Farewell Lisa

So the Funeral for Lisa Panakio Rowe was yesterday, July 21, 2015.   

She was 58 years old when cancer mercilessly swept the life from her body.

We knew she was going to die for the past four weeks or so.... and so did she.  She was so strong in the face of death.   Flipped the bird at it.  Death held no power over her.  She said she was not afraid to die, and had a good life with Harvey and her family.   It was not an epithet.  It was a genuine statement.

One of her last words to Joanne and me was that "Life is a Blessing."   Staring at death, she celebrated her life.

There are so many things that you could say about Lisa and the way she looked at life.  You always wanted to share with her the stuff that was happening to you.   She would be happy and buoyant for the good stuff, and stood by you with support and loyalty when you talked about the things that were pissing you off.  

And she shared freely anything that was on her mind..... always with a keen sense of humor about things.   So many times, Joanne's cell phone would beep, and Joanne would get at smile on her face.   When I asked, "What are you smiling about?", her answer would be..."Text from Lisa."  She liked to call Joanne, "Dousher" and liked to call her stepson, Mark, "Fark".   Yet it was impossible to get irritated with her.

She supported Harvey and the incredible charitable work that he has spearheaded at My Brother's Table, Kentucky, Ecuador.... all leading to his inclusion in the Knights of Malta Catholic Order.   Even though she was irreverent about some of these things in her quips to Joanne and I, we always knew that this was her alter-ego trying to get a rise from us, and she firmly stood by the great work that Harvey has undertaken... and was so proud of Harvey's kids and Grandkids, who she loved and embraced as her own.

She was a joyful, funny, funny person.

And a steadfast, loyal, cherished friend, a loving wife, and a caring Nana.

Right now, the hole that she has left in our lives is a huge, gaping chasm.  I suppose that the sense of hurt and  loss will abate one of these days.   But not today.... and probably not for a long freaking time.

I'm pretty sure that she scored a place in Heaven, and is celebrating with her parents Lou and Marcia as I type this.

But we are still sad to see you go Lisa,

This is her Obit from the Lynn Daily Evening Item

LYNN — Mrs. Lisa Panakio Rowe, 58 years old, of Lynn, died Wednesday, July 15, 2015 in Lynn after a brief illness. She was the adored wife of Harvey Rowe, with whom she shared 30 years of marriage.

Lisa was born and raised in Lynn, the daughter of the late Louis J. Panakio and the late Marcia Panakio. She was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School and a graduate of St. Michael’s College in Vermont.

Lisa was a devoted parishioner of St. Pius Church and a volunteer for the Society of St. Vincent DePaul and My Brother’s Table in Lynn, both close to her heart. She was also a supporter of the Knights of Malta and their particular mission in Lourdes, France, as well as their countless works of charity throughout the world. Lisa’s 2014 pilgrimage to Lourdes was a recent highlight in her life.

The City of Lynn and its betterment was her special concern. As a longtime board member of the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, Lisa was grateful for her chance to serve the city, proud of Lynn’s growing arts community and business sector and pleased to help be a champion of the Lynn-Boston ferry. A lifelong athlete, Lisa was a former member of both the St. Michael’s College Ski Team and Field Hockey Team. Over the years, Lisa developed a treasured community of friends from the health and fitness world. Spending many years in Naples, Fla., as a water skier in Lake Winnipesaukee, and avid skier on the slopes of Loon Mountain, Lisa had many friends in whatever communities she touched. Furthermore, she loved to travel and her easygoing, engaging personality developed friendships wherever she would go.

Lisa was the co-owner of Panakio Adjusters in Lynn. As a public adjuster, she enjoyed being a staunch advocate for families and business owners throughout New England and in Florida, and she was an innovator in property/casualty assessment methodologies.

Above all, Lisa was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoyed a rich, vibrant life with husband and business partner, Harvey Rowe, experiencing the joys and laughter for many years, side-by-side. Her children and grandchildren will remember her always for the love, courage, wisdom and counsel she gave them; her fun-loving, joyful nature; her positive energy and her unforgettable smile. She’s our angel now.

Lisa is survived by her husband, Attorney Harvey F. Rowe Jr. of Lynn, and her brother, Jay Panakio of Lincoln, N.H.; her children, Melissa Sherwood and her husband Norm of Marblehead, Mark Rowe and his wife Jenna of Marblehead and daughter, Shannon Gardner of Lynn; her grandchildren, Lily Gardner, Maeve and Tegan Sherwood, Maren, Violet and Wesley Rowe; her niece, Kelsey Panakio of Lynn, and her nephew, John Panakio of Lincoln, N.H., and many cherished friends from near and far.

Service information: Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. from the SOLIMINE Funeral Home, 67 Ocean St. (Route 1A), Lynn, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Pius V Church, Lynn at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours are on Monday from 3-7 p.m. Donations may be made to My Brothers Table, Attn: Donations, 98 Willow St., Lynn, MA 01901 and the Society of Saint Vincent DePaul.

Be With God, Lisa

We lost a special person tonight.
There is a hole in our hearts that just can't be filled.

But as devastating as this moment feels.... all the moments that we had Lisa in our lives up to now made us happier and more fulfilled than we would have otherwise been.

She is with God and her Angels now.  Pain is over for her.  Grief and unfathomable sadness stays with us.

  We love you and will miss you.

Good Fishing

We were out on the Lagavulin Sportsman 23 today with arguably the best telecom zoning lawyer in New England.   Gained lots of insight and had a great time,.... despite the fact that the fish were nowhere to be found.

We were out at Halfway Rock on Tinker's Ledge, Newcombes Ledge and the Breaker Ledges outside of Marblehead and Salem Harbors..... but nothing.   We did see a Whale though.... closest inshore that I have ever witnessed between Halfway Rock and Marblehead Island.

I suppose that if you fail to catch fish on a fishing trip... then the trip is a failure.

Not this trip.

Bracing

Getting ready to take a hit... A big one.   Didn't see it coming and it is hitting like a freight train.
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Be grateful for your life and embrace your loved ones.
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Things can change on a dime.

Toilet Paper Rollers.

Peeps....
If you come over to my house and nature calls, you'll find the bathrooms nice and clean.

That's because Joanne was there.

But if you happen to notice that the toilet paper is on the roller.....

That's because I was there.

Because in the forty odd years that we have been together, my wife Joanne has never installed the toilet paper on the rollers....   never.... ever.

Apparently, that is a man's job.

Not Worth Getting All Hot and Bothered

Peeps....
Those of you who know the MOAM well, know that I am an unenrolled Independent who tries to make up my own mind on issues, and not be swayed by a party or ideological affiliation.

I hate it when the Left or the Right uses blatant misleading propaganda to herd sheep into their particular ideological pen.  And I hate it when people draw conclusions based upon emotion or feelings rather than empirical facts.

Doomsday scaremongers tend to piss me off, as well as people who whimsically proclaim bullcrap like "Obama is one of the four best Presidents ever." when they have no historical insight into the competence of past Presidents.... whatsoever.

Also, if they walk like a Duck, quack like a Duck and you make the bold statement that they are a Duck.... then why do people continue to get all amped up when the particular subject of note acts like a Duck.

So, I'm getting tired to getting pissed off at Obama, the FLOTUS, and the various bureaucratic sycophants that he surrounds himself with.

