Wednesday Sucks A Fat One.........

So, it is Wednesday which is the middle of the work week. It is like half over, but half left. It is like the glass half full and the glass half empty. Wednesday has it both ways. Officially as of today, Wednesdays suck a fat one.

Yes, work sucked for me today. The freakin boss is out of town again and I got double duty for the price of single duty. Hey, I said duty and that is funny. Anyway, no one gives a rat ass about my work.

Man I just realized I got a potty mouth today. Sometimes it is just fun to run of a rant of potty mouth. I prefer phrases and not just single cuss words. Let me through some at you:

• What are you, the President of the Cock Gobbling Ass Clown Society?
• Go Fuck yourself and your moms.
• Don't be a pole smoker.
• How about you get a spoon and eat my ass?
• Your moms got a Fat Ass too.
• Nice shirt, now Fuck off.
• Who let the Ass Bags out?

I am a big fan of Fuck. It is such a great word, but you have to be careful not to over use. When perfectly placed or timed "Fuck" can be very funny in all situations.

Hey, how freakin bad is the Blogger spell check? "How bad is it?" Since you asked it is so bad it doesn't recognize the word "Blog" or any version of it, like "blogging" "blogger" "bloggy bloggerton" and so on. That just don't seem right.

Oh yeah, Survivor Palua was on tonight. It just doesn't work for me on Wednesdays. See I think Wednesdays suck a fat one. However, Ulong lost immunity again, for the 6th straight time. They have 3 people left and the merge is now where in sight. At least they voted off James and we do not have to see That Redneck Monster flopping around any more.

Yes it is almost over hang in there. Best thing about today is that tomorrow is Thursday AND that means Fighting Illini Sweet Sixteen baby!! Get over to IlliniWonk and check out the additional post season awards they have been picking up. GO Illini!

The Illini face Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Sweet 16 on Thursday at 6:27 pm cnt on CBS

I am out. Later.

"I was born with a horse shoe........"

Just finished watching an outstanding leg of The Amazing Race 7 where Rob and Amber or Romber made up a 3 hour deficit to win the leg. They managed to luck their way in front of all the haters to finish first. This led Romber to claim, "I was born with a horse shoe, in my ass!"

It wasn't all luck that allowed Romber to catch up. If you pay attention you can see how Rob is much more personable with the people he meets. He introduces himself and gives them his BoSox hat. Everyone else just jumps in the boat or cab or whatever and yells "Rapido" or "Million Dollars." I also think they have edited the tape to make it seem like Romber is just strolling through the race. They don't run out of cabs or seem to be in much of a hurry from most of the footage shown. They are sleepy and laid back. Now, I think they are very confident and relaxed, but the footage we see seems forced?? Not sure where the hell I am going with this but, did I mention Romber kicks all forms of Reality TV arse. I say we put them in every Reality TV show possible?

American Idol 4 was solid tonight. Only two performances that I thought sucked were Mikalah Gordon and Scott Savol. I couldn't help thinking that Paula was drunk. See kissed Simon several times and wouldn't shut up. She was very giddy? Or just very Drunk? Seriously she must have hit the hooch before the show?

Workout Stats: Oh my knee is swollen like Barry Bond's Steroid infected head. Yeah, that means no cardio. However, I hit biceps and triceps and worked them out real nice Clark.

So that in post picture showed up but now my sidebar is pushed down. Why you hating on me Farmer Ted? One day I will master the Jedi art of blogging.

Later.

Farmer Ted?

Am I really Farmer Ted? I took a test and the outcome was, I am Farmer Ted. Damn, that sucks. Wouldn't Farmer Ted be geeky enough to be able to put a pic in his post? Anyway, I gotta go.



You are Farmer Ted (from Sixteen Candles),
everyone's favorite freshman geek! You're the
life of the party, although perhaps not in the
way you intend. Still, somehow things turn out
for you in the end.


Which John Hughes Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Just When You Think..........

Just when you think you are is shape BAM you get smacked in the face with a basketball. Really, I got smacked in the face with a basketball.

I played some hoops tonight at the "Y" and holy crap Batman I still have some work to do. My goal here is to be in riding shape but, I thought I would be able to run hoops all night with 4 months of work outs behind me. NO Soup For You. I mean I could tell I was in some kind of shape, just not hoops shape. My game mind was there but the legs were a bit behind. I use to be a big time hoopster playing 3 times a week. This was the second time since Aug 04 I have played recently. Oh well this is the blog about my preparing myself for The Summer Of Mountain Biking 2005 and not about preparing myself for The Summer of Basketball 2005. However, I may come out of retirement and play in two 3 on 3 tournaments this summer. Oh, you didn't know? I retired from hoops last August.

Ok I am off to ice the left knee, both shins, both ankles, take three Advil, and pray I can get out of bed tomorrow. Riding a bike is much less stress on those body parts. I want my mom.

Later.

Why Must Vacations End?

This just in, work really sucks. I mean work in general. Why can't I be independently wealthy and not have to work. Heck, I will take dependently wealthy, which I guess would make me a man whore. I like my job but it is still work. I still gotta get up and go in to collect the green.

It is really hard to go back to work after a week off like I had (See NCAA hangover post). However, I fired up the Starbucks making machine and hit the office at 7:45 am promptly where I put in my 8 hours with a big smile on face. See I still have NCAA hoops dancing around in my little head.

After work I did something remarkable. I went grocery shopping for the week in 25 minutes. Yes, that is 25 minutes from the time I parked my car to the time I re-entered my car. Working out and being sorta in shape is paying off. Although, I must say I am sorry to the two old ladies my cart barreled over.

Anyone see the Contender? You know it is The Next Great Human Drama? Those fools brought back Peter Manfredo Jr! The number 3 world ranked middleweight. Bad move in my mind as this guy could win the entire thing with this second chance. I guess the remaining boxers felt the guy who deserved it the most should get the second chance??

I may have workout stats for you later that consist of hoops OR I may not.

I am out. Later.

I have a NCAA Hangover..........

Blogger Explosion Traffic slow the "F" down and vote in my poll. You got 27 seconds left......

Yes, finally my four day NCAA obsession has come to an end. I have screamed, yelled, and holly crapped myself for four days. I have destroyed 3 months of workouts with a four days of binge. Chips and cheese, Fast Food, Jacks Pizza, Coke with no lime, Beers, Dairy Queen, Subway............I have done it all. I have seen my Illini struggle for a first round win and get seriously big for a second round win. I wondered Thursday if we would see any upsets. I wondered Friday if a top seed would ever win again. I wondered Saturday if the Wake Forest vs West Virginia game would ever end. After four days and almost 40 hours of March Madness I wondered what the heck was I thinking when I filled out my bracket?? Oh I miss you already and anticipate are reunion this coming Thursday.

Workout Stats: Made it to the gym early this morning for chest and back workout. Followed that up with 30 minutes on the spin bike. No intervals as I was sore from Saturday's 17 mile ride.

Awesome Baby I just remembered The Next Great Human Drama: The Contender is on NBC tonight. I really dig on this show. You should watch it, DO IT!

I am out. Later.

HEY BloggerExplosion Traffic VOTE in my Poll

You got thirty seconds damn it, atleast vote in my poll before you click youself away.

Thanks.

Later.

I Got Poll?

Check it out I got a Poll on my blog! Where? Over there! --->--->

It is free from Pollhost.com and really quick and easy to set up. So go get you one, but first don't forget to vote. Maybe I will do a different poll a week. Yeah, I like that, Weekly Poll or Poll This or My Poll or Polly Pollerton?

Later.

Oh How We Love the Sweet Sixteen !

The Fighting Illini just finished off Nevada 71 to 59. Amazingly they won this game with an obviously sick Dee Brown. It was reported that he had stomach issues and leg cramps. Sounds like someone had diarrhea? Illinois showed they could win without a dominating game from their three headed backcourt monster, Brown-Williams-Head. How did they do it? They took it inside to the hoop. James Augustine and Jack Ingram had career high scoring games. Along with Roger Powell Jr they controlled the paint against a bigger team. Deron Williams stepped it up in the second half with some awesome passing and the Illini built a 20 point lead. They won this game with their big men and showed nation they are not a one dimentional team. Look out NCAA here comes the Illini!

Workout Stats: Yeah I have stats for you that do not involve grotesque eating. I hit the I&M Canal bike trail this morning for a little stroll. This is mainly a flat terrain gravel path with little excitement, but I was there for work. All other fun trails would be too wet & muddy for riding this morning.

Just give us the stats mam: 17.3 miles, 1 hr 36 minutes 56 seconds, avg speed 8.6, max speed 18.2. It is the most I have ridden at one time and pretty good for a guy who has spent the last two days on the couch with Coke and Pizza in hand. Tomorrow will be a gym day and maybe some hoops? March Madness got me pumped.

Alright, time to get back to the NCAA hoops. I am out. Later.

Where the heck is Bucknell from??

Seriously some team called Bucknell just beat the Kansas Jayhawks. Yes, those Kansas Jayhawks who many considered a contender for the title. The great Bill Self vs Bruce Weber Matchup in the finals can now never be. Hey Bill, how's the dream job thing working out for you?

Me time for bed. Later dudes.


Fighting Illini Round Two Game vs Nevada, Saturday, 540pm eastern, CBS

This Just In Air Jordan is Rich........

I came across this picture while eating my Jacks pizza, watching hoops, drinking another Coke, and surfing the net. It is a picture of Jordan's house. It's the one with the golf green, tennis court and b-ball court..............Yeah that is all one house. Alright no more for you. Later.

