Bike Results

I got to squeeze in a 45 minute bike ride at Oleta on Saturday to try out the new parts. The results were incredible. The bike rode so well, the gears shifted quickly and efficiently. I do believe my rear brake cable has been stretched beyond usable but that's ok and very inexensive to replace.

The ride felt so nice and so smooth that I did all of the novice trails and the three pack Dragon's Gate, Dragon's Tail, and Kitchen Sink, without stopping once. I did have to put my foot down once because of one hairpin turn that I always have trouble making. That's about 30 minutes of continous riding and 30 minutes of fun fun fun.

And I want to make a comment on girls riding bike. Girls... get out there and try it. The riders that go to Oleta are about 80 to 90 percent male. And a lot of them are fit, in shape, with strong shoulders, arms, and legs. If you go out there on any Saturday or Sunday afternoon you are bound to strike up a conversation with at least one of them. Just pretend you need help with your bike.

How I Spent My Friday Night, by Eddie Suarez

The final pieces for my bike arrived today. I was so excited to see the UPS truck pull up to our building because I knew the booty it held inside. On Wednesday, I had already spent $300 on a set of Sun Rhyno LT rims, XT hubs, DT Swiss spokes, and an XT rear cassette. That UPS truck pulling up to our building held my Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires and a new set of XTR brake pads. I could hardly wait to rush home to put her together. Too bad I still had another 4 hours of work.

And in case you didn't catch that. Yes. My bike is female. I spend way too much money and way too much time with her to consider it a male. If it were male, people would start to wonder about my sexual orientation. So, my bike is female.

I had to run some errands and even pay the gym a visit before making it home. I rushed from place to place, running in and running out - not wasting any time because I knew where I really wanted to be tonight.

It was just after 8 when I made it home. I will not boar (or is it bore?, Melissa where are you when I need you!!) with any of the details of the assembly. I will just say that I assembled the bike. And damnit, it looks beautiful. I just want to stare at it. Gaze lovingly at it. Definitely a thing of beauty. I cannot wait until tomorrow to ride. One thing I do wish is that I had a chick to ride with. But it seems every girl I have met lately does not know how to ride bike. I am getting off topic here, that will need to be an entry for another day. Tonight, I had a date with my 2001 Specialized Stumpjumper XC Comp - and it went wonderfully well. Maybe tomorrow I will take a picture before it gets all muddy.

Gotta Love Dubya

I read an article in today's Herald.

To summarize the article, it basically states that the initial projection of a 427 billion dollar deficit was wrong and it actually is more like 333 billion. You may think that this is good right? Well, upon further reading of the article written by JONATHAN WEISMAN from the Washington Post Service, you'd think different. And reading the article made me more and more upset.

The 427 billion dollar deficit would have set a record and would have marked the 4th straight year it has risen. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., called the deficit numbers "misleading,"since "Congress is raiding Social Security to mask the true size of the deficit." So, to avoid setting a new record, they raid Social Security to bring that number down to 333 billion.

Another disturbing number, President Dubya took office in 2001 with a 128 billion dollar surplus. Four years later, that surplus is gone and now 427 billion dollars in debt (333 billion if you consider the new projection). Additionally, the White House is only including 37 billion dollars in the Iraq and Aghanistan War costs for 2006 and 13 billion in 2007. Now, it does not take a genius to realize that this war is costing more than just 50 billion dollars. The article does not mention if the current costs to pay for this War are included.

Take a second to let these numbers sink in. He took over the country with 128 billion dollars in the bank. A short four years later, he is 427 billion in debt. If he was a CEO, the board of directors would have his head on a platter. That's 555 Billion Dollars in 4 years. He is going to be in office for another 3 years. And according to this article he plans to cut the deficit in half by 2009. I have no doubt he could cut the deficit in half if he continues to raid Social Security. And if the monies to pay for his war, yes HIS war, are not included in the deficit.

