Hey Adam...

I found the tattoo you should get. You can thank me later.

Sexiest Quarterbacks in History ?- I Chime In

It is good to see that MSN doesn't discrimate and judges male athletes on their physical attributes and not just women. In honor of the fast approaching superbowl they came out with a list of the 10 Sexiest Quarterbacks in History. After looking at the list I have come to the conclusion that perhaps wearing helmets is a good thing for football players, they are certainly no soccer players (my personal choice for the sexiest group of athletes, thanks in large part to David Beckham but also soccer players in general). Here is the list (in random order, there was no ranking system):

-Matt Leinart
-Randall Cunningham
-Matt Hasslebeck
-Doug Flutie
-Johnny Unitas
-Tony Romo
-Donovan McNabb
-Joe Namath
-Brett Favre
-Tom Brady

Well Leinart and Brady are the obvious choices and probably the most popular because they are current and they are pretty boys but neither one does anything for me. Leinart is forgettable and Brady seems like a douche bag. Pretty boys are just not my type.
The older quarterbacks were probably alright in their day but no one seems much more then average and ever since I saw the video of Namath being interviewed on the sidelines when he is wasted and hitting on the reporter, kind of can't get that creepy image out of my head.
McNabb and Hasslebeck also rather pedestrian (aside from the millions of dollars they make), but really the only one that I would consider sexy is Favre. He is one of those sexy older men with the gray stubbly thing going on that is just hot. You men are lucky, gray (especially the salt and pepper kind) is just sexy on a guy an hardly ever sexy on a woman. Favre also seems like a nice, solid guy and he was labeled "Toughest Guy in America" by the Men's Journal, some icing on the cake he is a mans man.
Just my opinion of course, don't really know why I am posting about this. I might still be drunk.

Ugghhh....na na na na

I guess Keith really was pouring strong last night because I was/am messed up this morning. I fell asleep with my clothes on, I didn't even take my bra off and I think I laid on my back with my arms at my side the whole night. My friend Randy randomly called me at around 2 thinking I wouldnt answer the phone to tell me about a show but because I hadn't talked to him in months and I was drunk I picked it up and chatted with him for about 45 minutes. Before that though I got on my myspace to approve everyone and ended up emailing all of these people I hadn't talked to in a long time, lord knows what I even said. I think I kept it short for most of them, just a quick hello, I hope. So yeah anyway, my stomach sucks right now. I took 3 aspirin and a pepto and have already had 3 bottles of water. I have the hangover eyes going on which means they turn this bright turqoise, but they also a little bloodshot.

Stupid whiskey, Stupid Kasey. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Benefits of going to sleep early fading fast...need caffeine. Bleh.

Busy Times

Work continues to be busier and busier as my project manager has been out for almost 3 weeks now. So I continue to do all of my regular contract administaration work with our 5 projects and I am also the stand in project manager for 2 of those projects. Luckily we are at a time in all of the projects that isn't as heavy in paperwork (like at the beginning and end of projects) and we have some great superintendents that are keeping things running smoothly on the job. I like being busier too, it makes the day go faster and it also leaves some of the crappy jobs that I hated like calling subs to see if they are bidding projects and filing to my mom because I don't have the time to do it. She works part time anyway so it works out pretty well. I am definitely feeling like I am starting to master things and that I am an important part of the company, it just took a lot longer then I expected to get there.

So with busier days at work and working out everyday and trying to improve my Guitar Hero skills (or lackthereof) I am pooped by the end of the day. Yesterday I went to bed at 9:30 and just crashed out. I have to say it was pretty fantastic and I feel a lot more energetic today, and I haven't even had any caffeine.

New Blog Up and Running

Alright the aforementioned Running and Fitness Blog is now up and running (no pun intended). I realize that I could post on about 50 different topics right now if I wanted to, but I won't. I will explain the picture in one of my posts, probably tomorrow's because it's a great story.

Also, I added Mike. I didn't realize he was never added, sorry about that.

That is all.

