Time and Space

I hope everyone is having a happy new year and are well into their resolutions. Time to go through all my assortment of bike and fitness gear to see if I can put an ensemble together to handle the cold temperatures on my bike. Metro Mountain Bikers are working a deal on a group discount for some high end bike lights. Still too steep for me. The last opportunity to get in on the deal will be at their next meeting. I most likely wont be there. Just to let all my fans know... along with my stalkers (their supporters and facilitators) and anyone else who sees fit to obsess on my life.

As far as my own goals, for those focusing on my weight and fitness, today is a good day. With the snow forecast to fall all day, and the lake effect to heap more here on our special community, I will be in and out shoveling all day. Lots of snow in Seoul and even London as global warming casts its icy grip over the world.

Some say snow is a sign of good fortune and I'm hoping this new year of 2010 to be just that. Yesterday an old friend from Korea I had lost touch with tracked me down on the Internet. I actually heard he had cancer at some point (not sure if it was true) and thought he was dead. After I left Korea most of my friends move and changed jobs, as did I, and I lost touch with many of them. Good friends are few and far between and can be counted on one hand. His parents gave him a name synonymous with good fortune.

Being alone most of the day, working out of or on my house without any real human give and take outside of the gym most of the week, it is a fight to dominate time. To use it most efficiently. While I have to revamp my schedule and make a determination to stick to it, a bigger factor is organizing space. Having a specific area for each task clearly organized can keep one focused. And sometimes a certain task consumes your day as it just seems to keep you inspired, so out with any schedule. And if it doesn't, you just move on to the next task.

I have a nice reading chair and lamp, and reading will be a focus this, especially related to my profession. And hope to do a lot of writing on all my blogs. Have to keep up with any related lectures at the University. Always looking for good influences and sources of information. Of course the most influential factor in anyones life is to know that one is loved. Anyone who doesn't understand that is a fool and anyone who works to keep that knowledge from another.... no consensus will keep them from where they're going.

Ein frohes neues Jahr ...

... und alles Gute für das Jahr 2010!

Leider sind die Silvester Fotos dieses mal misslungen, da zu viel Nebel war. Ich habe deshalb ein Bild aus dem letzten Jahr hochgeladen.

Happy New Year

And Merry Christmas too.

Yes it is still the Christmas season; the wise men have yet to arrive. One radio station kept the Christmas music through the Christmas weekend. You would think retailers would want to keep the music playing for the after Christmas sales. But basically if you want to hear Christmas music now you have to be playing it yourself.

Getting back to the gym but finding myself severely restricted. Misao thought I was dead as I collapsed after Christmas sleeping ten hours straight. The exhaustion has kept me from doing much this last week. Maybe I need to try a new energy drink. No room on the credit card to send for my usual stuff.

What did I get for Christmas? Two pounds. And some jeans with a sweater and a book. I hear a lot about Acai products. I'm sure for most people it would help them lose weight. I'm not most people.

Happy New Year!!

Oh Little Town

This is claimed to be the actual birth place of Jesus. It is a cave. Iconography covers every surface. The actual cave floor is protected underneath the marble.

Merry Christmas. And thanks to Alois for his Christmas post.

Das Christkind kommt!

Der beliebteste Christbaum in Deutschland ist die Nordmanntanne. Dieses Jahr mit einer neuen Christbaumspitze.

Frohe Weihnachten und alles Gute für das neue Jahr!

Merry Christmas

And Happy New Year, and a

Great Big Congratulations

to #1 niece graduating from Eastern Kentucky University tomorrow. That there is fueden country. I'm sure she earned plenty honors and adulation's. We can't afford the time or money to go to the celebrating or we would be there.

I missed the gym and any other significant exercise, outside of walking the dog, the entire week. But we got the tree up, finished all our Christmas cards and got any gifts going out of town bought and sent. Today I put up the outdoor lights. A great relief and time to focus on deeper things. No Grinches will steal this Christmas. It just ain't possible. But we will enjoy the hustle and bustle of the season with a few more gifts to pick out before the big day.

Blue Snowflakes

It's that time of year when the weatherman's map is covered in blue for snow. And the garden is buried and frozen with our now frigid temperatures. Of course the secret to enjoying Winter, a season extremely unappreciated, is long underwear. A good down coat that extends below the waste and the joys of Winter are here for the taking.

Not prepared well to ride in this weather though. I hope to hit the gym regularly for two hours. Walking worked in with core training to make up the bulk of the time, working up to some off speed stuff. Keep the strength training for each muscle group on a weekly basis with a bit of emphasis on the shoulders. Work on the legs a lot if my knee allows. I'm suffering from the Santa Clause syndrome with my weight already shooting up and we didn't even have much for Thanksgiving. It's hard to figure out why I can't lose weight in the Winter.

I made the rice pudding. Rice cooked in half and half with a mixture of heavy whipping cream, egg yolks and sugar added towards the end. It's to die for. One spoonful sends you straight to heaven, makes your heart skip a beat. Misao was disappointed I didn't make a double batch.

Hope to spend much more time writing over the Winter on my other blogs. If I don't get a chance to write here before Christmas I hope every one has a merry one or a Happy Hanukkah. And no greetings for that manufactured holiday. A true holiday is based on a real significant event that occurs spontaneously and organically like Juneteenth Day. Not that not to be named I wont buy the stamps, stick the finger in the eye of Christmas holiday. Looking forward to a German Christmas post from Alois. And for you solstice worshippers here is a little song I found.