Red States, thanks for voting this idiot back into office and letting him continue to screw up this Country for another 4 years.

Weight loss is not rocket science

The basis of losing weight is simple. You have to burn more calories than what you shove into your mouth. In order to be successfully, you want to burn 500 more than what you take in.

Sounds easy right? Well, yes it is. Remove soda's, fruit juices, and that bagel and cream cheese and you are looking at an easy 500 calories. A bagel is anywhere from 250 to 300 calories just by itself. OJ is 110 calories for every 8 ounces. Add the cream cheese and the soda and there is your 500.

Now, you've removed 500 calories from your diet. Ok, now walk for an hour, but make sure you cover a good 3.5 to 4 miles. You've just burned another 300 calories. Your daily deficit is now 800 calories.

Now the funny thing about your body is that it wants to survive. Cutting out just the calories will work in the short term. Eventually your body will learn to live on 500 less calories a day. It slows your metabolism down to the point that you can survive on less and less food.

You fight that by increasing your lean muscle mass. Which means you must do some sort of resistance training. Muscles help burn calories, even while you rest. You increase muscle, you increase your metabolism.

You also fight that by eating more often. Have your 1500 calories in 5 separate meals. The more often you eat, the more your body realizes that it does not have to store food for the intensive workout it knows it will be getting later. If your body things it will not be getting any food, it hordes what it has and will refuse to let go. You also have to learn what to eat when. We are limiting the amount of calories you ingest. So, you want to try to allot more of those calories to proteins and less to carbohydrates. And as a general rule, avoid the carbs during the times that you are not going to use them. If you work out early in the morning, then maybe have the carbs in the evening. If you work out at night, have your carbs early in the day. Keeping in mind that whichever carbs are not used up get converted to fat real easily.

Now, another funny thing about your body. It is lazy. Say you ate a 6 inch sub. You go work out an hour later. Should you do your cardio first or your resistance training first? The resistance training should be first. Doing this first will burn whatever is left of that sandwich. The body will want to use the easiest available energy source. Cardio is the best method of reducing fat. But if you have a readily available sandwich in your tummy, that will go first before your body is forced to use its energy stores. And guess where it stores energy? Well that all depends...

If the cardio is anaerobic which means without oxygen, it's not burning fat. It needs quick energy to feed the muscles and the heart. Your body will end up breaking down the muscle for its energy source. Not good if you are trying to increase your muscle to, in turn, increase your metabolism. You want to do aerobic exercise. Which means with oxygen. How can you tell the difference? Try reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while you exercise. If you can only sputter one word at a time, its anaerobic. If you can say a verse at a time then you are good and burning away your fat.

So what does this all mean? If you do those classes in the gym, do them after you do some resistance training. Additionally, if you can't recite the Pledge, then slow it down! Finally, this is key. You have to take one day where you just rest and you eat. Let your body know that not every day will be the same. Give it time to recover, and rebuild the muscles. Feed it some fatty foods, pizza, and ice cream, and everything yummy. Every persons body is different and will respond differently. But I have done this twice now and it works very well for me. If I leave any part of what I just said out, then I won't lose weight.

Damn, you know what? After reading this - maybe it is rocket science.

Too much weight loss?

I may be losing weight too fast. I weighed 239.5 pounds on June 25. I did not make an entry for it but the Friday before July 4th I weighed 237. That's 2 and a half pounds, 6 days later on July 1st. I knew it was July 4th weekend and BBQs and eating was on the horizon so I didn't worry too much. I knew I was going to eat plenty and I did and was back at 239 by the end of the holiday.

It's been about 9 days since July 4th. The scale this morning read 233. I thought nah, can't be. I Stepped off, then back on and 233. So off again, and on again. 233. Holy Hallucinations! It must be right! Then I thought maybe that's why I am feeling so damn crappy lately. For Aaron and the rest of the population that is weak in math, that is 6 pounds in 9 days. I think that is too much, too fast.

