No, I'm not doing a restaurant review on Chili's, everyone knows if they like Chili's or not. I like Chili's but it's just OK food, I think we all know that. HOWEVER, Chili's causes one of my biggest pet peeves to kick in - and that is smelling like fajitas after eating there! Seriously, I have never been to Chili's where the guy at the table next to me hasn't ordered fajitas and without fail, I come out of there smelling like I just attended a Mexican cookout and I have to change clothes! Stale fajita smell ends up smelling like you haven't washed your clothes in three weeks of straight wear. It's nasty.
So, as the problem-solver that I am, I think we should all sign a petition to get Chili's to create a "No Fajita" area in the restaurant - kind of like the old "No smoking" zones. That way one can dine at Chili's without having to wash clothes afterwards. Is there anything worse than eating at Chili's and then going to the movies and having to sit in that smell for 2 hours before you can get home to change? By then it's in your hair and on your skin, and practically requires a wire brush to scrub off! And you can't just throw your fajita clothes in the hamper, you have to take them down to the wash immediately or the smell permiates throughout all the dirty laundry making your whole closet stink! (at least my closet, because that's where I keep the hamper). And I have to believe that there are "second hand fajita smell" complications like with second-hand cigarette smoke! I'm sure at some point there will be a causational relation discovered between fajita stink and irritable bowel syndrome, just as if you ordered the fajitas yourself!
Please, if you like Chili's but hate the fajita stink, please comment here and I'll get the petition started. Maybe I can get President Obama to do something about this too, he seems to have his grubby little mitts in everything else - and this is more important than steroids in baseball, though maybe not as important as doing away with the BCS and getting a playoff in college football.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Griff and Harleys
Griff, Payce and I went over to the Harley Davidson store to check out bikes and eat at the restaurant there. Griff loves the bikes, but took FOREVER to eat his slider. I mean seriously, this is the slowest eater I have ever known. It's obvious he's an only child and doesn't have to compete for his food. If I had eaten this slow when I was 6, I would have starved to death because Amy, Sean and Paul would have eaten everything (I'm probably exaggerating since Paul was 1 when I was 6, but still - it was every man for himself - especially on macaroni and Cheese and hot dogs night or spaghetti and garlic bread night!)
Check out the skull shirt on the skull Harley - cooooool!
One of the few he could actually reach the handlebars on.
Strangely enough, he liked the big cruisers more than the sportier bikes. Griff is a pretty laid back kid, cruising to Sturgis would be right up his alley!
Liking the thumbs up.
One slider, fries, and lemonade - what else?!?!
Payce, Griff, me enjoying some dinner (yes this will count on my resolution tracking)
Anyway, here are some pics (they're really not good, I don't know what's up with my phone camera???) Just imagine they're good - I may have to start carrying my good camera around, as nerdy as that is...
This pic came out pretty good, the lighting was the same more or less for all these shots, I could not figure out why some were so washed out??? Anyway, Griff looks ready for a Harley, maybe when he's 7.
Check out the skull shirt on the skull Harley - cooooool!
One of the few he could actually reach the handlebars on.
Strangely enough, he liked the big cruisers more than the sportier bikes. Griff is a pretty laid back kid, cruising to Sturgis would be right up his alley!
Liking the thumbs up.
One slider, fries, and lemonade - what else?!?!
Payce, Griff, me enjoying some dinner (yes this will count on my resolution tracking)
The restaurant at this place is GOOOOOD! I'm going to do a review on it. I know one guy I'd bring here and I KNOW he'd love it - 1) cuz there are Harleys everywhere and 2) cuz the food is super good. I don't know how this place does it? It seems like they have a TON of overhead and not a LOT of customers, but it seems to be doing well! We all enjoyed it!
Resolution Roadblock
Well, just as in any good reality show, the producers come up with challenges to throw a monkey wrench in a contestant's plans - or - they edit things to make it look like one thing will happen when a totally other thing happens - always keeping us on our toes, right?!?!
