Running Update

Two weeks ago I posted about my running escapades. Things have been going very well with my relationship with the road. As you may remember from the last post. I was slowly improving the distance I was running. Each day going a little bit longer in the areas that I was running, building up to running around the entire block. I have already discussed the major undulations of the block, so today is just an update on Distance, and what an update it is. To recap, this is an image of the block that i am running, the areas in Blue are running sections and the areas in Red are walking sections.

I was doing pretty well at this point, About 50% running an 50% walking. The red section on the top I consider a warm up area, and the second is up a very steep hill. Well, I have been doing pretty well with this. Slowly, I was increasing the distance I was running, adding more distance to the end of the first running section, starting the second running section earlier and trying to go farther at the end of the second section. On Saturday I went for the gusto. I didn't get a chance to run until around noon. It was also pretty hot out at that point, but I was doing it. but the time I came to where I would have normally done a little cool down walk at the end of the second blue section I decided I was going to go for it. I was going to finish out the run all the way back to my place... and I did. This morning I did the run again and was able to make the distance. So here is my current running map.

That is pretty cool, I am about 75% to my current goal of making it all the way around. from there I think I will begin the process of adding some of the side streets into the track. I figure if I incorporate the three main side streets I will be pushing the three mile make. Once I make it around the big circle i will hop in the car and measure the side streets too.

I have to admit I am a little bit amazed that I have stuck to this little workout plan. I still feel better, though I am not seeing any visible benefits. I am sleeping better as well, except for a couple days I have been asleep before midnight, which is quite an accomplishment.

Also I am going to be in the market for some new running shoes. Charm City Run came to work about a week ago and talked about the process they use to fit people for new running shoes. I am going to head there soon, in the next couple of weeks. It was nice that they gave me 15% off in the store.

Here's to New Shoes (I know you like that CAG)

It Has Been A While, Hasn't It?

Hello,

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I have had good reason. My life once again has taken a turn for the busy. I, for the first time, feel like I was close to burnout last week. It has been an interesting point in my life (more on that in a later post) where everything looks like the status quo, but really there are lots of things that are different. I am stressed and the time I have seems to be spent on doing something that is either really not fulfilling or just unproductive. I like my me time, when I can do things that I like with it. Luckily I have gotten the chance to do some fun stuff and am definitely feeling batter about things now than I had in the past couple of weeks.

NYC
I recently had the chance visit Matt and Alyssa in New York. I had not had a chance to see them since their wedding in November 2006. It struck me as interesting that no matter how much time passes between times that we see each other Matt and I just pick up where ever we left off. The door opens and the banter begins. It was a really great trip.

On Saturday we went into the city and headed to the 14th St Apple store. Since beginning to work for them I like going into other store to see how we measure up. 14th was great, very large and a pretty cool place. I am a little jealous. It would be nice to able to hold some of the events that the NYC stores do, be we all do what we can I guess.

From there it was off to Chelsea Market. Being the foodie I am this was very exciting. the place is pretty posh, but there are some markets with ingredients that I have only seen on TV. There were all kinds of great produce, fish and imported products. About the only thing that surprised me was the lack of a butcher shop (though I hear it had recently closed). Also cool is that the market has offices for the Food Network (look at us being all suave), MLB and EMI. They also had a restaurant supply store that I am pretty sure I could get lost in for hours on end. IF I were to ever move to NYC I am sure that I would want to near Chelsea. Saturday wrapped up with some more walking and a really good burger.

Sunday was all about one thing...Baseball. Matt, Alyssa and I took the D train to the Brox and Yankee Stadium. There is something very special about this place. I mean, it is Yankee Stadium. There are some cool thing that are traditions at the stadium. Some of my favorites are the Field Crew doing the YMCA which raking the field and the Roll Call from the bleachers. The stadium overall is kinda a dump, but what can you expect from a place that is almost one hundred years old. Also I got to see Joba Chamberlain pitch, which was pretty cool. Of Course this was all happening in 100 degree heat, which is a little to hot to do anything.

Since my visit Matt and Alyssa have moved to the A-T-L. They are really excited about the move and I am really happy for them. I will need to plan a visit, hopefully sooner than 2010.

