The Olympics and stuff.

These Olympic games have really brought me a great deal of nostalgia.  Looking back, it has been probably since the ’94 games that I really paid any attention to the Winter games.  in ’98 I just didn’t care.  School, varsity basketball, almost being 16 years old.  There just wasn’t much interest.  In ’02 I was working full time during the day and going to school at night.  Nuf sed.  Finally the Torino games in ’06 – I was newly married and settling into my home.  It might seem pointless to examine why I missed the previous games, but its meaningful to me.  The reality I’m a huge fan of the Olympic games.  In fact, I’m a huge fan of nearly anything competitive.  I just enjoy watching people compete at stuff.  This is evidenced by the fact that my friends and I have routinely invented games using whatever we could find laying around.  But I digress.

Aside from the nostalgia I have been really surprised at all of the new competitions at these Olympics.  New to me I guess.  Snowboardcross, skicross, short track – I don’t ever remember watching any of these events before.  In addition to the new events, I have read about and watched the commercial side of the Olympic games.  This is where the perspectives on age and maturity come in.  As I grow older (or wiser some would say) my context for judging things like the Olympics changes.  Sometimes I find myself feeling jaded, as in the case of Major League Baseball.  Other times I just find pure unadultered enjoyment, as I have in watching these Olympic games.  I don’t know why, I didn’t care about steroids or HGH in baseball 5 years ago.  But now I do.  I see the players union opposing blood testing for HGH and it makes me want to puke.  That material for another post.  I know that the Olympics are not pure, but there is still something genuine about them.  I can’t put my finger on it, but I can feel it.  So, in one strong sense, I’m really glad I haven’t watched the past Olympic games.  There are no tarnished memories for me.

Confessions of a coffee addict.

I don’t drink alcohol, but I do drink beverages made from the ground coffee bean.  I freely admit that I am an addict to this heavenly elixer.  I enjoy the earthy tones of a piping hot Pike Place from Starbucks, as well as the smooth finish of a Dunkin Donuts coffee with cream only (I know, I’m a mainstreamer!). 

Currently I’m on a money saving spree so I have been grinding and brewing my own coffee at home.  This has meant a greater level of enjoyment since I can really dial in the exact strength I want, plus I get to use my fantastic French Press.  My drink of choice at home is a nice, strong, Colombian bean ground coarsly with precisely 7 grams of grounds for every 4 ounces of 205 degree water.  If I’m in a rush, or simply not in the mood to nurse a full cup of coffee, then I go for the double shot of straight espresso from the same bean but with a much finer grind.  I really do love me some coffee. 

To those of you laughing at me as a self glossed coffee aficiando – I say, “touche”.  But for the love of coffee, please direct me to the path of knowledge.  Coffee knowledge that is.

Beef stew.

I love eating hearty foods during these cold winter months.  The only problem is that I’m really working hard at moving toward a Paleo type diet.  Meat, fat (good fat), veggies, not much else.  I really love everything I cook, I just find it tough to cook as much as I need to to keep up a good supply throughout the week.  One of my favorite things to do is to cook massive quanitites food when I do cook in an attempt to have a good supply of stuff sitting around the fridge during the week.  So, the other night I cooked up a gigantic pot of beef stew.  Just beef, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato, seasonings, and some broth.  Add to that my impeccable taste for great health, and whalah!  Delicious beef stew that warms the heart (unless it’s cold) and will put some meat on your bones.

U.S. Representative John Murtha

Today Rep. John Murtha was laid to rest.  Although he passed away before his time, he still lived to a ripe age.  During the NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams stated, “…he brought millions to his district during his time [as a U.S. Representative].” 

It’s really sad to me that as a nation we are so myopic with spending and debt.  On optimistic days I attribute it to ignorance.  I once lived only for today.  I still say carpe diem.  But carpe diem doesn’t mean we handcuff future generations as a result of the siezing of today.  In fact, the very spirit of carpe diem is violated when we spend what we don’t yet have.  For how can we, sieze the day next year, when we are working to pay for siezing yesterday.

Timing

The only thing wrong with my dinner is that I made it tonight instead of last night. The Bible says not to awaken love before its time. I say don’t eat food with oregano before said spice can release its wonderful oils into its host food. Flavor over hunger.

Running.

Me and running have a rocky relationship.  I hate running.  Mostly due to its repetative nature and the pain caused to my lungs.  The problem is that running is integral to my survival.  Occassionally when I’m feeling like a bad person, I punish myself by going for a jog.  It’s my own punishment for misbehaving. 

So, today I went for a jog.  I’m on my deload week for strength work, which means I’m supposed to be taking it easy.  Except that I decided to do Crossfit mainsite wod’s all week.  Back to back days of upper body punishment left me with a funky schedule problem (don’t have time to workout on Wednesdays).  So, I did the only thing that was left on my list of physical exercise.  I went for a run.  Note to self, when it’s 35 degrees outside – wear gloves.  You will thank me.

At least I did the run start to finish without stopping.  I even threw in a 100 meter sprint to wrap things up.  For the record, my other reason for hating running is that it’s an activity only calories burner (unless you are doing ladder sprints or something like that, which I actually enjoy doing).  When you run you burn calories, but you don’t get any lasting metabolic boost.  When the run is done, your calorie burn is done.  Compared to a metcon or strength session where your metabolism is cranked up for “up to” 39 hours post workout (according to some study somewhere by smart people).  I’m all about efficiency bro…

Parkour

I just watched a few amateur parkour videos. Functional strength and agility. Some of what I watched defied gravity, all of it defied logic. In a word, awesome.

When I predicted snow, I didn’t imagine this!

My fall snow prediction was based on the fact that we had a very mild and exceptionally wet summer. Coupled with a mediocre hurricane season, it only made sense to me that there would be a higher chance for snow. It has snowed about 4 times this year and it looks like its going to snow a few more times. One decent snow would have met my prediction. Maybe p should go into the weather business? Just kidding.

Just a thought.

What if all of our deepest sins were laid bare to the world?  Would we judge like we do?  I was wondering that as I pondered the response to the Kanye thing.  I guess I tend to pause when I’m feeling judgemental because there is sooooo much in my life worthy of harsh judgement.  There is a place for discipline, but the role of discipline is to help up draw closer to God – to help us live like Him.  Even then the disciplined must submit to it for it to bear any fruit.  Otherwise its just punishment.  I’m just wondering…  Is it possible that some people just have sin issues that are very public?  That perhaps people who look like they have it all together really don’t?  I don’t have it all together.  But I’m hungry to know God and I’m hungry to be more like Him.  This isn’t a quest for cheap grace, I just wonder how many people (myself foremost) are bringing judgement on themselves by judging everyone around them. 

Bonus thought:  When you denegrate other people in your mind, do you elevate yourself (via comparison) above them?  Do you find yourself rationalizing a list of reasons why you are better, more holy, more anointed, more gifted, disciplined, ect?  You don’t advance by bringing others down to your level.  Besides, your position related to others only changes in your mind, not in reality.

Peace

Family Olympics

People will be competing in various events. Come and humiliate yourself. I will be more than glad to help!