We knew before we elected him.... TWICE.... that he was a Leftest Radical with a family background in Communist Marxist ideology.   Then, over and over, Conservative pundits like Col. Allen West and the Fox News talking heads obsess about the radical stuff that he says and does.   He's a freaking RADICAL!!!  How else do you expect him to act and speak???? Socialized Medicine, open borders, a weakened military, the dismantled space program, a growing bureaucracy with the increase in debt.... we elected him twice and then all I hear is BITCH, BITCH, BITCH.

  His Mom and Dad were Commies, his childhood mentors were Commies,  He started his political career in the company of people like Bill Ayers and the Rev. Wright.   Al Sharpton has a spare key to the Oval Office for crying out loud.  I mean... my father and mother were Democrats... and that's where my political leanings first took root.   Is it any wonder that this guy thinks the way he does?

In fact.... having been in the company of political radicals in various stages of my career.... I think the amazing thing is that he comes anywhere close to the center in any political decision.

It's not like he hasn't broadcast his Marxist, Anti-Imperialist leanings in books and actions to us.  Then we get all  pissed off because he acts exactly like what he is.

So I'm  going to try to remain un-involved in all of the outrageous revelations that Fox and the Conservative Blogs on Facebook keep flowing my way.

I already know that he is a Radical so it's not news and not worth getting hot and bothered over.

Hard to be Humble

There have been quite a few hits to this blog lately.

I know because Statcounter.com allows me to see what posts people are hitting and what ISP they arrive from.

Often, I follow their trail and see what they are so interested in.... stuff that I may have posted in 2007, 2011 or so.

Then I become enthralled with the quality, insight and articulateness presented herein as well.

Sometimes if you are a Mountain of a Man, it is hard to be humble.

The Blessed Life

It's four PM, and this Father's Day is in the books.

I have to say, one of the most satisfying that this Mountain of a Man has experienced in the last thirty eight years or so.

With two sons, a daughter, and three grandsons in play, I feel that I have met the eligibility criteria quite handily.  And it is a big plus that we have them all married off (or almost) to some great additions to the family.

Katelyn and Brady gave me a great mounted photograph of Grandson Connor Boyle, and Mike and Pam came through with a bottle of  Lagavulin 16 year Single Malt Scotch, which you may be reminded is the King of Scotch in this humble MOAM's opinion.

Then Ryan and Kim along with Grandsons Will and Ethan presented me with another bottle of the King,

It was a double whammy of Single Malt Speyside goodness, and the kind sentiments will be remembered well after the last drops have been drained and savored and I see the likeness of Connor smiling down from the fireplace mantel.  Feeling truly Blessed.

I hope all of my paternal brethren had as fine a day  as well,

A Good Plan

Peeps....
My iPhone won't take a charge this morning.... looks like the end of the line for the old model Apple.

So nobody can reach me today, until I take the time to get this fixed.... and spare time is not readily available.

Before I head to the phone store, I will install all of the cleats in the shed, do a big dump run, and plan some storage strategy.

Then Shower for Grandson Will's birthday celebration  at the Marblehead Street Hockey court on Green Street.  Afterwards, the day should settle down on the BYC porch where I will consume two Jordan's Hot Dogs, and a number of Dark and Stormies, accompanied by my kids, their significant others, and my three grandkids.

A good MOAM plan.

Have a nice Day.

Knee Jerk Response

Naturally the President turned a tragic senseless mass killing in South Carolina into a platform for his gun control agenda.   Plus he pulled some claim out of his ass that this type of senseless act with firearms is an American Phenomenon.

You knew that was coming,  It is Obama's nature.  The Conservative blogs debunked the American Phenomenon claim easy enough with instances of such heinous acts happening all over the world.

And the 2nd Amendment knee jerkers came out with their normal response for the right to bear arms.

I believe in the right to bear arms and I possess permits to carry throughout Northern New England. The process to gain this permit and the rules that apply to it in Massachusetts are thorough and restrictive.

In my case, the Marblehead police uncovered stuff in my public record that I was amazed had been recorded, and I was questioned extensively about the items that were exposed from decades ago.  It took at least two months to get the permit, and then when I went and purchased a firearm, the licensed dealer also performed a background check before making the sale.

I think that  these rules are fair, and still allow me to exercise my 2nd Amendment Constitutional rights to bear arms for the protection of my home and family.   The Massachusetts process could easily be replicated on the Federal level.

Is this process in place in South Carolina, where that little racist Bastard decided to kill innocent worshipers in Church just because of the color of their skin?    I don't know.

The evidence suggests that his father gave the senseless serial killer a gun.  

If I were King, justice would be swift.   String up the Shooter, String up the Father, and initiate laws with strong background checks and waiting periods for prospective gun owners.

The FACTS (NOT Liberal Feelings of What Should Be) show that criminal acts are highest in areas where gun ownership is banned.... like Obama's Sweet Home Chicago.

Allow responsible citizens to exercise their 2ND Amendment right to bear arms, and severely punish those who endeavor to thwart the vetting process.

Plus, attend to the victims of mental illness, who overwhelmingly perpetrate these crimes.

The little Russian Scumbags who killed and maimed hundreds at the Boston Marathon Bombing didn't use firearms... they used pressure cookers.    The Perps will find a way.

Our leaders should look at this issue based upon facts, and not knee jerk, removal of our Constitutional Rights.

French Cleat system

  This ingenious french hook system is going to get a workout this weekend.  Bought strapping and hooks from Home Depot yesterday, and the shed will shortly be completely organized with various customized tool holders and shelving which will be locked onto angled wood strips which I am cutting from inexpensive strapping

The aim is to get everything possible off of the floor and the counter tops and onto the wall.

..

Water Biking

This bad boy cycle unit may well be incorporated into the Marblehead Gunning Dory under development in the Nanepashemet Peabody Shop.  http://www.sea-cycle.com/accessories

The Trans-Species Life

Peeps...
I don't exactly know how to disclose this.... it's a bit perplexing and rather embarrassing...

But I'm convinced that my Cat, Henry, is not feeling fulfilled within his feline pelt.
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He tries to bark, gnaws on bones, and always waits at the back door with a leash in his month looking for a walk in the park with me.
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Peeps....
Henry wants to be a Dog, and claims that he never felt Feline even as a young kitten.  I can see it in his eyes that he is yearning to assume his true identity.

What the Hell am I supposed to do????  Let him wallow though life totally juxtapositioned as a Dog in a Cat's body????

No Freaking way....

I've already started a number of Google searches looking for a Veterinarian who will start the arduous trans-species process of converting Henry to a Scottish Terrier.

There are rumors that they do this type of procedure in Denmark, and I will book a flight to Copenhagen in a nano-second if we can find a enlightened Vet who can help Henry realize his dream of liberation as a Canine.

Only then can he be truly free.

Thinking of renaming him Haigis.

Posting Dropoff

Sorry for the unprecedented drop off in posts.

Lots of stuff has been going on.... some good,,,,, some really sucky.

The death of John Aucone, and debilitating sickness among family and friends has covered the sucky parts.  By contrast, everything else is good.

This has been a period where I am reminded of mortality.  Despite our best efforts, decay and death are the inevitable destiny that we face.  Granted, your beliefs give you solace that there is a hereafter and a time of renewal and rebirth.   Religions have persecuted and massacred each other in order to prove that their particular version of cosmology is the truth.... which pretty much gives you a clue to avoid organized religion as a life path if you can manage it.