How Much Is Too Much?

Is two days in a row for a total of 20 hours too much basketball? I may be reaching my max allowed basketball limit? I mean I love hoops and I don't want my Man Card revoked, but I may need a break???

Just watched Vermont upset Syracuse, which was a very hot team going into this tourney. I had them in my final four. Well I filled out like 37 brackets so I think I had them in one of my final fours. Right now we got another 12 seed sticking it to a 5 seed with Old Dominion leading Michigan St. It is only the first half though. Man I take a break from viewing hoops and I end up blogging hoops.

Workout Stats: Ummm, NO. However, how about this; One large tupperware bowl of Cheerios, one number three with coke (regular size), one twelve inch wheat chicken breast Subway with bacon, southwest sauce, cheese, lettuce, olives & a coke, one homemade fancy Starbucks mocha coffee, and finally one medium size Brownie Batter Blizzard. Holy shit what have I done?

I have had two days of complete inactivity and seriously evil foods. I have loved every minute until now. I will work it out tomorrow. I must punish myself physically for this mental breakdown.

Yeah what he said. I gotta go. Hoops is back on and my Jacks pizza is almost done. Later.

Fighting Illini Round Two Game vs Nevada, Saturday, 540pm eastern, CBS.

Mega March Madness Has Taken Control.......

This Directv NCAA March Madness package is off the hook. I mean I really dig on it. I mean I like it and I like it a lot. I get all the games plus all the Hi Def ones. By the way I enjoy Hi Def hoops.

The Fighting Illini continue to struggle offensively, but continue to win. Their 12 point win over FDU the 16th seed was very unimpressive, but it is a win. They will need to step it up and get their game back if they are to make the Final Four. Illini Wonk has the game covered in case you missed it. Next up is Nevada in the second round, Saturday 540pm eastern.

Anyone catch the 11 hours of Congress vs MLB yesterday? I watched some of it but got the highlights from Sportscenter and various online news sources. The Cub Reporter has a very detailed account of the marathon, if you are interested. I was somewhat amazed at how much Big Mac looked like a dear in headlights? He did not want to talk but didn't want to plead the fifth? WTF? How much did he pay his attorneys for that advice? Who knew Sammy Sosa couldn't speak English? The guy has been in the USA for 20 years but needs a translator. He speaks it fine when the media is positive and telling him how great he is? It is just crap and another way he can hide from the issues. Grow up you pile of steamy dung.

Alright, I am done with that. I must prepare for more NCAA hoops. First I must forget all "SuperSize Me" has taught me and proceed to McDonalds. See, I got this thing going on this morning. It is called a Mega St Patty Madness flu.

I am out. Later.

St Patty and March Madness...........

Somebody stop me.............So far only one upset and it was the classic 5 vs 12 seed game. The eight night games are just getting started AND the FIGHTING ILLINI tip off at 940pm eastern. Grab a green beer and snuggle up to your TV. DO IT!

Later.

It's Here...........MARCH MADNESS !

The much loved America's team the Fighting Illini play in primetime tonight, 940 Eastern, CBS. Tune in to see the Human Fast Break Dee Brown, The Revren Roger Powell, The General Deron Williams, and The Head Luther Head play an unselfish style of motion offense preached by Coach of the Year Bruce Weber.

Man I love this time of the year. I just ordered Directv's Mega March Madness. This means I get every game of the first three rounds. Plus, with it I will get 30 games in Hi Def. Sports in High Definition is truly amazing. I got no work, no wife, and no worries man. I got hoops all day baby. Holy crap I am pumped for some March Madness.

Workout Stats: Are you crazy? Did you read above? There aint no stats.

Survivor Palau was crazy good last night. Why did they save Ibrehem? They must be scared of Angie? I aint happy with the lets get Tom talk. I think Greg is stepping out too early and I hope it bites him in the arse. Tom has to be careful. I have seen his route before. By not going to tribal he may get too comfortable and forget to play the game mentally. Then BAM he be gone and I don't want that.

GO ILLINI......................I-L-L..................I-N-I................................Later.

Old Man Winter Still Messing With Me...

More Snow & Mud
Originally uploaded by aham23.

I made it out to Waterfall Glen this morning and found MUD and Snow?? I expected some mud but snow. I must have missed that snow storm? Anyway, I ride here because the limestone path is rideable in most condtions. Wet, Mud, Snow, you can ride it. I really want Spring to hurry up and thaw & dry Chicago's singletrack up so I can hit the fun stuff! For now it is limestone mud mixed with snow.

Ride Stats: Time 1 hour 3 minutes 32 seconds. Avg speed 6.6 mph with a max of 21.4 mph. Miles traveled were the entire loop, 10 miles.

I felt like I was really powering through the trail but my time was no better then last ride out there. My average speed was down too. However, my aches and pains are the same. Time to ice the knee.

Watched The Shield on TiVo this afternoon. A great cop drama on FX that I started watching last year. I love cable and the way they push the bar with these dramas. Check it out on FX Tuesday, 10pm eastern. You will love it.

Do NOT forget an all new episode of Survivor: Palau is on Tonight CBS 8pm eastern. I hear someone from each team goes home?

Later dudes.

The Amazing Race is Amazing TV....

Tonights leg of The Amazing Race 7 was awesome. Rob is my guy and I want him on the show until the end. Everyone wants to beat Rob and Amber (Romber) but he is still charming enough to convince two other teams to quit a Road Block for a 4 hour penalty. There is more to Rob then the editors are showing us. He clearly is a smart guy and a likealbe guy. Unless you are an over-the-top flaming gay guy. What is up with that hate?

The Girl Team that was eliminated tonight was a very strong team. Perhaps the strongest all female team I have seen on TAR. However, they fell prey to an old female nemesis, Directions! Don't be made at me. I know how to read a map.

American Idol was average. I think Scott (white Ruben), Constantine, and Lindsey are the bottom three. Bo and Nikko were my favorites. I watched the show in Hi Def and it looked great. This means I had to watch commercials and all I got to say about that is; "Put the Lime in the Coke, You Nut and Drink it all Down."

Workout Stats: NONE. My knee hurts and I want my mommy. Really it does hurt. With March Madness starting Thursday I have a lot of couch, chip, pizza, pop AND beer time coming up. In fact it will be four days of that. So, I plan to hit the trail tomorrow for at least a 10 mile mountain bike ride. It will be cold but I can DO IT.

Later.

Mario Vasquez Likes Hats??

No, I mean he likes dudes in cute hats? Cute Guys in hats? Alright, I mean the internet world thinks he is gay! Yes the Fez look-a-like from American Idol 4 has quit the final 12. Story goes that his actions are for personal reasons. Personal reasons he says?? Rumors are storming through the internet because Mario Vasquez was the front runner for American Idol 4. Did he get enough exposure and just want out of that ball and chain AI top 12 contract? OR the more fun internet rumor that he is gay and has a gay porn magazine spread floating around somewhere, which he fears will "pop" up? You can hide your sexuality from your family, but never from the INTERNET!

I almost forgot about my new favorite show, The Contender. Are you bloggers tuning in like I asked you too? The numbers show you are not. This is such a great "Reality" show and I hope they don't cancel it. The 3rd episode this past Sunday was good. We finally had Ishi Smith shut up and put up. With one vicious body shot he took the fight right out of Baby Face Ahmed. Ishi fought smart and looked great. Tune in people this Sunday after you finish up with March Madness. DO IT!

I am on vaca this week doing absolutely nothing. Just had some time that I needed to take or lose. This means more blogs for you. Out. Later.

Why Must I Be A CUB Fan?

Oh the pain! The lack of joy they bring me! I still come back every spring with the hope that this could be the year. This could be the Chicago Cubs time. If Boston can do it doesn't that mean the Cubs can do it? Doesn't it?

It seems this year I do not even need to bother with arising my hopes. Kerry Wood has some type of unknown shoulder issue and this just in, Mark Prior missed his start today for soreness in his pitching elbow. The "Great" Mark Prior just can not stay or BE healthy??

I am worried because two weeks ago the Cubs Brass told us Prior was healthy but proceeding with caution. I did not buy it, because last year the Cubs did nothing but mislead the public about player injuries. Guess what he was so healthy he had an MRI Sunday and missed his first spring start today. Ulnar Nerve inflammation for a pitcher with an obviously low pain threshold is extremely serious.

Jimmy over at The Cub Rambler is all over this Cub Code Crap in his blog post for today.....

Basically, I just read that Prior has "inflammation" in his elbow, which is most likely Cub-code for "you'll probably see the Fourth of July fireworks before you see Mark Prior pitch on a mound." Wood's shoulder? Cub-code tells us this means: "cancel playoff ticket orders."

Unfortunately, in two weeks Prior will be put on the 15 day DL with only inflammation. Then, 15 days later a second MRI will reveal elbow damage requiring surgery which will put him out for the year. I see it, I blogged it, therefore it must be true.

Workout Stats: Free Weights for the bicep and tricep workout. I attempted to play hoops for my cardio but had some knee issues. I played for 30 minutes but couldn't put much pressure on my left knee. It is really tender and somewhat swollen. Great, Me and Prior on the DL. This blows.

I am out. Later.