Health/Training Blog

Last week I noticed that Becky had a link to a health blog on your regular blog site. Basically it is where she talks about improving her overall health and fitness and all the trials, tirbulations and triumphs that can come with it. I thought this was a great idea and with my marathon coming up this year I thought it would be a good way to keep me accountable and on track and (here is the best part) I won't have to bore everyone to tears who doesn't want to read about this on my regular blog. It is also a great way to keep track of my workouts and eating habits so if I ever have any more health issues I will be able to look back at it and see where the problem might be. So Becky I tip my hat to you and will get that link and new blog up soon.

Enjoying the Day

It is Saturday, the weather is actually somewhat warm, its sunny, the mountains are covered in snow and beautiful and I am going shopping! It is a great day.

The Spirit of The Marathon Review

Well, I loved it. The individuals they followed during their training and running of the Chicago Marathon were varied in their experience and personalities but all were very likeable and you really wanted them to do well. It also didn't focus exclusively on these individuals but in addition went into the history and progression of marathon running, the rise in popularity of marathons, the history of women and marathons and the very unique way this sport combines amateur and professional athletes in the same event. The film makers were also able to put it all together in a very cohesive and smooth manner that made it easy to watch.

They followed both a male and female elite runner who were predicted to be contenders to win the race. The female elite athlete Deena Kastor was the 2004 Olympic Bronze Metalist and was the tinest little thing I had ever seen but amazingly tough. During her training she broke her foot and had to stop running for 6 weeks while it healed. During the race she battled with the defending champion the entire way and despite her training setback ended up taking it by a mere seconds (I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails). The elite male was a Kenyan, Daniel Njenga. He had a heartbreaking backstory and had run this race 3 times where he placed 3rd twice and 2nd once so you know everyone wanted him to take it and we were almost as heartbroken as he was when he placed 3rd (the following year he placed 2nd). It was, as always, amazing to see elite athletes race. Anyone who can run a 5 minute mile for 26.2 miles is awe inspiring and possibly a freak of nature in my opinion.

Then they followed a couple who were both training to qualify for Boston. For those of you who don't know, to qualify for the Boston Marathon, athletes must meet the designated time standard which corresponds to their age group and sex. So I would need to run a 3:40 marathon to qualify (about an hour off my last time). The man hurt his knee during training and was unable to run but his wife did and she qualified. They were a funny couple and the parents of a young baby so I am even more impressed that the wife and mother was able to accomplish that so soon after giving birth.

Next they followed two first time marathoners, both were female and both had different approaches to their training. One trained alone and the other trained with a group . I could completely relate to both of them, their struggles and the roller coaster ride that you experience when training for your first time. My favorite individual though was 70 year old Gerald Meyers who was running his 4th marathon (he ran his first when he was 65). He was a hilarious and I fell in love with him when the frist thing he said was that he runs marathons for "the free t-shirt of course".

What I really loved about this film is that it did a great job of showcasing why marathons are so wonderful and unique. There really isn't any other sporting event where amateur athletes compete with elite athletes at the same time on the same course. The runners in the back of pack literally follow the in the footsteps of the elite athletes that came before them. It is also something that almost anyone can do if they put the time and the hard work into it. Most people don't think they can ever run 26.2 miles and when they do it is one of the most incredible feelings in the world. You see a lot of tears at the finish line but you shouldn't assume those are tears of pain. Often times they are tears of joy and pride and of accomplishment. The film captured those moments wonderfully.

When this film is reeased it is certainly going into my (somewhat odd and eclectic) collection of dvds. It really has pysched me up to run the Train of Two Cities Marathon in November. I have only run marathons and half marathons in large cities where there are a lot of specators and I am unfamilar with the course and the area so I am excited to run something in my own backyard. Hopefully this becomes an annual event for me.

Quick Update

I realize that I have been more MIA this week than usual, but work has been more stressful than usual. We only have two Project Managers and one of them has been out sick for 2 weeks with pneumonia. He manages 3 projects so I have been doing my best to take over his projects and continue to keep things running as smoothly as possible while continuing to do my job. This has forced me to focus and learn a lot more about the ins and outs of Project Management than I have had to do before which is good because I don't feel like I am drowning but holding my own ok. I even got a compliment from my dad this morning which is a rare occurrence but much appreciated.

