POTW Week 37

I know that this is a late entry, but I had yet another automatic Peep of the Week selection, so I can't let this pass by, no matter how tardy.
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After their real estate passing, where I was the Buyer's Broker, Michael "Murph" Murphy and Beth Capobianco Murphy showed their appreciation with a gift of the King of Scotch.
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Not only is this a class move, it also assures a life of happiness and prosperity for the Murphy family at their new Southboro home.
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ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 37th Week of 2010.


Michael "Murph" Murphy (Automatic)
Beth Capobianco Murphy (Automatic)
Michael Nestor
Susan Frary
Jennefer Grey
Eric Johnson

If I thought that I would get a bottle of Lagavulin every time I was a Buyer's Broker, then I probably would redirect my entire career.  But not everyone is as thoughtful and sensitive as Murph.

Ups and Downs

Peeps....
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It's been an eventful couple of days.
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Filled with ups and downs.
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Started with the startling loss of our zoning petition in western Mass on Wednesday night.  A new first for me as the adversaries in the audience decided to get personal,  and claimed that I was only involved with the petition in order to make money....  No shit Sherlock... It's my freaking job.
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I can't remember when the last time was that I've  lost a petition, but this loss really pisses me off.  I've recommended to the client that they appeal in Superior Court, and I sure hope that they do, because I want to see the look in the faces of those condo commandos when we put that beautiful monopole up in full view of their back decks.
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Everything changed the next morning when we had the closing for former Peep of the Year, Michael Murphy and his beautiful wife Beth.  They bought their dream home in Southboro, with a pool that will undoubtably receive some laps at my expense next summer.  Mike and Beth were thrilled and I was so happy to be their Buyer's Broker.
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Then things changed again as I ended the day in Nashua, NH at a wireless outing where I ran into a Douche Bag client who owes me money.   Said Douche Bag was a little taken back when I asked him where my money was when he was filling his plate at the buffet table...  He mentioned something like... "This is entirely inappropriate."   Well here is what's inappropriate, Douche Bag.... Harrassing people and treating them like assholes for their product, then not paying them after the invoice is 90 days over due.
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Douche Bag.
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The things changed again at the Happy Clam in Rockland, Me., where we met the Johnson's and the Frary's for clams and Wiener Schneitzel.
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So.... we left things on the up trend.

IPod Replacement

Somebody stole my IPod a while ago.
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I didn't make a big thing out of it, because if some loser has to steal an IPod, then he needs it a lot more than I do.
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Plus, I was resolved to get an IPad anyway.
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But then I broke down on one of my late night Amazon.com spending sprees and bought a new IPod Touch, Generation 4.
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Huge upgrade over the Gen 2 IPod that was stolen, in terms of a camera and wifi Skype abilities.  And I got all of my Banjo music back from Itunes.
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So the IPad will have to wait.

Aggie Test

Now that the Patriots game is over for the week, the attention of most deserving Nanepashemet Peeps will be riveted to Thursday night when the official Division 1 NCAA Nanepashemet Football Team, Assistant Coach Ben Martin's Texas A&M Aggies will be playing against Oklahoma.
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The Aggies are 3 and OH, but I can't say that I've been impressed by the competition (since I basiscally never heard of the schools before).
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But the Oklahoma Sooners should be a better test of whether our boy, Superpeep Martin, has a true winner on his hands.

Mike N said...

Oklahoma State is who they're playing. The Oklahoma State University Cowboys. Pay attention.

___________________________________________

Thanks Mike, but Oklahoma is Oklahoma.  Can't see much difference from here.

Change of Season

To celebrate the Patriots victory over Buffalo this afternoon, I made myself the first Nanepashemet Classic Fall Cocktail of the season... Seagrams 7 Canadian Whiskey and Apple Cider.   The cider has a bit more carbs in it than I would wish, but a Nanepashemet Official Cocktail has to eclipse dietary considerations.
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BTW.... It doesn't matter whether you use Seven or VO, or even Canadian Club.  So you might as well go with the more economical blend.... it's all good.
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So even though it was a pretty warm weekend, autumn has officially begun for Nanepashemet Nation.

POTW Week 36

So it's well known by most of you that I view myself as a Mountain of a Man.   And I could give numerous examples that would back up this perception.  But this is boring to me, and I really don't care whether you agree or not.
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But what is not so well known is that before I became a Mountain of a Man, Bobby Brown had already attained that coveted position.  Again, no explanation of why will be offered.  
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Suffice it to say, that Bobby reaffirmed his status with the gift of a bottle of the King of Scotch, Lagavulin Single Malt yesterday, which made a fruitless fishing expedition ultimately worthwhile.
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Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 36th Week of 2010

Bobby Brown (Automatic Lagavulin)
Bob Wojcik
Jessica Rincon
Alex Watts
Lisa Panakio Rowe
Gail Johnson

Lagavulin makes everything seem better.

