Wow, that question brought about a feeling of dread.  I hate it when people ask me what I have been up to or what is new in my life.  The first thoughts that come to mind when asked those well meaning questions are things like, “being ground down by routine” or “absolutely nothing, my life is boring”.  As you might have guessed by now, I did not feel excitement when I thought about sharing my narrative.

However, lightning struck.  I realized if you are not happy with your story you can add to it.  Adding to my story is exactly what I needed to do as I was realizing my story at one time was exciting to tell when I was a little younger. Yet, I had neglected it.  I had forgotten to continue to stretch and find experiences to add to my story.  I had simply allowed myself to be caught up in the tedious aspects of day to day life. This distracted me so much that I rarely challenged myself.  Just like the name of my blog, technically I was overwhelmed.

As I thought about the idea that could improve my story by adding to it, I thought about how I had recently started running to lose some weight.  What could running do for my story?  At that time not a lot, I was running for maybe 15 minutes on the treadmill at the gym.  Not exactly the stuff of legends.  To make it more exciting I challenged myself to run a 5k, then a 10k and if this all feels good, I will go for the half marathon.  This challenge could add some excitement to my story.

So where am I with this challenge?  My minimum run is now a 5k and on Sundays, I work to run a little further every weekend.  I have also registered for the Fisher 5k on April 26 and I found a 10k in Columbus in June.  Finally, I reduced my 5k run time from 58 minutes to 37 minutes.  It goes without saying, I am excited about sharing this part of my story and I no longer dread hearing “What’s new with you?”

During our meeting he talked about using wordpress, how to market the blogs, RSS feeds, widgets, twitter, and a few other things that I had never used and or even knew existed.  To say the least, my head was spinning and I felt overwhelmed by all the technology of which I did not have an understanding.

At one point in time I had no fear of technology, infact I swam in it.  When I was in college I could plug in all the components of stereo system, television and VCR without any directions.  Later on I had no fear of setting up brand new Apple computers and printers.  Hell, I even worked to set up my department’s T1 line and routers so we would be the first in the building to have internet access.

Then I seemed to loose touch with the advance of technology and began feeling left behind.  Suddenly mobile phones could not only take pictures, but we could use them to watch TV, play games, and even text each other. Before I knew it I had lost the confidence I had over technology when I was younger.  Technically I felt overwhelmed.

To fight back I have challenged myself by learning how to use new technology.  First, I started playing with Facebook about two years ago, but being almost 40 none of my friends would join me.  However, that’s changed and I think the 30 and 40 somethings may now out number the college and high school crowd.  Then I started using LinkedIn.  After creating a profile I have linked with a few people I know through work.  Admittedly, I have a lot to learn about using LinkedIn but I don’t feel overwhelmed by it.  Last but not least, I have even started writing a blog as way to practice my writing and learn how to use wordpress.

In the end, I’m still a 40 year old guy who doesn’t own a wii or DVR but I feel less technically overwhelmed by the amazing advance of technology and the waves of popularity that carry aspects of it into main stream.  For me, the key to feeling more confident goes back to my earlier strategy – just start plugging things and hope for the best.

So to enhance my reduction in calories I am exercising.  I lift weights three days a week and run very slowly the days I am not lifting weights.  Interesting thing is, all this exercise burns very few calories.  For example, I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes and burned a whopping 146 calories.  Yet, by downing a handful of raisins I replaced 130 of those calories in less than five minutes.  It is shocking to me how easy it is to consume calories and how hard it is to burn the calorie I so happily consume.

Enough, complaining.  There are some goods things that are happening as a result of my diet.  I am getting plenty of exercise, eating food that is better for my health, and it looks like I have lost about 3 pounds.  Not bad for two weeks worth of work.  Now, I just need to stay away from the raisins!

My son’s team, the Buckeyes, are currently 0-1-1 after last Saturdays game and the year before they only won their fianl game.  However, the kids on the team don’t seem to care about their record and are more interested in goofing around then thinking about their win loss record.  Plus, the coach is extremely relaxed about winning or losing the games as well.  This healthy attitude even extends to the parents of the kids.  I guess this is why we all get along so well.

During last week’s game, which ended in tie, our team experienced what it’s like to play a team with a different attitude about winning.  At the half the Buckeyes were down 10 to 6.  The opposing team had one great player, the coaches son, who was making almost all of his shots and could dribble well in traffic.  That’s a huge advantage in this league.  This player, number 8, played the entire first half which means he would need to sit out during the second half of the game according to the league rules. 

As the second half is ready to begin, the referees have the kids line up at half court across from each other so they know who they are to defend on the opposing team.  The kids are to defend the opposing player they are assigned and only that player for the entire half.  Once the game is under way, the Buckeyes play great defense and are actually chipping away at the lead. 

