Not proud, but at least I learned something

I'm having a rough day.  I've learned that I cannot have Herr snack products in my house.  Over the last 2 days and probably more accurately the last 24 hours I have gone through 2 bags of flavored cheese curls.  I don't recall ever having Herr's cheese curls before, but I've had this same problem with their potato chips.

Herr's has different flavors - the cheese curls were buffalo and blue cheese, and cheese pizza flavored.  The most recent problem potato chip was ribs flavored.   Prior to that I had some Corn on the Cobb flavored chips.  There is just something about these different flavors that makes me want a 2nd bowl of them.  Or want them at inappropriate times; I don't know why I want a bowl of these after I've had my cereal and am finishing my morning coffee!?!!? It makes no sense.

I'm in the midst of the Light Weigh program and the founder has said that it may come down to temporarily excluding some foods that have control over you until you are able to have control over your food.    So for now (at least) I bid Herr's snack products farewell.  You are officially excluded!!! Someday we may meet again but for now you are bad for my health and especially for my hips.

Fun Merit Badges

I ran across this company in my Outside Magazine.  Demerit Wear makes merit badges for the rest of us.  I found some of these badges hilarious.   I want to get a few and use them to cover up a few corporate logos on some luggage and bags I have but don't use that much because of those logos.

http://demeritwear.com/StoreFront.bok

April Update on Running Progress and Goals

In a nutshell, my goals and status update:

First goal is to be ready for the BLS Fun Runs
Overall summer pace goal is to be a 9+ minute miler by the last of the fun runs.
--- Ran the first BLS fun run of the year at just over a 13 minute pace.  Multiple sections of that run were actually under a 10 min pace (yea!), but the BLS Fun Run at Whitnall Park is filled with several long steep hills which I decided to walk so some of those sections were at a 20 min pace -- overall I'm pretty happy with the first BLS fun run result.  The concern is I have not run since that fun run - the weather got cold and rainy again which is not my favorite outdoor running conditions.  I have had two long (6 mile, 7 mile) hikes and several 30+ minute fitness walking sessions.  The hikes have been at Laphem Peak state park and have taken about 3 hours with travel time - I would do these more if I could find a way to fit this block of time in around my schedule, daylight, and the biggest impact - around Zeus's feeding and pooping schedule.  With his GI track issues this has been a big challenge.  Tonight is the next BLS fun run (last week was a BLS meeting so fun run).  It is at Greenfield Park so the route is flatter, which means much faster for me.  Last night was is cold and rainy - and I found out the 124th Street entrance no longer has access to the BLS reserved shelter, you have to enter off of Lincoln Avenue.  I entered on 124th street and then had to circle the park so I arrived just after the runners had taken off.  Knowing the rain was coming I decided not to follow after them but instead of head out the end of the run, circle the lake, and I was planning to head to the street entrance but the rain got harder and heavier so I returned after just one loop of the lake.  Short run of about 1 1/2 miles, and slower than I would have liked -- shows me I need to do my own training runs throughout the week!

Second summer goal is compete a long distance race.  I have the Ice Age Half Marathon in May, but my expectation is that I will hike that more than I will run it; although this year I would like to add some running to the course.
-- No update here.  The Ice Age Half is about 3 weeks out.  I won't make any plans until this is completed

Third running goal is to run with Zeus.  This will take time and practice to get us to a mutual pace - he is a sprinter and I can go longer (but slower) distances than he can sprint.  He also has to learn to run and not stop at every interesting leaf or mailbox!
-- No update here.  I'm convinced that Zeus' GI track issues seam to tire him out very quickly - I think he has something stuck in his stomach that is pushing on his lungs so that he can't get enough air and starts heavy panting with just a little bit of heavy exercise.  He can not go near as long or as hard as he used to. 

Fort of Saint Barbara

Just like you should treat your body like a temple, you should treat your house like a fort. LOL

But actually there is some truth to that.  Forts are functional, well structured to weather the outside elements, well stocked and have specific places for every supply.  How does that translate to a family house?  Keep it clean, uncluttered, and well maintained.

