One is NOT Lonely

I’m an only child. I cannot count how many times I’ve heard the “poor you” or “you must be spoiled rotten.” I enjoyed NOT having siblings. I learned to be independent and into my adulthood, have no problem living alone, traveling alone, learning alone, etc. If I should choose to reproduce, I’d like just one child. Just one. No more. I’m a strong proponent of sub-replacement rate fertility. I think the only reason I should reproduce is the fact I have a sharp brain, would hope to reproduce with an intelligent guy and create the next child prodigy.

I think you’ll find there will be (and are) a lot of only children popping up in the world, so cut the jokes. It’s quite the thing in Europe, Russia (despite Vladimir's proposed stimulus to parents), and China (obviously). There will also be a higher demand for contraception, tubal litigations, and vasectomies. I should hope medical coverage promotes and covers more forms of contraception, including IUDs. Compared to the rest of the world, the US lags behind in the use of copper and hormonal IUDs. They’re typically a more sustainable contraceptive, as they last for up to ten years.

Why don’t I advocate popping out as many as you can? Well, these days it doesn’t make much sense. In the “good ole days,” children were conceived with the hopes of providing manual labor. Children were also conceived due to a lack of various contraceptive options. Besides the Amish and Quiverfull, I can’t think of too many social circles which actively encourage having an army of children. It’s too costly to the parents, a burden on others (John Q. Taxpayer), and (I know some may disagree) a burden on the environment. If you’d like to disagree about that, which I’m sure many would, I’m sure I could write an essay to you on the (poor) sustainability of our current eating habits and consumption, as related to a demand curve with an increased supply of mouths to feed (2-6X replacement rate fertility, especially in impoverished African nations), but I'll spare you and save that for later.

I’d like to use this opportunity to thank my parents for being a savvy couple in the early 1980s. In a return to Conservatism in the Reagan-era, they did something awesomely liberal in having JUST ONE child. They both worked and I grew up with many children my own age at preschool. I also spent time with my grandparents (mum’s side). Despite the fact I have no siblings, I am a socially outgoing person. Because BOTH my parents worked, they were able to afford to raise a child and provide a good home, as well as family vacations, etc. My parents will also be able to retire at a comfortable age, as they have BOTH been contributing to their various funds and 401K plans. In having only one child, they were able to do all of this and not lose their minds. Props to them.

I’d like to give a big thank you to my parents. They both worked. I went to preschool and public school. I went to a state college. I was still loved and given attention. I am not a fuck-up. I’m not lonely. I am not a spoiled brat. I have a high IQ and a great work ethic. I should hope that if I ever have a child, they can stand up and say the same things, loud and proud.

Only children...UNITE!

Kenpo and Potsmoke

I’m really not digging Kenpo X. I did it this morning as I didn’t do it on Saturday or Sunday. I’ll be doubling up today with Kenpo this morning and Yoga tonight. It’s rest week. Anyways, this just isn’t doing it for me. I’m used to a continual kickboxing routine. This one has too many pauses and seems to lack the cardio and resistance oomph that my kickboxing classes at the gym have had. I’ve left those classes feeling absolutely whooped, but refreshed. The only thing I can think to do to better this Kenpo routine is to wear ankle and wrist weights for resistance. In addition, I may add another 35 to 45 minute Tae Bo workout before doing this one. Otherwise, “it just don’t cut the mustard.”

I think today is day 22. I’ll be doing Yoga X tonight after work. I like Yoga. It feels nice. I find my chi. Om.

This cold weather isn’t making me so happy. It was cold and windy on my lunch break today. Luckily the sun poked out near the last stint of my walk. I hope it warms up a bit this weekend, as I’m scheduled for a cookout at Lake Erie. Chances are it won’t and it will be a chilly cookout. Oh well.

Oh and here’s a fun update on the downstairs neighbors…Saturday night we (as in a friend and I) smelled pot smoke drifting up through the vents. Anyone who was looking for some second hand high should have been in my living room. The ganja odor was running rampant. So rampant I lit a stick of patchouli incense to hide it. It didn’t really work. My living room smells like stale smoke and patchouli now. I wish the weather would warm up a bit so that I can open the windows to air it all out! I'm not trying to be a square here and ruin their little toking event, but um, seriously dudes...there's a back porch. It's cut off from the rest of the house. Go smoke out there.