Well, I'm only a few days into my resolutions and I already have a roadblock! Check it out:
Yeah, that's my left ankle! Even in this picture you can't really tell how swollen it is! I couldn't even get a shoe on (thus the flip-flops)
Have you ever seen one of the basketball highlights where a guy goes for a rebound and comes down on someone else's foot and their ankle touches the floor while their leg is still straight up and down? Yeah, that's what happened! I've never had a real ankle injury like this - but I have strong ankles so I think it'll heal up quickly.
So, what will I do about my workouts??? Oh, I'll still work out - just no running or squats for a while, I'll have to figure out how to compensate for that. I'm also not sure what I'm going to do about shoes, since you can't wear flip-flops at the gym.
Anyway, a little ice and some rest and the ankle should be fine. Anyone wanting to bring me treats, movies, confortable pillows to rest the ankle on, etc. Please feel free, just no junk food ;-) and you may even make it into the reality show that is me accomplishing my goals B-)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
311 Day!!!!
Well, I can't believe another year has come and gone, but yes, it is 311 day again! I remember 311 day 2008 and here it is 2009 already and guess what?!?!?!?! New album on the way!!!! Yep, "Uplifter" the first 311 album in 3 years drops JUNE 2nd, 2009 in the US! Crazy! And that obviously means a new tour (though, do 311 ever stop touring??? We certainly hope not :-D )
311 concert June 2008
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I like 311 so much. Well, the first thing is it's something I have in common with my brothers. I've really enjoyed going to the concerts with Paul, listening to non-stop 311 as we drive to mountain biking, etc and the good memories we have with 311 as our background music. Second, I like that they are unique. I don't know of any other band that blends rock, reggae, funk, rap, and even some mellow tones into such a cool sound. Others blend rock and rap or reggae and rap, or funk and rock but no one blends so many sounds so successfully - that I have ever heard anyway.
I do hope the new album is more along the lines of the blue album, but I'm sure there are some good tunes forthcoming no matter the direction. In observance of 311 day 2009, enjoy some 311 videos!!!!
"Creatures for a while" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af1CnCX1Qyg
"Don't Tread on Me" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHB9_ycADIs
"Beautiful Disaster" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuSRMpMhBzo
"You Wouldn't Believe" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75f2bUnJCoY
"Flowing" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5kza8MmXvI
"Come Original" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbMY5DMsp7Y
"All Mixed Up" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mtbdk7f8JM
"Homebrew" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF1ZnrKFjsE
So, Happy 311 day everyone - Stay Positive and Love your Life!!! (Gifts are certainly appropriate :-D )
Live Chat tonight at 7pm MST - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/official311
311 Blog - http://www.myspace.com/311
Monday, March 9, 2009
Super Sad news!!!!
Payce just told me that Buddy got run over by a car and was killed. That is SO sad! And Griff is going to be SO sad. They had so much fun together, as you can see from the videos below. Buddy was such a fun little puppy, he'll be missed for sure.
2009 resolutions
It's about time I actually do some resolutions. I don't like calling them that because they don't seem to ever happen when they're called "resolutions"! But, mine are getting done, so they're goals, or whatever:
1) I'm getting my career back on track PRONTO. While the economy sucks and jobs are harder to find, I have some skills and knowledge I can use to be successful while I find a job in my career track again. All the same, I'm not so married to the career path that I'll ignore other good opportunities - so I'll have several irons in the fire. I'm smart and a great worker - I'm making this goal happen. If anyone knows of any good opportunities and wants to share, I'm open to suggestions :-)
2) No more junk food. The only caveats to this goal are movies and ballgames because you have to get some snacks at those events, you just do. But no candy, no baked junk, no fried food. I'd say no soda, but I know that's not happening and I'm trying to deal with reality - I'll cut down some, but I love Diet Dr Pepper - it's delicious.
3) Eating out no more than twice a week. I would have said once but I don't think that's possible - I like to eat out too much but it needs to be a lot less. This is a longer term goal since right now, I'm not eating out at all (or at least way less than once a week). Maybe I'll just leave it that way and just eat out rarely. I like eating out, but frankly I like making food at home just as much and it's usually safer and cheaper.