Photo taken by BJD in Tuscany, Italy - March 2010 trip

100 Things To Do In Milwaukee

Way back in 1999, OnMilwaukee.com published "100 things to do in Milwaukee," and this iconic list became the most popular article in the history of their website.  A lot has changed since then, and this guide spawned several other "100 things" lists. Over the years, theyve updated the article here and there, but this marks the first complete overhaul in more than a decade.

My current score is 38 out of 100; but this list is needs to be updated to make it a good list for BJD!!!   Maybe that will be my next task.  Plus things need to be adjusted on it, for example #12 is a good one but they damaged it by including purchasing a wax Samson - no need for that, that line item should be updated to see the stuffed Sampson and recall the famous gorilla!

1. Cheer on the Brewers at Miller Park ...
2. ... and be sure to tailgate before the game
3. Check out the lights and live music at the Domes
4. Explore Milwaukee's spy bar, The Safe House
5. Pull up a boat to a slip at Barnacle Bud's or Water Buffalo
6. Eat (and request a song) at Organ Piper Pizza
7. Wind your way along Grant Park's Seven Bridges Trail
8. Get up early and watch soccer at the Highbury Pub
9. Climb Holy Hill in Hubertus
10. Close Wolski's and get a bumper sticker to prove it
11. Bike the Oak Leaf Trail as far as you can muster
12. Buy a wax Samson at the Milwaukee County Zoo and tell the kids about the famous gorilla
13. Visit the Milwaukee County Historical Society, where scenes from "Public Enemies" were filmed
14. Commiserate with the butterflies at the Milwaukee Public Museum
15. Buy a brat at the Usinger's store
16. Take the Lakefront, Sprecher and MillerCoors brewery tours in one day
17. Experience Jim's Time Out, the Downtown "towny" bar
18. Enjoy family-friendly live music at Bayshore Town Center
19. Marvel at the beauty of the Milwaukee Art Museum
20. Take a Milwaukee Ghosts tour and learn local haunted history
21. Smell the flowers at Boerner Botanical Gardens
22. Find the Streetza Pizza truck and buy a late-night slice
23. Skate a few laps on the Olympic Oval at the Pettit National Ice Center
24. Eat a corned beef sandwich at Jake's Delicatessen
25. Shop for vintage clothes on Brady Street
26. Take a booze cruise
27. Catch the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Monday nights at Alterra on the Lake
28. Buy farm-fresh produce all winter long at the State Fair Park's winter farmers market
29. Fall in love over a Tiki Love Bowl at At Random
30. Have a drink in The Yard at the Iron Horse Hotel
31. Eat like a king at 4th Base
32. Tour Palermo's Pizza in the Menomonee Valley
33. Interact with nature at the Schlitz Audubon Center
34. Make a difference at the Volunteer Center
35. Pet the animals at the Wisconsin Humane Society
36. Tour the Pabst Mansion
37. See an indie band at the Cactus Club
38. Cheer like a maniac with the Bucks' "Squad 6"
39. Experience intimate theater at Boulevard Theatre
40. Bowl a few lines on America's oldest lanes at Holler House
41. Tour the Harley-Davidson Museum
42. Crack up at ComedySportz
43. Say "Ayy" to the Bronze Fonz
44. Sunbathe at Bradford Beach or South Shore Beach
45. Swim in the Brown Deer Pond
46. Wander around the Bong Recreation Area
47. Marvel at the Mars Cheese Castle
48. Eat a bowl of Real Chili
49. See an Admirals game
50. Sled down the North Avenue hill
51. Watch kids playing soccer at Uihlein Park
52. Visit the Beulah Brinton House in Bay View
53. Star gaze at UWM's Planetarium on Friday night for $1
54. Stroll back in time on the Streets of Old Milwaukee at the Milwaukee Public Museum
55. Step back in time at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford
56. Bask in the beauty of the Basilica of St. Josaphat on 6th & Lincoln
57. Buy a kite at Gift of Wings and fly it at the lakefront
58. Join the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center
59. Get saucy at a Brew City Burlesque show
60. Find the city's Frank Lloyd Wright architecture
61. Visit the North Point Lighthouse
62. Take the kids to the Betty Brinn Museum
63. Hike the Hank Aaron State Trail
64. Visit the birthplace of the American League (now a Downtown parking lot)
65. Hop aboard the Lake Express ferry
66. Grab a meal at Friday's Front Row Grill to enjoy Miller Park in winter
67. Experience a real Milwaukee Friday night fish fry at Lakefront Brewery's Palm Garden
68. Rent a kayak and take a ride down the Milwaukee River
69. Enjoy a beer in a smoke-free Von Trier (or have a smoke out on the patio)
70. Eat a butter burger at Kopp's
71. Have breakfast at the Plaza Hotel on Cass Street
72. Order a Brainbuster at Bryant's
73. Find Milwaukee's smallest park, Kaszube's Park, on Jones Island
74. Rock out at Verge -- the Lakefront rock fest
75. Get a doughnut at the National Bakery & Deli
76. Watch people play lawn bowling at Lake Park
77. Take a picture at the intersection of "Keefe" and "Richards"
78. Ride the mechanical chili pepper at La Perla (or have a margarita on the roof)
79. See the statues in Doctor's Park
80. Bowl with tiny balls at Koz's Mini Bowl
81. Shop for a vintage LP at Bull's Eye Records
82. Sing along at Lucille's Rockin' Pianos
83. Take a Milwaukee Food Tour
84. Tour St. Joan of Arc Chapel on Marquette's campus
85. Find Gertie the Duck along Wisconsin Avenue Downtown
86. Admire the Carl von Marr collection at the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend
87. Get hot ham and rolls on a Sunday morning
88. Tour the city's longest thoroughfare, 27th Street
89. Enjoy outdoor movies in summer at Discovery World, Pere Marquette Park, Miller Park and State Fair
90. Buy locally produced food at Outpost Natural Foods
91. See if the security guard at the Midwest Airlines Center is real
92. Take a photo of the boat house on Cambridge & Hampshire
93. Quickly order a drink at the world's shortest happy hour at The Nomad World Pub
94. Window shop the boutiques and the mod furniture at Rubin's in the Historic Third Ward
95. Grab a dog from "the hot dog guy" on Water & Wisconsin
96. Tour Growing Power, Milwaukee's urban farm
97. Tour Bolzano Meats in Riverwest
98. Eat thin crust pizza at Zaffiro's
99. Cheer on the all-girl roller derby, the Brew City Bruisers
100. Sample Great Lakes Distillery's Milwaukee-made spirits