Ocean City

Over labor day weekend Dom, Elan Jordan, Brian, Country and I went to Dom's Place in Ocean City. This has become a semi annual trip. It is quite relaxing and just nice over all. This trip, of course had it's moments. Some of the highlights was the ridiculous night of Drunken Monopoly. Let me say this, it is never smart to play Drunken Monopoly with a real estate agent, a couple politicians and a "Communications Expert". I feel like this is a game that we will never forget... and hopefully never repeat.

There was also the moment of the trip. I am going to do my best to describe the scenario. Dom's place is on the bay, which affords those in residence the opportunity to enjoy the water. One of the many ways that people like to take in this relaxing experience is with a kayak trip on the water. It just so happens that Dom has a couple of these vessels in his garage, so throughout the weekend each one of us took turns heading out on the water. Below is the evidence of my personal outing on the water.

EPIC FAIL

Yes, that is right, I F*ing fell in the water.... I couldn't believe it. I would like to thank Brian for "helping" by taking the photo above. I have promised myself that the next time I go down to Dom's that I am going to conquer the kayak.

Of course we went out for Putt Putt, which is always great and meet up with Brooks for a night a Phillips Buffet. It is an Ocean City Tradition. Take a look at this Motley Crew.

Overall we had an absolute blast. I really enjoy these trips and I cannot wait for the next one.

So that is a small recap about what has been going on with me. I am going to try to write a little bit more in the near future. Time will tell if I am able to do that. Until next time.

A Little Fall Off of the Horse

I hate that expression. As you all read, last week was a little bit busy for me an unfortunately things did not really turn out the way I had planned. I did not pass my CAPM exam on Friday, which I am disappointed about, but not upset about. Honestly I think this is one of those things that can happen that really help a person, mainly me. Over the past year things have been happening to me pretty easily to me. I think this is going to be a really good kick in the pants, and I probably need it.

Last week I also fell off the horse of my month of no meat. I took Friday night to drown my sorrows about not passing my exam with some friends at Buffalo Wild Wings in White Marsh. My particular form of drowning consisted of a little bit of beer and a a dozen or so wings. I have been thinking of what to do about my month of no meat, and I am going to eye April. This is going to be a tentative month, but I am determined to make this happen.

I still have some work to on Eat Charm City (I know, I have been saying this for a couple of weeks) but I am really hopeful to have that done soon. In some other Blog News, I had my first guest posting on UMBC Underground. I will be writing for a series called Tales from the Past, where I will get to share about my experiences at UMBC. I am super excited about working with this site. They have done an amazing job creating a fantastic site and community and I only hope I can add to it. For anyone coming here from UU, welcome and I hope you enjoy this site.

Well, it is a little late, so I am going to head to bed. Tomorrow is another day and I have a Horse to get back onto.

It Has Begun

The Month of No Meat (+2) Has Begun

Welcome to February. I am once again going to try to go the month with no meat. I had done pretty well in November, lasting 26 days, but then I ran up against something that jut broke me. THANKSGIVING. Not even the holiday, it was actually the day after thanksgiving. I realized that what I am thankful for is turkey sandwichs the day after.

Tonight the bloggers and I are headed to Lebanese Taverna, which should be pretty good start to the month. Sunday could be a little difficut with the Super Bowl and all, but I have a reciepe for grilled veggie sandwichs with ricotta that will get me through.

It is going to be a good month (actually I am going to March 3rd so it is 31 days), I can feel it. Wish me Luck.

A New Blog Template and Some Other Improvements

If you are a frequent visitor you may notice some changes to the site. I am going to try to layout the steps I took to make these changes in case you want to make some improvements to your blog as well.

First, you will notice that the blog is now wider. This is a huge deal since the standard templates that are included in blogger are quite thin. I checked Google Analytics and saw that most of my readers have above 1024 pixels wide resolution. I did not want to push the boundaries of everyones screens, so I increased the width to 960 pixels. This means that I could add 220 pixels to the posting area of the blog (Yay). I googled quite a bit and found all the areas I needed to change within the HTML template.

From there I needed to adjust the images that are used to round the corners throughout the blog. Three images are used to create the look of each section. The corners on the top, the corners at the bottom and the rails that run along the side make up each section. I used a great program called Paint.net to adjust each one of the images (which you can find in the HTML template). In order to use the adjusted images I used my Google Page Creator account to upload the images and have them available via a link. This pretty much finished the widening of the page.