Yahoo Tournament Pick'em Needs You

Yahoo is always my first of many that I fill out. Come test your college hoops knowledge with the experts. So far we got two overweight, over thirty, over compensating, over hooping, junkies signed up. Yes that inlcudes me. The League Name is Dick Vitale Sucks, League ID 51959 and League Password is packertoo. Take this knowledge HERE and create a team then join my league. DO IT.

I am all things NCAA March Madness this week. So bring it if you got it? I am out. Later.

I Got The Madness......

March Madness is taking me over. I must fill out every online bracket now. I must fill them out twice, three times, a lady. CBS, ESPN, YAHOO, it don't matter. You got a free bracket challenge then I am your man. I got all week off to fill them all out. I got the shakes. I got the sweats. I got the poops. Later.

Objects In Mirror May Be Dogs

Objects In Mirror May Be Dogs
Originally uploaded by aham23.

I came across this picture from the past summer and had to post it. Eddie's buddy in the pic is Kirby, an 8 year old Pug. They were doing their thing on the way to the dog park. Later.

This just in........

Baseball players who got cartoonish size muscles and hit baseballs 500 feet in the late 90's were all on the juice. No you sick Jacko fans, not the Jesus Juice, but the roids and the human growth hormone juice. I mean I read this story on Mark McGuire and thought Duh, who didn't know that the guy was a roid freak? How many 35 year old guys do you know with acne problems? McGuire, Bonds, & Sosa have been on the juice, despite denying for many years now. These roid jag bags will all plead the fifth when they testify, just wait and see.

Another thing that confuses me is all these people who have watched SuperSize Me and now proclaim they will never eat fast food again. I just watched the documentary and found it very entertaining and even educational. However, I was not dumb enough to ever think McDonalds was good for me or healthy in any way. So, I will be taking no such stands against McDonalds. Any fool has to know that eating fast food is not the best choice for your health? Any fool has to know that if you eat McDonalds for 30 days straight bad things will happen? Right? America is not that dumb? Right?

I got some workout stats for you: Saturday it was 50 minutes on the spin cycle with intervals. I did 10 intervals and it really killed my legs. Why not an hour? Friday nights dinner at the Outback just wasn't agreeing with me. I was lucky to power through the 50. Today it was chest and back with free weights then 30 minutes on the spin cycle with intervals. I really need to get my diet under control and this working out thing could really result in some nice weight loss. Despite only dropping ten pounds since November I do feel great!

Alright my blogging nation I must shower to ready myself for the Big Ten Championship game this afternoon. It is time for Illinois to lock up that number one seed in the Midwest and begin the March to the Arch.

I am out. Later.

Winning Isn't Everything....

The Fighting Illini easily won their opening game of the Big Ten Tournament. As you should know they are having the greatest year Illini Basketball has ever had. Bruce Weber was a 19 year assistant before getting a chance at a head coaching position. This year is only his second year as head coach of Illinois and he is the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Unfortunately, life has taken a cruel turn for Coach Weber. His Mother passed away today at the age of 81. It appears it was a sudden tear of her aorta that caused her to be rushed to the hospital just shortly after she arrived at the game. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Weber family.

You just never know until it happens.

Hello Blogger Tech Support Are You There?

For unknown reasons Blogger Comments has been down since yesterday. I use HaloScan so no problem, but while browsing blogs I have not been able to comment where Blogger is used. I just want my blog peeps to know I am still reading! WTF? Blogger figure it out already!

Let me see what can I talk about. How about what I did last night. What did I do last night? Oh freaking yeah now I remember. Mark Burnett Thursday Night Reality TV Orgy!

First let me start with my favorite, "The Next Great Human Drama, The Contender." What is up with this Ishi dude. One minute he is all tough guy talk and going to step up to take out Ahmed. The group has lunch with George Foreman and bam, a total personality change and he aint stepping up to fight nobody. George grilled the guys lunch but did not even use a George Foreman grill. Talk about a missed product placement opportunity. Anyway, the fight at the end was awesome. Not as dramatic as week one, but it was another "UnderDog" winning. Maybe, it is just editing and who I believe is the "UnderDog" is not really? No? Peter Manfredo Jr was
21-0 and ranked third in the world. The guy who beat him was 10-2 and a nobody. This show rocks.

The Apprentice was decent. It was very clear that John was going. I mean could he have been more of a assclown? Is assclown one word or two? Ass clown?

Survivor:Palau just keeps getting stronger. Not to mention the challenges keep getting harder. Tom the NY Firefighter is still my guy and still dominating the young buffed dudes. I am afraid he may get too confident and become such a threat that he gets picked off when the merge comes. Who knows with this show?? James comments about him being a redneck and homosexuals spending all their time in the gym were classic. It moves to Wednesday next week to make room for March Madness.

Hey Blogger, figure it out. I have important comments to spread around the blog world. I am out. Later.

It's Mark Burnett Thursday....

Hey reality fanatics out there in blog land tonight is your night. We have Survivor: Palau (CBS), then The Apprentice (NBC), then The Contender (NBC). The Survivor preview showcases another brutal looking physical challenge and an alleged "twist." Make sure you stay tuned to NBC after The Apprentice for the The Next Great Human Drama, The Contender. This is the second episode and the third is coming Sunday. Don't miss it. The premier had drama and especially sports drama that gave me goose bumps. It really is excellent "Reality" TV!

Workout Stats: 30 minutes on the elliptical with 520 cals burned. Then I did 15 minutes on the stairmaster for 220 more burned cals. That stairmaster machine is a mean focker.

The much loved Fighting Illini start the Big Ten Tourney tomorrow at 12pm eastern. I think I will have some early appointments which require me to leave the office around 11am. I am not a big fan of this league tourney stuff. I mean they played 30 games already and are set for a number one seed. This tourney can do nothing but tire them out, get them hurt, or emotionally scar them with a loss tomorrow. The big conferences just do these damn things for the extra money. It is always about the money.

I am off work next week with no plans. I have some extra vacation that I have to use up or I will lose it. So, I am looking forward to tomorrow. Ofcourse, the NCAA March madness starts next Thursday and I will be glued to the TV with no worries.

Me must go. Out. Later.

Don't Miss The Contender Thur 3/10 10pm Eastern NBC

I have taken up the crusade of promoting NBC's The Contender. The premier was crazy good, but no one watched. America, this is a Mark Burnett vehicle. Yes genius, the same dude who created Survivor and The Apprentice. The Contender manufactures human drama like no other reality show has. Plus, it is about boxing perhaps the most drama filled sport in America. Tune in you will enjoy it.

Romber took the second leg of The Amazing Race. They did it Rob Style. He lied to and paid off people in great Robfather fashion. He does it all with a Boston tongue and a hottie on his side. He is climbing up my list of all time favorite reality characters. Hey, that would make a great post.

What else, didn't watch the American Idol vote off but, got it on TiVo. I like Super Nanny and her naughty steps. No workout as it's my off day, which means I had to work like a normal person. Ok, not a normal person, I was home by 3pm, but that is late for me. I did give Eddie a bath and make tacos for dinner.

The Contender on NBC this Thursday 3/10 at 10pm Eastern!

I am out. Later.

One Is The Loneliest Number

It appears I was the only one to watch The Contender last night? Well, there might have been one or two more people tune in, but that was it. To bad for the rest of America because the premier was "Reality TV" at its best. So called real people manipulated by the master Mark Burnett to give us Forced Drama and Manufactured Emotions. People it is just TV and it is just darn entertaining. Episode two airs Thursday at 10pm eastern and I suggest America check it out. Don't make me come out and start the "SAVE The Contender March!"

American Idol, the girls turn, blew my arse compartment. That is right my dirty little arse. The good ones are too inconsistent and the bad ones are too consistent. They clearly have no fashion sense or common sense. I think it was the first singer who compared being on Idol with the other girls like being soldiers in war because they have bonded? WTF? Seen the news lately you dumb ass. How many Idol Dopes have died singing for freedom? 1500? Please spare us your brilliant thoughts and stick to "attempting" to sing on key. I say they vote them all off tomorrow and start the search again.

Workout Stats: Oh my legs are sore..........45 minutes on the spin bike with intervals. Why not an hour? I only wanted to do 30, so take that. Then some crunches and other abdominal work. Did I mention my legs are barking at me right now?

It is time. Out. Later.

The Contender: It Is The Next Great Human Drama

Just finished watching the premier of the Contender and WOW I loved it. Mark Burnett is a master at this kind of stuff. First, they actual have REAL boxers with REAL records and REAL experiences. The matches they have are REAL and count against their pro records. Holy crap Peter Manfredo Jr is on, uh, was on the show. They play the dramatic music and have the family nearby for support (crying). They got Rocky and Sugar. They got an underdog willingly to step up and challenge a big dog AND WIN. The show was so awesome it had to be scripted? Right?

Seriously, if you are someone who likes sports, who like the underdog, who like boxing, who like to think Reality TV is Real, man this show is for us. If you were that kid who stood and cheered at the movies for Daniel LaRusso then this show is for us. Did I just make a Karate Kid reference?

American Idol was good. The guys are good. The guys are better then the girls. That Bobby Brown imposter and white Ruben Studdard should go. Still got 2 ERs, 2 Alias, SuperNanny, Wife Swap and my special girls to watch. I gotta go.

I am out. Later.

The Next Great Human Drama: The Contender

I have been looking forward to Mark Burnett's latest Reality Show since the first preview aired. This show has been delayed and pushed back since last fall, but finally starts tonight. Who knows if it will be any good, but I will be there tonight at 8:30 for its 90 minute debut. Well, I aint that excited that I would watch commercials and with TiVo I don't have too. Heck, now that I think about it I may watch it tomorrow after I get home from work. Either way you will be the first to know my opinion of The Contender.