4) I'm adding 10 lbs of muscle by June. Doesn't mean I'll weigh 10 lbs more (I don't necesarilly want that since I don't want to have to buy new clothes) but there will be less fat and more muscle. The little gut has to go. It's not BAD but I'm sick of it being there. Just shows a little lack of committment on my part, so it's GONE! I'd post up progress pictures but that might be a bit TOO egotisitical for this blog.
5) I will finish my book this year. Yeah, I'm writing a book. I don't think anyone knows that. I don't know if it will really be a book or a screenplay but I have enough material for a pretty good novel I think. It will be completed this year. The outline and many of the characters are already done. Any similarity to real life people is completely coincidental (that's my story and I'm sticking to it :-D )
Five is plenty of goals I think. I do have one or two more but there are people who visit this blog that shouldn't - but they still do regularly - that I don't want reading these. And NO, it's not any people I hang out with regularly or their families so don't worry those of you who are welcome here anytime! :-) And they're nothing weird, just more private.
So, there you have it. I posted these so they seem more real and more doable. There's something about putting goals in writing and letting other people know that helps motivate me to do them B-) I will create a link on the side here to track how I do, it'll be kind of like my own reality show online! If there isn't enough drama for some of you, I'll spice it up every now and again with some cliff-hangers to keep you coming back. "On the next post, will Ryan really go to Cheesecake Factory and order fried Mac and Cheese?!?!?!?!?!?!" Stay tuned!!!" - DUN-DUN-DUN!!!! (that's the dramatic music to top off the cliffhanger ;-) )
Let's have some fun.
----------------------------------
Mon 3/9/09
Worked out 1 hour, sprint/walked 1 mile *this will come up to about 3 miles over the next little while*
No junk food, no fast food.
Weighed in at 207 with clothes on - I wish I had the scale that tells me body fat % - if I had to guess right now, I'd say about 15%
Tues 3/10/09
No work out
No junk food, No fast food (I think I'll start tracking my meals too)
Wed 3/11/09
Worked out 1 hour, sprint/walked 1.15 miles
Severely sprained left ankle in a pick up game of hoops - foot swollen in shoe - OUCH!
No fast food, No junk - Protein shake for breakfast. Nothing but water after that because I need to go grocery shopping!
Thurs 3/12/09
No work out - I blame the sprain, tomorrow back on the horse, the ankle isn't an excuse
Breakfast - Protein shake
Snack - Banana
Lunch - Turkey, Provolone, Whole Wheat bread, corn chips
Snack - Apple
Dinner - 2 slider, fries, Diet Dr. Pepper - yeah, it's my one time out this week, but it was worth it, the sliders are AWESOME.
Snack - string cheese
Lots of water throughout the day
Friday 3/13/09
Breakfast - protein shake, water
no snack, I was out running errands for too long and didn't bring anything
Lunch - Chili's burger and salad - no fries, diet Coke
No snack
3 slices pizza, diet Mtn Dew
This will have to be a cheat day or something. :-D
Saturday 3/14/09
No workout, other than hiking with Griff, I guess that counts, we were out there about an hour
Banana and milk for breakfast
missed snack and lunch out in the wilderness
Dinner was homemade tacos with fresh Costco tortillas - amazing!
snack of diet Cherry Pepsi and popcorn during a stupid movie at Sean and Stacy's
Sunday 3/15/09
Workout 1 hour, recumbent (sp?) bike 30 minutes - ankle held up byt sweleed up afterwards, it's black and blue now, pretty gross
Breakfast - eggs, turkey, cheese, wheat toast, water
Snack - string cheese and fruit snacks and water
Missed lunch
snack - apple and water
Dinner - hamburger, guacamole, chips, diet mtd dew, water, cupcake
Monday 3/16/09
Sick as a dog
Breakfast - Banana and immodium - little bit of water
no snack
No lunch
Snack - Apple
10pm lost everything - and I thought there was no way there anything left in my system
Tuesday 3/17/09 - Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Still not feeling 100%
Breakfast - banana, water
No lunch
Snack - apple, water
Wednesday 3/18/09
Breakfast - Banana - water
No lunch
Snack - Apple - water
Lots of water throughout the day, I'm keeping it "down" now
Dinner - toast, water, mango (SO GOOD!)