I then used Paint.net again to create a new header for the page. I like the new design. It feels like it fits the page and makes it seem more professional then the standard header. It was really easy to create, about 20 minutes in I was all done. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Last changes were around the ads running after posts. I decided that I really wanted them centered so I added them to the template using the Google Adsense script as opposed to letting blogger do this for me. This gives me a little more control on placement and look of each ad.

Now that I have made these changes I may be making a couple more. I have put my foot in the water. If I decide to make a jump, watch out for the splash.

An Update... An Update... YAY an Update

Hello My friends,

It has been a while. With the holidays and lots of work I have not had a ton of time to gather my thoughts and update you on what is going on in my life. I have a second or two today so lets take a care of a little bit of house cleaning.

First, I have been able to cross off a couple of things from my 101 in 1001. One was a huge surprise. I was promoted to a Senior Consultant with my company. I was sitting at home on a Sunday when I got the news. The Eagles were playing and I was checking my email while watching the game. I saw the mail and i screamed a little. My sister was in earshot. The following scene then took place:

My Sis: What happened? Who Scored?
Me: I Did!!!

Like I said this was a little bit of a surprise. I have only been with my company for nine months, but I guess hard work paid off. If anyone is looking to join the dark side please let me know and send me your resume. Cross the promotion off my list.

Another item crossed off was making homemade pasta. I had $25 to spend at amazon and was debating what to get. I ended up with a nice little pasta machine. I made a test batch last week where I left the noodles a little to big. Last night I made another batch for the roomies and it was scrumptious. Turns out pasta is pretty easy to make, just a little time consuming. Another item crossed off the list.

On another note, the Holidays were pretty standard for me and the family, though we did some tradition bucking for the better. This was the first year that I really felt like an adult during holiday time. I am not sure what it was, but there was just something about this year that made me feel better about the whole thing. It may have had something to do with the conversations between myself, my 35ish year old cousin and my 65ish great aunt about her Wii and DS. That is right. I have a granny gamer in the family.

Outside of those things there is not a ton going on. I am working hard right now to get ahead of the game financially. It is not really fun, but it will pay off in the long run.

I am going to have a couple posts today. Stay tuned.

Home Again, Home Again

I headed back to the greatest city in the world this weekend. I am headed to my friends Bacholer party later tonight. It should be ab interesting night. Depending on what happens I will give you a recap soon.

I did want to mention that I became official this past week in a couple of ways. I turned Twenty One.... ok, not really, but it was worth a shot. I did become an official resident of Maryland. I went to the MVA on Wednesday morning. I was actually quite surprised by the service. I had heard nothing but horror stories about this place, but it really wasn't bad at all. There was however the woman who clearly had Tuberculosis and was coughing all over the public phone behind me. Seriously, she shouldn't even be living, let alone driving. Why did she need to be there, at the MVA, spreading her death cough. It took me about two hours to get everything done (license and tags) and probably would have been quicker if I had done them in the opposite order than what I did. If you need to move to Maryland, get your license and then your tags.

The second way I became official is that I got my first check from Apple Inc. YAY... I work at Apple. So Cool. There really isn't more I can say than that, but YAY.

Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing

So I had my Doctors appointment at 7am this morning. I was really surprised by this doctor and will be praising his name. Dr. Laurence Gallagher... you are a good man. He was super nice and explained what was going on with my leg.

Unfortunately the news was not that good. I definitely ruptured (tore) a muscle in my hamstring. I will be headed to a specialist tomorrow morning at 8:15am (seriously, am I really old enough to have appointments BEFORE I go to work??). Turns out I have a bruise on the back of my leg that I never saw, which is an issues big men have when they live without large mirrors. It is 6cm wider and 8cm tall. There is also a concave depression in that part of the leg when compared to the the right leg. Basically this means that bad things have happened.

If I need to have surgery I will probably be heading to North Carolina so I can have it in my Aunt's hospital. I Heart Her. She is going to help me with the costs, and while it is not the best excuse to head to the Carolina's I guess I will get some barbecue while I am there. Unless it is before Thanksgiving, then I will be looking for so nice BBQed Veggies and Tofu.

