Another year in the books

Not sure what to throw up here, but I felt compelled to write something. It's been a strange year, and two things stick out the most.

Jenn and I built a shed this summer, and ended up with her back going out and me in the hospital twice (1st time, cracked ribs and a concussion, 2nd time, 14 stitches). 6 months later, she still isn't feeling okay and at the chiropractor 2-3 times a week. While we're proud of what we built, it certainly doesn't seem worth it to have put Jenn's health at risk for it.

The second one is losing my youngest uncle in October at age 51 to cancer. It still doesn't feel real, him being gone. While I wasn't exactly close to him (or any of my aunts/uncles really, but that's just the way I'm wired), it's a difficult loss because I just can't picture "home" without him. He was always there with a laugh or a joke, and when you got us all together it was quite the riot.

Hopefully 2012 will be a year of more positive events, and I'll be recapping a happier year next time around. Here's hoping.

A long time

Well, it`s been over a few weeks, but I`m down to 223 (IIRC) as of this week. Not actually doing much other than cutting the Coke back out, but it`s a start. Now I just need to find my rollerblades and hit the road.

One week down

And over 10 pounds lots. I've been watching what I eat, cutting out all of the pop, and anything other than water to drink actually, cut out the chips and other junk food for the most part, eating 5-6 small meals and snacks a day, and that's it. I'm down to 231.8 pounds, and 7 inches as measured in a whack load of places. A good start, but I've got a long way to go. Now to start exercising more.

I'll throw up an update in another week or so, and again after 30 days.

So I'm A Fatass

Well, with the New Year always comes the promises of better health and all that crap, and of course, I made my usual "lose weight" resolution. For the past few months, I've been constantly needing to pick up new pants and shirts as my old wardrobe became "a bit snug". Jenn has also noticed that my breathing is a lot more laboured than before, even at rest. So after getting checked out by the doctor for anything serious last November, I finally stepped on the old scale. Any guesses?

It certainly wasn't pretty, but at 242.2 pounds, at least it was an honest start. 20something % body fat too, but I was a little to shocked to remember exactly what it was. Keeping in mind the nightmare that my father went through with diabetes, I finally decided to actually follow through, and I'm trying to get down to a slim and trim 200 or so. Well, maybe not so slim and trim with my body type (really small frame for a 6'2" dude), but better than it is.

To that end, I've given up pop (caffeine withdrawal is a bitch), cut down on portion size and upped the number of meals/snacks. Right now I'm aiming for 5-6 meals/snacks a day, with each coming in around 300-400 calories. Next, figure out how to work time on the treadmill into my schedule. From what I've read and heard, first thing in the morning is the best. Problem is, the treadmill is right below our bedroom, and I don't think that Jenn would appreciate the racket at 6am. Throw in making dinner and snacks for the next day, time with Jenn, and her time on the treadmill, and it seems the evenings are shot too. Gotta say, I can't wait for spring so I can at least go for a walk, bike ride or roller blading on my lunch break.

Anywho, I'll try to keep some updates on my progress, and try to stay motivated this time around.

New Years Baby!

I'd like to welcome baby Julia Estey to the world, and congratulate the proud parents Tamie and Brian. You can check out pictures and even an adorable video over on Brian's blog.

We can't wait to meet the not-so-little lady!

The Weirdest Christmas Gift Yet

Another year down, and no posts. Yay for boring lives. Didn't do much this year, just kicked around the house, tried to pay down some debt, and broke pretty much every part on my Jeep. Oh, and packed on 20 or so pounds...good times. Christmas, like usual, was pretty hectic with family here and calling back home. I did get a very interesting gift from a friend, though, and I promised to upload a video if it in action. All I can say is that it is much louder than I expected:



Yes, I am now the proud owner of some blinking eyeballs. Now to come up with ways to creep out my co-workers with the eyeballs. I'm thinking either stuck to their monitor, maybe on a window in their office, or maybe in the fridge. We shall see.

Quite the blur

2010...it seems like a very short time ago I was back in Thunder Bay, celebrating over a few vodkas at the Davinci, the end of the 90's and the beginning of 2000. In that time, I moved to Ottawa twice, back to TBay once, moved around Ottawa and the NCR 5-6 times, put down my cat, lost my father, buried too many friends and family, made many many more friends, been through a myriad of messed up relationships, got (and hated, and quit twice) my first job, travelled the world, bought and sold a half dozen trucks, bought a house and got married. It seems like so many rich memories in only 10 short years. Hard to believe how far I've come, and how different of a person I am today.

It also makes me wonder with the next decade holds. I can't see there being as much upheaval as there has been this past 10 years, but then again, I didn't plan on all of the changes that I've seen so far.

I also sat down and though of what resolutions I could have for the next decade, and other than the usual lose weight, stick to a budget, buy yet another truck (yeah, it's a disease), etc, etc, the only things I could think of were have kids and work on making my marriage even stronger and better than it is. Anything on top of that is just icing on the proverbial cake. Mmmmm....icing.

Anywho, just wanted to throw up an update, and see who else has been thinking about the decade that was, and the next to come.

August Sucked, and October Isn't Much Better

October was supposed to be a good month - Jenn's 25th birthday, a few days off work (yay Thanksgiving), an extra hour of sleep when the clocks reset...you know, good things. And as good as the month has been, it came screeching to a halt on Friday when I found out that a friend and ex-co-worker had passed away.

Jerome was a pretty good guy, and definitely from a different generation. Repeating some of the jokes he would tell landed me in some hot water at work as they were usually on the "colourful" side. Honest to god, he walked up and started a story with "I was in the washroom with my dick in my hand...". He was just that kind of guy. But even though there was 30 years between us, he still treated me with respect and as a friend. He was also one of the first non-family member to congratulate Jenn and I on our wedding (the slow cooker he got us is awesome).

While we may have had our differences at work (I swear Maps were going to drive me to drink), he was still a great person to be around. I'm going to miss him. Weird thing is, just like with Ray, I was thinking on Friday "hey, I should email Jerome and see how things are going". Ray and Jerome were diagnosed in the same week a couple of years ago, and it's sad to think that they passed away so close to one another. Guess I really need to take that lesson to heart this time.