John Robbins 8k Race Results

Yes, yes, I'm excelling quite well at punishing myself. I honestly think I should start telling myself I make an effort to abuse myself everyday. By running. And to think of all those miles I ran as a kid that I hated it.

Anyway, this race actually has more story to it than my previous ones. I got up early (around 0530) because the night before I had a nightmare that I forgot to set the clocks forward an hour and was half an hour late to the race. Needless to say that I didn't sleep well the night before the race. I got there super early which put my mind at ease. I grabbed a horrid cup of coffee at the local Hardees and sipped it like it was mud. Even sugar and cream didn't help.

Once I was semi-awake enough to process where I was and what I was doing, I began to mentally prepare for the race, mapping it out in my head. And it was a doozy. I checked in, got my number, got my timing chip, and reviewed the map. Feeling I might get lost (5 miles is a long ways to run), I kept it in my pocket the whole time.

Anyway, I warmed up, stretched a little, and patiently awaited for the race to start. I ran into the father of the fellow high-school graduate again. We chatted for a bit until the race started. It was great to see the police escort, but they only escorted the race leaders, so I saw it for about 2 minutes before it was gone.

Mile 1 Split = 10:29
I did great for the first mile, but it ended going up a steep hill. And that's where I hit my first, small wall. I was keeping a great pace, but couldn't keep it.

Mile 2 Split = 12:35
After walking a bit to rest, I alternated between running and walking. People were still passing me and I lost sight of the people I wanted to stick with.

Mile 3 Split = 12:33
This was a very hard mile. As we neared the halfway point, there was a very, very long stretch of road. And the worst part was it looked like it went on forever. Once I turned the corner, then I new I was near the end and could see people ahead of me. I was closing on some of them. Another uphill section, but it was nice because a young girl (maybe 12 or 13) was running with her dad. He was trying to encourage her to keep running and to catch the old guy in front of them. As I passed them I said "don't let the old guy beat you" (meaning me and the older guy in front of both of us.

Mile 4 Split = 11:53
After the uphill, I knew I was close to the end. But I couldn't push myself much more than I was. Still alternating running and walking, I was feeling pretty old. And out of shape. And fat. Anyway, the young girl and her dad were passing me towards the end and mentioned she had the same shoes as I did and I should keep up with them. I did my best. And as they were just a little in front of me as the finish line was in sight, I began to sprint. So did she. And I beat her. Barely, but I did. Made me feel great. At the awards ceremony afterword though, she won second place for her age group. Me? Not so hot.

Mile 5 Split = 11:15

And here's the map in Google if you'd like to see it. I passed a DeLorean and a giraffe. Can you find them in the Street View?

Congratulations Neil you finished the John Robbins 8 km on March 8, 2009 with a time of 00:58:28. You placed 228 of 241 runners, 138 of 142 Male runners and 8 of 8 in the Men's 30-34 division. Your pace per mile was 11:46. You scored 726 Grand Prix points in this race. Weather on Race day was 62 degrees, mostly cloudy.

The Sunrise Lands

I know I've talked about this book before, in fact it was the first one on my list for this year. How fitting it's near the bottom at year end.

After re-reading what I said back then, I'm pretty much still in the same frame of mind. The end wasn't quite what I wanted, but still good enough to keep me hooked.

Photos and Video

Gingerbread photos.

And some videos.

A boat trip and some steps

I recently took a boat ride down the river with a group from you-know-where. It was a decent trip and the weather was nice.



And of course I finally decided to take some photos of the new steps we put on the front porch.



You can go here - http://picasaweb.google.com/tk42one/June2008 - to see the full album. Or go here - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103773614664211492118.000450e458e2395b851f3&t=h&ll=38.281448,-77.39954&spn=0.098098,0.160332&z=13 - to see the route we took.

Flash from the past

So I've been really digging my (our) new HD DVR. Combined with the monster TV, it's so much easier to find something to watch.