I Can't Believe It... I Earned a Buck

Or a dollar as my mom would say.

I checked tonight and I have earned $1.03 from ads running on this blog. How cool is that? I get to cross this off my list. This is the actual accomplishment for me. I don't actually expect to see this money, but you never know.

Thanks to everyone who keeps reading the blog, even when I am not as consistent with my posting as I would like to be.

Don't forget to leave me fun comments.

Update on the List

That is right... it is update time... aren't you excited???

So, Moving to Maryland... yeah... that is hard. I am waiting on copies of fun documents like a birth certificate, you know, proving I exist... cause standing in front of someone does not seem to be sufficient.

So, Joining ACM and PMI... this is actually on track. I just need to get some money together to do this. Stupid money and me not having enough.

Getting a CAPM Certification.... I am on my way. I had my first class and am trying to keep up with the reading (there is alot of reading). I think I am going to be ok, and I hope it pays off.

Go Soda Free for a Month.... This is actually going to be much easier than I thought. I am going to slowly step away from the soda and replace that with tea... from there it will be another step to water. I am doing pretty well with this, though I did slip last night at the IIBA event (I didn't even think about it.)

I hope to actually cross some things off soon... we will see. Only 963 Days left.

Lets Play Kickball

I have crossed another off my list. Goodbye #16. Last night I signed the papers, paid my fees and now I am officially part of a kickball league. Actually it is the Kickball League of Baltimore. The team, Jiminy Kickits, is made up of some of my Fraternity Brothers and friends of ours. Our first game is the 12th. I am really looking forward to it.

In my youth I was quite an avid kickballer (check out that lingo). We used to play at Jew camp (day camp, not overnight or concentration). I tended to be the guy who would roof the balls. In case you don't know, roofing a ball is the process of applying enough force, and appropriate directional velocity, to the rounded surface of a rubber ball that it leaves the point of contact (foot to ball) and finds its final resting place on the top of the building where children are making paper-plate-bean-shakers (a Jew camp staple). I was the only person to have roofed a ball at the JCC (it is the Jewish version of a YMCA, with less Village People) and have it's final resting place be the ground ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING. Yeah, I was pretty great.

Needless to say I am pretty excited to get my kick on and tap into the only sport that I may still be good at. I will keep you all updated.

Recipe #2 and Plans for More

So I was leafing through he cookbook last night and decided I was going o try Rachael Ray's Marinated Flank Steak with BLT Smashed Potatoes. First , let me point out the the "L" in BLT stands for Leek. Now I know what a leek is, but I am not sure I have ever really had them, maybe in a soup once.

Anyway, I came home from the store and started to work. I marinated the flank steak, started to boil the potatoes and then came to the realization that I did not have a grill pan. I though, eh, I can use a fry pan, as long as it is big enough. This turned out to be a little bit of a mistake. So the marinade was a combination of Garlic (Yum), Montreal Seasoning (Yum), Hot Sauce (Very Yum), Worcestershire Sauce, Vinegar, Oil and ... Ground Chipotle... this turned out to be an issue.

After I put the steak in the hot pan I thought to myself to turn on the vent above the range. Then the smoke began, It was not to bad to start, but as things went along it became a little worse, and then a little worse... Lets just say if I was still cooking in a residence hall the building probably would have been evacuated. Ben came home just as I was taking the steak out of the pan, as had a bit of a coughing fit. It was a spicy smoke

And now for the good news. The meal actually turned out to be REALLY REALLY GOOD. The steak was well seasoned, and the potatoes, lets just say these are my new favorite potatoes. SOOOOO GOOOOD!!!

As for future plans, well, Mom'sBirthday is coming up and she wants to have appitizers. I think I am going to make Mini Corn dogs (It counts, even though they are small), Crispy Olives stuffed with Sausage, and maybe somethign else. I am well on my way.

This May Have Been the Best Goal Ever

So as I said in my last post I started working on my Cook every recipe in a cookbook goal. Last night I made a Mario Betalli dish, that was basically Cauliflower, Tomato and Pasta. Sounds simple right... well it was, but it was also really really good.

