Small world

It's so amazing to me how much the internet has shrunk our world. People that I had thought lost to me forever have reappeared due to this fabulous technology and the help of some dear friends. It's also interesting that some of my dearest friends are able to connect to each other through the magic that is blogging. I never really thought that this little experiment would work out the way it has and I certainly didn't think it would be as successful as I think it is. I'm so glad that all of you are out there and take the time to read my random meanderings through my mind. I'm also sorry that there really isn't any real format to these blogs, but I think it makes it my own this way and allows you to see where my mind goes.

A friend of mine who has her own blog mentioned a blog written by another friend on her blog and bloggedy blog blog blogging blog. I'm not sure quite where I was going with that, but know that I'm thinking of both of you and am enjoying reading about your lives and how sometimes your thoughts/posts seem to intersect. I'm still looking for the epiphany that both of you have seemed to have experienced, but I'm hopeful that everyday I get closer to the essential Truth of Me. Hopefully all of you will help me on this journey and guide me as best you know how. Self-actualization is a lot of work and without the love of my dear friends it will never happen, but your wisdom and experiences all help me form the ME I desire to be. I love you all.

I read a post by a friend who mentioned that I seem to reminisce about the past quite often. I guess the reason I do this is because these rememberances are sometimes the only link to you, the people in my life. We've had so many good times and I guess that I just want to remind you of these times and how much they mean to me. I also look forward to making new memories with all of you and to get a chance to build our relationships face to face. Someday.

You should all be proud of me. I've lost about ten pounds in the last month or so and am slowly getting closer to my fitness goals. I played nine holes of golf on Wednesday and on Thursday it snowed on the course. That's MT weather for you, always unpredictable.

How do you make God laugh?

Make a plan.

Something to think about. I'm not a very religious person, at least as far as the stereotype is concerned, but I consider myself a spiritual person. I know it's cliche, but it's true. I do believe in God, just without a lot of the trappings that religion seems to add. And certainly without the political aspect of religion as it is seen here in the US. I enjoy the study of religion, and I really like comparative theology. Looking at how one religion has influenced another and also looking at how historically accurate religious texts are. Don't really know why I brought this up, but the joke amused me and got me off on a tangent.

I was so happy to hear from all of you recently. It's good to know that you are all doing well and are looking in on the blog from time to time. I really am having a good time with this and it is proving quite cathartic. I don't necessarily put everything in my blog that's going on in my world, but I at least attempt to keep you relatively up to date. For example, this weekend I'm driving to Murdo, SD to meet up with my brother who is helping me move my mom back to IL. She got a good job there and is happy about that and about being closer to her grandkids, but I know she'll miss the great weather and natural beauty of the mountains. She can always take vacations though.

Aside from that, I just keep working and going to school. I'm hoping to buy the pistol I've been saving up for in May, so that's exciting. I'm debating about getting my deer tag for this fall. Some of the guys from work are trying to convince me to go with them, but I don't quite know how I feel about it yet. I started hunting last year with ducks and it seems a big step to start hunting bigger animals. It would mean buying myself another new gun though, so there is an upside.

I haven't been to the gym, but I have been moving stuff out of my mom's place, so I'm going to count that. I've got an invitation to play golf this morning and I just might go. It's supposed to be nice this morning and then rain this afternoon so I'm hoping to sneak in nine holes. We'll have to see.

Shout outs!

To Doc Brown, it was so wonderful to hang out with you again. As always, it was enlightening and even though we reached conclusions I didn't necessarily want to reach, it was still important that they were made. You still have the power to make me cry like a little girl, and I hope that talent never fades. Say hi to little Chicken and Drea.

To the Radical Librarian, I'll have to give this Amy Ray that you rave about a listen sometime. As for Prom and high school, well, I'll take some of the blame, and I am sorry. It all worked out in the end, didn't it.

To MLF, what to say? I wish I could have been there for you and your family. The road trip sounds interesting, and I hope you elaborate on another post. Hopefully Sweets wasn't too creeped out about how much I love her blog.