I believe in energy, and that our life spirit and consciousness is energy.   Physics teaches us that energy can never be created nor destroyed.  Is there a God undercurrent who is a source of harmony, goodness, and reason for this journey?   I do believe so, but that part is a bit harder to define.

So there you have it.  All of our worries and foibles during this life of trials and the siege of decay will eventually dwindle as we morph into the next phase of existence in another dimension.

But the physical and emotional pain of transition calls for a response.   Prayer.  Asking God for an easier, less derisive passage.

I have some prayers I have to say... for some people who deserve an easier voyage.

How to play Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf (Guitar Lesson SB-305)

Tom Brady - Nanepashemet Official NFL Quarterback

Shaking down the Deadbeats

Sometimes even a Mountain of a Man has to pass the collection basket.

Connor Boyle can Brighten Your Day

This Says a Lot

The Articulated Liberal Position

James Carville is an honest, intelligent Democrat.  Finally..... someone has articulated my frustration with Democrats..... and it purportedly was a Democratic political operative who did it.

There is some doubt that Carville actually said this.....  and a denial would make a lot of sense if you were a consultant with a  career supporting the Democratic Party.

If Carville didn't say it... someone did.... and it finally makes sense defining why people like Hillary Clinton attract their political support for me.

“Ideologies aren’t all that important. What’s important is psychology.  The Democratic constituency is just like a herd of cows. All you have to do is lay out enough silage and they come running. That’s why I became an operative working with Democrats.

With Democrats all you have to do is make a lot of noise, lay out the hay, and be ready to use the ole cattle prod in case a few want to bolt the herd.

Eighty percent of the people who call themselves Democrats don’t have a clue as to political reality. What amazes me is that you could take a group of people who are hard workers and convince them that they should support social programs that were the exact opposite of their own personal convictions. Put a little fear here and there and you can get people to vote any way you want.

The voter is basically dumb and lazy. The reason I became a Democratic operative instead of a Republican was because there were more Democrats that didn’t have a clue than there were Republicans.

Truth is relative. Truth is what you can make the voter believe is the truth. If you’re smart enough, truth is what you make the voter think it is. That’s why I’m a Democrat. I can make the Democratic voters think whatever I want them to.”

Lining up for Lagavulin

More to come on this topic

Perception of Leaders

I'm trying to back off from my fixation with Hillary Clinton.  It's just that it bothers me when people lie... and others ignore the lie.  Like when Elizabeth Warren said that she was a Cherokee Indian at Harvard, and wished to have lunch with others who shared her background...then went on to be elected US Senator from Massachusetts anyhow over a stand up guy like Scott Brown.
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People who support sleazy liars are the real A-Holes.... probably worse than the lying liars themselves.  Clinton wants to represent everyday Americans while she and her pervert Hubby have been world class influence peddlers.... amassing a $300M fortune and accepting foreign donations to her "Foundation" while she was the leading official in the US for foreign affairs as Secretary of State.
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The "Foundation" claimed no foreign donations for the past four years.... but now it appears that they made a "mistake" and are filing revised returns with the IRS.  H. claims to have been under sniper fire in Serbia.... but when facts proved otherwise.... now claims that she "misspoke".
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If you do this shit, you are sleazy and if you believe these excuses and disclaimers, you are stupid.
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Do Democrats really want to nominate such a sleaze candidate?  I just don't get it.
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Logic would dictate that the massive amount of shit that has been thrown against the Clinton wall will begin to stick.   But the massive amount seems to be the problem in and of itself.   As her examples of sleaze and bad behavior accumulate in layer after layer... and her sheep herd continues to ignore the stench, it seems that more revelations just don't matter.... just more distractions as Hillary has stated.
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I guess all politics really boils down to a sense of class and pecking order.   If you feel powerless and disenfranchised, and want to thrash back.... maybe you tend to believe mindless epithets thrown out by self-serving pols like Hillary Clinton who profit so immensely by staying in power.  They will say and do anything to keep their position and masterfully manipulate the vote of people that don't care about facts and the truth.
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Democrats need to find someone else to challenge Hillary.   Surely someone can articulate the Liberal position without all of the baggage that Clinton possesses.   If Clinton rolls to the nomination despite all of the evidence of wrongdoing, then I have to change my perception of what this country seeks for in its leaders.

Progressive Propaganda

Morning Ride

Had a nice 15 mile ride with son, Mike, and son-in-law, Brady, this morning in North Conway and Intervale.  They kept up with me pretty well.

Everyday Americans

Not only did I not break out of the rut today.... I didn't even ride the Trek.  The PICS Safety Audit was pushed back later in the day. and with my background and experience in ISO 9000 audits, I spent a good deal of time in preparation.
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So when the audit was successfully completed with all appropriate accolades from the Auditor, I was a bit fatigued and opted to take a nap instead of the 10 mile cycle.
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Even a Mountain of a Man gets burnt out once in a while.
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I'll make up for it this weekend with rides planned with son, Mike.
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But nothing stopped me from getting more irritated with H. Clinton, as it was revealed that her much publicized get together with "Everyday Americans" in Iowa was completely staged and populated by selected political Democratic operatives.
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The much heralded ex-First Lady, former Secretary of State seems to be constantly pummeled in the social media..... and it is hard to imagine that she can arrogantly sling the Bull that has been her hallmark.  Early in her career, she was fired from a legal job because of dishonesty, and the pattern seems to have continued.
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Her use of unsecured personal email in a highly sensitive government position and the wholescale destruction of government records is something that she can't just brush away, but the sheep herd that supports her gives her a pass with no explanation why.  If you've ever worked in corporate America, email security is not to be taken lightly.  And yet this high profile position of Secretary of State doesn't merit oversight and security clearance in Hillary's world.
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What is the allure that Liberals have with her?  What message does she send that resonates with her supporters?   On Facebook, it seems that the only rationale is that they hate Conservatives.... and I never see any substantive reasons saying why Hillary would be suitable to lead this country.
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The litany of scandals and shady deals.... people close to the Clinton's who have met with unfortunate accidents... it's too numerous to mention.   Her face to face meeting with relatives of slain Americans in Benghazi..... where she lied about a video being the cause after failing to take any precautions for protection of our people....
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Sure.  What the hell does an idiot like me know?    I did once have a first hand discussion with a Secret Service agent who served during the Bush's and Clinton administrations.   He said that the Clinton's were rude and dismissive while the Bush families treated him with common courtesy.  I did have that personal conversation with the Agent, who held a highly sensitive post with lots of exposure to the First Families.  Guess that agent wasn't an "Everyday American".
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But now Hillary wishes to be a "Champion for Everyday Americans".    WTF is an "Everyday American" anyway????    Apparently someone who bleats like a sheep and believes any lie that comes their way.
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I hope that not too many people out there are "Everyday Americans".

Loop Rut and Champions

For the last three days, outside of Nanepashemet Telecom, I 've  been obsessed with completing a 10.5 mile loop around Marblehead Neck, Old Town and back to Suite 1-A on the Trek Domane 4.1 Road Bike.  The weird thing is that each time I've tried to get my heart rate up, and push the pace, but every day's ride has been completed in 49:00 minutes.   Actually, between 49:01 and 49:12.... and each ride seemed different from the other.... but was really almost the exact same.  12.8 MPH average.

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Tomorrow, after our PICS Safety Audit, I'm going to bust out of this rut.   On the stationary bike, 19MPH over 45 minutes is pretty standard for me, but out there in the real world, I haven't been able to break 12.8. But I'm losing weight.