I think this was a good one to start with, as there was no expensive meat, no grilling, really nothing to hard. I am even thinking about how I could expand on this, by maybe putting the mix into a casserole dish and baking, like a much better version of baked ziti.

I think I am going to hold off on making another dish for a week or so, some are pretty involved. I may try to make one of Rachel Ray's dishes, since they seem to be pretty fast. But I am pretty happy so far.

The Items, they are a Fallin'

Sorry folks, I have been a bad blogger. Things have been really busy at work. We got through most of our testing on Friday before the Go/No-Go meeting. When we got back from lunch after the meeting there were balloons and cards from my boss. The project is a go and it was really nice to be recognized, even in a small way by the boss.

Anyway, this post is not about work. It is about life. Actually, it is about getting things done in my life. Today that is what I did. I started a bunch of the items on my list and can cross off one more. First what I started:

#68 - Move to Maryland. So I have been in MD for a while, having gone to school here for seven years and worked here for almost six months, but I have never actually moved here. I still have a PA license, and PA tags. My insurance is through a PA address and all of my mail still heads to Huntingdon Valley PA. I am a PA kid through and through. But it is time to officially move to Mary-land.

So this little item actually has quite a bit involved with it. It takes alot to move to another state. Unfortunately, what it takes to actually move here I don't have here. I need my birth certificate, title to my car, a gazillion different pieces of proof of residence, the full knowledge of what is in Area 51. You know, the normal. So, it is going to take me a little longer to actually make the move. I am hoping to be an official resident by the first week in September. Keep your fingers crossed.

You know what would have helped in moving? Having all of my important papers in an organized fashion in some sort of system, potentially folders and such. Hey look at that #52 on the list is to get organized. With all the work that will go into moving, it only makes sense to have gotten this one crossed off. I went to Target (it is a French Boutique) and got a decent traveling file cabinet and some colored files. I made my folder tabs and did my best to get it all set. Next time I go home I will be able to bring this with me and get the papers I need. It is a good feeling to have this organized. Item crossed off!!

I also got started in a really fun item. I purchased the cookbook that I am going to cook every recipe in. I took a look at Alton Brown's "I Came here for the Food", but it was just to big. I think I would need 2002 days to cook all of them, but I did find something with Alton's flavor.


This book seems really good. It has a wide variety of foods, some chefs I really like, lots of different cooking styles, and there are not a ton of recipes. I think it is going to give me a really good start to improving myself in the kitchen. I am going to try my hand at my first recipe tonight for the roommates. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

I Crossed off My First Item and Had a Great Time Doing It

One down, one hundred to go.

On Friday I went to a Phillies game with Mom. We try to do something like this every year, and since the opening of Citizens Bank Park, it has been a no brainer. When I was younger, we went to Sixers games, but since I have gotten older, and the Sixers are a putrid excuse of a team, baseball is where it is at. Plus, there is a bonus of going to the game... THE FOOD.

Citizens Bank Park won the Food Network's Best Ballpark eats for 2007. There is a real local focus on what they serve, but we will get to that later, cause there was another reason that this game was special.

There are many sports heroes that have walked the field, but very few of them are heroes for what they did when they were not playing the game. On Friday the Phillies inducted into their Wall of Fame one of those heroes, John Vukovich. Vuk, was a staple of the Phillies Organization, spending 30 of his 41 years in baseball with the team, and was a resounding choice to be inducted this year. On a personal note, John had a couple of Kids, one of which is a nurse who worked with my Mom. It was pretty emotional to see, she cried a little bit.

The ceremony included all of the living Wall of Fame members. I was able to take some pictures. The last two are of the plaque as it was unveiled on the wall and one of Vuk's grand daughters (one of three triplets) as she took the ride around the field, a Philly tradition.

Harry Kalas, Hall of Fame Announcer

Greg "The Bull" Luzinski. This is the guy who has his name on the BBQ place at the park

Dallas Green, Manager of the '83 Phills

Michael Jack Schmidt, The Greatest Phillie of All Time

Unveiling the Plaque. Long Live Vuk.

Such a cute little kid... and there are three of them.

