In a Slump

I am making progress on my photo scanning project. But most everything else is moving very slowly.

I think I'm going to blame my recent lethargy on a lack of dietary discipline.

Too much meat and cheese. I need to get back into salads and green smoothies. More bananas, less bacon-wrapped ham.

Oh, don't get me wrong; I'm not in any danger of turning Vegan or anything. I remain firmly in favor of eating animals of all types, and will continue to support the ranching, hunting, and whaling industries. I will continue to buy Ted Nugent albums, and will never stop yelling "Mooo!" out the window when I drive by a pasture full of cows.

But I have recognized that there is a strong correlation between my holiday season eating habits and my recent weight gain and performance slump. My chair creaks and groans when I sit down, and my swim times just plain suck. I'm pretty sure that if I can get back into "lettuce and rutabaga" mode, I'll start feeling peppier.

As for the photo above, well, you probably guessed from my shirt that it was during the college years. I'm not sure why Burt Ward was on the grocery store circuit, but Paul Carroll and I somehow found out about it, dropped by the Safeway, and managed to shake hands with the Boy Wonder. We each shot a photo of the other. With my KU Film School education, I was able to get a gorgeous shot of Paul and Burt...but Paul was majoring in one of the remedial fields (Chemistry or Business or something) and wasn't educated enough to know that you really had to get the Caped Crusader's "R" emblem in the frame for it to be a good photo. Oh well.

And yes, that is zinc oxide on my nose. I'm pretty sure I had just come from my lifeguarding gig at Sandy Beach. (I'm still amazed that nobody drowned on my watch. Other than Home Oil, that was the most frighteningly unsafe place I've ever worked.)

Anyway, the holidays are over and the dietary temptations should be gone (mostly.) Tanner and Caitlyn (pictured here from New Year's Day) are back home in Washington, so I won't be eating out like I did when they were here. I tend to be more disciplined when I bring my sack lunch to the office, and I'm definitely back in work mode at this point. It's time to get serious about fitness and training. Priority number one is to lobby the National Weather Service to provide some warmer days so I can resume my outdoor running schedule. Beyond that, I'm hoping to focus on flexibility and core strength, which means doing some stretching at home. Wish me luck.

Anyway, as promised, here is a short quiz to test your linguistic skills. I'm making it easy by giving you a 50/50 chance on each one.

vitas gerulaitis
A. A potency elixir used by Alexander the Great
B. A tool used by women's rights advocates

lasse viren
A. A weapon wielded by Wonder Woman
B. A weapon wielded by Lance Armstrong

leni riefenstahl
A. A reclusive saltwater fish
B. The Nazi version of Ken Burns

mosi tatupu
A. Ritual chant on Ape Island
B. Related to a type of New England moose

drosophila melanogaster
A. Part of a religious ceremony to summon spirits
B. The original concept for Mighty Mouse

kobayashi maru
A. An Asian seafood dish
B. A no-win scenario

capsaicin
A. Tennille's partner
B. Something to use if you are confronted by Tennille's partner

OK, that's it. Have fun, stay warm, and have a great day!