman Show

Today's Workout
 - 2 mile run

Today's run went surprisingly well. We ran to the bar up the street, which turns out it makes for the perfect milestone. The bar was packed, Jake thought it was just Satur-Day-Drinking in Wisconsin but I assumed there was a Badger game happening at the moment. We walked a bit after turning around, then once more at about the final half mile. Look at that endurance starting to show.

The only other thing on my to-do list today was tutor a girl who reached out to me on the internet. I have a site offering tutoring in most math and science options, today I would be working on cardiac physiology. My student sent a worksheet with questions late the night before, so I spent most of the morning cramming the topics she was struggling with.

One of these topics was a diagram, called the Wigger's Diagram, that combined the volume, pressure, and electrical impulses, and sounds of the heart all along the same time axis. I watched a few YouTube videos in order to help remember this dusty knowledge. My favorite vid was taped by a a bro wearing a backward's cap. In the middle he described the cardiac cycle like the Haunted Mansion at Disney World. People come in, the doors close, the walls sneak in, and the people burst out the exit excitedly (or blood comes in the heart, the muscles contract, blood ejects through to the rest of the body.)

The thing about this that struck me as funny was that I just thought about the Haunted Mansion yesterday, at the Forevertron. This is just another coincidence, in a long list, that makes me think my life might be the Truman Show. I mean I can't blame people for wanting to watch 24/7 Steph Maule. I'm smart, funny, a little eccentric, and hopefully a bit unpredictable. I'd watch that. The sad thing is that the writers of my show aren't very clever. It's like they don't know what to do, but then I will mention a thing that they will latch onto and work into the next couple days worth of material. Come on guys, get creative!

Ok, so really, I don't believe it that much. It is more of a fun way of coping with synchronicity or Baader-Meinhof illusions. On that note, since it feels like I just ran today, I guess I'll make plans to do so tomorrow as well. Sunday's are the long runs, so Jake and I have 4 miles in the morning before football starts.

An Unexpected Gated Community

Alternate Title - All roads Lead Where?

Today's Workout:
- 15 burpee's according to the 30 day challenge

First off, I know I had planned on roller skating today, but Stacy was worried about getting hurt before her big weekend plans that would be impeded by a twisted ankle. Instead of skating, Jake recommended a silly named statue that he has wanted to visit for a while. 

However, Jake only wanted to visit Dr. Evermor's Forevertron if we had a reason to drive north in the first place. We did not have a reason to make the hour long trek. Eventually though, it was decided that maybe we would grab dinner on the way home. Before you knew it we were piled in the car and en route to see some metal statue.

The unincorporated towns of
The Great State

Now when I say "some metal statue", I had no idea what we were walking into. First of all, we could not actually find an address for Professor Terrible's Futuretron. My phone was dying, so we eventually found something on the car's GPS with potential. It was in a different town that was maybe close to the unincorporated place we were looking for, but a start is a start.

40 mins later, my GPS directed me to a gas station near some bluffs. In a town that didn't match either of the names we were theoretically driving toward. When we put the address in my phone, it turns out we were pretty close. Just a short drive through a surplus lot named after a friend.

I have a friend
named Delaney

Except for you couldn't drive through the surplus lot. I tried driving around it, I tried driving to the park's true entrance, and all roads were blocked and gated. This left us with only one option, parking in the surplus lot to walk through it to the statute. 

We pulled up next to 7 pick ups and one Dodge charger hatchback, and cautiously walked through what seemed to be an open-aire, hillbilly Wal-Mart. Dodging the puddles, examining the crates of strangely organized belongings, and slinking past the bearded guy loudly sawing metal, we followed the path potentially leading to the Megatron. The surreal path only reminded me of picking up shirts from Scary Larry in Milwaukee. That's a story for a different time, but if you need cheap, good quality t-shirts in Brew City - I know a guy.

As the path opened, the junk "cleared" to reveal this magnificent heap of symmetrical art. Every piece pointing towards the point in the sky where, supposedly, Dr. Tomorrow rode on his Magnetic Lightening Force Field to explore the heavens and escape the evils of Earth. It really was an amazing sight, and the few pictures I have do not do justice what used to be the world's largest metal sculpture.

We meandered through the park, initially avoiding the Forevertron to examine the supporting pieces. It is surrounded by other sculptures of adorable bugs, something from a carousel center, a forest of shelves, and a band of instrumental birds. 76 trombones at least (some of which I'm certain I've seen as installations at Epic.) 

Finally, examining the central piece, we first noticed that it was guarded by multiple dragons. Tucked behind the dragons, rose a spiral staircase leading up to the observatory tower. It was not meant for people to climb, but more likely a push off structure / elevator like you would see NASA use. We then found these cross-section pieces of birdcages hanging under the Forever Bridge that reminded me and Jake of the Haunted Mansion part of a Disneyland video game we played on the original Nintendo.

Took me too long to find this screenshot

Sadly, it was time to leave the world's most amazing scrap heap. But I remembered seeing a sign for a nature bridge a mile and a half to the right. Since we were already this far out, it made sense to go find this new wonder. 

Eventually, the GPS lost the map, and I was certain the natural wonder was a mistake. However, we eventually found the state park and started hiking. With Stacy guiding us along the less than confidence inducing path, we actually found the rock formation.

Adorable, yeah?

Atop a hill, we discovered a rock eaten away by erosion to form a connection with the other side. Although we could not traverse the actual bridge, standing beneath it was cool enough. As expected multiple others had carved meaningful, heart-encased initials everywhere along the bridge. Today was not the day for that, but after a few adorable photos we decided to head back.