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Not going to tell you how much yet, but if this routine becomes habitual, I'm sure I'll be obnoxiously bragging in a month or so.

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I've also been fairly obsessed with the Hillary Clinton for President announcement lately too.   If she has any redeeming value after a public lifetime of arrogance and dishonesty... then I just can't see it.  She has proclaimed herself as a "Champion" of everyday Americans and states that America needs a Champion.  It reminds me of a former boss who informed me that it was his job to be my "Mentor".

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What a Buffoon!   I pick my own Mentors, and I pick my own "Champions".... and H isn't even close.

Bike Prep

Two Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in 12 oz. of water.
One Tablespoon of Black Cherry Extract in 12 oz. of water.
Gout Pill, High Blood Pressure Pill, Low Dose Aspirin.
8 oz. cup of Black Coffee.
Vegetable and Fruit Smoothie. (Not sure what Joanne put in this, but it's real green)
Two Fish Oil Pills.
Two Gummy Multi-Vitamins.
One 12 oz. mason jar of water.
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It's not easy staying Rough, Tough, Hard to Bluff and Damn Good Looking.
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But this breakfast puts down a MOAM Base to start the day.
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With 50 degrees and sunshine this Saturday morning, it's time to take the Trek Domane 4.1 out for a ten mile spin around Marblehead.  It's the first nice morning that screams "NO EXCUSES".   Joanne and I have seemed tohave  beaten that two week bug that had us hacking away this month.   Spring weather is in the forecast for the next few days.
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So this morning, after I finish this narcissistic post about myself, I will go for my first serious ride on the Trek Domane and see if I can get the hang of the bike shoe clips and the shifting system.

Respect for Native American Land

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Joanne and I took a walk this morning, through Gerry Playground and down to Stramski Beach.
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Everything was grey, mucky and muddy.... lots of downed and decayed tree branches on the ground due to the harsh winter.  It is a deteriorated and ugly scene.
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In the pre-Columbian era, our predecessors on this land, the Native Americans, whom I prefer to call in the politically incorrect manner as Indians.... they used to burn the forests every year.  Once in Spring and once in fall.
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The first Europeans who ventured to these shores were astounded by the countryside.   They marveled at the forests populated by large trees with room to drive a large carriage though with no problem. This was due to the seasonal burn treatment that the Indians had practiced for milleniums.   It made for a more suitable habitat for deer and other wild game as well.
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It flies in the face of our Smokey the Bear practices of preventing forest fires, and also does not meet the preferred narrative of the Noble Savage, who lived in harmony with nature and did not alter the Environment.
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Nevertheless, it is the truth, and the wild places in Marblehead look like forest slums with the dense undergrowth, mutilated trees and dead wood that is the most distinguishable characteristic of our forest conservation areas.
So I have been harboring a MOAM proposal now for a number of years, but have yet to articulate it until this moment....
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We should restore our "wild" areas to the way our predecessors experienced them.... not by burning, but by mulching the underbrush and harvesting the deadwood for garden mulch and firewood.
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The Indians did not have the advantage of our modern machinery like chain saws and power mulchers.... so they resorted to burning.  We could achieve the same state without the hazard of extensive smoke and air pollution.

Benefits

• The Wild Areas would be more aesthetic.
• More accessible to all.
• More Hospital for wildlife.
• Yield firewood for Energy.
• Yield mulch for gardens and fertilization.

Plus it would make us intelopers be more like the noble Native Americans.

In my job for Nanepashemet Telecom, I travel the backroads all though New England.   The presence of stone walls in the woodlands details a far different landscape that used to prevail here.  My MOAM contention is that we have let this landscape deteriorate and should return to the practice of our Indian Forbears.

Appreciation for Google

Next year, this Blog will be 10 years old.
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It's been therapy for this MOAM... and I hope a little bit of entertainment for you Peeps.
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But now, it is serving me well as a reference point...... letting me see how some things have changed.... and some that have stayed the same,
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I'm particularly grateful for the Google server that has kept these pathetic posts intact all of these years.  Don't know what the motivation is to keep this service free of charge, but it is appreciated.

Requiem for Ted

I listened to President Barack Obama praise Senator Kennedy today in the dedication of the $40M memorial to him paid with public funds.

A lot of good can be said for Ted Kennedy.... and one despicable evil.   He should have faded into obscurity after the manslaughter incident at Chappaquiddick with his criminal and insidious attempt to hide the facts and avoid being implicated, while a person died who could have been saved..... but his pedigree saved him.

And yet he went on to become a stabilizing force in the United States Senate.  Maybe this was his redemption...  But a $40M taxpayer funded tribute.... with accolades by our lightweight President seems to be a bit presumptuous.

Buddy, Can you spare a Dime?

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 30 Mar 2015 at 10:45:17 PM GMT is:

The estimated population of the United States is 320,292,366
so each citizen's share of this debt is $56,696.08.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$2.30 billion per day since September 30, 2012!

How do we reconcile leaving our children with this burden?

Spring Refrain

Its 25 degrees Fahrenheit  here on the North Shore of Boston this Sunday morning.

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The shit stirrer in me wants to post something on Facebook about Obama's settled science global warming..... but I don't want to rub it in to my friends in the Democrat Party sheep herd.  They have enough problems, and there is no need for some MOAM like myself reminding them what a crock of shit they have bought into.
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It would just be too low.
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No, I'm just content to stoke up the fireplace, bundle up, and enjoy the Spring.
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It would be great if I could take a spin on my new Trek Domane 4.1 Road Bike... but it is just too phucking cold this Spring morning.
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So I guess I will turn my attention to installing some crown moulding in the Master Bathroom and then get a weight workout in.    Maybe make a Whey Protein shake afterward to drown my sorrows.

Checking off the Box

Nice Photo of my kids and their significant others.
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I view my greatest and only significant achievement as seeing my offspring mature and build happy and productive  lives for themselves.  The road to reaching this goal has been filled with bumps and surprises, but I am very happy at the result and pleased to check off the box.
~
Since this MOAM has no frigging interest in siring another brood, I now  turn my attention to their offspring, and the lessons that I can leave that might be valuable to my grandkids.
~

Hope that some of them want to build some boats with me.

Starting the Trek

Chris over at Marblehead Cycle hooked me up with this Trek Domane 4.1 Road Bike, and a pair of Shimano Bike Shoes.

Things have changed in biking since I bought my CCM Ten Speed back in the 70's.   But then again, so have I.

I'll be making the loop from Marblehead, over to Beverly Farms, past Wenham Main Street and back to Sundance regularly this spring.

Hell on Earth

Peeps....
It's a jungle out here in Cyberspace.
~
Between adware, spyware, phishing and all sorts of  phoney emailed offers.. everyday is a challenge to keep cybercriminals from stealing your stuff.  All sorts of extensions are constantly automatically downloaded into whichever type of browser that you use, and you have to continually check to remove them.   Some items have clever capabilities to avoid being deleted from your computer.

Finally last week, the adware and spyware held all of my browsers hostage, and prevented me from doing basic work. 

