July 30th 6:50AM
Doing OK
I weighed in at 212.5 this morning, a loss of 1.5 pounds from a few days ago. I love it.
She's got a good family name
Other than Travis Bickle, you don't see a lot of us Bickles in the media or on the Web much. And if you must know, Travis Bickle is as representative of the family line as any other Bickle, when you get down to it.
But beyond that, there's apparently one right in the old hometown ("Bickle, Mann make Junior Olympic 'acro' team"), and not suffering from mental delusions (so that's, uh, one, total, huh?). Terrific. I've never met "Gwen," as a note.
A word of advice: check the link soon, as the Manteca Bulletin doesn't archive stories online that I can tell. Or use spell-check. Or proof-read their stories. That I can tell.
Ruminating on my light-hearted, backhanded jab at the Manteca Bickles two paragraphs ago, I realize that there's only one left there now from my immediate family. There used to be me, my dad and mom, and my brother. We've all spent most or all of our lives in that town. As of this year, it's just my dad. I left in late April, my brother in July.
A pivotal, important time in our family line? Maybe not. But worth mentioning? Certainly.
July 26th 7:49AM
Manteca - the new Stockton
I've been keeping an eye on the Manteca Bulletin website since we moved, and one thing is clear. Manteca is sliding down the shit-chute even faster than I thought, according to the news stories I see there.
For months, it's been about gangs, crime, and daily "shots fired" calls. For someone who grew up there since it was a pretty one-horse town, this is astonishing. Today, there's a story about gang resistance to police officers' chasing them out of a park - a park that's about a mile from my old house. Apparently,gang members are threatening (via graffiti) to smoke some po-lice. Yeesh. It's come to this. Who needs it?
This can't be right
I have been lax in my resistance to sweets lately, indulging in the occasional ice cream or candy bar, and I never met a beer I didn't like, so I figured to be in for an uptick when I hit the scale yesterday. So it came as a surprise, as I stood naked and foggy-eyed over the scale, that the scale registered between 212.5, and 214.
I wish the scale were more accurate, as it's the wide variation in readouts that doomed the last one, but even at 214, that's another net loss of 3 pounds. I rock!
My daughter starts school today
Today is the first day of the rest of her scholastic life. I gave her some lunch money, and dropped her off at the bus stop, next to >gasp< a boy her own age. I hope her first day goes well. She looked so cute in her new school clothes. I can already picture her as a young adult, and it kills me.
July 25th 7:49AM
I crave attention
Last Friday, I had a meeting with one of my favoritest BNI guys. I was early and he was running late, so I entertained myself in front of our Starbucks rendez-vous by getting out my juggling hackies (little sandbags) that my wife thoughtfully bought me a while back.
I was rusty, and I needed the practice, so although I was mindful of the minor spectacle I was making of myself, I stood out in front of the movie theater next to Starbucks, and started doing my thing. It was good practice, but the best part was the kids. Adults barely gave me the odd, distracted glance, but little kids, from toddlers to tweens, twisted their necks to watch, walking in one direction, but staring back at me in many cases at a 100-degree angle or greater. It was a very cool feeling, briefly entertaining the little people who were otherwise being dragged dully from point A to point B. I flattered myself to think I lightened up an otherwise boring, stiflingly hot afternoon.
Just imagine what I could have done with some makeup and balloon animals... Hmmm... and stilts! I did manage to knock it off shortly before my business associate arrived, although I doubt he would have minded.
The weekend was good
We had a lot of people show up for my son's birthday party on Saturday. I regretted the heat and the crowded conditions, but we had little alternative - had we invited fewer people, we would have snubbed some unacceptably. And we couldn't have afforded renting anyplace bigger, so there you go. We did manage to erect a canopy outside, and there was a pleasant breeze throughout the afternoon, so it was bearable.
Sunday was spent watching my boy and lounging lazily. I needed the rest.
July 20th 7:49AM
The French ought not fool around
I am slow to arrive at an obvious conclusion after the London terror attacks of nearly two weeks ago: the French should watch their ass. Why?
