Blogger tag strikes "The Amazing Shrinking Man"!

Well, Peg over at "Peg's Pen" just tagged me! OK, here are the rules!
1) Find your 23rd post, and then identify the fifth sentence.
2) Post that sentence on your blog!
3) I need to add 2 exceptions to the 23rd post rule! If your blog is too young for 23 posts, use the 5th post and the sentence containing the 23rd WORD in your blog! This also applies if you are tagged and the 23rd post has already been done by a previous tagging!

My victims are as follows:
Anonymous at "In the Filipines" aka my Kid Brother!
Blogger unknown
Carolyn at the Ginger Quill! (My revenge for starting this off!)
Baby loves Cabbage
Peg at "Pegs Pen"

My 23rd post, 5th sentence is "If you are wondering, breakfast is one ounce of meat and an egg". This was Monday, May 9th, 2005

New weigh in!

I have officially lost 250.7 pounds! I crossed the next goalpost! Woohoo!
I'm doin' the "Snoopy Dance"! Look out world, here I come! Don't forget to check out my previous post if you want to know what I was up to after dark this weekend!

Spent some quality time with my telescope tonight!

M31, Andromeda Galaxy(Top) and the Pleiades Cluster, or M45(Bottom)
I just thought I'd share these images from my time out stargazing.

My new weigh in!

I have officially dropped 242 pounds! That's right, I am now below 350! By the way, I am getting the shotgun ready for hunting season! It opens soon! Wabbits and ducks beware! Coming soon to a hunting ground near you! Deer season too! I haven't been physically able to hunt for years and I am looking forward to Wild Duck stuffed with wild rice and citrus as well as Hassenpheffer made with wild rabbit too! Some venison sounds good too! I don't trophy hunt though, I have always eaten what I brought home after hunting! Those who just take a trophy and abandon the kill after are wasteful and foolish!

A New Disaster Happening!

OK, Hurricane Rita is bearing down on the Gulf Coast! It looks like it's time for one of my departures from my usual subject, which is myself! I'm posting that list of reputable charities again! If anyone wants to copy the list to their sidebar on their blog, please do! The people of Texas and possibly western Louisiana will be needing all the help they can get! So here goes!
United Jewish Communities
http://www.ujc.org
Lutheran Disaster Response
http://www.ldr.org
Catholic Charities
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
American Baptist Men
http://www.abc-usa.org
Episcople Relief and Developement
http://www.er-d.org
United Methodice Committee on Relief (MCOR)
http://www.gbgm-umc.org
RED CROSS
http://www.redcross.org
Salvation Army
http://www1.salvationarmy.org
Convoy of Hope
http://www.convoyofhope.org
Adventist Community Services
http://www.adventist.communityservices.org

and let us not forget our animal buddies!
Humane Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org

These organizations will need funds to help out people who's lives have been devastated! Remember these words when you think about whether you will donate; "There but for the grace of God go I"!

I thought I'd tanked on an Algebra test!

I thought I had! As it turned out, I got 25/30 possible! Talk about a surprise! That made me feel a bit better, but I suffer from severe test anxiety here! Anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with it? I can know what I need to know backwards, forward, and sideways until that blank piece of paper is sitting in front of me and the clock is ticking! Then my brain locks up and goes BLANK! Ideas would be appreciated!

Hi All~! Posting from school, so no pics!

Just a quick update! So far I've lost 232 pounds! Not bad, huh? 118 to go to goal! So far I'm doing well in classes, holding basically a low A average with Bigh B's and A's in individual classes! See ya later!

And Here's the Lake!

These pictures are from Lake Wawasee

Stone Tavern Continued

Weekend at the Lake and Stone Tavern!

My wife, Uncle John and Aunt Debbie attended the Stone Tavern Re-enactors Gathering Sunday! I must say, I had some fun! I'm going to share a few of the sights here over the next two posts!

Here's some of my weekend pics

This is us taking off on the ride to Cromwell! More pics coming as soon as I have time to crop and upload them! See ya later! (By the way, the next pics will be from the Stone Tavern Gathering! I also need to post a correction, Stone Tavern is actually in Ligonier, not Cromwell! OOPS!)

I had a great weekend!

Well, I went up to Lake Wawasee for my Uncles Birthday. Among other things, We went on a ride from Wawasee to Cromwell, IN on Sunday! This was a 9 mile ride and we rode at an average pace of about 10 mph. Aunt Debbie and I did some windsprints though that exceeded 25 mph! On this ride, I burned 1554 calories in the hourlong ride according to the calculator engine from the West Virginia Dietary Assoc. at http://www.wvda.org/calcs/sport.html . This site has been very usefull to me in my quest for a thinner me and I'd definately recommend it to you as an easy to use and understand site! Back to the weekend! We also attended a re-enactors festival at Stones Tavern Museum in Cromwell! This was an absolute blast with early american folk music and period costume. As soon as I have a chance, I'll post some of the 140 or so pics I shot at the festival! This should be in a couple of days! My weighin, by the way........and the drum rolls..........349 pounds! 232 pounds off!