~
So I downloaded Norton Security Suite for all of my computers which seems to have me free of the Bullshit and back in control.   As I had the program scan my hard drives for unnecessary files, it freed up multi-megabytes of space.  Norton was available free from my Internet host, Comcast xfinity, but it would have been well worth the investment if I had to pay.
~
Things seem to be working again.
~
I also got my Foscam IP based security camera up online after a ton of Geek work.   It's a great unit, but in no way is it plug and play.   You really have to get good and Geeky to integrate the camera into your local WiFi network.  Lots of trial and error, but now I can access the camera from all of my computers as well as my iPhone.   It even emails me if motion is detected in the surveillance space.
~

And by the time that some scumbag perp trys to dismantle the camera.... his/her image has already been sent to an FTP site, and emails and other alarms have been sent.

~
 Cost less than $100 bucks which is short money considering the range of functionality and control that you can achieve in guarding your stuff and making sure that you get the drop on any unwelcome visitors
~
So.... much more focus on Security this week than I would have cared to devote.... both from Cyberspace and physical space.
~
You have to wonder what goes on in the minds of scumbags who spend so much effort trying to rip you off.... either in person or electronically.   They must live in their own special Hell on Earth.

Property Value

Now that we sold their South Boston Condo, I've been showing houses on the North Shore to Katelyn and Brady.   They have some nice options to choose from and it is a fun process.

But as I analyze these home and check for potential defects and flaws, I am always appalled when I return home to West Shore Drive, and find all sorts of cosmetic stuff that I have to attend to in my own house if it was to pass the same scrutiny that I have applied for Brady and Kate.

Before the weather gets good, and outside projects gain attention... there will be extensive caulking and painting throughout this house.

Time to put attention to the small details that matter in the long run in the determination of property value.

WebCam Defense

It been the coldest and snowyest winter in my memory here on the North Shore of Boston.   And we just set the clocks ahead one hour for Spring Daily Saving Time.

Acute case of cabin fever has been ravaging me.   March is always a tough month, but this one, where you still can't walk outside due to the huge dirt covered snowbanks, is particularly onerous.  So much for Obama lecturing us that Global Warming is "settled science".  The only thing settled is BO's tendency to twist reality to fit his agenda.   But enough about our Lefty POTUS.....

So I just got off of Amazon, where I purchased some Japanese Morning Glory seeds, which will be planted if I ever see the soil around the house someday.    Also bought a webcam security system to install at West Shore Drive.  I'm not sure what motivated this purchase, because I don't feel threatened at this address, yet it seemed to be a prudent thing to do....

One of the applications will be to monitor wildlife at night.   The constant snow cover has identified a lot of animal tracks and I was intrigued to find some large coyote prints checking out my trash bins one morning.   There is a lot more action out there at night then we would normally imagine.

The Webcam system links up to 32GB storage and can be viewed and manipulated remotely via iPhone applications.  We've been burglarized five times in Marblehead since moving here from Lynn over the last thirty years...so I guess this is justified  After the first few hits, we learned to lock the doors at nght... no more leaving the doors wide open because of a misguided notion that there is no crime in upscale Marblehead.

The technology is powerful and affordable so there is no excuse for not adding this to your basic line of defense.  When you leave the house, lock the doors and turn on the WebCams.   They record both video and audio when they sense motion and send you an email or FTP notification, so that you can click an app on your smartphone and see what the hell is going on.... as well as tell the Perp remotely through speakers in the WebCam to get the hell away from your stuff as you call the Marblehead Police to nail the scumbag.

Peeps.... we live in a world where our forebears used to guard against MicMac Indian raiding parties, Pirate attacks, and potential death by panthers or bears.   You would think that these ancient scourges have left, and they have.... replaced by other threats, like addicts who must steal to maintain their drug addiction, and a host of other scummy motivations.  There are people out there who want to take your stuff rather than earn their own.

And that doesn't take into account our Global threats by those who would kill you just because you are an American or a Christian.


My new WebCams won't protect me from this stuff.   It will just let me know who ripped me off.  But that's a big improvement.

Return to Normal.

A serious drop off in Posts.   Sorry about that.

My exercise regimen has been drastically modified by snow shoveling and a chance to ski with my grandkids.    Working the weights with the 5x5 program appears to be producing results although I missed two sessions when I went up north for the ski trip.

I don't feel like I have lost any weight, but have definitely noticed a bounce in my step, and have seen some muscle tone and definition returning.  The weight loss will come and feeling good takes precedence.

In the meantime, this snow period for Boston has been the worse in MOAM memory.  Too much for even the Aiens Compact 24 Snowblower to move.  It was a Godsend that I started my workouts at the beginning of the year, or the snow shoveling would have been close to overwhelming.  As it is, I have pain in areas that I had forgotten about.

Back to work at Nanepashemet Telecom after the week ski vaca and work respite.  Trying to return to Normal.

Lull After the Super Bowl

The Patriots won the Super Bowl in a work of fiction ending that could never be believed unless it actually happened in real life.... which it did.

And we in the Boston area have been pummeled with 50" of snow.

Both of these circumstances have colored the landscape since I last reported to you Peeps.

For four days during this period, I was out in subzero weather shoveling and trying to persuade my Ariens Snowblower to plow through drifts and snowbanks with a great deal of resistance.   On all of these occasions, since my t-sheet was soaked in sweat by the time I got back into the house, I treated it as an aerobic workout.   Outside of that, I filled the gaps on the Cybex and doing three 5x5 Stronglifts workouts.

End result is that I've only lost one lb. during this period and the rapid weight loss has taken a hiatus. I was warned by Christos that this would happen, and that I should soldier on... and that is exactly the tact that I am taking.  At this rate, it looks like February will see a scaled back projection.  If I lose four more lbs. before the end of the month, I will be happy.

I noticed though that other times when I have begun a weight loss regime, I've been stalemated at my current weight..... and that the program fell by the wayside.  Can't see this happening this time though.... what with my soldiering on and all.

The 5x5 StrongLifts program is in an interesting stage.   At the beginning, the weights are so light that I would be fairly embarrassed if anyone saw be benching the bar with a few puny plates on it.   But I'm going to stay the course.... by week 18, which shows up sometime in June.... no one will be laughing, and I may have to supplement the plates that I have on hand.

BTW... Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL .... and he is coached by the greatest coach, Bill Belichick.    DeFlateGate can Kiss My Ass.

January Recap

Peeps....
A Recap of January in this MOAM Quest to shed the label of "Big Guy".

After one month, I have officially lost 13 lbs., kept up a regime of 45min. aerobic sessions on the Cybex, interspersed with a couple 60 min. sessions and days off for stuff like illness, real estate closings and Grandson Births.

I also bought and installed a 300 lb. Olympic Free Weight barbell set, as well an accessory bench and squat rack.  My first experimental workout with the weights was very promising and I intend to start performing the www.stronglifts.com program on Monday.

The experimental workout was followed by a 45 min. session on the Cybex yesterday, and today I am a little sore... especially in my core area.... aka "Fat Gut".  I am psyched to turn a keg into a six pack, which should be a byproduct of this routine come August of this year.

Mentally, I am prepared to ski with my Grandkids, which would have been not feasible as close as last December.  And come the end of February, I plan to invest in a good road bike for April/May when all of this white stuff that the Democrats call "Global Warming" has receded.

Business-wise, it was a productive month as well, so that I can't see why I can't incorporate this program without any financial compromise.

This month was easy as far as motivation... what with reading the "Younger Next Year" book cover to cover twice,... and getting a lot of advice from FB Friends, Christos Laganos, Wayne Webster, and Jim Lundgren.... all Lynn English High School classmates of mine.

Next Month's February recap will tell the real story.