In that thread of thought, I've been revisiting some old movies...well...technically I've been "visiting" them as I've not seen them before. Anywho, I dug up this old post inspired by Paul that made me go back and program some awesomeness on the DVR.

I've only been able to watch a few so far, but I was able to enjoy many, many Jimmy Stewart movies (his 100th birthday was a week or so back). He's my favorite actor by far (I dig the "common man" themes) and it was nice to see him get some props.

And, changing gears drastically, I've been keeping track of our local scavenger hunt. What thrills me to no end is that I've been getting a lot more traffic on the blog I keep with the hints, maps, etc. Yeah for Google searches!

Audio Book Exchange

So I've thought about an audio book exchange for some time now and after looking at Audible and Borders, I've not been terribly happy with what I've found. In short, not a lot of options for audio book listeners. Audible does look like the best option for the future, download your mp3 version of the book and have a nice day. But until I get a fancy Zune like my wife, I'm stuck listening to them on CD in my car.

And since I'm sick of paying full price for a book that can cost as little as $8 in paperback, I cringe when my audio book queue starts to run dry. It means another expensive trip to the book store.

So I broached the idea of an audio book exchange. So far, only one nibble.

And to that end, I'm welcoming any and all takers. There will be an application process for those I don't know (i.e. stranger danger). But for the moment, it's open for business.

Behold the spreadsheet!

Birthday Photos

Check them out here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tk42one/HappyBirthday

Another book done

Finally finished a depressing read of The Blizzard's Children by David Laskin. Which means I'm keeping pace with Paul (this was book 11 for me) and that I can pick a new (more happy) book!

Anyway, happy weekend everyone. Hope the weather holds out for your egg hunting, the dies don't stain your eggs much, and the bunny has plenty of ears to eat.

Swinging in March Video

And here are some videos of the kids swinging (figured I'd try Blogger's video interface to see how it compares to Revver's).

Some choice search results

Amazing what people search for online. Even more amazing that they found my blog.

• les stroud hairy chest
• kvothe was raped
• blogspot nudist hairymen

There were also countless, countless searches on variations of "how much money does an author make," "hairy men," "lasik," and "pella storm doors."

For everyone that found my blog, I'm so glad I could be of service.

PS - that was just the last month.

Need a little help

Please let me know if you can or CANNOT view this document - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df6d5nq2_408f8cw4v34

Thanks!

Oh, and if you want to tell me what you think about the book or my review, that's fine too.

Post 500

This is my 500th post to my blog. I started with my first post back in June of 2005. It was the weak and obligatory "this is my first" kind of post. Sad and pitiful. I've gone from reviews, to writing, to photos, to videos, and back again. I've had 7,634 visitors from 78 countries (do you know where Macao is?). And I've had over 11,000 page views. Those four readers out there must be hard at work. Or unemployed.

Some stats:

Average number of posts per month = 17
Month with most posts = January 2007 (34)
Post with most comments (not including my comments) = William Charles Richard (10 comments)
Most viewed post of all time = How Much Money Does An Author Make*
Most views in a day = 113 (May 14, 2007)**
Least Used Label = willvideoforfood (once) [which I'll likely be removing at some point along with the other rarely used labels]
5 Most Used Labels

1. tk42one (290)
2. photos (111)
3. Elizabeth (78)
4. review (78)
5. Neil (68)

Okay, I'm done pimping myself and my compulsive counting has been satisfied for the day. If I'm lucky, it won't rain while I walk outside to enjoy the 68 degree weather.

* Google Analytics was not used until July of 2006 making all data before then incomplete.
** As of midnight EST December 11, 2007.

Friday Friday

Old World meets New

Saw this via Virtual Globetrotting:

This Weekend

The local high school plays a rival tonight. Our home team has actually been doing well this year (scored over 60 points last week). Dallas plays New England Sunday. Both are undefeated, but I'm rooting for Dallas (because I hate New England, I hate cheaters, and I hate the Redskins).

I also have a decent amount of chores on my To Do List. Hopefully I'll get through everything I'd like to get done. And, if my sister-in-law is willing, Yvonne and I might even get to go out on a date. Haven't done that in awhile.