Here is a list of relief agencies helping Katrina Victims

Again, I'm stepping outside of my normal topic........me! I've put together a list of relief organizations I know to be reputable who are assisting the victims of Katrina. The list is not to be considered to be comprehensive, but it does cover a wide range of organizations. As I've said before, even if you can only afford $10.00, that's fine because it's $10.00 more than they had before you donated!

The list isn't in any particular order, or level of preference by me! Choose the one you want to and DONATE!

United Jewish Communities

http://www.ujc.org

Lutheran Disaster Response http://www.ldr.org

Humane Society of the United States http://www.hsus.org

Catholic Charities http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

American Baptist Men http://www.abc-usa.org

Episcopal relief and Developement http://www.er-d.org

United Methodist Committee on Relief http://www.gbgm-umc.org/umcor

Red Cross http://www.redcross.org

Salvation Army http://www1.salvationarmy.org (This is an alternate address to the one I posted in an earlier post, but it's them too!)

Convoy of Hope http://www.convoyofhope.org

Adventist Community Services http://www.adventist.communityservices.org

PLEASE, go to one of these sites and help those folks on the Gulf Coast! They are in dire straits and truly need our help and compassion!

These are my new weigh in results!

Well, I hope everyone is having a great labor day weekend. Before I get into my news, I'd like to remind everyone to donate to the Red Cross! Their website is http://www.redcross.org and there is a menu option to donate by credit card on the menu on the left side of the site! Even if it's only $10.00 it'll help! As I've said before, if enough people donate even the ten spot, the amount can be staggering! An alternative if you prefer would be the Salvation Army and their site is http://secure3.salvationarmy.org/donations.nsf/donate?openforum&projectid=USN-hurricane05 ! Please also remember to include the folk on the Gulf Coast in our prayers!
OK, on to my results! I lost another five pounds and this brings the total to 227 pounds I've lost since my surgery! If you're considering Bariatric services by the way, there is a web address at the header of my blog here for Saint Vincent Bariatric Services in Carmel, IN as well as my surgeons contact information. The results of this surgery are literally lifesaving!

I'm trying out a linux OS tonight and I think I like it!

I'm in shock! I'm using the Mozilla Firefox browser and it's F-A-S-T! The UBUNTU linux system is what I'm trying as an OS from a live boot disc. UBUNTU is a version of the Debian linux OS and I believe I'm impressed!

Hurricane Katrina

The people on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are in dire straights. I'm deviating from my usual topic today to talk about this issue. If you want to help, the best way is to send a CHECK to the American Red Cross. Don't send canned goods or bottles of water as this action; while your heart is in the right place, just adds complexity to the logistics of the situation! The Red Cross is currently involved in the largest disaster deployment in it's history here in the USA. Their resources are being strained and even if you can just donate $10.00; if enough people do this, it will do great things to ease the financial pressure on this organization.
Photo: Patrick Schneider, Charlotte Observer

New Weigh in results!

Well, I didn't have a chance to weigh til yesterday, but I did it! I lost 222 pounds total! Now for the best part! I didn't drive to Home Hospital to weigh in, I rode the bike! Then I rode down to the levee for coffee at Panera's! All in all, a good day! I couldn't even post this til today! I didn't have time after my ride, HOMEWORK! Sorry by the way, I had to institute additional posting security re the SPAM! I activated word verification on posting I hate this, but I really don't have time to clean out the SPAMBOT posts! Well, gotta run, my grindstone awaits my nose!

Well, I checked my grade on the first test in Algebra!

I actually scored 100! Cool beans! Gonna be a short post today as I'm on my way out the door to go to class! Algebra of course! Today is my light day though as I only have algebra today! See ya later!