Victory So Far.

Peeps....  I've neglected you, as I'm sure you've realized.

But WTF, I had a new Grandson, so back the EFF off.   What the Hell do you want from me???

Anyway... With 186 days to go, I've lost 15 lbs.... simply by working out hard for at least 45 minutes everyday on the Cybex.   In the last 26 days, I took 4 days off.... 2 because I felt crappy, 1 because I had to manage Kate's real estate closing, and 1 because of Connor's birth.

Christos and Jim Lundgren had urged me to consider free weights a while ago.... and I took their advice.   Bought an Adidas Bench, Squat Rack and a 300 lb Olympic weight set, complete with a 7' 45 lb. bar from Amazon. The Bench came today, but the Blizzard of 2015 is delaying delivery of the weights and squat rack.

My plan is to start in February using the 5x5 method illustrated by www.stronglifts.com.

This regime is designed to make you gain strength in a 12 week period by lifting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and increasing the exercised by 5lbs. each session.  A Belgian guy named "Mendi", who likes to say "Bullshit" a lot with a French accent has put the website and an iPhone app together that takes all of the guess work out of it.  It is actually very well done, and I urge you to check out this website if you are so inclined.

So I hope to integrate the weight lifting program in with the cybex aerobic sessions for the next three months or so, after which the May weather should open up a lot of outdoor cycling and rowing activity.

At this point, I am on schedule to get to Mike's wedding on August 1, under 200 lbs.   A lot can happen between now and then, but I'll take it day by day, and declare victory in various stages along the way  as appropriate.

Connor Joseph Boyle

It was a nice week as Connor Joseph Boyle was born to Katelyn and Brady.

Birth is a joyous event, and always seems miraculous, even though it should seem commonplace.   Modern medical practices have decreased the chances for tragedy to mother or baby, but it still was risky as Brady drove Kate into Massachusetts General Hospital, and she felt like the birth would occur in the car on the way.

Looking at my little grandson, I couldn't help but wonder what life had in store for him.... what will he achieve as he navigates the changes of the 21st century?

I wish him the best and hope to journey part of the way with him.

Mapping Some Alternatives

The daily sweat routines on the Cybex do create a bit of boredom and monotony.

It helps to watch the Science Channel with episodes of "How It's Made" or Comedy Central's "Key and Peele" who I think are talented and hilarious comedians.

It works for this initial push in the cold weather, but I've been mapping out some alternatives when the weather turns a little better in  March or so.

I'm definitely going to get a good road bike as recommended by Wayne Webster and Christos Laganos.   Wayne stresses getting a frame that fits properly and Chris points out that I should be ready to drop $2k or more.

I agree with both of them.   Want to find a good bike shop to buy from and I want the bike to be high enough quality to guarantee the best experience and performance possible.

I've mapped out some routes on the mapmyride.com site up through Cape Ann from my house, and the good parts of this plan is that they would take me past Mike and Pam's house in Beverly Farms... just in case I needed a pick up.  

More than once in the middle of a ride in the past, my bike has broken down, and you have to be prepared for this contingency.

The other activity that I have been actively planning is rowing in Marblehead Harbor using the Herreshoff Columbia Tender.  The distance from the put in at the end of the Harbor on Riverhead Beach to the mouth of the Harbor is 1 1/2 miles.... a three mile out and back.    Add another half mile out to Children's Island, where I would drop a few lobster traps close into the rocks, and you have a row of about four miles.   Rowing at a speed of four knots would be a good workout and would take about an hour and a half.    Plus, stopping for a couple of minutes to tend the traps and maybe harvest some tasty crustaceans would be a great addition to an aerobic workout.

And it wouldn't be any bother to troll a line and maybe hook some mackeral, bunker or maybe a stripper once in a while for dinner fare and lobster bait.

Lastly, I want to get back into running and hiking.... but only after I have built a strong base of fitness from the lower impact exercises of cycling and rowing.

Peeps.... This isn't recreation....it is a commitment to my business partners, customers, family, employees, friends and even you.... to attack the last third of my life in a manner to remain as productive and contributive as possible.

And I am convinced that exercise is the only way.   I urge you to buy and read "Younger Next Year"  by Crowley and Lodge for your own health and well being.

16 Days In - Progress Report

Peeps...
Out of the last 16 days, I have succeeded in getting in a 45 minute session fourteen days on the Cybex stationary cycle, after which my tee shirt quite literally could not be more soaked than if I wore it in Tommy O's swimming pool at the 4th of July.

Which translates into a serious  series of MOAM workouts.

This Saturday morning, in keeping with my pathetic commitment to report  my progress to you, I am happy to disclose the following.

• I feel freaking great... from a general standpoint.... just much more comfortable as I sit and move during the day.
• I've lost 11 lbs. and my clothes fit much better.
• I can feel tone in my ass and legs.
• I can do push ups again.  When I started on New Year's Day, I most embarrassingly could not do one. Yesterday I did 13 in a row.
• I feel more alert and attentive at work... and stress out much less often.
• I don't get sluggish in the afternoon, whereas before by three in the afternoon, I frequently had to fight off fatigue to attend to work issues.

Don't get me wrong.... I'm still a loud, somewhat obnoxiously opinionated, cranky, bastard,

But my secret fear.....that embarking on this lifestyle change would turn me into a mushy headed Liberal.... has not materialized.  Thank the Creator for that!!!!!

It hasn't been all Goose Down and Rose Petals though.

I still have this nagging voice when it is time to workout  in the late afternoon that urges me to blow it off for any particular reason, and I have to fight through that urge.   And the workouts are hard and painful.   Halfway through, I think about quitting and worry that the session will never end.

But it does end, and I am rewarded with a sense of satisfaction and achievement when it is over.... along with the soaked tee shirt.   Then I shower, weigh myself and record the whole thing on an Excel spreadsheet which projects the progress that my present condition has on meeting the August 1 goal.

And it gets worse Peeps.....

Yesterday I went down to Marblehead cycle and priced out a nice Trek Road Bike that I plan to purchase in the Spring.  Man,,, those bikes have changed since I bought my CCM ten speed back in 1971.

What It is Like to be Black

It often comes up when you talk about race relations with Black people, that White people don't know what it is like to be Black.

OK.... I find that to be indisputable.

But I get the distinct feeling that Black people think that if you are White, then you have got it made.  Everything opens up to you because you are White.  Which of course, is BullShit.

It is an unfortunate misconception, and I think that it leads some Black people to think that the challenges they face are solely because they are Black..... when often the same challenges of life affect their White counterparts.

I truly and perhaps naively believe that we have reached a place in our society where class and race only limit you if you use your status as a crutch, and fail to confront head on the challenges that you face.  This wasn't the case when I was a young man, but I believe it to be true now.

So I said it.... let the Political Correctness Police condemn me to Hell.

This is Becoming Apparent

"Men don't fail to climb the mountain because they are old.
They are old because they fail to climb the mountain."
- Christos Laganos

198 - Planning a Fashion Statement

198 Days to go.

I am right on target with my weight loss program after 15 days, but I'm actually more excited about some other benefits.

I've regularly been downing 12oz Mason Jars of tap water during the day and doing pushups after every daily 45 minute sweat session on the Cybex stationary cycle.

The Cybex sessions are getting easier and I add a pushup a day to my PR total since staring this regime.  This is bound to level off in the next 15 days or so.