- France has the highest Muslim population of any European country (a low estimate is 10% of the entire population, per Wikipedia, and many other sources I've seen)
- France (as I gather) has impenetrable, crime-ridden ghettos - called "banlieues" - with poor immigrants who've not mixed into the culture.
- France's unemployment is around ten percent overall, and I don't know how that breaks down among Muslims specifically, but I bet it's worse for them than the general per capita numbers.
While of course every Muslim is not a terrorist, these factors are not encouraging, and only fools would ignore them. Groups of disaffected, unemployed and unassimilated Muslims are the turning out unsurprisingly to be the perfect foot-soldiers for al Qaeda-type activity.
The French, although they prominently opposed the U.S. and Britain on the Iraq war, aren't always viewed as buddies by fanatical Muslims. For example, their bold stance on religious symbols in schools (mainly known as the "headscarf" issue) enraged many Muslims, who felt picked on.
The good news is, the French ain't stupid. They have in the past been pretty touchy about fundamentalist imams, going so far as to boot out the occasional zealot who got too zealous. It appears that French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy is maintaining the tradition by warning that extremists will get des bottes, including the intention to "systematically expel those who do not respect our values and are not French."
Now you're talking. Get ahead of this stuff, mon bon homme. I hope to see other creative efforts to crack this egg, including positive efforts to assimilate and employ young Muslims, so they don't feel a need to lash out at the West.
July 20th 6:05AM
The usual
My weight is holding steady at 217.0 for the last week or two. I am thrilled at my overall progress, but I can do better.
Expedia reports a one-way trip to Paris will still set you back $688, sticking to their all-time high over the summer.
July 19th 7:59AM
Feelin' good
The weekend was full, in many senses of the word. On Sunday afternoon, I took it a little easy on the housework that I had been grinding through, and got into some French. I sat down with some Leaping Horse red wine (from Lodi - d'oh! not very French of me), Brie and genuine Roquefort cheese. I got out some French language studies, and put on my Rick Steves Paris tourist DVD. I tried to watch Amelie, but the baby wouldn't allow me to hear it, so I gave up.
Then my wife made a fantastic dinner, and I packed in the food and drink like I haven't done in weeks. I slept poorly and had heartburn for 36 hours from the gorging, but it was incredible anyway.
Are you Toyon with me?
Since then, I've gotten better sleep, and there is hope that Mackenzie will get enrolled in Toyon Middle School. Her mother has reportedly sent some necessary documents, and I've been able to get the one she didn't, so we should be good to go. Awesome.
July 17th 7:04AM
Calomine is a pal o' mine
My swelling is gone, and my rash lingers, dry, leathery and itchy. Thanks to those who've written with sympathy.
So far, the weekend has been an excellent mix of entertainment, enjoyment, and enterprise. We saw the Fantastic Four movie (I thought it was good but not great), I made roast duck which came out really good, and we got some work done around the place.
I was hoping to make escargot yesterday, but I couldn't find the required flatware, so it didn't happen. Ah well.
Today: what? Hopefully some French, maybe some tennis with John. Who knows what else?
A year already
My boy turns one year old this week. He has his own patented crawling technique pretty much down cold.
My daughter is assimilating. We hope to enroll her in school soon. We are getting along well, and I'm glad to see it.
July 12th 12:49PM
Frankenstein
My facial inflation was much worse this morning, requiring a doctor visit and drugs you can't get just any old place.
July 12th 12:49PM
Better
My mood, an unpredictable yo-yo of late, has improved. I find myself feeling better. Some not-necessarily-related data from over the last few weeks:
- I am drinking less, and rarely on two-back-to-back days.
- I drink less coffee, and only on the weekends, whereas I have drank at least two cups a day at work for years.
- I have loosened my grip on the details at work that I thought were so important. Unclenching slowly over a period of time, I am handling pressure better by ignoring it. I am always wary of this method of stress management, because I feel a temptation to let go entirely, and that some form of insanity (or at least irresponsibility) is never too far away for those who simply choose to embrace it. I picture myself in Paris, grubby and talking to myself, drinking wine early in the morning, leaving behind my entire family and assuring myself that this was the only way, especially after the brutal beating I delivered to that certain someone who really had it coming. But this eventuality isn't really that likely. Is it?