Crimson Quid Pro Quo

So Harvard University has this quid pro quo going on that is basically this...
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If the US Military stops it's "don't ask, don't tell" policy about homosexuals serving in the military... then Harvard will allow an ROTC presense on campus after a forty year hiatus.
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Oh Man..... they really have us over a barrell.   How can we exist without a Harvard ROTC program???
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But..... do we really need Harvard future venture capitalists taking a detour into military service after a stint with the Reserve Officer Training Corps???   Maybe not.     Come to think of it......
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Hey Harvard.... Stick it up your Crimson Ass.... so to speak.  (With no disrespect to my Gay brothers and sisters).
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We don't need a bunch of your namby pamby liberal ivy leagers coming out as second lieutenants anyway.
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So keep your bullshit ban on ROTC.  And we won't ask, and won't tell.

Murph's Peep of the Month Initiative

Michael Murphy, Former Nanepashemet Peep of the Year writes....
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I am about to do something that goes against everything this blog stands for. It's illegal, unethical, unconstitutional, it might even anger some people. It goes over the head of the CEO of Nanepashemet but I have no choice. As a former POTY I will take my chances. I am officially creating a category and a nomination for a peep. This is beyond POTW and POTY. This is a lifelong commitment. This is a nomination for a National Peep of the Month. The same Month, Every Year, it doesn't matter. The Peep of the Month takes precedence over any other POTW that has been nominated that month and remember, there are only 12 months so only 12 lucky peeps will enter this Shrine…..EVER. Once you are nominated, unlike POTW or POTY where your time soon will expire, The monthly Peep Reigns for life. Every time you think of that month you will know who the peep is and realize just how big this is. Your name will be associated for life with the month. The nomination is rare, it's special, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and quite frankly it’s a Goddamn honor. so without Further ado, I Murph, former POTY, Hereby declare The man himself, Mr. John J Nestor as September's Peep of the Month. Every September whether this Blog exists or not Jay will be a reigning Peep. He cannot be dethroned, overshadowed, questioned, challenged, or confronted. From this point forward The month of September belongs to Jay people. This nomination is final, non-negotiable, and binding. Jay Congratulations, you are now the official Peep of the Month for September for life. Enjoy this title you certainly have earned it. I herby leave you in charge of appointing 11 more peeps for this honor. It will take time but I know you will choose wisely.
NOG NOG NOG NOG NOG NOG NOG NOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STRAWBERRY HILL BABY!

Michael T. Murphy
AVP - Corporate Accounting
Financial Analysis & Reporting
State Street Corporation
Copley Place
100 Huntington Avenue, CHP2/T2
Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 617.664.8320
Fax: 617.664.4666
mtmurphy@statestreet.com

____________________________________________________________

What the hell do they have in the water cooler at State Street?????

Liars

The bad thing about liars is that they lie so much that they forget their lies.   Then they deny that they said the lie in the first place.    This inconsistency doesn't really bother them.
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Because they're liars.
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In the end they hurt themselves.... and complain to everybody who will listen about how hard, unfair and bad their lives are.  
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Another Lie.
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Here's a little word of advice from the Bard... you pathetic losers.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

Fishing Plans

Its' the last real week of the summer.  Eighty Degree temps are predicted for Friday, so I think that I will be taking the WhaleEye out for a last ditch chance to find some Striper or Bluefish Blitzes.
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They'll be some fine Peeps on board and plenty of libation, so it really won't matter if we catch fish.  But catching fish would go so well with friends and drinks.

Mike N said...

Find some cod.

The Cod is a species of fish that has been a proven commodity in trade markets internationally. Its great population off the shores of Massachusetts in the 17th and 18th centuries enabled the idea of economic stabilization and independence for the early settlers.