With the added stress I turn to my usual outlet which is exercise. I have hit the gym for about an hour and a half a day everyday for two weeks and I although I always feel much better after I workout, it has left me pretty exhausted. Strangely though I haven't been sleeping all that great. I will fall asleep early, dead tired but keep waking up in the middle of the night and feel wide awake. I eventually fall back asleep but wake up tired again in the morning. I think part of the problem is my diet hasn't been very good lately and I need to work on that to give me some more energy. I will however be rested and ready go out this weekend and be social so lets get some drinks boys!

Spirit of the Marathon

Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the production brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries. As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon

This film is playing one time in theaters tonight, at 7:30 PM at Edwards in Riverpark. I will be going to see it if anyone is interested in going with me. Deena Kastor is one of the featured elite runners, also a bronze medal Olympic athlete, who holds the American marathon record at 2 hours 21 minutes (that is crazy fast!).

This film also won an Audience Choice Award in its debut at the 43rd Chicago International Film Festival in October of 2007, so it should be pretty good. This marathon was also the year before the disastrous 2007 Chicago Marathon that lead to the death of one runner and the hospitalization of many as well as the cancellation of the Marathon midway through because of intense heat. It would have been a really interesting film if that was the marathon that was featured, oh well it will still be really good and you don't have to be a runner to enjoy it. There is something indescribably powerful and emotional about marathons that I really wish more people could understand and I think this film might be able to capture that.

Interested? Learn more about it HERE and buy tickets HERE.

That Burger Has How Many Calories??

I just read this article about NYC city officials reviving a plan to force chains to post calorie counts for their foods right on the menu. Although it targets major fast food restaurants, if it is passed it could eventually become a standard for all restaurants. The obvious reason to put the calorie content of the food clearly displayed on a menu is to help curb obesity by making consumers more aware of the amount of calories they are getting. In addition city officials hope that it will motivate restaurants to make healthier food items for their menus.

Now it seems that all fast food restaurants have the calorie count of their menu items online and available in the store as well, so they accessible to anyone who wants to know. The people who take the time to look this up are more than likely physically fit and health savvy or are trying to diet and lose weight. I am willing to bet that most of the individuals who are obese or overweight are probably not taking a close look at this information because they don't want to know, they don't care or it just isn't something they think about doing. These people are the target for displaying calorie counts of food. These are also the people who are probably experiencing more health problems related to their weight and adding to the obesity epidemic in the US.

I think this may be a motivating factor for some people who are overweight to make better, more informed choices about what they are eating. If you really take the time to process that a the vanilla shake you are getting has 1,110 calories or the Deluxe Breakfast you are about to order has 1,070 calories or the large fries you get when you supersize has 570 calories, there is a chance you might change your mind. (As a little side note a Super Big Gulp has 800 calories, for a freaking drink!) Obviously some people are not going to care but I know if I was craving a shake and saw that 1,110 calories next to it on the menu, I would say no way no how am I going to get that item (that's over half of my daily caloric intake, and it isn't even a meal!)

This no doubt will annoy and anger some people who do not want to be confronted with this information when they go to eat. I can understand this, but I also think it could be motivating to those people who do really want to lose weight and are struggling to do so. Many people are simply ignorant to the caloric count of most food items, understandably. It is hard to estimate what you are consuming when you aren't seeing the preparation to know what ingredients are going into your meal. I looked up the nutritional value of menu items at McDonald's (which I referenced above) and was surprised at the enormous amount of calories in some of the salad dressings, which most people feel are reasonably healthy and good for them, and I am probably more aware than the majority of people. In addition I was surprised at the low calorie count for some items (a hamburger is only 250 calories). Fast Food restaurants have begun adding healthier items to their menus which is great, but more would be better.

Ignorance may be bliss but it may also be giving you that gut in your belly. Knowing the caloric information of the food you eat (without having to search for it, lets be honest we are lazy) can at the very least help you make an informed decision of what you are putting in your body. And if you really don't want to know then don't look at it. I think this is a good idea and I hope that it gets passed and it becomes nationwide.