I've been eating about 1500 calories a day. Yes, I am keeping track and no I am not feeling hungry. Then I am going to the gym and working out with weights for about 45 minutes then running about 3 or 4 miles on the treadmill afterwards. I've been doing this about 6 times a week. I think the headache I have this morning is my body telling me to Chill. And warning me that if I don't there will be more pain to come.

Since I listen to my body I have already given it a little treat this morning. I still had my egg white omelette but I tossed in a slice of American Cheese. Then I added a side of Wellsley Farms Chipotle Black Bean Salsa Chicken Sausage. Total caloric intake is about 400 calories. Compare that to the 100 to 150 I usually have and you can see the difference. And I can tell my body is thanking me for it. The headace is still present but it is hurting much less than it did when I woke up.

It took a survey to figure this out.

610 WIOD took a survey in the wake of the London Terrorist Bombings. They asked this question to their South Florida listening audience.

"LONDON BOMBINGS................... Do you use Mass Transit? "

You could select:

A) Yes, regularly.
B) Occasionally.
C) No, never.

What do you think was the winner by landslide?
The results, in their respective orders were: 12%, 21%, and 66%. And it took a survey about the London bombings to figure out that South Floridians do not use MASS TRANSIT?!?? Wow, go figure.

One Hand on the wheel...

And one hand on the horn, and one hand on the eyeliner, and another hand on the cell phone.

Yes. This is yet another rant about the idiot drivers in South Florida. Here is what I saw on my 30 minute drive to work this morning. None of these incidents surprised me.

1) Someone coming out of their driveway couldn't wait for me to pass. Pulls out in front of me forcing me to swerve to avoid hitting them.

2) On 8th street, lady in the left lane. Swerving and riding her breaks. I am behind her thinking, "What the fuck?" I finally see why. She is concentrating on putting on her eye liner in the rear view mirror! I changed lanes, drove past her, and cut her off so incredibly bad that when I looked in my mirror she had completely stopped. I hope I poked her eye out.

3) Trying to merge onto the highway. I have my blinker on to signal that, "Hey I need to move over." You think the lady in the next lane let me in? Hells no! Not until I began to swerve erratically like a crazy driver did she ease up making room for me to move over.

3) Getting off the highway. I have one car in front of me. We make our left turn onto Sunset Drive. There is a traffic light about 100 yards down the road. The light is green. And what do you think the guy in front of me does? He comes to a complete stop! I honk at him, because, "Hey buddy THE LIGHT IS GREEN, GO!!" He has the nerve to look into his rear view mirror and give me the "WHAT?" look and hand gesture. As if!

4) Then again. Driving down Sunset. Another car pulls out in front of me, then doesn't accelerate. If you are gonna jump out in front of me, then hit the gas! This was a nice ass brand new F150 so I KNOW it had the power to go. 5) So I finally make it to the Sunset and US1 intersection. Light goes green and we don't move. Waiting, waiting, waiting.... I look way ahead and some idiot hasn't moved. All the traffic in the right lane is zipping past her. You think she'd notice. Nope. So again, I lay on the horn. I wonder why I had to honk. I was like 10 cars behind her. Why could any of them take the initiative and have the cojones to honk at the idiot. She finally went and I just made it through the light.

Serenity now, or Insanity later.

Why won't they stop flashing "12:00"?

Women drive me nuts. I don't understand them. First I don't know why a girl just wouldn't immediately fall in love with me! I am a definite catch. Fine I am far from rich, but I make up it for it in so many other ways. I cook, I clean, I do laundry, I am a hopeless romantic, I am understanding, patient, open minded, I've been told I am hot, "do-able", and also a good kisser. I'm funny and can make the girls laugh. I am so many wonderful things. But I digress. This post is not directly about me, it's about you women.