Workout Stats: I only lifted today and hit biceps & triceps. My legs are sore from my Non-Epic Ride yesterday. My right hammy is especially tight?? Many riders across the Midwest were out in force on their bikes yesterday. The weather was awesome. I put in one hour for 10 miles and felt good about it. Some people did a bit more. Check out Jeff Kerkove he rode a bit yesterday too. Jeff's blog says he is an Endurance Mountain Bike Racer. That is an understatement!

This just in the Fighting Illini are still number one! Duh, they have only lost like one game. That game was by one point on the road against a good team that because of imposed penalties viewed the game as its National Championship. I know all the other top 25 teams with one loss are upset that the Illini are still ranked number one. Oh wait, there aint none.

OK, I am off to catch up on some TiVo. I have several ERs, Alias, a Wife Swap, a That 70s Show, and some Jessica & Ashlee stuff....."Why do I keep admitting to that!!"

I am out. Later.

A Day of Two Tales....

Limestone Dirt Attacks: Part Two
Originally uploaded by aham23.

The day started out fabulous. The weather was awesome, Sunny and 40 by 10am, which is when I hit the trail. It was Waterfall Glen's 10 mile limestone loop path. Despite NOT being singletrack or very technical this place still is challenging. It has plenty of hills and is great for a beginner like me. My Summer will be full of singletrack!!

Ride Stats: 10 miles in 1 hour 1 minute and 33 seconds. Average speed of 7.9 mph with a max of 22.9 mph. I only stopped twice and one was for a contact issue(damn limestone). The time was 15 minutes faster then my first ride out there.

When I got home clean up took about an hour too. Limestone was everywhere. The bike was covered. My nice new tights were covered. My camelbak was covered. My helmet, well you get it.

Then it was off to TiVo land to watch the Fighting Illini play and win their last regular season game. This would make them undefeated..........Wait, damn it they didn't win. They went down to Ohio State by one point. Some big slow white dude who has averaged 7.4 points per game all season had the game of his life. This included the game winning three pointer with 5 seconds remaining.

It aint the end of the world Illini Nation. They have lost one game. Name one other division one team who has only lost one game........I am waiting....Stop, you can't because there isn't one. They played bad on the road against a decent team and lost. It happens to them all. They are still my pick for National Champs 2005!

Besides all that, I washed the Murano, picked up dog poo, did my laundry, grocery shopped, and made dinner.

I am tired and out. Later.

The Weather Man Blows

Today is rainy, cold, and overcast. A none riding day in the mountain bike world of mine. Brant Miller of NBC better be right with tomorrows projected high of 50 degrees. If not I may just lock myself in my room and cry. After the Illini game that is.

Fred Durst is suing several internet web sites for posting his homemade porn. The Smoking Gun has the story covered. So, he tapes himself having sex, stores it on his computer, then allows it to be stolen, hacked, or whatever. All of which gets his name and his bands, which is soon to be releasing a new album, back in the news, but he wants $80 million from the likes of Gawker.Com?? Can anyone say "Freedom of Speech?"

Anyway, I am done with that dork. Workout Stats; Chest and Back with free weights. Then 30 minutes on the spin cycle with 7 intervals instead of my normal 5 for 30 minutes. I really hope Brant doesn't let me down and I can hit the trail tomorrow morning.

I am out. Later.

Old Man Winter Hears Midwest Complaints?

This weekend is either the turn towards warmer days or a freakin big breasted bimbo tease. Saturday's projected high is 43 AND Sunday's is 50 mutha truckin degrees biotches!!! I refuse to look past this weekend. I know it is likely that the blizzard to end all Midwest blizzards will come Monday, but I still got 50 on Sunday.

With these recent developments in hand I ran out to Performance Bicycle and picked up some biking tights. Yeah I said it, tights. They are these cool riding tights for winter to better keep me warm. They have that padded ass thing that looks like I am storing a special friend back there but, it really helps on long rough rides. Where the heck is this blog going? Long Rough Rides and Tights?

The plan is if the temp is right tomorrow morning I am headed out to Waterfall Glen. I will tackle its rolling 10 mile limestone path. This place is great when conditions are wet. If tomorrow morning sucks weather wise then I will hit the gym for an hour spin. Sunday I may try for some early morning singletrack. Singletrack is just that, a single dirt path specifically for bikes. It has tight turns, hills, logs, rocks, & roots to jump over. Just tons of biking fun. There are a couple of nice singletracks within driving distance of me.

Alright big finish......Check out The Red Bull Diaries and give Christian some props for getting back in the gym. Survivor was great. Tom is my guy. That Bobby Jon is a tough southern boy. Jeff is a sissy. Your Survivor Recap is waiting. The Fighting Illini are good. Dee Brown likes the three. Your Illini Recap is waiting. I missed The Apprentice but Cheesecakey (Reality Queen) is on it. Rounders is a solid movie. Texas Holdem is my soon to be new thing. I look good in my tights. Workout Stats: I got nothing for you. I am out. Later

My Blog Needs More Pictures......

Can You Hear Me Now?
Originally uploaded by aham23.

So here you go. A new picture of Eddie, my 1.5 year old Rat Terrier. Check out those ears! He hears all and barks at it all too. Later.

The World Needs Anna Nicole Smith?

What would I do if there were no celebrities in the world? Who would entertain me with their shenanigans? Real people lusting for stardom can only entertain me for so long. I need once famous fake people struggling for a second 15 minutes to make me laugh on Reality off days. For example Anna's recent TV appearance is highly entertaining. I think I liked Really FAT Anna better then this new Trimspa version. Who knew she was such a BIG fan of MTV Australia??


Workout Stats: 30 minutes on the spin cycle with intervals, then crunches, situps, and other ab stuff. I am getting bored with this routine. I think it is winter bringing me down. I just wish old man winter would let me go and get lost. Temps are back down in the 20 to 30 range AND I hate it. If it could just hit say 43 degrees I could take the mountain bike for a spin. Winter be gone with yourself already.

Oh, the Fighting Illini, still undefeated and number one, are back tonight after eight days off. This game tonight has me worried. Dee Brown was on the cover of SI, which everyone knows normally leads to bad luck. Purdue Coach Keady is Bruce Weber's old mentor and is retiring after this year. I am sure he would love to beat Illinois just one more time! The game is at 9pm eastern on ESPN2.

So, I got Survivor, Illini, & ER on my TiVo To Do List. What about you?

I am out. Later.

It's Official, The Bulls Don't Want Me Back

So, as you can read below I am juiced on the Bulls recent success and was at the game last night. Great for me? No, they played their worst game of the year and lost by 30 points. The game was basically over at the end of the first quarter. However, when I come back I come back for good. I toughed it out, drank more beer, and stayed to the end. Go Bulls.

The premier of The Amazing Race 7 was fabulous. Rob and Amber rock! They started slow, but didn't panic, used their reality fame to their advantage, and were a traffic jam away from winning the first leg (they finished 3rd). Other teams that sparked my interest were the Mother/Gay Son team and the Big Breasted Blond Ladies who lied to the older couple on the beach stop. Oh yeah, the Survivor preview during TAR7 looked crazy and I can not wait for Thursday.

Anyone watch Scrubs? It is a terrific show that I started watching last year, which was their 3rd season. This weeks episode, "My Best Laid Plans," was perhaps the best one I have seen. Although I did enjoy "My Life In Four Cameras" which had Clay Aiken singing in it and was done old school sitcom style. Anyway, I am a big fan of Zach Braff (JD) who directed this episode. It had Heather Gram in her panties, twice, and some cool reverse camera action stuff. His movie Garden State which he wrote, directed, and starred in with Natalie Portman is one of my favorites from 2004.

Workout Stats: It was a toughie after a night of beers and crap food, but I did it. Yeah for me!! It was 30 minutes on the elliptical then 30 minutes on the spin cycle with intervals. I really wanted to skip today but, no soup for me. I mean I powered through it and glad I did.

I am out. Later.

It's Official, The Bulls Are Back In My Life.

I remember the days or years where I did not miss a Chicago Bulls game on TV. It started in 1987 for me when I was just a little youngster. I watched the Bulls mature into a unstoppable NBA Force. I grew up watching the games greatest player mature into just that, the games greatest player. Those were the good old days.

It ended for me after after they failed to win 20 games in a season for three consecutive years ( 99 to 01). It was not just the losing but a clear lack on a plan for the future that drove me away. I am a basketball junkie. I love to play and I love to watch, but I could no longer stomach the crap the Bulls put out on the court.

Am I a fair weather fan? I don't think so. I am not blind and I could see that the Owner and Management had no desire to win, to sign good players, or to put out a good product. Finally the Bulls got their act together and got a General Manager and Coach that can take the team out of the dumpster.

All this means that the Bulls are Back Baby and the future looks good. Why all the Bulls talk? Well, I am off to the game tonight with a free ticket, two great friends, and hope for the future.
What the hell was that I just spewed from my mouth? Sometimes my blogging little mind just takes off.......

Anyway, I will be at the Bulls vs Houston tonight. That means TiVo will be on alert to capture the much anticipated The Amazing Race 7 premier and AI4!!

I am out. GO BULLS. Later.