With about four minutes left in the game, my son’s team is winning 12 to 10.  This is when we start to get a sense of what the opposing coach is like when his team and son are not winning.  The coach calls a time out and substitutes 3 of the five players – of course his son is one of the players. 

In this recreation league there are some simple rules that were ignored by this coach.  First, no substitutions are allowed during time outs.  Second, these players that came in to the game had already played their maximum time allowed.  Third, the coach never alerted the referees to the substitutions.

Needless to say, this created a lot of confusion for the Buckeyes because they weren’t sure who to guard because these weren’t the same kids they had been assigned to defend against.  As a result, number 8 on the opposing team quickly ties the score and then adds one more basket to take the lead at 14 to 12.  With two minutes left, the opposing coach makes a fatal error; he calls a second time out.  This is when the Buckeyes’ coach and the referees notice the illegal substitutions.

Once the game resumes, the correct kids are back on the court and the Buckeyes score and tie the game at 14 to 14 and that’s how the game ends.

It was disappointing to see a coach for a youth basketball team for six and seven year old kids break the rules just to win a game.  At the same time, the parents and coach of the Buckeyes celebrated as if the tie was a win.  And I was pleased to know we achieved this level of satisfaction about the game while following the rules.  The only sad part is my son felt cheated.  Fortunately, this feeling only lasted for about 5 minutes and then he was back to goofing around with his friends and teammates.

My liar of a bathroom scale

If you read my first post you then you know I’m trying to lose some weight.  My motivation was part New Year’s resolution and part trying to raise my HDL.   I also found more motivation by entering into a friendly competition with a graduate student in my office named Sam.  I call it friendly, Sam’s in it to conquer.

Yesterday at 5pm we agreed the goal of the competition is for each of us to loose 10 pounds and the person who achieves this goal first is the winner.  While developing our plans and guidelines for the competition I mentioned that we should get a starting weight by weighing our selves on the same scale.  Sam commented that he’d bring his scale into the office which I thought meant “sometime when I get around to it”.  Well, at 9am this morning Sam struts into my office with his duffel bag and pulls out his scale.  So much for “sometime when I get around to it”. 

For the longest time I had been thinking  I weighed 200 pounds and needed to loose 11 pounds to reach the upper limits of my Body Mass Index weight range of 189 pounds for a 6 foot 1 inch tall, 40 year old male.  However, when I stepped on to Sam’s scale I experienced a moment of reckoning with reality.  You know how on your scale at home you weigh a certain amount and then you visit your doctor and his scale indicates you weigh a little more, but you rationalize it must be your shoes or your wallet or your cell phone that is causing the “inaccurate reading”. Or like me, you just choose to believe one scale’s readings over another. Reality had been dialed up on Sam’s scale and it was clear to both of us that someone had not been telling truth.  My scale had been lying to me!  Even worse, I no longer needed to loose 11 pounds, I now needed to lose 16.6 pounds. 

In the end I’m beginning to realize my scale at home has been kind to me by repeatedly telling me the little lie that I weigh only 200 pounds.  While Sam’s scale is being upfront and honest just like my doctor’s scale and is clearly telling me I weigh 205.5 pounds.  Man, sometimes reality is a bummer and not all scales are equal.

Snowy Conditions

For the past 3 years I have been commuting 4 miles each way to and from work by bicycle.  However for about 6 weeks I took a break from the bike and drove my car.  I have to admit, I became very comfortable driving my car to work especially now that it is winter.

Now that it is a new year and I need to lose about 10 pounds, biking to work is the fastest way to burn a few extra calories.  I’m not sure how many calories biking 8 miles round trip burns, but I’m sure biking uses more calories than driving my car.  Plus, when I’m on the bike trail I’m not in traffic and I’m buying less gas.  Both make me happy!

Crazy thing is the day I decide to get back on the bike the weather is not ideal.  The temperature was about 34 degrees Fahrenheit with what the weather folks like to call a “wintry mix”. In other words, some rain, some sleet, topped off by some snow. Like I said not ideal, but I went for it anyways and it was good.

In taking a sabbatical from biking to work I had forgotten about all the benefits of riding instead of driving.  For example, no one honks at me or flips me the middle finger when I’m riding on the bike trail.  As a matter of fact, a runner that was crazy enough to also brave the wintry mix waved and wished me a good day when we crossed paths.  When was the last time that happened to you on the hi-way?  Plus, I like the feeling of not being intimidated by the weather.  It’s that whole what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger thing.  Finally, people think I’m little crazy for riding year round so I feel a little like a maverick when I ride in the winter.

Overall, it was a good ride and a reminder of what winter really feels like.  Plus, I’m sure I used more calories getting to work today than I did during yesterday’s commute.