Thurs 3/19/09
Breakfast - Banana, water
Snack - water
Lunch - toast, Fuze drink (yum! and only 10 calories)
Snack Apple, water
Dinner - Pizza, I know - not a good idea given my stomach situation right now, but I was STARVING (I do not want to weight myself at the gym next week)
Snack - toast, Fuze drink, water
Friday 3/20/09
Breakfast - Protein drink, banana, mango, toast (finally a pretty normal breakfast!)
Snack apple, water
Lunch
3/30/09
Quick update since I've missed 10 days somehow, man how time flies!
I have only gone out to eat 3 times in the last 10 days - 1 time for breakfast to Mimi's, one time to pizza and 1 time to Rubio's. The last 2 were with Griff, I definitely need to do a better job making meals for us. I do well for Breakfast and lunch but dinner is always a challenge.
The only junk food I've had is popcorn at the movies (didn't even get candy) and some of Griff's fruit snacks - they have some real fruit juice in them and only 80 calories, so I don't feel TOO bad about that.
I have been to the gym regularly - I've had to stick with the recumbent bike instead of running, and I don't think it does much but it's better than nothing I suppose. I am back down to 203 or so (hard to say with my clothes on) but the winter insulation is about gone.
The writing on my book is going slowly. I have a million thoughts on the book and I'm getting them organized. I'll start Chapter one this week or next.
The career is moving forward, I'm being positive, I've had some call backs and some opportunities seem to be forthcoming. It's challenging because I want them to happen NOW but companies just aren't moving as fast as me. I have heard that it takes 1 month of search for every $10k in salary you're looking for, so I'm well ahead of the game if some of these opportunities come to fruition this month, so that's good.
May2, 2009
Yeah, I missed an entire month of updates. Actually things have been going really well! I'm working at Red Tree Leadership and Dvelopment, and I'm enjoying that. I started the book and kicked out maybe a page :-D I'll do more on that as other things even out.
As for the eating goals, I haven't had too many problems with that. I've become completely bored with the workout so I started the hundredpushups.com program as mentioned in the May 1 post. I haven't been eating out more than 2 times a week - it's been challenging with working at an office, I want to go out to lunch every day! But I don't, I save it for meals with Griff for the most part. I have still been going to the gym regularly and I did change up the routine a bit, going heavy for a set then light with a lot of reps and switching back and forth. The other day, it just shredded my lats and biceps for sure, so I may stick with that for a few weeks, seems to help break through the plateau I hit! So, fun times at Lifetime!
Onward and upward!
My other private goals seem to be moving forward as well, so all-in-all, I'm feeling very positive about these goals.
1) I'm getting my career back on track PRONTO. While the economy sucks and jobs are harder to find, I have some skills and knowledge I can use to be successful while I find a job in my career track again. All the same, I'm not so married to the career path that I'll ignore other good opportunities - so I'll have several irons in the fire. I'm smart and a great worker - I'm making this goal happen. If anyone knows of any good opportunities and wants to share, I'm open to suggestions :-)
2) No more junk food. The only caveats to this goal are movies and ballgames because you have to get some snacks at those events, you just do. But no candy, no baked junk, no fried food. I'd say no soda, but I know that's not happening and I'm trying to deal with reality - I'll cut down some, but I love Diet Dr Pepper - it's delicious.
3) Eating out no more than twice a week. I would have said once but I don't think that's possible - I like to eat out too much but it needs to be a lot less. This is a longer term goal since right now, I'm not eating out at all (or at least way less than once a week). Maybe I'll just leave it that way and just eat out rarely. I like eating out, but frankly I like making food at home just as much and it's usually safer and cheaper.
4) I'm adding 10 lbs of muscle by June. Doesn't mean I'll weigh 10 lbs more (I don't necesarilly want that since I don't want to have to buy new clothes) but there will be less fat and more muscle. The little gut has to go. It's not BAD but I'm sick of it being there. Just shows a little lack of committment on my part, so it's GONE! I'd post up progress pictures but that might be a bit TOO egotisitical for this blog.