But the immediate benefit that I've noticed is the disappearance of a host of aches and pains that I had previously accepted as signs of ageing.  There was a time, not so long ago, when a wrench or screwdriver lying on the floor mean't some pain bending down and picking it up.  And walking up stairs just had an automatic dosage of knee pain.

I noticed today that these little aches and pains were gone.

I also prefer water with my meals rather than fruit juice or whatever other beverage was in the refrigerator.   And I don't just automatically reach for a beer or glass of wine at the end of the day.

My schedule calls for me losing a little less than 2 lbs. per week, and the current routine obviously supports this.   I suspect that after having lost 25 lbs or so, that it will be tougher to maintain this rate. Christos gave me a heads up with this, and I believe it.

But this is a lifestyle change, not just a weight loss program.   I intend to create a habit of vigorous daily exercise that will last long after the lbs are gone.

And my Fat Boy clothes are really starting to loosen up.   Most of the clothes in my closet used to fit when I was 15 lbs lighter, so sometime in March I hope to tap into a large collection of  khakis, which, as Joanne likes to remind me, have all gone out of style.

But maybe they'll be coming back into fashion this spring.

The Real Deal

Mayor Marty Walsh of Boston just gave his State of the City speech and hit a home run.

He stated his positions without giving blame or making someone the fall guy.   It was an all inclusive speech that laid out his values and vision in a sincere and inspiring fashion.  No pretension, no preaching, no finger pointing.

This guy just may be the real deal..... something that I have rarely seen in a politician

202 - the Right Thing To Do

With 202 days to go and 11 days on this regime to change my exercise habits and make working out my top priority, I think it is working.   Not because of the weight loss, but because of the thought process.

Now when I wake up in the morning, I don't think about how I can fit in my workout around everything I have to do....Instead I think of how to get things done around my workout.

As the "Younger Next Year" book asserts, exercise and your health are your job.   And if you take into account that your career and business cannot progress adequately unless you are in top physical condition, it makes sense.

A key facet to assimilating this premise is the realization that good health is not automatic.   As you get older, you don't stay strong and control your weight without attending to the aerobic exercise requirement that your ancestors programmed into you.

And as you get older and your economic picture matures, you frequently have the means to afford bad habits.

If you want to have a pizza and a six pack of beer for dinner, or a supersized Big Mac Meal for lunch, the cash is there and you have no impediment to satisfying your cravings.   I remember  when I was young and lean, I never had the financial means to buy anything that I felt like immediately eating.

Basically, if you have disposable income, there is a tendency to finance takeout and beverages as the desire arises.   If you have also left your schoolboy athletic career behind, the result is a gain in weight.     Plus your metabolism changes when you get older, but your appetite doesn't,   So more pounds eating the same stuff.

Once I realized that this was happening, I started resolving to exercise more.... but I never made it a top priority.  There was always business or job needs to attend to, and youth hockey games to attend, and almost anything else that came along that would push exercise off of the agenda.

But a health alert or a mirror image was not the factor that set off the alarm bell with me.   I had seen a number of my people my age and older stay in great shape, and while I admired them, I had no need to emulate their lifestyle.

Bob Towne, my UMass college roommate, is a nationally recognized ultra distance runner, and has competed in 100 mile runs.   Harvey Rowe, my former business partner, is an accomplished tri-athlete and never misses a day of working out despite his business and charity work.   Christos Laganos, my old classmate and new found Facebook friend, who turned me on to the "Younger Next Year"book, through-hiked the Appalachian Trail when he turned 60 and takes 100 mile bike rides with impunity.

Even though these guys are my age and older, my basic attitude has been "Cool" for them.  What rang the bell for me was my closet.

I have multiple pairs of size 36 and 38 waist pants that I can no longer wear, and a ton of XL sweaters that are now uncomfortable.  But when size 40 trousers started to be tight and hard to button, and I actually started to look for a 42 to wear, but couldn't find that size in entire stores up in North Conway, I decided that this trend had to be reversed.   Time to find a way back into clothes that I already own, rather than buy all new Fat Boy sizes.

Plus Kate keeps giving me momentos of her wedding, with pictures of her as the beautiful bride and me as the Jolly Fat Dad.   Up till now, I was happy to look at her visage and tried to ignore the Fat Guy standing next to her in the photos.   But Mike's wedding is gearing up to be held in the White Mountains in August and I want his and Pam's album to show a different MOAM.

Then Laganos turned me on to the "Younger Next Year" book by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge, which seemed to me to be a handbook on how to manage tthe last third of your life.  It points out that you can live into your 80's and 90's with vigorous health rather than debilitating pains and illnesses.  It makes perfect logical sense, and seems foolish not to follow this advice.

So that's the background to why this Sunday morning..... the day after the Patriots beat the Ravens in a great playoff game.... my first priority is to pedal one hour on the Cybex until my tee shirt is dripping wet with sweat, then doing as many pushups as I can before my arms turn all girlyman.  And that is the right thing to do.

202 - Saturday Agenda

With 202 days to go, this Saturday will be important and your MOAM has prepared a meticulous agenda.

• Make a trash  run to the Marblehead Dump.
• Finish up some Invoices at Nanepashemet Telecom and mail.
• Complete the Crown Moulding in the Master Bathroom.
• Put in a 45 minute Sweat Show on the Cybex.
• Follow with Push Ups for a new Fat Boy PR.
• Hang upside down for awhile on the Teeter Inversion Rack.
• Shower and get ready for Football.
• Watch the Patriots annihilate the Baltimore Ravens in their march to the Super Bowl.
• Celebrate a Good day with one or two glasses of Lagavulin 16 year old Single Malt.

It's already 8:00 AM and I'm behind schedule.

203 - Eight Push Ups.

Peeps....
Many times I've reminded you about how the Mountain of a Man is Rough, Tough,  Hard to Bluff, and Damn Good Looking.
~
Which is an inexorable and undisputed Law of the Universe as I'm sure you can see.....is readily apparent.
~
But my confession to you is that when I started this journey at the beginning of the year, I could barely muster one push up.

Today... the MOAM did Eight.

How bad is it that I'm pumped that I only did eight pushups after my 45 minute Cybex sweat session?
I Know... pretty freaking bad.
~
But as Lao Tzu has said in the timeless Tao Te Ching..."A Journey of 10,000 mile begins with a Single Step."

So don't be giving me a lot of crap.... I've got Lao Tzu on my side!   Who the Hell do you Know????

204... No Regrets

Today started out good.  I knew that I had to attend to Katelyn and Brady's real estate closing at some point, so I put on my gym shorts in zero degree weather to get on the Cybex sometime in the morning.

Had at least 48 oz. of tap water before 9:30AM so it seemed that I was on the program big time.

Then the call came to take care of the closing issues by 2:00PM in my old stomping grounds, Highland Ave. in Needham, and I had to get the funds to Katelyn in Manchester.  No big deal, but I decided to take Katelyn to Beverly and back to make the bank deposit which added an additional 45 minutes.

All would have been a go to get on the Cybex by 4:00 or so.... then Joanne called and said that the Mach V had broken down in Marblehead at Ryan and Kim's house..... which called for another hour delay waiting for a mechanic.

By the time I got back to the West Shore Drive house, I only had enough time to grab dinner then head to Lynn for Frank Calnan's wake at the Cuffe McGinn Funeral Home on Maple Street next to St. Pius Church.

