Of the tube and goals

Managed to wake up earlier today - 9:30 or so. But spent most of the day vegetating in front of the TV. Started with a portion of The Alamo - the 2004 version with Billy Bob Thornton and Jason Patrick and some others. As with True Grit, I prefer the John Wayne version.

Football followed - a disastrous day for the Big Ten. A great win for Texas Christian. SEC domination. Penn State started well against Florida but faded. I still wonder if it is not time for Jon Pa to retire; I have been wondering that for a few years.

The evening brought the Winter Classic hockey game - and the Penguins lost. That means both teams I care about lost. Connecticut appears a bit overmatched against Oklahoma - knew that going in.

Played Scrabble once again. Eric won two. I did pick up one. But Eric has won more than his share - or at least some of my share - over this vacation.

Another day of overeating with pizza ordered in and cookies sought out. My plan is to adjust my eating starting on Monday. We have folks coming in to watch the Steelers tomorrow - well later today.

Goals for new year - starting Monday
Daily - eating well
Daily - 10,000 steps
Weekly - 5 times of exercise
Monthly - 10 pounds weight loss
Monthly - 333,333 steps
Monthly - 90% normal blood sugar readings
Annual - 120 pounds weight loss
Annual - 4,000,000 steps

The daily steps don't add up to the monthly or yearly steps - I will have to figure that out.

Not sure what the rewards will be - have to figure those out.

See you along the trail.

The Duke and the Dude

Slept in - again. I am truly liking that.

Eric and I went to see True Grit. Glad I saw it - I had somehow expected more. It was good - but I do not think it was the Coen brothers' best - at least it is not my favorite among their work.

Hailee Steinfeld was outstanding. Jeff Bridges is a better actor than John Wayne; but for this role I prefer the Duke to the Dude. Matt Damon was quite good. It seemed like some of the supporting players were almost trying to channel those who appeared in the original - particularly in terms of their voices and speaking patterns. There was some amazing scenery. A good way to spend part of an afternoon, but not a keeper - at least until I find it used and cheap somewhere.

Shopping followed. Eric and I went to Aldi to pick up supplies for Sunday's football game: Steelers v. Browns. The VanRoosDales and Francis and family will be coming over.

Then to dinner at Battiste & Dupree Cajun Grill. Quite good. We consumed a lot of shrimp between the three of us. I can't find a Web page to give them a shout out, but they are on Warrensville Center in South Euclid - 1992 Warrensville Center Rd.

Eric then headed to Solon to bring in 2011 with the cousins. Tricia and I are watching football. I am reading Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars. Pretty good.

Tomorrow brings lots of football - and games that I actually care about as opposed to games for the sake of watching football.

All in all, a good day. No wild critters spotted in the back yard, but a good day.

See you along the trail.

Toward the end of an era

It has been almost two months since my last post. Numerous trips between the Shire East and the Shire West have occurred.

I have been at the Shire West since December 8. There were meetings - a wonderful celebration (including a fair imitation of lembas) led by my colleagues in the Peacemaking Program (Tricia and I made the run to Costco to buy many of the other supplies) - a great dinner at Havana Rumba with good friends - a football game won and a football game lost.

Mostly there has been transition - pretty relentless transition - working to prepare the Shire West to go on the market. Home repair is no where near the top of my list of either things I enjoy or things I do well - even when my primary role (well, pretty much my only role) is writing checks or making runs to Home Depot.

It is made more than a tad bittersweet because this marks the end of an era.

Tonight's movie - 3 Godfathers - John Wayne does Christmas.

Tomorrow - Cleveland.

Three at Three for Three

I have now made all three of my goals for three days in a row: eating well, 30 minutes at the gym (32 on the treadmill today - I am slowly building the number up), and 10,000 steps (10, 079 today 0r yesterday now as the case may be).

Going to the gym in the evening seems to be working. Overeating at night has been less of a challenge than in the past.

I passed on the movie in the Cardio Theater - they seem to be in a Ricky Gervais phase. I am not. I listened to my iPod.

Spartacus was the movie of the early evening. Great stuff. Great back story - Kirk Douglas helped to break Hollywood's blacklist by crediting Dalton Trumbo be credited with writing the screenplay. An act of courage in helping to create a movie about courage. Among other things.

Stagecoach - John Ford's version with Claire Trevor and John Wayne - is on now - another classic.

I also put in a brief amount of time readying a room at the Shire for painting. Lots to do.

See you along the trail.