What Would Be Nice

What would be nice is if people would be more aware of how the way they do their jobs can effect me and my job. Whats that? You would like to hear some examples? Ok here you go:

-I often have to go get sets of plans for projects that we may bid. Last week I went to the City of Fresno Purchasing Department which is in a weird area of town where Divisedero ends and parking is very limited. So I go and give them a refundable check and head back to the office. When I get there my dad asks where the other set is because apparently I was supposed to pick up (2) sets but no one told me that. Now I have to go back to pick them up only to find out that they ran out after telling me that they would an extra set. So now I have to go back again to pick them up when this all could have been avoided had someone told me that this time they needed (2) sets in the first place. When I asked why no one told me, they laughed about it. Thanks.

-I am responsible for all correspondence and record keeping for all of the projects, so throughout the day I am getting work to do from my project managers. One of them has this really annoying habit to accumulate the work and give it to me all at once. So instead of giving me the RFI when he is done with it so I can get it out while he works on something else, he walks into my office with a stack of 15 things at once, all of which are a high priority. Inevitably this is at the end of the day and typically I will have been working on things that aren't very important until that point when I could have been working on any one of those items he had sitting on his desk that had been ready to go for (4) hours. And yes I have addressed this with him but he keeps "forgetting".

- Another one of my jobs is to get copies of plans made when we need them. Last week I took in a construction schedule to get copied and that was to be given to all of the subs and owners and other project affiliates. I was told to get 30 so I did and we were short 10. Now this isn't a huge deal but you know exactly who is getting them, why can't you be accurate in how many you need. Now I have to stop my work and leave the office and get more copies and I have been slammed with work lately so I don't really have the time.

In summary, think about how your work can effect your co-workers and don't make their lives more difficult because you aren't taking the time to do things the way you should and I vow to do the same.

Good News, Bad News

The bad news: Right now, just about everyone I know has today off and is all warm and cozy in bed fast asleep. I on the otherhand had to wake up to an annoying alarm early this morning and drag my ass out of bed. It was cold too.

The Good News: Needing a caffiene pick me up I headed over to Starbucks at 6:40 AM to get my iced vanilla latte because it is the only other drink I like there besides the pumpkin spice latte. Well naturally there was no one there because everyone is still asleep so I get to chatting with the barista and when I ordered she asked if that was my usual drink order and I told her no that it is usually the pumpkin spice but it is seasonal and much to my delight she informs me that they stil serve it until they run out of the mix which is good until October of next year. Hot damn! Triple Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte please:)

It is the little things that make life just a wee bit more bearable.

Feed the Lions or you might be labeled a nazi

I was stopped at the light at Ashlan and Cedar in the left turn lane turning left onto Ashlan this morning and there was a homeless man standing in the center divider. He was holding a sign which I was unable to read and he had a lion stuffed animal on the ground next to him. I was the second car back and he approached the first car and said something to him while motioning towards the stuffed lion. The man in the vehicle in front of me appeared not to react and the man started walking to my door.

The man approaches my window and I can't hear understand him at first because he is mumbling and I am trying to pretend I don't see him. I really hate ignoring people like this because I got yelled at by a homeless dude once for doing this and I felt really bad. The previous homeless guy went off on how he was a person too just like me and didn't deserve to be ignored. Ever since then I try to at least acknowledge these individuals because the homeless dude had a good point. The only time I don't do this though is if I feel the individual is unstable, which was the impression I was getting from him.

So he is standing less than a foot from my window and I can see him in the corner of my eye raise one arm up in the air while he is holding his other arm in a fist to his chest. He then shouts "My lion is hungry, can you spare some money so I can feed him!?". To be honest, I chuckled inside. This was certainly a new way to ask for money. But I continued to look straight ahead because he is now inches from my window and acting very bizarrely. He shouts the request again and I am really uncomfortable now so I turn to him and shake my head and mouth "sorry". Thats when things got interesting.

He then picks up the lion and puts it up to the window and says "I just wanted to feed my lion, you nazi". He doesn't sound particularly angry when he is saying this, it was more like he was making a statement, much like you would say "these pretzels are making me thirsty". Perhaps the lion was Jewish, I really don't know why not giving money to a stuffed lion makes you a nazi and didn't stick around to find out. The light turned green at about the same time and I drove off.

So I guess the moral of the story is, feed the lion or you risk being called a nazi and we should have better mental health treatment for the homeless.