5) I will finish my book this year. Yeah, I'm writing a book. I don't think anyone knows that. I don't know if it will really be a book or a screenplay but I have enough material for a pretty good novel I think. It will be completed this year. The outline and many of the characters are already done. Any similarity to real life people is completely coincidental (that's my story and I'm sticking to it :-D )
Five is plenty of goals I think. I do have one or two more but there are people who visit this blog that shouldn't - but they still do regularly - that I don't want reading these. And NO, it's not any people I hang out with regularly or their families so don't worry those of you who are welcome here anytime! :-) And they're nothing weird, just more private.
So, there you have it. I posted these so they seem more real and more doable. There's something about putting goals in writing and letting other people know that helps motivate me to do them B-) I will create a link on the side here to track how I do, it'll be kind of like my own reality show online! If there isn't enough drama for some of you, I'll spice it up every now and again with some cliff-hangers to keep you coming back. "On the next post, will Ryan really go to Cheesecake Factory and order fried Mac and Cheese?!?!?!?!?!?!" Stay tuned!!!" - DUN-DUN-DUN!!!! (that's the dramatic music to top off the cliffhanger ;-) )
Let's have some fun.
----------------------------------
Mon 3/9/09
Worked out 1 hour, sprint/walked 1 mile *this will come up to about 3 miles over the next little while*
No junk food, no fast food.
Weighed in at 207 with clothes on - I wish I had the scale that tells me body fat % - if I had to guess right now, I'd say about 15%
Tues 3/10/09
No work out
No junk food, No fast food (I think I'll start tracking my meals too)
Wed 3/11/09
Worked out 1 hour, sprint/walked 1.15 miles
Severely sprained left ankle in a pick up game of hoops - foot swollen in shoe - OUCH!
No fast food, No junk - Protein shake for breakfast. Nothing but water after that because I need to go grocery shopping!
Thurs 3/12/09
No work out - I blame the sprain, tomorrow back on the horse, the ankle isn't an excuse
Breakfast - Protein shake
Snack - Banana
Lunch - Turkey, Provolone, Whole Wheat bread, corn chips
Snack - Apple
Dinner - 2 slider, fries, Diet Dr. Pepper - yeah, it's my one time out this week, but it was worth it, the sliders are AWESOME.
Snack - string cheese
Lots of water throughout the day
Friday 3/13/09
Breakfast - protein shake, water
no snack, I was out running errands for too long and didn't bring anything
Lunch - Chili's burger and salad - no fries, diet Coke
No snack
3 slices pizza, diet Mtn Dew
This will have to be a cheat day or something. :-D
Saturday 3/14/09
No workout, other than hiking with Griff, I guess that counts, we were out there about an hour
Banana and milk for breakfast
missed snack and lunch out in the wilderness
Dinner was homemade tacos with fresh Costco tortillas - amazing!
snack of diet Cherry Pepsi and popcorn during a stupid movie at Sean and Stacy's
Sunday 3/15/09
Workout 1 hour, recumbent (sp?) bike 30 minutes - ankle held up byt sweleed up afterwards, it's black and blue now, pretty gross
Breakfast - eggs, turkey, cheese, wheat toast, water
Snack - string cheese and fruit snacks and water
Missed lunch
snack - apple and water
Dinner - hamburger, guacamole, chips, diet mtd dew, water, cupcake
Monday 3/16/09
Sick as a dog
Breakfast - Banana and immodium - little bit of water
no snack
No lunch
Snack - Apple
10pm lost everything - and I thought there was no way there anything left in my system
Tuesday 3/17/09 - Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Still not feeling 100%
Breakfast - banana, water
No lunch
Snack - apple, water
Wednesday 3/18/09
Breakfast - Banana - water
No lunch
Snack - Apple - water
Lots of water throughout the day, I'm keeping it "down" now
Dinner - toast, water, mango (SO GOOD!)