Now, hippies try to protect them....Vona's try to catch them...I like to stick them in my pants

Super Salmon

There is a big furor on the news tonight about genetically engineered salmon.  Seems like science has introduced some Pacific Salmon genes as well as those from other fish into Atlantic Salmon that causes it to grow three times as fast and bigger than its wild counterpart.
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Protesters are calling it "Franken Fish" and urging the FDA  to ban it.
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I hope they don't stop at a KFC on the way home from the protest.   Because the chicken that they eat have been genetically engineered for centuries.   Have you seen a white feathered chicken pecking around in the field and woods lately?
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If you don't want to eat some beefed up Salmon, then freaking don't eat it.   But don't tell me what to eat.  In fact, I'm kind of in the mood for a Kentucky Fried Chicken Double Down right about now.

dougmaxfield said...
Just remember, modified chickens can't escape and wipe out the wild population of, oh, say partridge. Generally when we (the smart ones?) introduce a non-native life form, some unforeseen disaster follows. I'd hate to see some freak salmon that shouldn't exist eat all of the lobsters in Marblehead harbor. And yes, this particular scenario is far-fetched; but not that far-fetched.

Aggies Scare

Florida International University gave the Nanepashemet Official Division I NCAA Football Team, the Texas A&M Agggies whose assistant Offensive Line Coach is our own SuperPeep, Benny Martin, quite a scare, as the Aggies had to come from behind in the 4th quarter to salvage a win, 27 to 20.
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A win is a win.  The Martin Dynasty contines.

Off the Wagon

Tommy O and Linda dropped by for an innocent cocktail last evening, and after my third Mount Gay and Coke Zero, I lost all of my self control and ordered Chinese from Feng Wah.
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Completely off of the no carb wagon - especially with the garlic noodles and the pork fried rice.
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Normally there would be extensive remorse and self loathing over this act of dietary weakness, but I had a very physically active morning yesterday... shoveling and spreading two yard of loam into the backyard and Beverly Ave. and doing four property showings.
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Our Beverly Ave. property showed very well, and we have a hot prospect for the Sundance School site, so optimism prevails.   Since we got Beverly Ave so spiffy clean and organized, I think that it might be our preference to stay here, but I'm sure that when Khalsa Design architects have finished the plans for Sundance, that will be an exciting option too.
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Crunch time will be when the offers start to appear, which might not be too long.
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But it's back on the no carb regimen today.  I'll get my exercise in by pulling the lobster traps before the Patriots Game.

POTW Week 35

I was just talking to Kevin Rockett up at the Gerry about how unbelieveable it is that people stiff you in business.  They ask you to do the work and then they just don't pay you.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps pf the Week for the 35th Week of 2010,

Kevin Rockett
Dave Bruett
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jane Curtain
Maria Rowen
Mike Murphy

We don't have that problem at Nanepashemet Telecom.  Because we are such pricks to you if you don't pay us.

Smooth Sailing

Our Nanepashemet Telecom work in Washington and Baltimore is going well.  So is the project in Richmond, VA.  The New England work continues to cook away.  The Oregon work is on hold, but I'm pretty optimistic that it can kick in.
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So what is the problem???
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Nothing.
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I was just saying.

Deck Chair Arrangement

So the Spindoctor ABC Newscasters are saying that the Tea Party victories in Tuesday's primary elections represent a split and challenge to the Republican Party.
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It can't be that they just don't get it.
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They are trying to build a breakwater in front of a tsunami.
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Pelosi and Obama and their advocacy for the incursion of Big Government into our private lives.... these are the targets of this movement.  The Republican primaries were just the first indication of this wave.
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Any efforts by the thought police to deflect this tsumani are counter productive....  Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.  
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Let's see how they spin things in November.

Professional Sports Reporting

My heart goes out for Inez Sainz, the Mexican Sports reporter who was harassed by the New York Jets by catcalls and footballs thrown her way during practice.
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The marrried, mother of three was just trying to do her job.
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Imagine the depravity of someone who would catcall her!!!  Sexcrazed, perverted Jets players.
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It's just another reason why I'm a Patriots fan.
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There's just no justice for a smoking hot Reporter who has to hang around in professional football player's locker rooms in skin tight every day attire.
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When can we finally learn to treat people with the respect that they deserve?


Tuna Lips said...
I would eat me a mile of droppings to kiss her behind, I would I tells ya.

Bonus Kayak

You too can own this Mecca of Nanepashemet Devotees.
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If you meet our reasonable asking price, I may even throw in a kayak or two.

Eat to Live

A side benefit of my low carb diet has been increased energy.  You don't get that heavy fatigue in the late afternoon, and you can get a lot more done.
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As much as I like pizza, bread, pasta and potatoes.... it's easy to give them up in exchange for losing weight and feeling more energetic throughout the day.
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So when I get to my ideal weight around the end of this year, it will be interesting to see if I can integrate the foods that I love, while maintaining the energy level.   I'm starting to see the logic in "Eating to Live" rather than "Living to Eat".

