Catching up

First, the root that ate the backyard. My burr oak from the city meant digging a hole. Turned out to be a really big hole as there was an enormous root left over from the Norway maple. The tape measure is at 3'.

And here is the burr oak planted.

And a new friend in Dallas. This is Asha and me at a sushi restaurant. Met Asha at the "client." She had never had sushi before and it was her idea to give it a try.

Home On Time AGAIN

That makes two weeks in a row. That almost sounds like a trend.

We boarded the plane in Dallas in record time. And actually sat there for a bit because we were too early to leave.

The flight was uneventful -- my favorite kind. We landed and taxied directly to the gate. The only possible glitch was that the exit out of the terminal area was closed and I had to walk back to a different exit. As long as I could get out and get home, I was okay.

Even the construction on I-35 did not have any lanes closed.

By the way, the south bound lanes of I-35 are open just before Minnehaha Creek to just past Diamond Lake Road. Nice, new concrete.

Dallas - Tuesday through Thursday

Was hoping I wouldn't have to go to Dallas this week but no such luck. But at least only going today through Thursday.

Got the oak tree in the ground yesterday. There was an enormous root from the old maple that had to be removed. I have pictures that I'll put up later.

Toyota Yaris

New policy at work that we can only rent compact cars. Because I rent so often Hertz usually gives an automatic upgrade. Well, last week I got real compact car...a Toyota Yaris 4 door hatchback. This is definitely a compact car.

Again there key was just a key and no remote open. Ugh. I popped the hatchback and it looked like my roller bag wouldn't fit. I did get it in...sideways. The interior is pretty spartan. Like the old Dodge Neon, the gauges are in the center of the dashboard. I guess this is so they can make the car a righty for British countries and a lefty for everywhere else. It is a bit odd and would be okay if the gauge panel were slightly angled toward the driver. But it faces directly so you never actually can see the speedometer straight on.

This is a fun car to drive. It is light as a feather and zips along nicely. The driver's seat is set up kind of high and I couldn't get the interior review mirror to adjust high enough for me. I don't think Toyota considered a six foot driver.

The side mirrors are good sized and there is plenty of glass to make viewing easy. For a small car it rides smooth and that is saying something given Texas roads.

I was a bit nervous about being passed by big eighteen wheelers and the possibility of getting sucked under their tires. That, of course, didn't happen and I think I ended up only passing one once. Even though there weren't any problems I don't think I'd like to be in an accident in this little thing.

Overall a very fun car to drive. There was a Dodge Ram pickup parked next to me when I went to go out for lunch. I think the Yaris would have easily fit in the bed of that truck.

Be afraid. Very afraid. Warning - my contest photos!

At least I'm not as pasty-white as the guy on the right. I was pretty dark not under the stage lights.


The guy on the right placed in the top five. I don't know exactly where.

Thanks to Jason Schoch for the photos.

Home On Time

We left Dallas-Fort Worth, DFW, right on time last night.

There was a family with two small children behind me. They were very well behaved. The little son was very chatty. His mom had given him medicine so he wouldn't throw up. He made sure the woman sitting next to him knew that. And that he kind of had a tendency to throw up. She asked him if he was going to throw up, which way would you turn? He demonstrated that he would throw up on his mom.

We landed a bit ahead of schedule which is sometimes not a good thing. The pilot announced that ground control was holding us on the tarmac and if we looked to our right we would see why.

A plane came rushing down the tarmac a ways from us. There was smoke coming from around the tires it looked like or within the cargo area. It was followed by several emergency vehicles with lights flashing. None of the emergency vehicles got very close though.

We weren't out long before we pulled way around the other plane and got to de-plane. I heard some passengers say they could see passengers getting off the smoking plane. They were using the rolling stairs and not the emergency shoots.

Odds and Ends

Going through airport security on Monday in Minneapolis, a TSA person was taking everyone's shoes out of the trays and putting on the conveyor belt. She was very cheerful about it.

On the news that night there is a news story that the TSA has changed the policy on shoes and that all shoes should now not be in trays but put directly on the belt for scanning. No explanation for the change in policy but you have to figure something came up about it.

Also, going through security on Monday, the guy in front of me was on his cell phone. He wasn't saying anything so I figured he was on a conference call. He goes through the metal detector and when his phone comes through the scanners, he picks it up and continues his call. He never even hung up!

Dallas is suffering through some of the most beautiful weather :-)

It is cool and dry and sunny in the morning. By afternoon it is warm, dry and sunny. Just gorgeous. CNN is on the tvs in the breakfast lounge on the 25th floor. They will have morning shots from cameras at various cities. Yesterday they had a shot of Dallas with the sun rising just as I was looking out the 25th floor windows seeing the exact same view. It was really neat.

My "tan" from the competition is coming off like crazy. I kind of look like an alligator as the spray on tan comes off. My apologies to maid service. The white washcloth is pretty brown with tanning dye stuff.