Thurs 3/19/09
Breakfast - Banana, water
Snack - water
Lunch - toast, Fuze drink (yum! and only 10 calories)
Snack Apple, water
Dinner - Pizza, I know - not a good idea given my stomach situation right now, but I was STARVING (I do not want to weight myself at the gym next week)
Snack - toast, Fuze drink, water
Friday 3/20/09
Breakfast - Protein drink, banana, mango, toast (finally a pretty normal breakfast!)
Snack apple, water
Lunch
3/30/09
Quick update since I've missed 10 days somehow, man how time flies!
I have only gone out to eat 3 times in the last 10 days - 1 time for breakfast to Mimi's, one time to pizza and 1 time to Rubio's. The last 2 were with Griff, I definitely need to do a better job making meals for us. I do well for Breakfast and lunch but dinner is always a challenge.
The only junk food I've had is popcorn at the movies (didn't even get candy) and some of Griff's fruit snacks - they have some real fruit juice in them and only 80 calories, so I don't feel TOO bad about that.
I have been to the gym regularly - I've had to stick with the recumbent bike instead of running, and I don't think it does much but it's better than nothing I suppose. I am back down to 203 or so (hard to say with my clothes on) but the winter insulation is about gone.
The writing on my book is going slowly. I have a million thoughts on the book and I'm getting them organized. I'll start Chapter one this week or next.
The career is moving forward, I'm being positive, I've had some call backs and some opportunities seem to be forthcoming. It's challenging because I want them to happen NOW but companies just aren't moving as fast as me. I have heard that it takes 1 month of search for every $10k in salary you're looking for, so I'm well ahead of the game if some of these opportunities come to fruition this month, so that's good.
May2, 2009
Yeah, I missed an entire month of updates. Actually things have been going really well! I'm working at Red Tree Leadership and Dvelopment, and I'm enjoying that. I started the book and kicked out maybe a page :-D I'll do more on that as other things even out.
As for the eating goals, I haven't had too many problems with that. I've become completely bored with the workout so I started the hundredpushups.com program as mentioned in the May 1 post. I haven't been eating out more than 2 times a week - it's been challenging with working at an office, I want to go out to lunch every day! But I don't, I save it for meals with Griff for the most part. I have still been going to the gym regularly and I did change up the routine a bit, going heavy for a set then light with a lot of reps and switching back and forth. The other day, it just shredded my lats and biceps for sure, so I may stick with that for a few weeks, seems to help break through the plateau I hit! So, fun times at Lifetime!
Onward and upward!
My other private goals seem to be moving forward as well, so all-in-all, I'm feeling very positive about these goals.
Friday, March 6, 2009
My new favorite car!
Don't get too excited, I'm not buying a new car (I wish, But I'm slowly but surely weening myself from needing a new car all the time :-D )
MY car is my new favorite car! It was discovered today that there are STORAGE BINs under the front seats! (pics forthcoming!) I was so excited!!! I seriously had NO idea there were there. Now, I don't have to store anything in the door cubbies! AND, since my glove box AND armrest storage compartment broke on the same day I am glad I have somewhere to put things now! (Both parts being replaced under warranty but STILL!!!)
Now I just need to clean and detail my car. I discovered the area under the little storage net on the back of the passenger seat is completely black from a certain little boy's shoes :-D
So, I love my car all over again, and that's a good thing since I'm going to be driving it into the ground. I told Griff he can have it, so we'll see if it will last 10 years LOL.
Happy Driving (and storing stuff under the seats!!!)
MY car is my new favorite car! It was discovered today that there are STORAGE BINs under the front seats! (pics forthcoming!) I was so excited!!! I seriously had NO idea there were there. Now, I don't have to store anything in the door cubbies! AND, since my glove box AND armrest storage compartment broke on the same day I am glad I have somewhere to put things now! (Both parts being replaced under warranty but STILL!!!)
Now I just need to clean and detail my car. I discovered the area under the little storage net on the back of the passenger seat is completely black from a certain little boy's shoes :-D
So, I love my car all over again, and that's a good thing since I'm going to be driving it into the ground. I told Griff he can have it, so we'll see if it will last 10 years LOL.
Happy Driving (and storing stuff under the seats!!!)
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Some of my favorite Griff pics - pre-blog
