My new home (digital that is)

Well, I finally decided what to do for my new blog, and I've decided to move it to

http://www.ramanpfaff.com

Might as well have a URL that sounds arrogant and unpronounceable :) Drop by when you get a chance.

Fall has arrived

Work has just been mentally crushing the past few months. I haven't taken a day off this year. I pretty much have the full month of December off. That will feel good. I still have no plans for what to do. I wonder if I will still have any money. The market has pretty much taken every dime from my 401k, stocks, and bonds. At least I still have money under my mattress :)

I'm still swimming 2-3 times each week. Feels great. And running is continuing. I still haven't signed up for any marathons this year. I really need to pay the money to the knee doc one of these days and have an MRI done to my left knee. It never recovered from when I yanked it a few years back. The tendon on the left side of the left knee is not a happy camper.

I just haven't had the energy to do much posting here lately. Ragweed hasn't been helping. Very bad year for it.

Time for some dinner....

Swimming is Fun

No posts in awhile. Technology continues to be misery and glory. Some days one, some days the other.

My swimming technique continues to improve. I'm really enjoying it more every time as well. When running the main issue is always survival of the heat, but with swimming the fixed temperature really lets me enjoy it  (plus no knee pains or anything else). I can focus on improving my form every time I get out to the pool. I'm still getting there 2 or 3 times every week. I have a feeling I'm going to try a mini-triathalon one of these days.

It is also very relaxing. Dark (with goggles on), the sound of water, no voices. Very nice.

I'm currently in a really good three day rhythm. Swim, weights, run. Tomorrow is weights.

Summer Drags On

This summer is trickling along and seems to be lasting forever, but I never seem to have any free time :(

One of these days I want a vacation. I can't remember the last one I went on. Was it 2005? It is so easy to see why the "sabbatical" concept is so good. I just need a year of extending myself in to something different and unique. Why can't the business world adopt the policy?

Swimming has become my relaxing hobby. I can swim for an hour doing back and forth laps. I go from freestyle to breast stroke, to back stroke.

Football season is just around the corner. Looking forward to lazy Sundays, but if it doesn't cool off at all this year it won't be enjoyable. I think I had my air conditioner running in to November last year. May the fall be cool.

entertaining documentary

I enjoyed watching The King of Kong. Gave me a good throwback to the early days of video arcade games. I still haven't figured out the name of the racing game that I could roll over. I remember the feeling of having 30 people behind the machine watching me roll it over and play for an hour on one quarter.

I found it entertaining that class video game competition is still going. So geeky :)

I continue on my swimming kick. I can now swim laps in a pool for forty minutes without taking a break. On my first swim a few weeks ago I lasted about 1 minute. Swimming really hits a lot of muscles I haven't used in years. I also did a 6.5 mile run yesterday. I just have an issue with oxygen lately. I just always feel a bit short of breath during heavy workouts. With swimming I just don't quite have the good timing of breathing yet, and with running the heat seems to suck all the wind out of me. Maybe I need more iron in my diet.

swimming, heat, and humidity

It has been very warm and humid for a good chunk of this spring/summer. Mosquitoes are due to show up any day, and I have a feeling this will be a brutal year. I'm glad my house sits high in its area, so they tend to not attack me as much.

I've been swimming three times in the past two weeks. Swimming really is a great workout. It certainly isn't as rough on the knees as running. I'll try to keep this going for awhile.

I ran tonight though. It was hot and humid. I really felt miserable during the entire run. Not good. Between running, swimming, and basic gym workouts I've only had one day off in the last six. I think tomorrow night will be lazy.

hard to stay motivated

I've been blogging since 1994. I really wonder why I continue. I never read any other blogs, so why do I write my own?

The summer is rolling along. Massive workload has me exhausted. I came home the other night, was going to go out for a run, but just fell asleep. I woke up around 8:30 and popped in a movie. I feel so crushed from the workload that I tend to not want to touch technology at home lately, which is not good. You get good at things by playing in the evening.

I saw Vantage Point the other night. Although it didn't get very good reviews I enjoyed it. A basic action flick with a bit of timeline entertainment thrown in. The ending was a bit unrealistic. Too American.

Here are some other movies I highly recommend: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, Caramel, and Blow Up. I was somewhat shocked by how hot Vanessa Redgrave was back in the 60's.

It's hot. Time to turn the AC on. I was hoping to make it through the evening without it. Our utility rates went up 18% yesterday. People will be hurting. The country has really settled in to a depression, and other than weapons our country no longer seems important in the world. Not good. When is the election?