I hope these types of posts don't bore readers terribly. Like those that note my ongoing weight, I simply have no better way to track this type of thing.
July 12th 7:57AM
"Cut me, Mick..."
I suffered throughout the night with what must have been an attack of histamines. My poison oak, up to now a moderate annoyance at worst, flared and roiled last night, interrupting my sleep and causing me to itch like a meth freak with a case of the bugs. I cussed and scratched and finally got some sleep towards the end.
Then I woke up to a puffy face that is still with me now. My eyes are swollen and the creases that normally separate my cheeks from my mouth when I smile are pulled tight. I look more like Quasimodo than normal.
It's a bit freakish. I like it.
July 11th 12:49PM
Also
Did I mention I've had a sweet case of poison oak since last weekend's fence adventure? I think I picked up some more this weekend, too. ITCHY.
July 11th 7:49AM
The weekend
The weekend was busy and fun. More fun than usual, but more busy than anything.
John M. managed to humble me and his own wife at tennis. He's like a giant, toying with insects, on the court. He also took some time to show me some chords and advise me on finding a sound that appealed to me. They felt like important ideas in adding meaning to guitar playing and practicing. Thanks, John!
Me and a small crew managed to prop up another two fenceposts' worth of fencing, nearly completing the third side of our four-sided goal. We're getting closer.
I managed to injure my hands somewhat while working on the fence. I don't mind it, as I abandoned my work gloves with all knowledge and advice to the contrary. They can be an annoying obstruction when there's work to be done, and I enjoyed the freedom that their lack provided me. Unfortunately, I dinged up my hands, including a hiss-inspiring little gash on my left ring finger, which set back any guitar practice I had in mind, no matter how much fun John made it look like. Ah well. Soon...
July 9th 6:15AM
Backsliding
I weighed in at 218.5 this morning. That's up two pounds from last week. Bummer.
On the agenda today
- Wal-Mart
- Making one last storage run
- Guitar / DreamWeaver lessons with a buddy
July 6th 7:49AM
Coincidence? I think not
Three months ago, I moved to Calaveras County. Now, there's a 140 percent leap in the number of cases of gonorrhea. Accident? You make the call.
Actually, the leap was recorded last year, so it couldn't have been me. Now, if I can only explain that to my wife...
Paris - denied
Sadly, Parisians lost their bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Some are saddened, and some, like Anthony Atkielski, are likely relieved.
July 5th 12:49PM
Purging the grease
On Monday, I weighed in at 216.5. That's down another two pounds, su amigo. I am so awesome. You'd think I'd start looking pretty sexy here in not too long, but I'm still waiting.
Happy Birthday
Today is my brother's birthday. My brother is currently going through some stuff, and I hope it works out for him.
July 4th 6:05PM
"How was your weekend?"
Holy carp. My weekend was fun, busy, hard, relaxing, difficult, and worthwhile.
It was fun on Friday, when we had my dad and Denise over for a barbecue that ended too soon. My dad bought lots of meat and a little beer, and there was plenty of everything.
It was busy during the day before their arrival, getting the house ready for company. It was good thing we had company; it compelled us to work a little harder to get the house looking nice.
It was hard on Saturday, Sunday and most of today, when me, my wife, my Father-in-law, three nephews and another gentleman altogether, all worked to put fencing along our 3-acre property. Oh man. I am so tired. We (some of us) worked like Egyptian slaves. The rest didn't have it that easy, either.
The fence thing was interesting for several reasons. The first is that I didn't know how to put up fencing except for basic theory, and it was pedagogical to get into it. I think I could do it myself now, if I had to.
The second reason is that I learned to read minds while checking the work of my coworkers. I realize that this requires explanation; stay with me.
I have a natural compulsion that requires that the folks around me put out roughly as much effort as I do. Not necessarily equal results, but you can tell when someone is just milking it as much as is humanly possible, and it drives me mad.