Breaking News: Durst is REALLY Dumb

So this tool did not have his SideKick hacked. His leaked porn was a result of him taking his computer in for repairs with the video stored on the hard drive. Let me think, what would I do if I was a geeky computer repair dude and stumbled across the video? Yes I have it, put it on the internet!!

Durst and Hilton must be the only two celebs that seemingly don't have an assistant or manager to advise them on the ways of life. People, if your computer crashes and you got "Private" Amature Porn on the hard drive, JUST get a new computer and drop the old one in the ocean. Hello??

Wait...............maybe the joke is on me? I mean did we even remember who the heck Limp Bizkit was before the Durst Porno? No way, he aint that smart, but wait, maybe he does have peeps ?????

I'm Out. For Good. Unless more celeb porn pops up. Later.

I got Paris Hilton on the brain?

I just can't let this Paris Hilton chick go?? Check this out, she has a new boyfriend and his name is Paris! WTF? That has to be the dumbest thing she has done yet. Next, Fred Durst has issued a statement on his recent pornographic movie debut. It appears he believes the entire incident will make America a safer place. I say, "Brilliant and Fred Durst for President 2008!" Really, the guy seems like a major league assclown.

Hey, anyone watch the Oscars last night? Well good for you then. You wasted what, about 4 hours of your life? I did my Oscar recap via the thousands of blogs about the event. My take, they screwed Marty again for the old school Clint, and Hillary Swank has one heck of a nice figure. Too bad she has that boy next door face still.

Finally, I read this great blog by toni pierce titled "How To Blog." It is up for some type of 2004 blog award or something. It should be a must read for blog noobs like me. Check it out.

Oh yeah, Workout Stats; Biceps and Triceps free weights and 250 crunches. No cardio today but I plan to hoop it up tomorrow night. I am out. Later.

I Got Nothing For You

Workout Stats; Free weights for Chest and Back. I did 4 exercises, 3 sets of 10 reps, for each muscle group. Then I rode the spin bike for 30 minutes. My legs are killing me from yesterday's hour rid so I just kept a steady pace and did no intervals.

Last night was dinner at the Outback with some good friends. That means, loaded cheese fries, loaded baked potato, filet, AND Beer. Afterwards we played some Texas Holdem AND drank more beer. My wife won both games we played despite never playing. With all that it was tough to get out of bed and hit the gym today.

Don't forget that The Amazing Race 7 starts this Tuesday with a 2 hour premier. It is an awesome show that takes contestants on a race around the world. Along the way they do things they never dreamed of. This season has Rob and Amber from Allstars Survivor competing. I dig Boston Rob. He dominated the Allstar Survivor both physically and mentally. Then when he knew he didn't have the votes to win, he proposed to Amber. He ended up with the girl and the money.

Like I said, I got nothing for you. Out. Later.

The Chicago Bears Land A Playmaker

The Bears have gone out and got them a big time playmaker! The have agreed to sign Muhsin Muhammad, former wide receiver of the Panthers. He was cut Friday by the Panthers. This guy quietly had a HUGE 2004 season and could be considered one of the top five receivers in the NFL. He had 93 grabs for 1400 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Now, he has a history of getting injured but, the Bears badly needed a playmaker at the wideout spot. Nice move by the Bears. Now go get someone to throw the ball to him. Anyone know of a good Chicago Bears Blog to frequent?

Workout Stats; ONE hour on the Spin Cycle at the YMCA with 10 intervals ranging from a one to two minutes. The last ten was cool down, so I hit it real hard for 50 minutes. Now that is what I am talkin about. My wife told me she would give me dollar if I did an hour! Well I got paid!

My good buddy wants me to do the Trail Shark Off-Road Triathlon with him this year. It is a Sprint, which is 500 yd swim/ 9 mile MTB ride / 5k run. Last year was his first and he finished 50th out of 200. He is a machine who last year started running, biking, and swimming like a mad man. He kinda motivated me to start getting healthy last October. The timing of the event is bad and the swim scares me. However, I am thinking about it.

More later, Maybe, Maybe Not. Out. Later.

Fred Durst vs Paris Hilton

These two are like Dumb & Dumber. I mean you have to be really dumb to NOT realize that your T-Mobile SideKick is backing up all contents to the T-Mobile servers. Apparently these celebrities are too stupid to realize that this Backing Up feature can be disabled. Do these boobs have assistants or managers to hold their hands? Most are thinking, "Who the hell is Fred Durst" and "What the crap is this blog post about?" Well check it out, Fred Durst has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He has pulled a Paris and filmed himself having sexual relations. Rumor is the video could be from his SideKick?? Who knows, but Durst is back in the news. Hey, maybe that is the whole point?

Speaking of Fred & Pairs here is a quote from Dumb & Dumber; "We got no food, no jobs... our PET'S HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"

No workout today and no good reason. No Random Review because I like to have a picture with the post and my flickr account is maxed out for the month.

Out. Later.

Why Do I Love Survivor So Much?

As my Blogging Friend Cheesecakey once proclaimed, I LOVE THURSDAYs!! I really do. Survivor, Apprentice, ER, CSI:Whatever, all great shows.

Anyway, get your Survivor:Palau recap if you didn't catch the episode. He also does a great job of covering the interviews and non-Thursday Survivor news. Great blog.

My thoughts on this weeks show are many. It started off with a brutal challenge. There was blood, a dude punching himself, and people slamming hard on shins, backs, hips, and knees. I kept waiting for someone to catch a sandbag in the head and get knocked out. Angie came up big this time but, those butterfly titties got to go. The second challenge appeared harder then the first. It looked like a challenge made for Big, Strong, Young Men. However, Tom the NY Firefighter kicked all forms of arse. He out pulled younger and bigger guys. It looked like he pulled that chest atleast 90% of the way. Mad Props to Tom. I think he may be my early favorite.

Alright, I may go workout or I may go take a nap. Who votes for nap. I'm out. Later.

New Title, Same Old Crap............

I mean, same old blog. To Be Honest With You, I never really liked my original title, How You Doin. Everyone knows that is a famous Joey line from Friends. What kind of person starts a statement off with this title phase? To Be Honest With you, it is a person who feels the need to qualify that they are telling the truth. Which means they normally don't?? So only dirty deceptive liars use this phrase. Over the next week listen and watch for who and how many start off comments with, To Be Honest With You.

Workout Stats; Thirty minutes on the elliptical, for 511 cals burned. Then it was 250 crunches. Then it was home and a finish up walk with Eddie. We varied from our normal route but, I think it was about 1.5 miles. I am kinda getting bored with the workouts. I am not dropping weight like a Biggest Loser or even a Little Loser. I need warm weather so I can hit the trails on my mountain bike. Damn Evil Man Winter. Cabin Fever Release Me.

Do not forget we have SURVIVOR: Palau tonight. Check out my links for a great Survivor Recap Blog to keep you current with the best Reality TV show. Plus, I have last nights American Idol to watch. So far this 4th edition is boring me more then my workouts. No one has blown me away yet. I remember that Kelly, Reuben, & Tamyra Grey all blew me away with their first performances of the round to get to the final 12. I am invested and likely will keep watching.

I am out. Later.

Barry Bonds is still a Piece Of Crap........

However, this post is not about that sorry arse loser. Today was a sad sad day in the World of Dumps at Work. I was making a fly-by of the holy safe haven and found it full of Uncle Teds. My head spun as I tried to figure where this evil army of Uncle Teds came from. Iraq, Iran, France?? No, there it was right in front of me, suite 103 previously empty, but now Uncle Teds Investment, a family owned and operated business. As I made the walk back to inform the Pooping Friends Network of this tragedy I wondered if I would ever poop at work again?

Workout stats: Uhm, no stats, wait, Dog Walk aprox 2 miles. I had issues that kept me from the gym. Like, work, neck pain, headache from glasses, pooping issues that required a home visit, and chocolate cake. My new contact has arrived so I hope to hit the gym full force tomorrow.

Finally, there will be no more pooping talk at this blog for the rest of the week.

Out. Later.

Oh Barry, How Dumb Can You Be?

I caught a recap of the Barry Bonds press conference on sports radio and all I can say is, WOW! This guy is really a Grade A Class One IDIOT!! He spewed from his mouth for 37 minutes at the media like they are to blame. Has this piece of crap read the leaked grand jury testimony that everyone else has? He admitted to "accidentally" rubbing some clear & cream on his person back in December 2003 but, that is it. Greg Anderson his former trainer and the guy admittedly handing out human growth hormones to pro baseball players never gave Bonds anything else. Barry is just a freak. A freak who at the end of his career has gained more muscle and racked up more stats then anyone in any sport EVER! Yeah he is a freak. A freak with a Steroid Dealer as a personal trainer.

What pisses me off even more is how ESPN does and will act like the steroid issue does not exist. See they got a big contract with MLB and a lot riding on Bonds chasing history. They will do the updates and cut-ins to show his at bats and so called history in the making. They will marvel at his abilities and work ethic. Not once will ESPN challenge Bonds on the steroids issue. I have no respect for ESPN as a media outlet at all!

Man I am really mad. Barry Bonds will eventually be called to testify in the Balco case. He will then have to choose between truth and lies. I guess he goes with the lies. He has been spiting them out so long that I think he believes them. I give Barry Bonds a BIG * (asterisk) .

Me out. More later. Later.

I Got Paris On the Brian

I just can not let this story go. It is simply too entertaining. Gawker has the story totally surrounded for all us celebrity internet stalkers. These numbers spread fast and hard, which caught many celebs by surprise. People are even recording their phone calls to the celebs. Totally crazy stuff!