So I posted cute pictures yesterday....

..but I couldn't resist!

For Adam

Since Adam may not be able to post his Wednesday smile today because he will be traveling, I am going to post one for him. This little guy born in a zoo in Nuremberg, southern Germany opened his eyes for the first time yesterday.

There is a whole slide show if you are interested in some more awww's.

Kinda makes me want a coke.

UPDATE:
Now I really want a coke.

With some jack please, thank you.

Scientific Breakthrough

Hey boys, good news. Oh wait, nevermind...

*Shrug*

The weather is miserable. I thought that maybe since yesterday afternoon almost felt like a spring day being sunny and somewhat warm, that today would turn out the same but it appears the fog and dampness aren't leaving anytime soon. I feel like even my bones are cold and all I really want to do is throw on some sweat pants, a big old comfy sweatshirt and slippers, drink something warm (a hot tottie perhaps?) and curl up in a blanket. If I had access to an open fire even better but thats not the case in my apartment. Of course I could always sit on the hardwood floor in front of the heater but somehow thats just not the same. Maybe if I got some red and orange streamers and attached them to the heaters grill so when it blew hot it would make the streamers look like flames. Maybe not.

Well despite all that I desire, right now I am sitting uncomfortably in an office with my coat still on because I havent been warm enough to take it off yet drinking a quasi warm Rockstar energy drink that I have been sipping since 7 this morning.

Obviously, I have nothing of substance or value to post on. This was the best I could come up with. Sooo...how bout that craaazy Britney or those Pats, eh?

Friday Quickies

- To the people who still turn on their Christmas lights: Christmas has been over for 17 days. New Years is gone and done with. Turning your lights on every night makes no sense and is dumb. Christmas lights are seasonal and much like I had to let the pumpkin spice latte go, you too should let the holidays go because Christmas lights by virtue of their name are seasonal.

- I bought at dress at Target the other day. It was on clearance for 10 bucks and I was in a rush so I didn't try it on. When I got home to try it on I thought it was awfully long but still cute and again only 10 bucks. As I was hanging it up in my closet I noticed the tag read "Maternity". I deduce that the reason it is so long is when you are 8 months pregnant your belly probably protrudes so much it must lift the length of the dress. Or maybe pregnant women are supposed to be more modest so they lower the hem line. I don't know but I lost the receipt so it won't be returned and I now have a dress I can wear at any size in any condition for years to come.

- To the bird that flew into my windshield this morning when I was driving to work: That sounded like it hurt.

- I have been wondering lately if feet can shrink. I have heard that when you get really old somehow it is possible to shrink and become shorter but that has always seemed odd to me. Do your bones compress? Do they chipped away little by little through normal activites and it is a cumulative effect? Or is it all just an old wives tale - I do not know but lately I have noticed that I have more room in my shoes than usual. I have been a standard size 7 1/2 for quite some time and for years have ordered shoes online in that size. The last time I ordered shoes was a few weeks ago and each pair was just slightly big, I also put on a pair of shoes that I havent worn in at least a year and they were big too. You cant loose weight in your feet, there is no fat or real muscle there, just bones and ligaments and veins and things like that which don't fluctuate. I have no answers, only questions.

Work Update

I am happy to report that things have been going well at work lately. This past year has had some difficult times but recently there has been only minor problems, having mostly to do with conflict between my dad and I. I am continuing to work on my reactive nature and in knowing when to keep my mouth shut even if I know I am right (Kristen, I know you can understand how hard that can be for me!) and although I still let my mouth get the best of me at times for the most part there has been a marked improvement. What I have to keep asking myself is that if my boss wasn't my dad, would I react that way. It works both ways though, they treat me like a child at times but there will always be overlap. It takes while to feel out those boundaries.

I am now in charge of the contract documents for all of our current projects which keeps me very busy. I haven't been blogging much lately because I haven't had the time but I would rather be busy than bored at work. I am finally in a place where I feel competent and know what I am doing, which took me longer than I expected creating a major source of frustration for me. Patience is also continually something for me to work on. I hope things continue on this trajectory not only for me but for the company as well.