More specifically, the last thing you do when putting up horse fencing is fasten the fence to the posts with wire ties, and they require three properties: crimp one side, twist the other until the entire thing is fastened very snugly, and point any sharp barbs to the outside of the area, because horses will lacerate themselves easily and mercilessly on any exposed metal ends. Also, ties must be fastened at the very top of the fencing, the very bottom, and one or two points in between (two in this case).
Well. When walking the fence from one task to the next in this torturous weekend, I had the opportunity to read the thoughts of my fellow workers. The first post clearly broadcast the mental output of a lollygagger who could only think about dinner, and who without a doubt spent the entire day mulling the phrase: "ain't my fence, what do I care?"
The next post revealed the brain activity of a person who clearly had it in for my few innocent horses, as he/she left every metal bit facing inward for large, quickly moving and skittish animals to slice, graze and infect themselves upon. Some subconscious animosity at work here. I also noted a sub-average intelligence in the fact that this ignoramus couldn't identify the actual "bottom" of an object - in this case, the bottom of a fenceline - as his recurring theme was a metal tie two or three steps up from the bottom.
Finally, I was heartened by the psychic waves flowing from the third type of post. Ah, this fine individual had a conscientious heart. Crimping each tie, showing an effort towards a tight clasp, and saving animals from the misery of torn flesh, this fellow earned my praise. I was careful to track not the failures, but the successes, and identified "Dennis" as the careful clasper. I not only thanked him earnestly for this and other efforts, I increased his wage by 50% over that of his fellow laborers. I hope the rest smolder with as much envy as sixty dollars can possibly generate. If I could have found a way to cut the pay of the stinkers mentioned above, I would. Perhaps I'll steal from them sometime in the future to balance things out.
Anyway. My weekend:
It was busy after the fence-building, as my other duties were neglected. I caught up on a small fortune in bills that I procrastinated in paying late into my long holiday weekend. Beyond that, the house looks terrible now that it has accommodated several dusty workers for several hot days, and it's just going to have to look like crap for a while. I'm too beat to clean up. I need a break, and I'm having one.
It was relaxing for about forty minutes. I seem to remember, yes, about forty minutes of it, that were soothing and replenishing.
It was difficult when I was lugging a chainsaw around in the sunny heat and trying to cut horizontal some tenacious underbrush where the fence needed to lay. A thirty-pound chainsaw seemed to infuse itself with depleted uranium by the minute, becoming more and more leaden as the task wore on. Happily, I persevered, and didn't suffer a stroke or other heat-related malady. Pleh.
It was worthwhile, as my wife gave away my entire three-day weekend (including today, which was supposed to be barbecuing and bullshitting), so that we could look out the back forty and admire a fully enclosed lot. Unfortunately we did not quite complete the project, but we made tremendous inroads and expect to make short work of that which remains.
It just wouldn't be me without some rancor
Part of it was accumulated fatigue, and part of it was absorbing abuse the day before for this and that, but I was feeling ferociously mean this morning, and barely avoided saying some shit that would have rung in the ears of a select verbal victim or two before I was done. It's not healthy to suppress rage, but in this case, it was for the best. Oooh, I was hot. Once someone gave me some work to do, it got better. But for a while there, it was Go Time.
Anyway, all is well, we got a lot of stuff done, and my long weekend is over. Back to "work" tomorrow. My feet hurt.
July 1st 7:22AM
DreamWeaver is fucking pushing it
Come to find out my blog page was blank as a fart in IE, and nobody told me til yesterday. I still don't know what the problem was exactly. I can only guess.
DreamWeaver manages to stuff in extra line breaks about every other time I modify a file and upload it, which with a blog is every other day. so the file ends up stretching out into infinity. I applied DreamWeaver's "Apply Source Formatting" after several other wily attempts to figure out just what in the Fuck (I'm really annoyed at this point) was going on, and that seemed to fix it.
To make matters worse, DreamWeaver also dick-mangles my PHP that is placed outside the HTML tags, and prevents me from creating new pages based on the template with this code in it! YAAARRRGGHH!
Nothing could make FrontPage look appealing again, but DreamWeaver sure isn't comparing as well as it used to. Makes me want to kick something's ass...