Catching up on auto reviews

I know Aunt Donna looks forward to my car comments but not sure about anyone else. I've been getting repeat cars so I fell off the review band wagon.

My last three rentals:

Chrysler Sebring - I've reviewed this one fairly recently so nothing new to report.

Toyota Avalon - this is a kind of luxury car for Toyota I believe. I'm not sure if they still make it. The one I had seemed old and tired. Not much in the way of luxury to be honest.

I don't recall much about it which is usually a bad sign. I find Toyota's for the most part boring and bland.

Volkswagen Bug - now this one was definitely a change. I've never had a Bug as a rental or even had a ride in one. The Bug is fun. Really nice pick up and with its wide stance, it takes turns and bumps very nicely.

There is tons of room for the driver and front passenger. I didn't get in the back but it looked pretty small. The Bug is a hatchback and the trunk space was small.

Everyone knows I like good-sized side mirrors. The Bug's are a tad too small I believe. But the side mirrors have the lighted blinkers on them which is a brilliant idea and should be on all vehicles. It makes seeing blinker on easier and, as another driver on the road, I think they are a fantastic safety feature.

Everyone also knows I kind of like the bells and whistles when it comes to gauges and controls. The Bug is German simplicity at its best. I rather appreciated the simpleness of the gauges.

There is one really big speedometer in the middle of the driver's console accompanied by a small tachometer on one side and fuel gauge on the other. The AC and radio were also simple to use and easy to reach.

With the big round top the bottom of the front windshield is about a mile away which makes the front dashboard really, really wide but you can see everywhere very nicely.

The Bug is definitely worth a try out. I bet a manual transmission would be a kick.

I accomplished my goal

I didn't win and I didn't even make in the top 5 but I still accomplished my goal of competing in a bodybuilding contest.

The day started at 7:45am with contestant meeting. There were 138 contestants both men and women.

The women's classes were first and there were a lot of different classes. The men's classes didn't begin until late in the morning. I think my class of men over 45 went on around 11:30am.

Friends Jason, Andrea, Bunny and Amy had all showed up. I gave them instructions to cheer and shout out my number. It was great help to hear their voices out in the crowd. I didn't wear my glasses so I could see much past my nose.

I was second to the last in the line. I was not asked to move to center which is a bad sign. There were a few guys who were definitely bigger than me but I thought I as least had a good lean look.

The morning session is the actually judging and we, the contestants, go through a series of mandatory poses and comparisons. With so many competitors, the promoter decided not to do the choreographed routines in the morning. I thought the routines were part of the judging but that proved not true.

I was still hoping I would at least be in the top 5 even though I knew I wasn't going to win. The evening show for the men didn't start until after 8pm. Our group of "Masters" were the second group on. We all got to do our routines. One guy in my group did his routine with a large white python...a real one. It was quite the surprise.

My routine went well. Marlin, Christine, Allison, Tom and Rachel were at the evening show. After my group was done, I was done. I met up with my friends in the lobby and we headed to Old Chicago for beer and pizza roles. Yummy!

The whole experience was great. I did it and I think I did pretty good.

No pictures yet but when I get some, I'll post.

Thanks to everyone who supported me along the way.

The Journey - in numbers

I call this bodybuilding contest thing a journey. It has been a journey to see if I had the will power to eat right, workout right and think right. It has been a journey because I've kept my business travel going the entire way. It has been a journey because I've worked with friends and businesses to get where I've got.

Today I had my measurements taken at my workout studio, Fitness Together. Phil has done all my measurements since September of 2007 when I started going to Fitness Together.

Here are the raw numbers:

when I started working out with Fitness Together personal trainer:
09/04/2007 weight 196.8lbs; chest 41.825; waist 36.125; arm 13.875; fat weight 28.2

when I started my 12 week contest prep:
03/13/2008 weight 197; chest 41.125; waist 34.675; arm 14.5; fat weight 23.1

today 12 wks of contest prep:
05/15/2008 weight 181; chest 39.675; waist 32.375; arm 14.125; fat weight 16.7

I lost 16 lbs in 12 weeks. My chest is less than an inch smaller. I've lost over 2 inches in my waist. I lost 6 1/2 lbs of fat.

The differences from Sept, 2007 and even more dramatic. I've lost almost 4 inches around my waist!

Passed Lie Detector test

Had to take a lie detector test for the contest. I've never had one before though the tester seemed to think I should have.

We chatted briefly before he hooked me up. I thought he was just making small talk but he was actually getting info for the test. Very clever.

Two tube like things were wrapped around my chest. A blood pressure sleeve was put on my left arm. And two finger sweat detectors were put on my right hand.

The tester told me to close my eyes, relax and answer the questions with either "yes" or "no" and to not move at all.

He then asked a series of questions. His included questions on steroid use and other performance enhancement type drugs. I haven't used any of those. He also asked a bizarre question: had I ever lied to the police about a friend to get the friend in trouble. I answered "no."