So...Yinz guys smokin' sum paht? Better knock it off n'at!

Chutnified

I love mustard. I love all kinds of mustard - honey, dijon, horseradish, tangy, spicy, brown, dill, classic, what have you. I enjoy it on pretzels, faux meat, sandwiches, as salad dressing, as a dip, etc. Lately, I've been eating a lot of sandwiches with mustard. Yesterday, I wanted to change things up a bit. I tried something new on my daily faux meat and cheese sandwich...you ready for it?

Chutney, baby. Mint chutney.

I'm a lover of Indian foods, and I picked a jar of this strange green concoction up while in Wexford at Indian Spices. It's spicy, funky, and delicious. It also contains coriander and green chili. It has some zing, let me tell you. It goes well as a topping on naan or rice. It also makes a MEAN, lean sandwich spread.

Let me show you my sandwich...Look at that goodness:



So, if you're looking for something different - try chutney. There are many kinds. Check at Wegman's. If you're going to use the mint, I also recommend adding sun-dried tomatoes or sliced tomatoes to the sandwich. It's pretty much amazing.

As the furnace runs...

Is it really cold enough right now to justify running your furnace? It’s been around 50-55 degrees the past few days, and my apartment has been at a steady 68-71 degrees, no heat running whatsoever. My downstairs neighbors have had their furnace running non-stop (literally). As to why, I haven’t the slightest. Like my appropriate LOLCat above, I putz on a swetter wen itz cold. I suck it up and face the music. Heat is expensive. Don’t abuse it.

Now, as you may recall, I used to live in the unit directly below my current unit. It has an old furnace, a Lenox Aireflo, which was, with no doubt in my mind, present in the home’s original construction in the mid 1940s. The unit runs, but barely. I had a furnace technician from GHAC look at it and say “yep, this thing shouldn’t be running – better make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector.” This lovely furnace was the sole reason I moved upstairs. It was okay at first, but then it started going downhill. A few nights, it just randomly shut off. The damn thing kept getting worse and worse. Noisier, less efficient, and it gave off dust like no one’s business. I have allergies, and quite frankly, I don’t want to spend a whole winter breathing that shit into my lungs, new furnace filter or no, it didn’t help. After I moved out, the downstairs unit has sat vacant until last week. I moved out in mid-October 2007. The unit has been vacant for about 8.5 months. While I am happy that a tenant is now occupying the unit below, I am still concerned about the furnace. My downstairs rooms (my unit occupies the 2nd and 3rd floors) have reeked lately when I’ve had the windows closed during the day. I’d lay some money down the scent is coming out of the vents from the problem furnace downstairs. The inspection of the furnaces is the responsibility of the tenants. Considering that is not my unit, I am not responsible for its inspection. I had my own furnace inspected in late November 2007, and it passed with flying colors. The other unit, however, who knows?

The question here is...Should I approach the downstairs tenants about this? I highly doubt this issue was raised with them in the initial meetings with the landlord. The unit sat vacant for 8.5 months – I can’t blame the landlord(s) for desperately wanting a tenant. However, the unit needs inspected, the tenants need a carbon monoxide detector present, and a new air filter must be placed in the furnace. In order to even access the basement, I am technically “trespassing” in the way the locks are set up on the basement access door. I have filters, tools, and repair kits that are still in the basement. The air filter is somewhat tricky to replace on the furnace. Plus, the access door likes to randomly fall off and clang on the cement floor. What a joy to wake to in the middle of the night, I tell you. I’ve seen the tenants outside once and they barely spoke to me. It’s been well over 1.5 years of living in this apartment unit, and quite frankly, I’m sick of the maintenance drama. I’ve raised the safety issue of the furnace with the landlord only to get a response of “oh, we know, we’ll replace it later.” It’s really not that old. Oh really? Well, a call to Lenox with the extremely dated serial number will tell you how old the unit is. It will also tell you that this type of Aireflo unit was made for a certain span of time – oh yes, the same span of time which coincides with many baby boomers birthdays. I also had a nice chat with two of the repair guys who claim if several of the parts go bad on the furnace, it’s done. You just can’t retrofit them or repair them anymore. 30 years is considered old for a furnace. 63!? That’s ancient. Am I insane for flagging a safety issue here? This seems like common sense to me. Maybe common sense about home repair and safety is NOT SO COMMON.