An hour in the car, gave us time to really drool over the pending food. Jake has never eaten at Noodles and Company before, so we had our sights set on those bowls or carbs. The restaurant was so cold, I could not eat fast enough. 

Finally leaving meant we got a early evening nap, and then sometime for me to finish my brief workout. I cooked a Hot Pocket, and let it cool while I slowly (but with decent form) performed my 15 burpees.

Crazy day, but a fitting way to spend Friday the 13th. Tomorrow I have a tutoring session and a 2 mile run to look forward to.

*This is really called Dr. Evermor's Forevertron.
We had fun all morning calling it by different titles, which is what I replicated above

And the Furious

Today's Workout:
 - 1 mile, timed (10:43)

Since today's goal was the first timed effort in my 5k training effort, Jake and I decided to run indoors and let the treadmills push our limits a little farther. It is so easy to be on the road, realize you are dragging, and start to slow down both mentally and physically. I understand that the treadmill does not require so much forward drive. However, when the road is moving beneath your feet, there is no option to slow down - only keep up and push harder.

Jake really took the effort to heart, and ended up running a 7 min mile. For somebody who hasn't been driving competitively in a while, this was an impressive split.

Now is when to hit the E-Stop

Mine on the other hand, less impressive. A quarter of a mile into the run, my treadmill suddenly halts. Apparently, I lightly tapped the emergency stop with my swinging hand and turned the machine off. After restarting, my previous progress disappeared, leaving me to guess when I actually hit the mile-stone (*wink* see what I did there?). I am pretty certain I ran just a little farther, but even still ran the fastest mile I have recently.

I was feeling pretty pleased with this accomplishment until Jake acknowledged that he would have been lapped by his high school self. I realized that I would have ran 2 miles in time it took for me to finish 1 tonight. We are far from that 5 min 1500m, but I suppose that is why they are called glory days.

On top of frustrations about being slower than a teenager, I got a pair of shoes in the mail I was excited to receive. However when they came they were not anywhere close to the sneakers I ordered. Even worse, I am having a hard time figuring out how to send them back. I reached out to company to request a refund, but I suspect I might not hear back. This could be the first time I have to call the credit card company and request to cancel that payment. So much work, but I'm extremely upset about the shoes I didn't get.

I suppose it is fast asleep for me next, furious about shoes (and hungry). Tomorrow, roller skating.

I Got the (Red, White, and) Blues

Today's Goal:
Core Strengthening Exercises

First things. Happy Veteran's Day. And thank you to everyone dedicating their lives for the rest of us. I recently had a friend join the Army, and I've been following her progress on the facebook. It is super amazing to see her accomplish so much, and do things that I could never dream of. Thanks again all, there aren't even words for your sacrifice. 

I feel like I accomplished things today. 
   ... Albeit frivolous things, but things none the less.

First, I woke up. A fact that sometimes needs to be celebrated for no particular reason.

I really think so, *think so*

Then I studied Japanese for a while. I'm fairly certain I can hear the difference between he and she at this point, but still not ready to watch Anime without subtitles. Someday, that will be awesome!

I spoke on the phone with some helpdesk support. Hooked up my phone to my router, so no I can reset the internet without getting off the couch (probably not the best thing to do, considering that I need more reasons to get off the couch.)

Finally, caught up on the blogging I let slip last week, since I didn't have time while achieving a marketable professional certification. 

Not what mine looked like

Then I made the worst mac-n-cheese I've ever eaten in my entire life. On a whim, I purchased Chipotle seasoned Velveeta. I should have known something was wrong when the only ingredient on the box was WATER. Unbelievably, the box of food that was stored in my pantry for 2 weeks, had a packet of gooze resembling cheese. I poured this gooze over my perfectly cooked, al dente noodles, and stirred in the chipotle seasoning smelling of BBQ rub. I offered Jake half of the pasta, since realistically I couldn't eat more than 1 serving. He took a couple of bites and threw it away.

I even offered some of the terrible mac to The Mitten, even a cat with almost no food in his dish turned up his nose at what I consumed for lunch. To make it up to the cat for offering him such gruel, I went to the store and bought some dehydrated food pellets that he would like better.

I fell asleep, napping to whatever autoplayed on the Hulu queue. And I was relieved to see the number of videos had both increased and decreased by the time I woke up. Somehow I mostly watched an episode of SHIELD and maybe the Flash, but I was more pleased to see that the Korean drama I'm sucked into posted a new episode. 'She was Pretty' is about long lost, childhood friends / first loves, who now work at the same magazine. Plus somehow a strange love rhombus between the first loves, a best friend, and a potential different boyfriend. 

So great... I maybe have cried the past 3 or 4 episodes. 

I found a series of ab workouts that lasted about 20 mins. I think this has the promise for turning into a routine. Additionally, I stumbled onto this 30 day burpee challenge. I think I might start adding that to the morning wake-up. 

Not my QB,
And the milk was chocolate

Even better than strengthening my muscles, I'm feeding them with the perfect body building cocktail - Chocolate milk. And not only chocolate milk, GREEN BAY PACKER Chocolate milk. I suspect that me owning this beverage that I actually despise is the reason that they have lost 2 games in a row and are tied with the stupid Vikings. Now that it is gone, I can test this hypothesis on Sunday.

Till Sunday, I have a 1 mile timed run tomorrow, and apparently a burpee challenge when I wake up. Awesome sauce. I might stay up all night to avoid the morning coming. Alright, whatever, good nite's sleep and then the world's most enjoyable repeated motion.