He told me I passed the lie detector test. It was rather nerve racking though. Having that stuff strapped to me made me very self-conscious. Was I breathing weird? Why was the tester pausing so long? etc.

Talking Walk Sign

The cross-walk to get across Hennepin Avenue at the Uptown Transit Station now talks to you. It lets you know when to start and has a beeper that goes until you should not attempt to cross.

Speaking of Uptown, lots of work going on at Calhoun Square. The south side of parking ramp is being stuccoed. The footings and one wall of new Kitchen Window space on south end are being worked on.

A new I-beam construction of the northeast corner is up. And today there is a big crane on Lake Street moving new HVAC equipment up on the roof.

Working from home

The last time I had a whole week at home was the week before my birthday in January.

The competition is Saturday so this week is about diet and especially sodium control. Also, I can finally get my dentist appointment in that I was supposed to have in January.

I have to tan for the competition. This is turning out to be more difficult than I thought. I've been to tanning salon and even got sprayed but I'm not turning very dark. I need to be basically black for Saturday.

Wednesday I go for lie detector test. The contest promoter is serious about this being a natural competition.

And just because I'm working from home doesn't mean I'm really working. Usually end up working more because there aren't as many distractions.

Patience and Perseverance

Over the past several weeks Uno has gone from this...

and this...

Yes, there is a cat in the picture above.

And now looks like this...


The patience and perseverance were combing, brushing and using a special de-matting comb. She hates hates hates it. Lots of hissing and gnashing of teeth.

But I know she feels better and is actually not as bad about being picked up and petted.

Happy Mother's Day...Happy Spring

To brighten the day some flowers from my yard.
Tulips in the front yard...


The lilac is completely full this year...


A lone daffodil. The first time this one has bloomed...


One of my favorites...bleeding heart...

Friday night flight

Even though it has been a really long week, I'm feeling pretty good.

The flight tonight left on time and landed on time. Does it count that it was Friday instead of Thursday?

Burgandy shoes

I generally rotate each week between black-based clothes and brown-based clothes.

I take my brown shoes and wear my reversible belt on brown one whole week and the next week is black shoes and the black side of belt. This way I only have to pack my sneakers in the suitcase and the rest is clothes.

I bought a pair of burgandy loafers a few weeks ago and think they go with black or brown so now I can mix my base colors in one week. Not earth shattering and may be just shows how boring and bored I am but I feel like I have new wardrobe options....and I've managed how to pack another pair of shoes and still get everything in my one carry-on.

Group outing

They let us out! That's Arlene, a fellow IBMer.

Class ended about 5:30pm. We had dinner at 6pm and buses were provided to take us to South Beach.

It was still light out and a beautiful evening. Walked over to the beach and got my feet in the ocean...ahhh.

Wandered along Ocean Blvd. Ended up at Mango Bar. Dancer girls and boys with Cuban/Spanish dance music. It was nice to get out.


This is the view from the hotel.

That was a long day

At one point in the day, another person had to ask if it was still Monday.

I got up at 5am my time to do my cardio workout. I had a 7am breakfast round table with our head of my division.

The 7am went right up to the 8am start of class. The morning session went to 12:00noon and we were to be back at 12:45pm. The afternoon session lasted until past 5:30pm.

Dinner was from 5:30pm to 7pm. I went up to my room after the afternoon session to catch up on emails and answer project questions. I had to talk to a project member to answer some questions. Ate from 6:30pm to 7pm. We had an evening presentation from 7-9pm.

I worked out from 9:30-10pm. Got back to my room and did some more work until a bit after 11pm.

I did eat lunch outside and had my phone call with project member out by the pool. So much for being in sunny Florida.

Made it to Miami

Everything worked out with flights. I upgraded to first class for Chicago to Miami flight. We left Chicago a little ahead of schedule and landed in Miami 15 minutes early.

My co-worker picked me up at the airport and he drove us to South Beach. Traffic was heavy but we got there in time to walk over to the beach. There were a lot of people where we happened to land. Most of the women were wearing what was basically a string.

The ocean wind felt good as I was standing there fully clothed with long pants and long-sleeved shirt.

We went to an open-air bar and had a gin and tonic...totally not on my contest diet. Cost $23.00 for the two small drinks.

Luis drove me back the hotel which is right next to the airport. Heading to evening session in a few minutes.

Heading to Miami...hopefully

Got a message from American Airlines yesterday that my flight to Miami via Dallas was canceled and I was re-booked on a flight to Miami via Chicago.

I leave a half hour later and arrive 45 minutes earlier. I am not able to access my reservation on-line so hopefully this all works out.

Getting to Miami earlier is good because my co-worker, Luis, is picking me up at the airport and showing me around.

My trip to Miami is for an IBM conference. I thought for sure it would be canceled given the economy and IBM just had a round of layoffs...but I was wrong. The schedule is very very full so there isn't much, if any, free time. Hopefully, I'll be able to stick to my diet and workouts.