Anyway, I’m running low on sleep and feeling tired and slightly cranky about this. If anyone out there has a mind for HVAC issues and/or tenant-landlord relations, shoot me an email or leave a comment. I don’t want to over complicate an issue, but this is getting out of hand.

Adventures in Yoga

Day 18, Week 3 of P90X; it’s the third round of Yoga X. I’ve made some noticeable improvement – i.e. not falling on my ass continually. I only fell twice this morning – great success! One of those times, I was in a wheel and attempted to raise my right leg into the air. WHAM! Back on the mat, try, try again. I did not try again and just kept my wheel. Despite the flops, yoga is helping my lower back immensely. I had dabbled in Pilates and very basic yoga in the past, but this is taking it up a few notches. This workout is inspiring me to try a few of the intermediate yoga workouts by Shiva Rea (again). I didn’t build up my basics enough in my past attempts and failed at the intermediate level. Just like anything else, with time and practice, you’ll improve. Just stick with it and BREATHE. :)

I thought I was flexible before, but now, I’m noticing small improvements. I could easily touch my toes. Now I can lay my hands flat and go a little further than that some days. I seem to have better balance and posture when seated at work. I’m sure my funky fitness ball chair helps, too. (I’m bouncing as I type this. Boing. Boing. Boing.) However, I cannot do a headstand for the life of me. This is a new goal – gaining the ability to perform a headstand. Then, if I get even more adventurous, I’d like to be able to hold a handstand.

I’m also noticing, not with Yoga only, but with the entire program, my decreased stress levels. I’m not sure if it’s the gained confidence or improvement in health, or a combination of factors, but something is reducing my stress levels. I feel more calm; more able to shake things off. Suddenly, someone or something at work that was previously a GIANT pain in my arse, is but a mere twinge. I’ve noticed, also, walking to and from work is helpful for stress. In walking, I get a solid 20 minutes to reflect, listen to music, and, when it’s present, enjoy the sun. It also adds a nice break in my day when I walk during my lunch break. The lunch walk isn’t as relaxing, though, as there are more cars, and I tend to feel slightly on the defensive. Always watchin’ out for the boneheads, of course.

(As an aside, one more tip for any P90X-ers out there…When you’re doing the Ab Ripper X workout, if you’re a little bored or feel it dragging, go for the “Silent with cues” option on the menu, pop on some headphones, and get into your own music zone. I noticed the workout FLEW by when I did this. I'm switching over to P90X Classic, so I'll have more of the ABX weekly - the music idea will DEFINITELY help me out.)

Strange Brew

I’m reading Aluminum Now this morning at work and see an article entitled “New Aluminum Packages Help Target Latino Beverage Market” featuring two photos of attractively packaged beer – Dos Equis Lager (yum) and Chelada - Bud Light & Clamato (oh the horror). This may be the most vile combination I’ve ever heard of. According to the article, Chelada is best served in a goblet, garnished with a celery stalk or lime slice. I think you could garnish that baby with a hundred dollar bill and it would still look (and smell) nasty. The article also states the concoction is now being marketed along the southern US border in convenience and grocery stores, no doubt, to appeal to the strong Latino population.

For all the Latino cuisine I’ve familiarized myself with, I have never heard of this trend. I’ve heard of “red beer” which consists of tomato juice, bloody mary mix, or V8 mixed with beer. I was not much a fan of red beer when I tried it. I suppose this is just a twist on red beer. With clam juice. Ugh. Added lime juice, Tabasco, Absolut Peppar, OK! Clam juice? Nasty. I guess if I’m getting a jones for a salty, tomato-flavored beverage, I’ll go whip up a bloody mary.

If there’s anyone reading this who has tried this concoction, please report your findings. Did you like it? Did you hurl? Do you want to hurl thinking about this concoction?

This stuff makes Drew Carey’s “Buzz Beer” look saintly in comparison. I'll stick with my Negro Modelo for now, thanks.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Polish Cycling Team
WORST cycling uniforms EVER.


"I always picture them naked, even if I don't want to. All i see is pork swords."
--Juno

Enjoy that ladies. I hope my male friends who happen to be cyclists have more taste in their choice of cycling spandex. I wonder how much those guys STILL get harassed about that. Wow. Padding, my boys. Padding. It's a lifesaver in photo shoots.