Some of you don't know this, but my area of emphasis when I was in my doctorate program was Family Business Dynamics. Unfortunately everytime I tried to do a research project under this topic I would be constantly told it was not communication based enough and be forced to change it so it was no longer rooted in family business. This ended up being one of the reasons I decided not to continue, I wasn't able to do what I wanted even though in my application I clearly stated this was the direction I wanted to go. Most research in family business is about succession planning and not on day to day interactions. Working with your family is very challenging and unique and anyone who has worked with their families can attest to this. I would like to somehow help and be involved in other family businesses but I have to figure out my own family business first and then see how I could be of assistance. We will have to see where that goes in the future.

Fresno Adult School Anyone?

So there had been some talk a little while back about taking classes and although I believe most of the conversations were geared towards college classess, adult school can be an option as well. I took a beginning golf class in the fall and I am going to sign up for a beginning photography class that will start in March. I have a camera gathering dust on my shelf because I got it from a friend and never learned how to use it. It is digital but not the kind you fit in your pokcet, it is the more bulky professional type. I hardly ever take pictures anymore and never get pictures from anyone else (ahem) even when they say they will send them to me (ahem) so maybe this will get me using the camera more so I can actually have pictures to put up in my apartment.

Anyway here is a link to the Fresno Adult School site if anyone would care to look at the classes they offer.

Hooray for Friday!

There really is nothing better then waking up to the sound of rain in the morning. It does make me want to sleep longer but I was so exhausted yesterday that I went to bed early so I had a nice long restful sleep. I also rarely get a chance to wear my rubber rain boots and today was the perfect opportunity since a storm that rivals Hurricane Katrina is apparantly coming to the valley this afternoon. This is of course according to my paranoid co-worker Susan, it is seriously all she can talk about. She even went out and got emergency supplies in case the power went out and/or there was flooding and there just wasn't enough food or water in the house. Yeah and she lives in a tract home in the Clovis suburbs. Now my mom is also jumping on the paranoid train to delusionville, demanding my dad strap every tree in the yard down etc. My dad and I just roll our eyes at them. With my rain boots on, I am as prepared as I need to be.

I went to get coffee and a breakfast sandwhich from Starbucks before coming to work and was horribly dissapointed that they are no longer selling the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Sometimes the thought of a pumpkin spice latte was all I would need to get up in the morning, it was a driving force. I knew from the beginning it was only seasonal and as soon as the holidays were over it would leave me and I wouldn't see it again for another 10 months, but as prepared as I was, it still left a gaping hole in my heart. The vanilla latte just isn't as fun and exciting as the pumpkin spice latte and it never will be. Damn you Starbucks, damn you.

In case you missed it...

It is good for a light chuckle at least.

Vacation is Over

No one likes coming back to work the first day back from vacation and/or time off and I am no exception. I have not been able to get it together this morning and the black coffee is not yet kicking in.

I was slow getting ready this morning and then realized how late it had gotten and rushed out the door only to forget my breakfast and mid morning snack that was sitting out which will now spoil because one was frozen and the other one was yogurt. Then I had to scrape ice off my windshield and somehow cut my hand which I didn't notice at first because my hands were so cold I couldn't feel anything. By the time I realized it I had gotten a little blood on my pants (luckily I now have a washer and dyer that can take care of that likity split). So now I sit here, hungry and bloody in a haze of sleep that wont lift trying to pull it together. Sure if I begged and pleaded I could take a trip to the nearest starbucks and get myself a double tall latte and some food, but I have a lot of work to do and it was my own damnd fault I forget my breakfast so I deserve the repercussions of my absent mindedness, *sigh*. (Ha, I heard some violins after re-reading that)

On a brighter note however (I don't want to start my first post of 2008 by bitching about everything) it is Wednesday already so not only will there be a meeting of the dice riff raff tonight but the week is practically half over and it feels like Monday. Also We are supposed to get some rain this weekend which I look forward to. I will be sleeping in over the weekend, snuggled up in my warm bed and my sleep mask, maybe or maybe not snoring to the sound of the rain. Oh and I am having a pretty good hair today, lots of bounce and body. Now if I could only get my eyes to open more than Gilbert Godfrey's.....