I made some changes to my comment policy

Due to the tremendous amount of SPAM ranging from Ads for Viagra to links to porno sites and worse yet, links to FOOD SITES that have nothing to do with my topics on this blog; I have eliminated the Anonymous post mode. Sorry, you're gonna have to register now! You can blame the jerks who've been spamming my blog for this action as I am a full time student now and don't have time to go through my comments every day and clean out from 25-30 ads to enlarge your "manhood" or take this miracle pill and...........! To those of you already registered, keep coming back and Peg, I truly appreciate the supportive comments you've made along the way! For those of you who haven't met Peg along the way, She is a children's Author. Her first book is "Maynard the Mannerly Monkey". Peg's blog is "Peg's Pen" and if you look at her posts in the comment sections on myblog, you'll see her name is a link to her profile. Click that and then click her blog at the bottom and you are there! Also her website is http://psmurphy.com so check her out and follow the link there to her website for "Maynard" info! If you aren't registered for my blog, by the way, it's not hard, just register with Blogger, they don't bombard me with emails or spam on my email address so I don't imagine they will yours either. You can also get your own blog that way as well! The best thing is it's hosted for FREE! So you fine readers of mine, keep on coming back and I truly apologise for having to eliminate the anonymous mode! - T. Stormcrowe

I did my FIRST DAY of College today!

I just finished my first day of school today! The first one in 30 years! The biggest irony to today is I am required to take the course "Introduction to Microcomputers![EVIL GRIN]
I think i should have no problem with this class other than avoiding falling asleep! Shoot, I use Linux, Unix, DOS, and know several obsolete languages like KOBOL and FORTRAN as well as programming in Basic, visual Basic, Java and the Borland Language set! I just don't have any certs in them! Oh well, I will probably find weaknesses that I never even thought of since I am more or less self taught on the computer! I imagine it'll do me some good!

My sweatshirt;by the way, is a 2X! I'm down from size 8X in March! Woohoo!

Rode again today!

Blue helmet is April and Grey helmet is today! See the difference?(Besides the oxygen that is!)

Well, it wasn't anywhere near the length of Thursday's ride, but it was still a ride! I rode down to the levee for a cup of coffee at Panera's. Rode around the WL trail system again, logged 28 miles today! Here is today's pic compared to my April ride pic, see if you can tell the difference! By the way, I burned 5640 calories today riding! My weigh in this week by the way: I lost another six pounds! Total loss is 218 pounds!

I did an allday road trip today! On my bike!

I rode a 43 mile trip today! I rode the entire West Lafayette trail system today, then out to Battleground, IN. That totaled 28 miles, then 15 miles back to Lafayette! I took about 8 hours to do it, but I wasn't in a hurry! Weather was a bit mugly, hot and sweaty! At one point I thought I was gonna get stormed on! By the way, I do have my ride computer correctly set now as my odo function only read 5% more than the statute miles listed in streets and trips! I had a head wind all the way back and that wore at me, but I did the ride!

By the way, I'd like to give a shameless plug to one of our Local Bike Shops! Hodson Bay on the Brown Street Levee in West Lafayette, IN! They have a website at

http://www.hodsonsbay.com/

They've been of great help keeping my ol' bike working! They carry among other brands, Trek and Giant!

Going to Orientation today!

Yes, today is my orientation for IV Tech to cross the final stage of going to nursing school! My classes start Monday as well! I'm looking forward to this in a big way! Life is good!

I met a friend for coffee last night

I met a friend of mine; Mike, last night and we grabbed a BOOTH! I haven't been able to FIT in a booth in over 10 years! As a matter of fact, I've avoided going to restaraunts that only had booths for years. The best part of all of this was not only did I fit, I fit COMFORTABLY! I didn't have to wedge myself in and I could even breathe! Well, we had a great natter and a few liters of coffee as neither one of us had seen each other for close to 10 years. I had'nt been able to hook up with Mike for the last couple of years because to put it frankly, I was too sick! Before that, I was living in Tennesee down in Chattanooga! It was a major logistical effort to go anywhere! All in all, the point of this post is a celebration of a new (To me, at least till recently!) freedom you skinny folk tend to take for granted! Mobility and access! By the way, I am not using skinny as a pejorative!

In the Interest of honest recordkeeping

In my last post, an anonymous poster made a point on the speed my ride computer recorded! I'm embarrassed to say I was wrong! I goofed on setting my ride computer. I went back and checked the trail surveyed miles against the distance and got a variance of 1.26 miles counted by comp/ mile traveled. I rechecked the elapsed time vs speed and found I was pushing a max of 23 mph! Sorry about the inaccuracy and thanks for making me think and check it out there Anonymous! I've reset the ride computer too! Above all I need accuracy in my data for recordkeeping on my ride logs! So thanks again!
OOOOPS! I'm willing to admit I was wrong!

I smoked my Nieces boyfriend!

Yup, I sure did! We got into a bike race on the NW Greenbelt today and I am pleased to say I smoked the 17 year old athletic boyfriend of my nieces! I can guarantee he didn't throw the race either as at the end, he was huffing like a locomotive!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure I shocked him too as he was pushing so hard, he was standing on the pedals and my butt never even came off of the saddle! MY ride computer said I was holding a 29 mph pace in the race too! Woohoo! Not bad for a fat ol' man on a mountain bike! I mean, I'm 28 years older than the kid!!! All in all, I had a Great day! Well, gotta run now, see y'all soon!