Today

I need to hit the post office to mail some packages. The first is to get a replacement DVD from HBO. One of my Deadwood discs is cracked and chipped in the middle. Luckily I've already watched it. My second package, and more important one, is sending my copy of The Name Of The Wind off to Patrick Rothfuss to get signed. I'm enclosing some goodies (per his requirements). And I feel like a kid trading baseball cards. "I'll trade you these two autographs for yours." Hope he's okay with that.

Weekend Report

If you're looking for photos, you can stop reading now. I haven't had the time to upload them yet.

If you're not looking for photos, or still want to know what I did this weekend, then READ ON!!!

Friday we (meaning Yvonne, Elizabeth, William, Henry, and I) got loaded into Dad's new Suburban (or "burban" as Elizabeth calls it) and headed north. Everyone traveled well in the car. We stopped to feed William once and of course took several bathroom breaks. We arrived in Pittsburgh (have you noticed that I love Google?) around 3 in the afternoon and unloaded. And unloaded. And unloaded. I never thought a Suburban could hold that much. I gave up and told Yvonne she had to finish the rest of it since she loaded it the night before and I was dripping in sweat (temps were in the 90s the whole weekend).

Once the magical bag of holding was emptied, we relaxed and had dinner. Saturday was another early day out the door as we loaded up (not as much this time) for the short trip to Edinboro. We met Dave (my old roommate), Jenn (a good friend), her sister Heather, and Jeff and Lindsay (both friends) and their two kids. In all we had 7 EUP graduates. Not too shabby. After parking and visiting, we headed out to find a spot to watch the parade. We got a good spot in the shade and even had some chairs provided. The parade was shorter and later in the day than we remember, but it was still fun.

From there we stopped at the campus bookstore, bought some goodies, picked up lunch, and headed to the lake for a picnic. After enjoying our food (and seeing an alarming number of naked toddlers playing in the water and sand), we took the kids to the playground (which I remember playing on when I was a kid. Well, when I was in college acting like a kid.

Then we stopped at my mom's house for dinner. Elizabeth got to see some cows and play the piano. Mom was also nice enough to pass along a rare family heirloom. Volume 5 of John Newton's Letters and Sermons, with a Review of Ecclesiastical History and Hymns (circa 1796). Turns out this guy wrote Amazing Grace. It's missing the front and back cover, but is in great shape considering its age.

Then we headed back to Yvonne's parent's place. Sunday was an easy day with no traveling. Yvonne's cousins, aunts, and neighbors came to visit and to see William. Easy enough for me as I got to say hi and be left alone. And I got to watch the Steelers beat the Seahawks on a huge flat screen.

Monday we loaded up again (gotta love that magical bag of holding) and headed south to our place. Got in around 3 or 4 safe and sound. Overall, not a bad trip, just a ton of laundry to do and chores to catch up on. And it was reasonably cheap as there was a gas station in Pittsburgh that had E-85 gas for about $2.39 a gallon. Which means I could fill up a rather large SUV for under $50. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

So, what did you do this weekend?

Random Ramblings on Friday Night-edited-

I read today that Google reported their second quarter profits of $3.86 Billion, up 58% over last year's second quarter. Woof!

And, via -edited-, Google wants to or is buying the 700 Mhz bandwidth. I'm guessing they'll be looking to become their own service provider in the cell phone market.

Then we have Microsoft apply for patents to use some sort of search technology or ad technology to search your hard drive and develop ads based on the content. I can't say if they are going to produce the ads or block them. Guess we'll see.

I can't wait for somebody to rip a copy of the latest Die Hard movie online so I can see it. I keep hearing about Pirate Cove from -edited-, but I have no desire to actually download the movie. I know, I know, watching a pirated movie and downloading one are the same.

My college roommate, Dave, let me borrow one of his audio books, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Well, I hate to stop half-way through, but I couldn't finish it. I don't know how to explain it, but it was just, not right for me. So, I'll look at listening to Harry Potter or one of the classics that can be found for free on LibriVox.