Workout Stats: Abdominal Day, which was 300 crunches of various style. I wanted to hit the elliptical machine but, the YMCA MILFs were out in force. So, it was off to spin for 30 minutes with intervals. Another sweaty workout with my glasses falling off my face.

I feel great about the workout, but have other circumstances holding me back. No it aint the lost contact. It is even worse, Chocolate Cake. I had a big piece earlier and just finished a big helping of spaghetti with meatballs for dinner. All I got on my mind now is finishing off that lovely Chocolate Cake!! All that hard work and it comes down to me and the cake. Can I triumph over all that is evil and Chocolate?

I must go. Eat. I mean I'm out. Later.

I Wish I Had 502 Friends!

Paris Hilton makes me giggle like a teenage girl high on Red Bull. The story is, Saturday night some master hacker got into T-Mobile servers and flooded the internet with her SideKick contact list and stored cameraphone pics. Her contact list is interesting to look at but, I would never call any of the numbers. However, that aint the case with the rest of America. It is being reported that most Celebrities in her contact list have changed their number already. Seems the secret serive is involved and some more popular websites have been forced to remove her stuff. Oh T-Mobile can you say lawsuit!!

On a side note this worries me about my Nextel cameraphone. I think the numbers and pics are stored on my phone and not any Nextel servers. SideKicks and T-Mobile must work differently and store the info with T-Mobile?? I better go erase those nude pics of Eddie from my cell phone.

Workout Stats: Free Weights for bicepts and tricepts, then 30 minutes on the new spin cycle doing intervals, then a follow up walk with Eddie when I got home. My excuse for not pushing it longer on the spin cycle is my damn glasses. They suck so bad! The are two prescriptions behind and barely stay on my face.

Anyway, I got to go call Eminem. I am out. Later.

"If you can get it from my kung-fu grip then you can have it, okay? "

As some may know my last trip to the gym sucked. Lost a contact while swimming, my necked stiffen up because of swimming, and despite swimming 500 meters on one eye I did not feel like I worked out. Today was a new day. With a contact on order and glasses falling of my face I hit the free weights for chest and back. I stepped up the weight five pounds per exercise. I may have a hard time washing my hair tomorrow.

Then it was time for a spin. HOLY crap, the YMCA bought new spin cycles, the Star Trac Johnny G Spinner® Pro . There is a picture below of the old Spin Cycles which were not that bad. This is the advantage to belonging to a YMCA in the Yuppiest Burb and the number one rated city for raising kids. The bike rode real nice and once I get my settings down it will rock. I did 40 minutes with intervals. I increased the interval time as the session went on. I wanted to ride for an hour, but I was dripping with sweat and those damn glasses were slipping and sliding.

On the Reality TV front I caught up on Newlyweds and Ashley. Why can I not stop watching these two shows. I watched the first episode of Gastineau Girls and did not care for it. They didn't do any thing interesting or fun. I may give it one more try. I got two episodes of Alias in, which leaves me with last weeks left. Oh yeah, I saw a preview for Intervention on A&E starting March 6th and it looks great. That is right people with addictions getting help they don' t want. Sounds like good old fashion Reality TV! I think I may watch to much crap, I mean TV.

Speaking of TV, American Idol gets real and hopefully good this week. Let the singing and voting begin.

Alright, I am sure I got something to watch on TiVo. I am out. Later.

Gmail for Everyone !!

I have some invites for free Gmail by Google accounts. I have been using it for a couple months and it has some nice features. It provides tons of storage space with no deleting of old messages. You just archive them so you can always refer back when needed. It has cool search functions for your email. You can mark and sort your email many different ways. I can send you an invite if you want. Just post your email or email me directly.

Fighting Illini 27-0 !! They have struggled lately on offense, but oh they play such great team defense. Possible the best college team defense I have ever seen. A great team playing great ball is a beautiful thing to watch. Tune in and get on the band wagon before we leave town to St Louis on the March Towards The Arch, Final Four.

Bye Bye. Me Out. Later.

Guide to Taking a Dump at Work

Follow the title link for a very clever and very true "Guide to Taking a Dump at Work."

Later.

flickr.com

Did you know the free flickr.com accounts have a per month limit on uploads? Well, I did not know this. I mean, I know it now, because I can not upload any more pictures. This day blows my fat arse.

Out. Later.

"I got my technique down and everything, I don't be tickling or nothin'. "

Today was a tough gym day. It was an expensive gym day. It was about an hour at about $70 bucks. First thing first, I went to the gym to swim for a change up. Well, I did swim, 500 meters total. It was not easy but easier then before so maybe I am starting to get in shape?? One recommendation, if you are thinking about trying swimming, get good goggles. Don't do the cheap thing. My cheap Nike ones kept getting water in them which I had to stop for to empty . It was either the water or me knocking my eye with the goggles, but I lost my right contact. Damn thing must have just floated away...................

I have Rigid Gas Perms and the cost is around $70 bucks. Plus, I have to order them and it could take 14 days to come in. I got no backups and fancy boy type glasses. In fact, I have no idea how to keep the damn things on my face when working up a sweat at the gym. They will just slide right off. I guess my working out days are on hold. No, just pulling your chicken. I will tape the damn things to my head if I have too. I must continue with the training. Yes, the Training for My Summer Of Mountain Biking 2005!!!! will contiune.

My final thought is this; Are Pearls the new Diamonds? I am out. Later.

Survivor 10 Palau

Click on the title to link to a great Survivor: Palau blog. He provides a nice recap of each episode while mixing in his own thoughts. I do not much care for the "spoiler" blogs/sites and think I will visit this blog often.

I am out. Later.

" No, you can't do that... you can't triple stamp a double stamp, you can't triple stamp a double stamp! "

Uh, did anyone see Survivor: Palau? I did, yeah for me but boo for me. What is the worst thing that can happen to a Survivor junkie on opening night? That is correct!! You have John, Wendy, and Jo in the office pool!! Holy crap two of them didn't even get a chance. The 3rd one ran her mouth too much and BAM I got no chance at the big money pool.

I really enjoyed the episode. We don't really know much about the players yet. However, I am sure I was not the only person to to think that standing up and singing on the boat was a REALLY Bad, Dumb, Stupid, move on Wendy's part. John we hardly knew you but clearly you had some personality issues with the rest of the cast. I mean, from what we saw it looked like he did not get picked because he worked too much and talked to little. Did he even say a word until Jeff asked him how he felt?

Survivor is great. Just when they were feeling great on the adventure of a lifetime the elements knocked them on their butts! They lost the only thing they won and the only thing a tribe really needs, FIRE !!!

I am not sure who I like yet. I guess it will be the fourth and last remaining Survivor on my list. Maybe not, I like to get to know the Survivors before I pick a winner. Give me two more episodes to get attached to someone.

That is it for this blogger. I am out. Later.

Random Review

Eddie & Lakota
Originally uploaded by aham23.

Well there was no workout today as this was my planned off day. This edition of Random Review is on my favorite subject, Eddie Vedder my Rat Terrier. Not so much Eddie, but Rat Terriers.

The Rat Terrier is an American Breed. You could even call them an American Mutt. Early American Immigrants crossed several European Terriers to arrive at the RT. They were looking for a compact, fast, tough, farm and hunting dog. They are suited for chasing, flushing, and treeing game, like birds & rabbits. They normally stay above ground unlike the Jack Russell which will chase a rabbit or varmint into its hole.

They can be small to medium size ranging from 10 to 25 pounds. Eddie is about 22 pounds. They are intelligent, playful, non confrontational, loyal and protective. They can be shy of strangers too. Eddie takes about 10 to 15 minutes to warm up to new people.

Initially Eddie was not receptive to training. It took atleast two session for him to learn one task. Now, he does all the basics, sits, stays, shakes, down, high five, roll over, and walks on the leash. Potty training went very well with only 4 accidents inside (only one poop!). He stays in his crate while we are at work. He can hold his little bladder for up to ten hours. His normal day is about 8 hours in the crate. He is not a barker. He is not like most little dogs as he does not bark at everything that moves. BUT, he does go crazy when the door bell rings. Who doesn't love having guest? He is he a tough, fun, NOT A LITTLE FOO FOO DOG, but still affectionate and loving. He likes to lay on people at night time.

Man, I really can blab or blog about my Eddie. I am out. Later.

"There's nothing wrong with letting the girls know that you're money and that you want to party. "

SURVIVOR: Palau SURVIVOR: Palau SURVIVOR: Palau SURVIVOR: Palau

YEAH, just in case you do not know, SURVIVOR: Palau starts tomorrow on CBS. It is my favorite of the Reality TV shows. I am not a total junkie though. I have not searched the web for all things Survivor. Thursday's episode will be my first introduction to this season. Except for the too few and too short commercials I have seen. I am really looking forward to it!! I may even find some time to share my Survivor thoughts with the blogging world.

Despite my bad running episode from Tuesday I did make it back to the gym. Today was my fourth day in row this week. No weights today just cardio. I did 30 minutes on the Elliptical for 490 cals burnt & 2.8 miles. Then it was 30 minutes on the spin cycle doing intervals. My legs are killing me tonight. I think tomorrow will be an off day, which means a Random Review is upcoming.