I met someone via Match.com a while back and I dug her. I thought she was super cool, SUPER adorable, she even made me laugh, and I think we had plenty in common - Unfortunately I didn't get the same vibe back from her. Something told me she didn't feel the same about me.

I asked her out for a second date. She said she was busy. I am all about giving someone the benefit of the doubt so I asked her out again and was blown off. I asked her out a third time, and again she was busy. So I figured my Spidey Sense was on. Third time was enough for me to get the hint so I ceased asking her out and even chatting with her.

A couple days pass and she IM's me. We exchange some small chit chat, and I had to run so I couldn't really talk. Again a couple days pass and same thing. I don't remember if it was an IM, or email, or a MySpace comment. What I do know it brings a smile to my face when I see the message is from her. I just don't know what to make of the situation. I've been assuming it is either her just being nice or keeping me interested in case nothing better comes along. Either case, I still chatted with her but wasn't going to be asking her out for a fourth time.

Well, the little messages have continued and I am a stubborn goat, yes a Capricorn. I have to admit that with the latest message I thought to myself, "Man what the hell is up with this chick?!?! What is it she wants?" So guess what? I asked her out for a fourth time. I didn't get the immediate 'no' but I knew it was coming. The only assumption I can make is that she is isn't interested. That book, He's Just Not That Into You comes to mind. If she wants to hang out and be friends, then it's cool. If she is interested in more, then I don't think she is building the right foundation with her actions, or lack of action. But women work in weird ways and I am having trouble figuring out the code. Heck, I figured out how to program my VCR. Why can't I do the same with women? No matter which buttons I press, I just can't get them to stop flashing "12:00".

Did anyone see that?

Did anyone see Leeann Tweeden on July 4th's Nascar Nation episode. After seeing her outfit I have a new appreciation for the Stars and Stripes. She is any man's fantasy, a hot chick that knows about sports.

You won't believe what just happened...

It started off like any other Sunday. I ran my 3 miles in the morning, then came home and cleaned up my place. Sweeping, Mopping, Laundry. Nothing out of the ordinary.

What was different about this Sunday was that I was chatting with Hotel. I call her that because she works for a hotel chain. And just like every other Match.com date I have mentioned on here before, I change their names to protect the guilty parties. My comedic evening all started when she winked at my Match.com profile on Friday. I emailed her back, she replied, and then a couple more back and forth and on Sunday I called her up.

We agreed to meet at Greenstreets in the Grove. I left my house, and still everything seemed to be going ok. However, on the way there I decided I wanted a Cortadito from La Carreta. That's when the fun began.

As I get back into the car, holding the scalding hot beverage in my hand, I knocked into something. I don't know what it was but steaming hot coffee and milk was pouring down my thighs! After a few curse words - I called Hotel,"You won't believe what just happened to me." She said she didn't mind the Africa sized coffee stain on my right pant leg nor the Australia sized one on the left pant leg. She said to come anyway. The she added that she was already there!

So great, not only do I have 3rd degree burns on my thigh and two HUGE coffee stains on my jeans, but now I am also late! Some first impression I am making...

I finally arrived at Greenstreet and thanks to some very handy HandiWipes that I keep in my car I was able to sort of mask the stain a little. We sat at our table along the sidewalk. Everything was going ok. The waiter came over and we ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio - Ruffino. Then from out of nowhere, like an Air Attack, came the mosquitos. We got swarmed! Mosquitos were everywhere! I found a waiter, any waiter, and told him if we could please move inside. He understood and he did move us into a quiet corner at the back of the restaurant.

. Luckily, things improved from there. The conversation was good, and the food was delicious. It was my first time having Pinot and my first time having Lamb. And it was New Zealand Lamb. I don't know what that means but the waiter made a point to mention it was lamb from New Zealand so I guess that means it's good.

I don't know if she'd ever see me again since our date had such a horrible start. If she doesn't, I'd understand. And I would use this as a learning experience. Next time I will bring a change of clothes with me!