To my wonderful wife, thank you for putting up with the Kevin school of home improvement. It seems like the only time I lose my temper is when I'm attempting to fix anything and I'm sorry. I never, ever want to plumb anything ever again. No matter how much it costs, next time we're hiring a plumber. The money is worth our sanity and our marriage. This week will be crazy, but hopefully it will all calm down once school is over.

To the 'tard, has he proposed yet? I'm glad you read the blog and hopefully all is well in your part of the world.

To Home Brew, remember the old proverb. If you love something enough, let it go, and if it comes back, it was meant to be. Either that or the old standby, either dump her or f#@k her. Or both. It seems to have worked fairly well in the past.

As for the rest of you, as always, you are in my thoughts and I hope that life is heading in the direction you want it to go. I have been a fairly good boy, and while I haven't been to the gym in a few days, I have been working around the house and that is a work out in itself. As soon as school is over in May, I'll be better able to get into a real workout schedule.

Starting at zero

And I thought that swimming was bad. And it is, at least when I run, I can't drown, though sometimes seems like a bad thing. I'm so damn out of shape its sickening. I really believe part of it yesterday was that the air was too cold and I wasn't used to it, but I was only able to run about four hundred yards before I thought my chest was going to cave in. Not a pleasant experience. It feels like I'm basically starting over after a back surgery, and I don't particularly like to think about such things.

I did see a great cartoon last night that I cut out and am putting on my box at work that says;

"I realize I'm fat, but like the fat in food, I like to think I enhance the response in taste receptors."

That doesn't really sum up my thoughts about it, since I'm trying to lose all of my extra weight, but it was kind of funny and sounds kind of like a mantra I might have had back in the day. Take care all and wish me luck on this whole "getting in shape" thing. Here' shoping that it doesn't kill me.

Sick little monkey

Nothing really new to report in my world. I will be working security for the rodeo this weekend, but at least it's indoors. It's kind of cool, they fill the fieldhouse with dirt and it's such a mess. At least I don't have to clean it up. I've noticed that nobody's been posting comments on the blogs, so I hope that it's a case of no one having anything to say as opposed to no one reading. Just say hi or something so I know that you guys are out there.

I did get into the pool yesterday. It was awful. I've never been a very good swimmer and it's been a couple of years, so I shouldn't have been surprised how bad I was, but it was still disheartening. Unless I really get this swimming thing figured out, I'm going to drown in the first leg of the triathlon and I won't have to worry about the rest. I weighed myself at home and the scale said 237, which is good. I'm hoping to get in a half hour run/jog/walk this morning.

I've definitely found that writing down what I eat is helping me. Since I'd hate to read that I ate a bowl full of ice cream, or a medium pizza by myself, I've managed to really keep a handle on my eating habits. They haven't been perfect, but it's a start. I still need to get more fruit and vegetables in, but getting fast/junk food out is a good beginning.

Work never ends.....

but college does. An interesting quote, and I think I get the underlying message, even if I'm not able to fulfill it. There is nothing I'd like to do better than quit my job and just go to school for the next two years, Actually experience college, at least vaguely, though without the dorms, frat parties, "walk of shame", etc. Okay, so maybe it wouldn't really be the regular college experience, but it'd be much different than my current situation. Work all night, workout, go to class, sleep, repeat. Occasionally I even get to see my wife during the week. It would be nice to see her a bit more during the week.

I've been a little punk and haven't been to the gym again. I'll never be ready for the triathlon if I don't get serious. I'm starting a workout program outlined in my triathlon training book, so we'll see how it goes. It's an eight week program, but it has many levels so once I complete the first level, I just move up to the second, which is a six week program which would put me right at the time of the race. Today I'm supposed to swim for a half hour. Wish me luck and hopefully there'll be a lifeguard on duty.

Happy April Fool's

Blaf blah, blah blah! Yackety yack? I like cheese. Blather blather. Buh-bye.