i am old

There was a time when I could roll out of bed, throw on some running gear, and run four miles just as a warm up.  Unless I was pushing it at near race pace (a little running lingo for ya), I would barely break a sweat.  Then came college.

In college, I did a little running, but exercise was pretty much limited to random games of intramural hockey and constant walking to and from class.  Weather permitting I would don the roller blades and skate to class.  Actually, aside from one year, those were pretty good work outs, because I lived quite far from campus.

Once out of college, I continued to run on occasion, but most of my exercise during a five-year stretch (1998-2003) came from mountain biking and hockey.  When I did run, I still felt pretty good.

Fast forward to 2009.

Running is painful.  When I do run, I’ll typically hit the road/trails for 30-45 minutes (usually closer to 30).  No longer is a four mile run a simple warm up for me.  There are moments during said run when I actually feel fine, but the majority of it is a struggle.  My knees hate me for it.  I can’t do it without huffin’ and puffin’.  So now I find myself going for walks.  Yep, a simple walk.  Just me, my iPod, and my avoiding eye contact with everyone else who is walking.  I’m in my own world.

After I post this I’m going to go for a walk.  I’m old.

more beer!

Re-supplied.

And some music to go along with it…

Fear – More Beer

paid in full, bitches

ROTFLMAOOMGWTF?!?!

The above test is mine.  Now let’s take a look at a test coming at us from the Saratoga, CA region near Cox.

Heh.

the tease

I think MySpace has been firing up this Match.com ad for ages:

Pardon my cussing, but HORSESHIT.  This is a nice little tease trying to lure us over to Match.com.  Sure, within minutes of creating a profile you will be chatting away with this pretty Asian gal wearing a hoodie and displaying a little cleavage.  Notice just how immaculate that kitchen is behind her?

drinkability. i’ve got nothing

I really don’t have much to write about at this moment.  What I did do was place lots of Bud Light in the freezer.  There is nothing worse than coming home from a long day at work/three-mile jog and having no cold beer in the house.

And there it is in all its glory. This is what I have to work with. It’s not Friday so I’m not going to drink all of that.  Note the Ore Ida products.  Always delicious.

blood draw complete

Perhaps last year went badly because they had to draw blood for more than just one test.  I don’t know how that works, I don’t even want to ask how that works.  Get me in and get me out.

Needless to say, I’m done with it.  I left work at around 2:20 this afternoon to get to where I needed to be.  It’s not all that far away, but 20 minutes to get there and actually park.  Once I was at the office I needed to be at, I spent 30 minutes waiting around.  The actual draw itself took a mere 15 seconds.  At no time did I feel faint.  Nice.

Last year – completely different story.  I was sitting in that chair for what seemed like an eternity.  I needed 10-15 minutes after the draw to just maintain my composure and eventually get to a point where I could stand up and leave.

66 years ago: the battle of kursk

On July 4, 1943, the Germans launched an enormous offensive to pinch off a large salient of Soviet forces around the Kursk area.  This was Operation Citadel, and the engagement would involve some 6,000 tanks, 4,000 aircraft, and 2 million men.  It was the greatest tank battle in history.  I found this article on HistoryNet about the battle.

In the end, the German armed forces didn’t really lose the battle.  Hitler decided not to press on in light of other goings on in the war, like the invasion of Sicily by Anglo-American forces.  Nevertheless, it is interesting to think about what might have happened had the Germans continued to attack:

To what extent the course of events in Russia would have been changed is, of course, unknown, but it is interesting to speculate. If Army Group South’s panzer reserve had been used to encircle and destroy the Fifth Guards Tank Army and the First Tank Army, the outcome of the war in Russia might have been significantly different. Although it was beyond the German army’s capabilities to force a military end to the war by the summer of 1943, a limited victory in the south could have resulted in a delay of Soviet strategic operations for months or perhaps longer. It is doubtful, however, that this pause would have lasted long enough for the Germans to transfer enough forces to the West to defeat the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion.

In the end, the outcome of the war still would have been the same.  One could argue that the shape of Europe might have been different.  A delay could have meant that American and British units would have reached Berlin long before the Red Army.  Interesting to think about.

Sorry for boring you all with World War 2 history.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA

Happy 233rd birthday to the United States of America!

Check out the Declaration of Independence.

The beginning of the Declaration:

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Read more here.

Go BBQ, watch or use fireworks, put up your flags, and if you feel like it, tune to the NHL Network for their 24 hour tribute to American hockey!

a little email from management

Check this out:

Garbage pickup is every Tuesday morning. The garbage was not emptied today due to the following vehicle parked in front of the bin: (license plate # removed)

This creates a hardship since the bin is full. The trash company was called and they will come out tomorrow, Wed. to do a one time courtesy pickup. However, they will not pick up if the lid is not CLOSED. If you can make room in the bin you may put in garbage today. But if not, then please wait until the bin is emptied.

I found many boxes in the bin that were not broken down…that takes up a lot of room and made the lid not close. I took out several boxes and left them out so the owners can break down before disposing in the bin.

Extra charges will be assessed if this continues since the garbage company will charge management for extra pickups.

There is a sign in front on the gate that specifies that boxes need to be broken down. Please cooperate as we would like everyone to be able to dispose of their trash without creating problems.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

This kind of crap never stops around here.  I know who did this, too.  She’s a real winner when it comes to just parking her car next to the dumpster or leaving the laundry room unlocked.  She gets too lazy to park her car in her carport.  Nice.