Death Clock

Years ago I down loaded an app on to my ipod called The Death Clock. You enter a bunch of information about yourself and then it tells you when you are going to die.

I opened it up again today and re-entered all my information. Here's what it told me.

Well, I've got more to do than I can fit in 4 years, 1 Months, 6 Days, 23 Hours, 55 Minutes and 58 Seconds so I decided to re-enter my information with a few changes. I put in my weight at 205 pounds. I said that I always where my seat belt and I only drink 5 alcoholic drinks a week. I put in some other lies that seem like I might be able to achieve. Here's what I got.

I'm not sure if giving up a bunch of drinking is worth the extra five years. But I'll try to do what I can within reason.

I have made it through Day 2 of the Cold Shower Routine.

Cold Shower

 I am going to add a new item to my morning routine. Instead of allowing the shower to warm up before I get in, I am going to enter the shower, stand under the shower head, and turn on the shower cold. I'm going to set it where I usually do but I'm going to stand under the stream as it warms up.

I did it this morning and it was brutal. But when the water started to warm and become tolerable, I had a sense of satisfaction for enduring the cold water.

Supposedly, a cold plunge increases immunity, increases blood circulation, reduces stress, reduces inflammation and promotes weight loss.

I also like the fact that I face something that I don't want to do first thing in the morning. That puts some sadly lacking discipline in my life.

I'm down to 225 this week. I will see how well I do over the weekend to keep more weight off. It will be difficult because I will be drinking a beer this afternoon.

229.8

My weekend activities basically wiped out my progress from last week. I weighed in at 229.8 pounds this morning. Over the weekend, I drank 3 beers, had some pizza, a bunch of really excellent tacos, TWO pieces of cheesecake, a nice salad, and some cookies. 

In other words, I totally BLEW IT!

In weather news, it snowed a little bit today.

6.8

 As of this morning, I have lost 6.8 pounds since the first of the year. It doesn't sound like very much and I still have a ways to go. I would love to get to an even 200 pounds. I think that is going to require more dedication than I'm willing to give.

Part of the problem with my weight loss is that I'm pretty strictly observing what I eat (no sugar, no grains) during the week and then easing off on the weekend so I can drink a beer or two. So I loose (or at least don't gain) during the week and then bounce back up a couple of pounds on the weekend.

I am pretty confident that I can get to 210. Once there, I will re-evaluate where to go next.

First Signs of Dimensia

We had our monthly meeting of the Board of Ministry for Plymouth Congregational Church tonight. I volunteered to take the meeting minutes since our secretary didn't make the meeting.

As the meeting began and I started writing, I suddenly had a complete blank on how to spell "minutes". I first wrote "minuet" and knew that was wrong. I wrote minuete, minute, (as in "minutely") and then I gave up. Everything I tried didn't look right.

When I started writing this post, I knew I was going to have to write the word. I didn't even think about it until it was typed and then everything came together. I looked at it and knew it was right.

I have never had an episode like that. It was just the one word. Just something else to keep an eye on.

I need to write the minutes now while they are fresh in my head but I'm going to wait until I'm sure my head is into it.

New Exercise Regimen

I got a new pair of boots for Christmas. Thank you Mom. I wore them for half a day inside the house to make sure they fit comfortably. Once I stepped outside, the General Store would not take them back.

Today is the second day that I've worn them to work. I believe they fit okay, by it's not like I'm floating on air. In fact, with these boots, I'm experiencing something I haven't with other footwear. The boots are heavy. They weigh 220 grams. According to the Interweb, that's half a pound. That can't be right. These things are heavy.

By the end of the day, I was ready to get them off. Not because they pinched or hurt. My legs were tired from lifting them all day.

So in one sense, this is great exercise.

Also on the health beat, I'm trying to lose some weight. I got up to the 230's and that is too fat. So I am observing the No sugar, No grains protocol and I'm not drinking beer when I get home at night.

In two days I'm down two pounds. Slow and steady, baby!

427 Days

It is time to get back to the daily grind. Long holidays wreck havoc on my system and make me wish for retirement. All that undirected time with whatever I want to do makes me look forward and dream about retirement. That is going to be my theme for the next year. Retirement!

It's not that I dislike my job. I love what I'm doing. However, there are lots of changes going on and I'm feeling like an old dog. I don't mind learning new tricks, and if new tricks make things work smoother, I'm all for it.

I'm just tired. Many of my friends my age are already retired or easing into it. I have not lived my life in a manner that will allow easing.

I have roughly 427 days to go to retirement. That is when I turn 65 and Medicare will help pay for my drugs. Then I shall slam myself into retirement and look for new ways to torture myself.