Calnan was the Building Commissioner in Lynn for years, and he used to take great amusement in busting my balls when I would ask him a zoning question as a wet behind the ears junior planner in the Lynn Planning Department back in the 70's.

He was tough, but a savvy straight shooter, and I learned a lot from him in those formative years when I had my first job fresh out of college.  The thought came to mind to blow off his wake, and I felt really guilty just thinking about it, so I blew off the workout instead.

Glad I did go, as I connected with some of the extended Calnan family who I have not seen for years and were really important in my life for twenty five years or so.  His younger brother, Ed, was my boss and first mentor when I worked for him as Deputy Director of the Lynn Community Department, and his older brother, Bill was my Deputy Director when I was the Executive Director of the Lynn Housing Authority.    Bill's son, Kevin Calnan, a former State Trooper and now a Lawyer on the North Shore, used to meet me for five years in a row at the Nahant Causeway every Saturday morning at 7:30 for a five mile run.  We never phoned or scheduled it... we just would show up and run. It was good to see Ed and Kevin, and I only wish I could have seen Bill, who passed a few years ago.

Frank had a large Irish family that I had only known as kids swarming around his Chatham Street house.  They were all grown up and striking in appearance... a fitting legacy for a good, hard working man who seemed to live a good life.

RIP Frank Calnan.
Say Hello to your Brother Bill Calnan and my Dad, John Nestor.

To make a long story short, I skipped my workout today.... with no regrets.

205 to go.

With 205 days to go, I have lost 8 lbs, since this healthy eating and exercise regime began two days before New Year's Day.  It's not praiseworthy, because those pounds were way over the top for me.... to the point where my already fat boy pants were really uncomfortable.  I'm technically ahead of schedule to meet the goal weight, although this rate of loss will surely decline drastically,

But now the pants feel fine....  and I have brought the belt in a notch...even though I freely realize that my pants are indeed fat boy pants that I have to discard in short order.
~
I basically have only missed one day of getting a good 45 minute burn on Cybex daily.

That happened yesterday when I really felt like crap.... although most of it was undoubtedly rat race work related.

Changes that I have made to date include drinking a 12 oz glass of water as soon as I awake in the morning, and making sure that I down a Mason Jar 12 oz glass at least four times during the work day.

I have also taken conscious note of everything that I put in my mouth, and question if I really need to eat.  Granted..... sometimes when the answers are that the couple crackers, or piece of cheese are not necessary .....I eat them anyway.   But I think that the process keeps me from eating the volume that I formerly would eat without a thought.

And the vigorous 45 minute sweat sessions on the Cybex have the added effect of curbing my appetite.  Plus you feel so good after you're done.

207 to Go.

After four days of 45 minute sessions on the Cybex, I feel discernibly good.  Plus every day, I was able to add an additional pushup to my routine at the end of the ride.  It would be cool if by goal date I could do 207 pushups at one time, but I don't think things work that way.

We'll see though.

Katelyn and Brady's condo passing is right in the middle of my scheduled workout time today, so I will have to alter the pattern.   I assume that this will be the rule rather than the exception, but I would really like to keep to the 2:30 afternoon routine as much as possible.

And yes.... I lost about one pound.   In the future, I will develop a metric for reporting this, but I have to ease into it.

Chicken Little

The ICE Age has passed but is sure to return.   Please Liberals.... DO SOMETHING!!!!!

208

Yesterday, we had dinner with our old Beverly Ave. Neighbors, Tommy and Linda O'Shea, and Jim and Kathy Peabody.

Jim is a charcoal grilling aficionado and he had rotisseried a roast beef.   Tommy O brought his brother Jimmy's award winning clam chowder and Kathy served some incredible stuffed quahogs.

Meanwhile, Linda finished knitted a hat for Katelyn's baby soon to emerge.  The workmanship in her beautiful sweater, blanket and hat for my coming Grandson is unexcelled.

It was a nice evening, and I absolutely overate and drank too many Angry Orchard Hard Ciders.

A big part of my losing weight resolution revolves around eating purposefully rather than indulgently,   And I have to say that in the past, I would have chowed down on the pepperoni and potato chips that Kathy had set out while we waited for the roast to cook.  But eating with good friends and enjoying the food that they are excited to serve to you is something that I can't curb.
It doesn't happen that often and is a part of my life that I would never change.

This morning, my friend and healthy life mentor, Christos Laganos, posted on Facebook that he thought my 60 lb. loss goal might be unrealistic and possibly unhealthy in the next nine months. I heard his words.

I am going to integrate the daily aerobic priority, add some strength training and eat purposefully rather than indulgently. Wherever this path leads, I will accept, but I have to believe that substantial lbs. will drop if I can make this habitual choice over the course of this year. I have pledged to drop 60 by August, but If not 60, it will be what it is. Eventually, I hope to live the rest of my life lugging less than 200 lbs around.

 I like the idea, expounded in the book "Younger Next Year", that getting your daily workout in is a job... an obligation to you and those who depend upon you.... rather than an accessory daily activity. That mindset changes a lot because I never miss a day of work

Christos posted on Facebook, " you will struggle to lose weight at first, then you will see good results followed by a plateau. This stage is where most people pack it in and fold. Just soldier on. Eventually your metabolism will begin the slow, permanent change that your new lifestyle will shape. Then you will resume a slow but steady weight loss, in the order of 2 pounds a month until you reach your ideal weight. For you that will probably be around 175-180 pounds. Do the math. That might take 2-3 years. By then you will be locked into your lifestyle."

Like I said before, Christos knows his shit.   I would like to transform as soon as possible, but his logic compounded by personal experience cannot be denied.

209 to go

Two Hundred Nine days to go.

It's been three days since I threw down the gauntlet and told you Peeps that I was sick of being called "Big Guy".... which is always a euphemism for "Fat Shit".

Since that time, I have hit the Cybex Stationary Cycle for two 45 min. sessions and started a routine of push ups and wheel ab stretches..... as in .... it is nearly impossible for me to do a couple at this time.... but that will change.  The next Cybex workout will be in an hour or so.

More importantly, I have resolved to get an aerobic workout in six times a weeks, and a weight workout in two times a week.... and stop eating crap.

This prescription comes from a book that I read this morning,  "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge, published by Workman Publishing in 2007.  Christos Laganos told me that this was one of the books that changed his life and I can easily recognize how Chris has benefited by comparing points made in the book with the way he and his wife, Yolanda, live their life.

The book gives a scientific basis for why exercise is crucial in modern lifestyles and mandates in non-negotiable terms that daily vigorous aerobic exercise is essential to a a healthy life.... and that you have to treat working out in the same manner as if it were your job.

In analyzing how to meet this resolution, it became clear that it will not happen by simply saying to myself to get up and exercise every morning.   I had to go back to a time when vigorous exercise was a way of life.... when I was in school and on the track team.  Back then, every workout started between two-thirty and three o'clock in the afternoon.   So I marked off two hours everyday on my Google calendar between two-thirty and four-thirty.

Since my job gives me a lot of flexibility, I have carefully calculated how this routine can be accomplished while still meeting all of the obligations of Nanepashemet Telecom.  Basically, most business happens in the morning, processing mid-morning to early afternoon.  Not much happens after lunch, but a lot of people like to tie things up late in the afternoon before the business day is over.  

So the 2:30 time slot is probably the best chance for exercise success.

My hope and belief is that I can keep up this routine for the next 209 days.... and that about sixty seven lbs. of me will have disappeared by that time