This is from a new friend o' the blog's site

Top picture is Seth's bike at the Station sign and the bottom one is "The Antarctic Mountainbike Club"! These are pictures from the site http://www.sethwhite.org and they are from the most isolated mountainbike trail on Earth! Would you believe Antarctica? Seth worked down at McMurdo Station near Scott Base in Antarctica and did some mountainbiking down there and these photos are Seth Whites property used with his permission! Thanks for the permission Seth, and the good words! Next time you decide to visit the old "Alma Mater" of Purdue, we'll have to hook up at XXX!

I incorrectly attributed the "Antarctic Mountain Bike Club" photo to Seth White, but he corrected me! I gues I can't remember where I found it, other than it was associated with Antarctic Mountainbiking! It's still a cool photo though! If I could remember where I found it, I'd properly attribute it!

I have some before, and after pics here!

These are before, a month ago, now and before again. dates are 3/11, the beginning of July, late mid July and 3/11/2005 again! See the difference it has made? I hereby certify that all the images are of me! The befores are at St Vincent Hospital in Carmel, IN! Note the wheelchair in the befores, I could barely stand up much less walk more than 50', now I can ride a 30 mile day on my bicycle on a good day!

New Weighin Results

Well, I weighed today! I unfortunately only lost two pounds again this week! Ah well, I talked to the dietician and physical therapist and they advised me that the level of physical activity I've been keeping is building muscle and bone mass definately! All I can say is CRUD! Oh well, if I only lose 2 pounds a week, I'm still losing, so I won't get discouraged! I have about 100 pounds to go, and apparently those are going to be the hardest! I guess life without challenge would be boring! I'm looking forward to not being bored! On the school front, I will be carying 18 credit hours this semester, and I'm gonna be challenged to find time to ride. I will keep up with it though! I can always ride to school when weather permits! Cheaper on gas that way anyway! Ok, to the final tally on lost poundage: 212 pounds! See y'all later!

I did another ride today!

Yuppers, I did anothe ride today, the NW Greenbelt again! This time I did three rounds in four hours including the "illegal" trail around the lake again! This was a total of 30.6 miles! I wanted to push myself to the absolute limit and I think I did! I haven't exercised til I threw up since Basic Training in the Army, and I just did that today in the last two miles! I kept my heart rate below 130(Barely!) and still no O2! Woohoo! Talk about an accomplishment! I can't believe I pulled it off! My Quads are killing me, and I know I will have to take at least a short ride tomorrow to avoid stiffening up! No pain, no gain! The temp was around 90 degrees and it was HOT! My do-rag I wear under the helmet was so wet, it felt like I had soaked it in a bucket of warm salty water! When I stopped to take a break, it was like that scene in "Bedazzled" where Brendan Frasers character is sweating so hard it looks like there is a faucet running! I must say, I had a ball and while I probably won't push that hard the rest of the week, I'm thinking about making that my Sunday ride goal at least once a week!

I have news!

I rode the NW Greenbelt Trail today out to Hadley Lake in West Lafayette round trip as well as around Hadley on the "Outlaw MTB trail"! That gave me a total of 10.2 miles and here is the kicker! I did it without OXYGEN!(The crowd cheers!) This was a major accomplishment for me! My heart rate didn't exceed 116-120 either! WOOHOO! I guess I've come a long way, Baby! Just think, I just got out of the wheelchair in April this year! I guess I am down to nighttime oxygen only now! At least I'm gonna try it! If I have problems, I can always start again if necessary! I must say, it was a relief getting that 15 pound monkey known as an oxygen tank off my back!

I went shopping at WALMART and found clothes!

My jersey graphic above, me below left

I surprised myself today! I actually was able to buy clothes in a REGULAR STORE! I have been shopping Big and Tall for years(Emphasis on BIG)! I was able to get a couple of T shirts in Walmart today in size 3X that fit me! You have to understand, I started out in 8X shirt and 8X pants! I have dropped 14 inches off my waist as well! This is cool! By the way, any opinions on the Graphic I just set up for my race jersey for mountainbiking?

Holy Copulatory Bovine, I weighed and........!

I weighed and I think I busted the slow loss! I lost 18 pounds this week! That makes 210 pounds off now! I'm feeling great and very satisfied! I think my body had gone into famine mode, where it tries to conserve every bit it can because it thinks food is scarce! I gave it a good shot of carbs(Biscuit and Gravy breakfast at XXX a early this week!) and I think it definately convinced my bod that the famine is OVER!