And, I have made progress with War Wagon. Not in writing more, but in getting past my writer's block. I actually have something to write about now, but no time to do it in. Sure, I could write instead of blog, but then what would you read? A newspaper?

Well, blogging is distracting me from Psyche. I'm off!

First Ten Patents in US

I'm a self-proclaimed Google nut (fan, slave, inductee, whatever....). I've been a fan since Desktop and GTalk came out.

So today I'm reading the latest news from Google Blogoscoped in Google Reader and I see they've released a Patent search.

I've been entertained ever since.

So, in light of furthering your education, here are the first ten patents in the United States (and links to them).

1 - Traction Wheels - July 13, 1836
2 - Mode of manufacturing wool or other fibrous materials
3 - Making Wooden Pins
4 - Wood Molding Machine
5 - Machine for mortising solid wooden shells of ships tackle-blocks
6 - Wood Molding machine
7 - Boring Wood
8 - Cutting Shin-Tackle Blocks
9 - Making Tackle Blocks
10 - Cutting Dye Wood

10,000 - Improved Paddle Wheel

1,000,000 - Vehicle Tire

7,119,100 - Oripavine derivatives and their uses as pharmaceuticals (the highest patent number I could find)

Stormtrooper Librarian Raps in French

In case you haven't noticed, I enjoy creating bizarre titles for my posts. It's kind of become an obsession. Not sure why, it just has.

Stormtrooper Yes I Am!

Quite an odd find from yesterday. I was searching Technorati for something to keep me busy (and out of trouble) at work and came across this little video. What a hoot.



Librarian


I feel like such an ass for forgetting to watch this. i was enjoying Mythbusters last night and all their holiday adventures when I happened to flip through the guide to see what else was on. And wouldn't you know it, The Librarian was half-way through.

So if you have a copy on VHS or DVD of the latest installment of The Librarian, I'd be happy to take it off your hands.

French Farm Rap

Another odd find today via Google Video. French rap. I should know that music culture is not exclusive to America, but I still find foreign music intriguing. So when I came across this video of a guy rapping in French, I was entranced. It's been a long while since I've studied French and could barely catch any of the lyrics, but it was entertaining. And the farm background was also odd. A rap video like that in the States would be the butt of many jokes.

New Blog Layout

Apologies to those two readers out there that actually read this thing, but I've decided to reformat my blog to, well, to spice up my life a bit. And after reading kurt's blog, I've decided to follow in the footsteps of an artistic mind and make things look, for lack of a better word, "pretty."

So here it is.

Subject to change.

Just like the weather.

Feel free to provide feedback.

Maybe I'll listen.

Contest Winner gets the Schtick!-edited-

-edited-

-edited-

Mysteriousness

Is this it? Will this be the defining day? Will life change again next year?

[Don't bother asking what I'm talking about because I'm not ready to tell you.]

Other News

My in-laws will be visiting for Christmas soon. Not sure if I'm ready for my house to be invaded, but I'll survive. This weekend will be spent getting Christmas photos taken, attending -edited-, and going to the Riverside to watch Nunsense. And somewhere in there we need to find the time to measure the shed for insulation, wash the laundry, do the dishes, and clean the house. Oh the joy of home-ownership.

Contest Winner

Almost forgot about the winner of the contest I ran this month. There was none because I apparently have no blog readers that are not related to me. It feels good to be average. Maybe I'll get some traffic on my Holiday Movie Guide.

Oh, and the most popular video for November 2006?

I Ain't No Holla Back Girl with 316 views.

Followed closely by Shooting at the range 5 (294 views) and Seahawks Suck! (293 views).

The most downloaded videos were Shooting at the range 5 with 7 downloads followed by The pond at Bear Creek Inn 2 and METRA Train in Downers Grove, IL - full, each with 6 downloads.

The prize? Who the hell cares, you're not getting it now. Guess you got the schtick!

Torn for the deaf-edited-

If I could only get away with this skit at -edited-.....