Aggies Roll

Texas A&M romped over Louisiana Tech yesterday by a lopsided score of 48 to 16.
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Our boy Benny is undefeated.

Real Estate for Sale

I got a lot done today.   I was disappointed with the Nanepashemet Real Estate For Sale signs that I had ordered, and had to trim them with some wood that I had in the garage.  With a mahoghany cap, they came out looking a little cool if I say so myself, and they are now sitting outside the Sundance School and Beverly Ave.
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Our strategy is to sell the first property that goes and either move to West Shore Drive or stay put at Beverly Ave.   Each alternative has its good points and both would be acceptable for different reasons, which I won't get into here... plus it's none of your damn business anyway.
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I mean... it doesn't matter where I live as far as this Blog is concerned.... the timeliness, intelligence, decadence, poignancy, and overall coolness will be there wherever I sit down to write it.   So I don't need all sorts of drama coming from you just because we might be moving.
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Deal with it.

Kelsey O said... 

If I wasn't at school I would be recreating the scene from Step Brothers where they take extreme measures for their house not to be sold, Katy would be wrapped up in a shower curtain on the front lawn. 

Burning Books

This Koran burning Pastor Jones in Florida is a whack job.
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He shouldn't be burning Scripture of any religion, but since he is a whack job.... what the hell can you do?...... and why should anyone be taking him seriously???
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If he wants to burn Korans, Bibles, or Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat books.... we really shouldn't give a shit.
He's a whack job.
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Burning a Bible can't hurt a Christian.
And burning a Koran can't hurt a Muslim.
Faith is not a piece of paper.

Jim L. said... 

Also, flag burning doesn't hurt Americans. We've seen a lot of it and it doesn't lessen our resolve. 

Weight Loss Trend

In response to the incessant inquiries regarding my weight loss program.... I'm now on day 35 of my specialized low carb, but have a beer once in awhile regimen, and have been losing weight averaging a little less than 1/2 a pound a day.
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I cheated outright only once when I had some spaghetti and meatballs with the GrandKids.
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It's important to weigh yourself and record the data every day, and I've constructed a chart in Excel which shows the fluctuations.   Rather than a steady weight loss, it seems like there is a five pound range that decreases as a whole about a 1/2 pound per day.   So I vary up and down over this loss trendline either 2.5 lbs above or 2.5 lbs. below.
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It's no use being depressed when you are at the top of the range or elated when at the bottom.  The daily weight is not the indication.... the average trendline is.
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Exercise is crucial in addition to the carb intake.   I've had some very active weekends working on property maintenance projects that have taken the place of sessions on the Cybex, but have lacked the consistency of exercise that could make a much greater pace.
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But the key is patience.   It took a while for me to become "Big Guy" (aka "Fat Shit").  Can't expect to get back into shape right away.   What has taken a gradual thirty years to attain can't be turned around in a month.
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But my current trend indicates that it can be turned around in about five months.  And I'm only a little over the first month in.

Two Wrongs

Two wrongs don't make a right.
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You don't build a mosque at ground zero to ingratiate radical Islamists and you don't burn Korans to insult them.
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Once again, in the name of religion, people will be hurt and killed by these wrongs.  Radical Imams' and Crazy Christian Ministers' - hard to tell the difference.  Hate is the common factor

Lucky Dog.

President Obama says he gets treated like a dog.
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What the hell does that mean?
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He gets to live for free in a a big Southern Mansion, takes vacations anytime he wants, plays a lot of golf, sneaks in a smoke once in awhile.
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Where does the dog part come in?  C'mon Prez.  Ease off of the whining.   Stay with the Hope and Change theme and cut the dog talk.
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Lucky dog!

Shrine for Sale

It was a nice cool weekend and I took advantage of it by getting our Beverly Ave. house ready to be put on the market.   That mean't taking care of a few long term projects like trimming out the front door, shingling and painting the side of the garage, and repairing the cupola.  Joanne put a great dent in the work that we have to finish in the basement
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I installed a really cool tuna copper weathervane on the garage that I bought last year in Bar Harbor.  I was waiting to install it when Ryan came home as some sort of a symbolic welcoming, but I thought that it could be a good selling point.... so up it went.
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The Marblehead residential market is brisk, despite the national real estate doldrums, so I'm hopeful that this property sells reasonably fast.
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There are some additional details to take care of, but I'll probably list the property next week.
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I know that Beverly Ave. is a sacred Nanepashemet shrine, and I'm not a price gouger, so if you Peeps are of a mind to make me an offer, rest assured that I will give you a good deal.