The tribute was pretty amazing, but then it was time for dinner and baseball. First on the list was the Schmitter Sandwich, the worlds most perfect sandwich. This thing is a beast, but it is delicious. The combination of fried meats, cheese, special sauce... it is great. Here is what goes into a Schmitter

I am not going to lie, the Schmitter is one of the reasons I go to the park. You can bite into it and hear your arteries begin to close. It is so good. Just take a look at how much mom enjoyed it.

Not the greatest picture of Mom, but look at that sandwich... Yum

The game started off really bad, with the braves scoring four runs in the top of the first. This is always disheartening. We really needed to start this series off well, hopefully with a win. My heart was lifted back up when the Phills came back in the bottom of the inning and scored four, two off a shot by Wes Helms. This set off one of the coolest things at the park. The Liberty bell in right field lights up and gongs with each phillies Home Run. Imagine the bell in the picture swingin' and ringin'.

The game remained tied until the seventh... But it was the fourth when the night got exciting again for Mom and I. We decided we were hungry again and headed down to Ashburn Alley. This area of the park, behind right field, is where the bullpens are located, the wall of fame and the best food in the park. The even mark the alley with this cool sign. Notice Ashburn's average and number of hits around his position. This mimics the was Philadelphia street signs are, with the block number on either side of the direction of the street.

In the Alley you can find some Philly Favorites, including Chicke & Pete's Crab Fries, Planet Hoagies, PA Dutch Funnel Cake and two of the Best Cheese Steaks, Rick's and Tony Luke's. We opted for Tony Lukes, because you can get their steaks with Broccoli Rabe, which they call a Steak Italian. We got one of those and a Roast Pork with the Rabe. While this picture is not from the game, it will give you a good idea of the deliciousness.

It was around this time that the crowded erupted in a roar. The Phillies scored on an error and took the lead 5-4. For the final inning mom and I looked for some seats down low, which we were able to find. There is nothing like a packed stadium, a one run lead and a closer that you hope can finish it out. Especially when you can see it from here

Overall it was a pretty magical evening. I am glad that this was the first thing I crossed off my list. I may be double or even triple striking this one out over the next couple of years. So after about 5000 Calories, some tears shed and one heck of a baseball game I am down to 100 things left to do.

It is Friday.... YAY Friday

I cannot wait for the weekend. I am headed to another baseball game today, but this one is in Philly... I love that park. I am taking my Mom, which is great, cause I can cross it off of my list (#27). Speaking of, I have started some of things on the list, but have not finished any. Still I feel really good about it.

I got into my Project Management Prep course. Through that I will study for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Certification (#10). The cert is really the Project Manager Professional Jr. It is not highly regarded in the industry, but it will set me on my desired professional path. In order to take the exam, I will need to Join the Project Management Institute (PMI) (#24)

Yay for things almost getting crossed off of the list.

101 in 1001

I did it. I finally finished my list, and the countdown has begun. Take a look on the lower right tool bar to see what I came up with and let me know what you think. I will be crossing things off as I complete them. Lets hope the next 2.75 years goes well.

28 in 1001 Days

So I have been working on my list. This is much harder than I thought. I also think my list is going to be a little more difficult because I do not own a home, which means that I cannot add any home improvement type items. Here is what I have so far -

1. Get into an MBA Program
2. Get a promotion to Senior Consultant
3. Buy a House (a Condo at least)
4. Get out of Credit Card Debt
5. Lose 15 lbs
6. Paint a Still Life
7. Visit James in Montana
8. Have the NACURH Exec Reunion
9. Read the seven Harry Potter Books
10. Get a CAPM Certification
11. Clean Out my stuff from Mom’s House and Dad’s House
12. See a Broadway Show
13. Learn enough AJAX to create #14
14. Make turnthedial.com
15. Get a new Phone
16. Join a Social Sports Club League
17. Cook Korean Bar-B-Que
18. Cross off two more Baseball Stadiums
19. Take a Wine Tasting Class
20. Get a Massage
21. Get up-to-date on my old 401(k) Roll it (I am not really sure what this means)
22. Get a Wii
23. Re-Up my ACM Membership
24. Join the PMI
25. Get a Passport
26. Go Fishing with Dad
27. Baseball Game with Mom
28. Get an Apple Laptop

So I am slowly continuing to add things. There are some interesting ones on here so far I think. I need to add more travel/visit type items, but I am not sure what else.

Any suggestions?