The fighting Illini won again tonight, easily beating Penn State. They are unbeaten with 4 games left in the regular season . I am not one of these fools who think they need to lose a game in order to win the National Championship. I may have been one in previous post though?? Anyway, losing now would not teach this team something or make them stronger. People who say that have not watched them play enough. They are a very smart TEAM who plays every game like it is a championship. They bring max effort every night, unlike UNC, who is the team most Illini fans are afraid of. I say win them all then beat UNC in the Final Game and teach college basketball their lesson!!

I am out. Later.

"Well, let me be the first to say congratulations to you man; you have one vagina for the rest of your life. Real smart man."

Well Tuesday Boss was a bit more busy and stressful then being Monday Boss. Hopefully the Wednesday Boss will be more like Monday Boss?

Anyway, I showed up at the gym feeling really good about myself. So good I decided I would tackle the treadmill. Yes, I thought I could run on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Uhm, yeah, I was wrong. I ran for 10 minutes. I started out with 5 minutes of warm up, brisk walking. Then I ran for the next 5. Then I needed to slow the pace to a brisk walk as my heart was beginning to pound through my chest. After 5 minutes of walking I decided to run again. That lasted another 5. I walked the last 10 for a total of 30 minutes, 405 calories burned, 2.8 miles. When I was done I had sweated through my shirt like never before. Damn running is some good exercise. I finished up with sit ups and called it a day.

On the Reality TV front my beloved TIVO did not record American Idol tonight. It was not TiVo's fault though. I have a powered multiswitch (fancy splitter needed for Directv) that was mistakenly switched off, or was it? When it is off no satellite signal feeds through to any of my TVs. Ofcourse, I was not home at the time and did not solve the problem until after AI4 was over. The mystery is; Who accidentally bumped OR purposely flipped the light switch to off? I will find the answers and those responsible will be punished. I will start with the dog! He looks guilty!

Speaking of the dog, check this out. I was pissed off the other day as the dog wouldn't go outside to "potty" because it was raining. I knew he had to go, likely number one and two, because he had been inside all day. He would not budge out the back door. I pushed him out and he immediately ran back to the door and stared inside. Now, I had to follow him around to make sure he didn't go inside. The wife got home and I explained the situation to her and how mad I was at the dog. She replied with this, "How would you like to take a shit outside in the pouring rain while everyone watched?" I am no longer mad at the dog.

That is all I have to say about that. I am out. Later.

Evil Spin Cycles

Evil Spin Cycles
Originally uploaded by aham23.

How about a lovely pic from the gym? I worked up a real nice sweat today on this baby. I must have sweat on the cameraphone lens too (crappy pic?). Anyway, it was free weights for the bicepts/tricepts, then 30 minutes on the spin cycle. I did 7 intervals during that time and my legs are beat!

It is so cool that I can take a picture with my cameraphone then email it to my flickr.com account. The internet is such a fabulous place!

I was right about that boss thing too. I am the "Boss For A Week" while he is away for meetings. Didn't really make me too busy today. I mean I got my workout and blog post done before quitting time.

OK players I will be back later for more blogging love love. I am out. Later.

"If I'm not back in five minutes... just wait longer."

Has anyone noticed that the blogging world is full of political topic blogs?? Maybe it is just me, but searching through blogs over at BlogExplosion lead to me to a lot of Left Wing, Right Wing, Religious Wing, Wacko Wing, blog sites. Well, I don't want to go against the norm, so here is my political blogging for the day. President Bush and I have something in common? Hey, watch what you say there, it's not what you think. Check out this article posted over at Cambr.org and read about the President's current favorite hobby.

OK, enough political talk. What most want to know is if I got off my fat arse and went to the gym. Or did I use that cold/flu type thing as an excuse again? No soup for you. I went, I saw, I did, I done, I loved it. What? First it was free weights for Chest and Back, then 30 minutes on the spin cycle. I spun it at a steady pace most of the time. I did do 5 intervals where I cranked down the tension like I was climbing one bitch of a hill. I have to say I felt pretty crappy while on the bike and sweat up a storm. After that it was home sweet home.

The boss at work is out of town this week, which I think makes me boss for a week? Who cares, well I am just getting in my built in excuse for the upcoming week if I don't work out. However, my goal is to workout every day. This includes playing hoops Tuesday night.

Finally, Survivor: Palau starts in four days and the previews look interesting. They are completely stranded with no help and three people go home in the first episode. Oh I do love my Survivor. Can anyone point me to some good Survivor Blogs or Forums?

It is that time again. I am out. Later.

Random Review

Motorola i860
Originally uploaded by aham23.

I see that people love to review things on their blogs. So, when I don't workout or have thoughts on reality TV, The Fighting Illini, Cubs, Bulls, or Bears, then I will give you a random review of something I own.

My first Random Review is on my Motorola i860 camera phone for Nextel. What I like about this phone:

• Camera Phone with Multimedia Messaging (text messages & email)
• The external & internal displays are huge respectively.
• Picture caller ID. Assigned pictures show up on the external display.
• Nice and loud speaker phone.
• Quick Flip. Push the button and it flips open. Kinda like the Matrix.
• It looks really cool & is easy to customize with ring tones & wallpapers from the net.

What I don't like about this phone:

• While it looks cool the plastic materials scratch easily.
• No Bluetooth technology.
• Poor contrast on the external display.
• The existing customer price is way too high. (I got mine from Amazon.)

There it is, my first Random Review. AND yes that means I did not workout today. I am a sissy, but this cold/flu type thing is dragging me down.

I am out. Later.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

"I don't know how to tell you this but I'm kind of a big deal. "

Winter blows arse. I have the winter blues, cabin fever, whatever you call it. Now I am getting sick. Damn you evil winter be gone with your self.

So, I did manage to workout today. I worked on my abdominal area (ABs) and then rode the spin cycle for 30 minutes. I did the interval thing again. I warmed up the first five minutes then tightened the tension for a minute, then back to normal tension and speed for two minutes. I did this for the remaining time. As time passed I found it easier to sustain pace at the harder tension. After that I was done and headed home for an afternoon nap.

Doing these intervals seems to simulates a trail ride. I think it will get me in better mountain biking shape. Also, I really would like to lose ten pounds before Spring. Doing intervals while spinning or doing the elliptical for a minimum of 30 minutes should help that. Plus, I really need to focus on my diet and NOT blow it up on the weekends. I am big on eating out. Not fast food but not gourmet food either, like Chilis, Olive Garden, Red Robin, ect.

Wife Swap last night was crazy. Do people like the millionaire's wife really exist? She is so blinded by her so called faith she acussess the other Wife of being a lesbian child molestar with no facts or ground to stand on. What the hell was that? American Idol from Wed was another bore. Survivor next week baby!! I holla at ya.

Don't hate the short uninteresting blog tonight, just hate the cold/flu type thing. I am out. Later.

"To trudge: the slow weary walk of a man that has nothing left in his life but the impulse to simply solider on."

If it aint one thing it is another. I had the neck thing, then the Super Bowl hangover thing, then the Burger King hangover thing, and now I am getting the really bad cold maybe the flu thing. All these "things" make working out difficult, but I do what I do when I can do it.

Today was free weights for bicepts & tricepts. After that I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, which was 2.7 miles with 500 cals burnt. I wanted to hit the spin cycle but was beat, so called it a day. Damn cold maybe flu thing makes it hard to breathe and sustain energy.

Anyone see the Illinois game last night? It was an ugly win, but a WIN, and that makes them 24 - o. They looked bad and tired but near the end Dee Brown got mad and took over the game. He was like, damn this blows, give me that ball, I must score, so we can get the heck out of dodge, well Michigan. He was amazing when the team needed him to be just that. Now, Darrin Williams has not looked so good the last two games. He seems real tentative to step up and take the big end of the game shot. That aint good when he is the guy with the ball in his hands all the time. Hopefully with no game until Saturday vs. Wisconsin they get rested and get ready to make the march to the arch.

If you did not see the Illini game what about The Amazing Race 6? It was kind of a let down for me. Kendra and what's his name won. Hayden had another breakdown and finally quit. Then her wimpy boyfriend said it was ok and asked her to marry him. WTF? In two years when life and marriage gets tough she will quit. That is just what she does, well besides bitching. Kris and Jon, the favorites came in second because they are too damn nice. They needed to be aggressive in the final leg. Especially when booking that last flight to Chicago. They were not and it cost them 1 million bucks.

American Idol was also kind of a bore, but I don't expect it to get good until it goes live. How do I watch so much in one night? TIVO baby! Google it, research it, then get it. You will love it.

That is all I gots. I am out. Later.

"It was something you wife said while we were in bed together."

I am posting early today because I got The Fighting Illini and The Idol tonight to watch. TIVO Rocks! Just in case you don't know, the Illinois Mens College Basketball Team is the number one team in the nation AND on a 23 game win streak, WHICH makes them undefeated for the 05 college basketball season. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

I was back at it today despite having a Burger King hangover. Is that possible? I think it is but will spare you the details. OK, I worked it out real good today. It started with some weight training working the chest and back muscle groups. Then I was off to tackle the elliptical machine, which I did for 30 minutes. Man in just that small amount of time I burned off 500 calories. That is 200 more then I burn when doing 20 minutes. I think 30 is my new 20?

After that it was off to see my buddy the spin cycle. I tried to change it up and do some intervals. I would tighten the tension way down to simulate a steep hill for 1 minute, then 2 minutes at my normal tension & pace, then the steep hill pace again. It felt more real. Like I was out on the singletrack pounding up some steep ass hill. I did this for 20 minutes then called it a day. I am beat to shiznit.