Hmmmm

Yesterday was the first fun run of the BLS season.  Overall I rate my personal status review as positive - for the most part I was able to run comfortably and finished under the 30 minute mark.   But I did skip the big, long hill at the start of the run -- I think their route is not well designed to a big hill just as the run starts and tire people out, and kill their pace times.   And for the other hills I did walk the uphills - which I'm fine with, especially at this early start to the season.  As always, I wish I was faster.

One area for improvement is my running clothing - I need to look into a running jacket that wicks the sweat but still helps to keep me warm on these early season (or late season) runs.  I expect most of these jackets will be more expensive than I want to pay - so I'll be keeping my eye out for coupon and discounts.  I also have high personal standards for jackets (and bags) features.  I want a jacket with multiple pockets with zippers and an inside security pocket.  I'd like it to have a hood that can be rolled up into the collar.  I want it to have some reflective piping or other night safety features. 

Good Day

It has been a good and productive day today!  I haven't accomplished this much in a single day in a long time. Felt the need to post it just to help me remember it and use it to motivate me on that tougher days.

I also created a few systems and/or checkpoints so that this productivity can continue.  It is always easier to keep something going than to start it from scratch.

Update: I probably should have pointed out that Zeus was at the Doggy Office.  As I thought about why I was so productive a light bulb went off and duh, Zeus was gone for the day - there was no need to keep him entertained, take him on short bathroom walks, etc.