Remember it is ok to fall off the horse, unless it is like a Clydesdale and then you may hurt yourself from such a tall fall.

I am out. Later.

"Oh man! How'd you get the beans above the frank? "

Well, this blog was started to track my working out for my upcoming "The Summer of Mountain Biking 2005." However, I did not work out Sunday or Today and I can firmly blame the damn Super Bowl!

Sunday I had to prepare for my small Super Bowl gathering before Noon so I could enjoy the Illinois Basketball Game. If you don't know they are the number one team in the nation and on a 23 game win streak. After the Illini I had to begin the beer drinking festivities. After the beer it was the Super Bowl, (and more beer) which I will get back to later. After the big game it was sleepy time.

Today, I skipped working out as a result of Sunday. The beer, the salsa salad dip, crab dip, little weenies wrapped in bacon, beer, M&Ms, beer and more beer have slowed me down today. Plus, I can not stop eating. Quizno's for lunch, Buger King for dinner, Vanilla Wafers for a snack, soda pop, coffee, man will it ever stop.

Now I am entering the regret/depression stage over what I have done to myself these past two days. Crap, I had been doing such a good job over the last three months to avoid binges like this and BAM, the damn Super Bowl kicked my arse. Back at it tomorrow? Right?

OK, the big game was a big let down for Donovan McNab. He looked terrible and made the key bad decisions that cost his team. Terrell Owens on the other hand looked awesome playing with two screws and a plate in his leg. The dude is like 6 weeks post fracture and surgery playing a brutally physical game with temporary hardware in his leg/ankle area. People are calling him selfish? Those peeps are dumb asses. He risked his career, his salary, his livelyhood, to try and help Philly win the Super Bowl. He had the easy out people. The team doctor gave it to him by not clearing him to play, but he risked it all! He played and almost made the difference. Oh yeah, while I think the Eagles lost it, I still give it up to the Pats. They made the plays when plays needed to be made.

Alright, do not hate the Super Bowl, hate Chris Collinsworth. I am out. Later.

The Ride Stats

Classic Shot
Originally uploaded by aham23.

This was my first winter ride and first ride with my CatEye 7 cyclocomputer.

Just give us the stats; 9.5 miles, 7.5 mph avg speed, 16.7 mph max speed, & a trip time of 75 minutes.

It was harder then I thought it would be. I think I need to adjust my workouts to make me more ready for mountian biking. I need more endurance. How can my workouts better prepare me for trail riding? Anyone? Bueller? Looks like I am off to MTBR.com for some research.

flickr.com kicks all form of fat arse! I am out. Later.

The Ride

Snow & Slush Ride
Originally uploaded by aham23.

The limestone double wide path had three distinct characteristics today; Hard Pakced Snow, Ice, and Limestone Mud. Some spots displayed all three.

Waterfall Glen

Waterfall Glen
Originally uploaded by aham23.

This is where I hope to ride this morning. It is a double wide 10 mile loop limestone path. In this pic it is covered with 5 inches of slush and hard to ride. I am out. Again, later.

"Were going STREAKIN !! "

Hey blogger nation how you hanging this morning? SuperBowl weekend is here and like all great sports fans I must give my prediction.....................Eagles 30 Patriots 27. Pats lose but cover the spread. T.O. plays with God on his side and is the MVP with 127 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. I mean come on he has to have a great game. Why else would the All Mighty heal up his ankle for him??

This has got to be a quickie. It is going to be like 50 degrees today and I am going for a mountain bike ride. I took Friday off from working out. However, I did have Hooters for dinner!! Oh wait, after dinner I took Eddie out for the Brisk Two Mile Dog Walk. That is got to count for something?

Hopefully the trail is clear and I will have a nice long post and some pics about my ride later.

Later.

"We're going to get so much ass here... like boy band ass"

First things first.............workout, yeah man I did it real good. Today makes day 4 of workouts for this week. No weight lifting again, due to this neck thing. I did what I guess is my new warm up, 20 minutes on the elliptical. Funny thing is that use to be my cardio workout, so something is going right. After that I did 40 minutes on the spin cycle. I even cranked up the tension, like going up a hill, a couple of times to change it up. I feel good. Work may cause me to take Friday off, but a warm forecast, well mid 40s, for Saturday may get the mountain bike out of the garage.

Since my return to the gym something has been bothering me. Old naked dudes in the locker room. Most are fat old naked dudes in the locker room. Why must they be so naked? I walk in today and see some old fat naked dude using a blow dryer to dry off. At the time I walked in it looked like he was drying his twig & berries. Who does that? A second similar fat old naked dude stands on the scale for 30 minutes trying to figure his weight. For god sakes people would a pair of Whitey Tightys add that much weight??

Finally, I am a Cub fan and have some thoughts on Sammy Sosa. Weird, but I have spent a lot of time this week on piece of craps from the sports world. Ok, I liked the guy when he was hitting home runs and chasing Maris, Big Mac, and saving baseball. At the time he was putting together five of the best statistical years (1998 thru 2002) baseball had ever seen. However, all good things come to an end. We know now that this time in baseball will forever be known as the "Steroid Era." Don't argue it, just look at the facts. Look at the grand jury testimony in the Bonds case. Look how big the players got and how they will start to shrink this year under the new drug testing procedures. I will always wonder about that fabulous June of 98. Were those 20 home runs really Sammy, or the corked bat, or the juice.

Present day Sammy is an aging superstar with a huge ego. His ego is out of control along with his boom box playing and he clearly was becoming a cancer in the Cubs locker room. You can not argue that was not a cancer. Look at the trade, the Cubs clearly did not want him on their team. They begged for a taker and are paying most of his salary for the next two years. It aint just the front office. Remember, the players destroyed the Sosa boom box last year when he bailed on the team that last game. Mark Prior claimed on local radio that Sammy owed the team an apology. I think Mark is still waiting.

How many World Series did Sammy Sosa lead the Cubs too? I look forward to the 2005 Chicago Cubs and the upcoming baseball season. I look forward to a Mark Prior led team and baseball on a brisk October night in Chicago.

Yeah, that is right, I said it. I am out. Later.

Warm Fuzzy Feelings...........

CanHeSwim
Originally uploaded by aham23.

Why yes a picture of a cute dog brings me to calmness. Especially my dog posing while on his summer canoe trip.

What about the workout you ask?? Yeah baby I hit the gym. Not my best gym day, but it was a gym day. Usual 20 mins on the elliptical (140 avg HR 330 cals burnt 1.9 miles). Then I tried the Stairmaster. Oops, that was my bad. I only made it for 10 mins AND damn that was a hard 10. Who Knew? I did 200 situps and called it a day. The neck is getting better and hopefully so will the workouts.

I am out. Later.

Alford Should Be Next Out the Door !!

It only took two "Alleged" Felony sexual Charges for Iowa to give Pierre Pierce the boot. What a joke that is. I am guessing this means Steve Alford, Pierce's number one backer, gets at least one more screw up?? Alford has backed, supported and ENABLED Pierce to allow him to "Allegedly" commit a sexual crime, AGAIN! Ofcourse, now Alford and Iowa Officials are running like crazy from this dirt ball sex offender. Their press conference statements from today are Two Years and Two Victims Too late!!

Man, this story pisses me off. Anyway, I need some good warm fuzzy feelings before I call it a night. BRB.

"I have to keep this party going. I'm taking one for the team."

As you can see below I can now post pictures to my blog. Blogging is cool! The one of Eddie was taken with my camerphone. I also have flickr.com set up so I can post pictures taken on my phone straight to the blog. That is totally cool or at least sounds totally cool and I can not wait to try it. This blog may be taking off in an entire new direction.

BUT not so quick my blog reading friends. I must continue to document my training for the Summer of mountain Biking 2005, because it is the reason for the season of blog. Today, neck pain and stiffness still kicking my butt. It kept me up all last night. However, I went to the gym, warmed the neck up and did some cardio. I started with 20 minutes on the elliptical machine (140 avg heart rate, 2 miles, 350 cals burned) and then 30 minutes on the spin cycle(no monitor). I wanted to go for 40, but damn my butt was getting numb!! No weight lifting, which is suspended until further notice. It was a solid cardio workout for me.

Before I go I must follow up on the scum of-the-earth story, Pierre Pierce latest criminal issues;

"West Des Moines police acknowledged today that their investigation into Hawkeye basketball player Pierre Pierce now involves allegations related to a possible assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. "

I hope Steve Alford is happy he got this "alleged" scum a second chance. Will he be gathering the Christen Religious Group to meet and bully this "alleged" victim too? Will he even sit this "alleged" piece of crap out or let him play because he is the only athlete Iowa has? We shall see.

Keep up on this and the latest College Hoop news over at, yoco :: College Basketball, listed in my links.

Later peeps. I am out.

Specialized HardRock Sport

Specialized HardRock Sport
Originally uploaded by aham23.

This is the reason for the workouts, the blog, & the obsession. It is my brand new mountain bike that I got 10/28/04. I have maybe 50 singletrack miles under my belt because of winter, but I am training (see below) for a summer of fun. No racing or competition, just me getting healthy riding some singletrack. This posting pics thing kicks all forms of arse. Later.

Eddie Vedder (the dog)

Eddie Vedder (the dog)
Originally uploaded by aham23.

Yeah for me I finally set up flickr.com to post pics to my blog. Yeah for all of us. First pic is of my dog, Eddie, a 1 year old Rat Terrier who rocks. More pics on the way. Later.