Honest and Hardworking.

So I let this Stupid POS Real Estate Broker get under my skin the other day and I looked him up on his web page.
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Naturally the page starts up with some Bullshit music which is always super irritating.   Anybody who puts music on their home page is a Loser from the get go.
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Then I get to the part where he describes himself as "Honest and Hardworking".
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There you go......
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Anybody who has to describe himself as "honest" never misses the chance to screw anybody.... including his sisters and first cousins.   And if he has to say he is "hard working" then you know that he is a lazy shit who always takes the easy way out.
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What an Asshole.

POTW Week 33

Last night Mike commited a Cardinal Sin.
Not against the Catholic Catechism or other such nonsense.... this was much worse.
This was a sin against the Nanepashemet Way of Life.
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He came home from a rigorous evening at the Three Cod and Maddies in Marblehead.... woke me up from a sound sleep on the couch, then insisted that we have a beer.
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A good enough reason to wake, but then I heard the ice cubes jinggling and Mike came in with two Lagavulins on the rocks.
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Now that's a reason to be proud of your son.
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Soon he got a call from Coach Martin of the Texas A&M Aggies who was giving him a blow by blow of the Aggies impressive win over Stephen Austin (who the hell is that anyway?)
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Imaginine my horror when I watched Mike get so drowsy talking to Ben that he almost fell asleep, then nodded off immediately after the call..... with a full glass of Lagavulin gone to waste.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 33th week of 2010.

Kelsey O'Shea
Steve Lewis
Mike Murphy
Ben Martin
Mike Nestor
Emily Engardia

My apologies to the King of Scotch.

Martin Momentum

So it was a split decision as the Nanepashemet Official NCAA Football teams took the field yesterday.
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Merrimack went down to Slippery Rock 45 to 26,  while the Texas Aggies trounced Stephen Austin 48 to 7.
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Could this have anything to do with the transfer of SuperPeep Ben Martin from his line coaching job at Merrimack to Texas A&M? 
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I'd hate to think that Ben alone could be responsible for the demise of one team, and the success of another.
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But the facts are the facts.
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Statistics Don't Lie.

Hillegas 1922 Ten Dollar Bill

Weather Ear

Storms are great for TV News organizations and Politicians.
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As Hurricane Earl gets ready to give us a little kiss on the cheek, our Massachusetts Governor Patrick is in the path of the cameras.   Maybe I'm jaded, but I can't think of one thing that I need the government to tell me in order to weather the storm.
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The Government won't pull the WhaleEye out of the water, it won't secure my lobster traps, it won't buy me groceries or candles, and it won't lessen any wind or rain coming my way.
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So I really don't care what the Governor has to say about this much hyped Hurricane.
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If he wants to talk about lowering taxes, or stimulating the economy.... I'm all ears.

Victory in the Middle East

It's nice that we have declared victory in Iraq.  I predict now a huge influx of Iraqqi immigrants to the US.
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Mo Mosques.
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BTW, let's get the hell out of Afghanistan and leave that sketchy piece of dirt to the goats and poppy fields.
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 Terrorists no longer come from there....they come from Radical Islamists right here in America like that whackjob Army officer in Texas.   I'd rather they go back to living with the goats.

Settling for Less

Business is Hard.
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The American capitalistic system that demands competition tends to put the squeeze on you.  You want to tell the Prospect, who is tightening the grip on you,  to take a hike, but you know that the competition will probably cave to their unrealistic demands.
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It's a wonder that we make any money at all.   But we do.
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The competitive pressure causes innovation to create a margin where you didn't think one existed.   And this advances techology which helps us in the long run.
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So Today wasn't a million dollar day.  But hopefully it might be a thousand dollar day.  And we'll have to settle for that.

POTW Week 32

Perfect weather for a Sunday

Announcing....



Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 32nd Week of 2010

Nancy Kelleigh
Louise Turner
Gail Johnson
Paul Lynch
Bob Pisano
Paul Spreadbury

We'll be taking Will and Ethan for a boat ride.

A Nice Start

The sun is out.  It's Saturday morning. Gas in the Truck.  Had a nice BM (which has become a rarity in my newly adopted low carb lifestyle).
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The Greatest Grandkids in the World are coming over for the weekend and we'll be taking them for some FreshAyer.  Mike and Kate are coming to Marblehead to hang with them too.
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Did a "Marblehead Pub Crawl" with Dale and Gail Johnson last night that took us from the Dolphin Yacht Club to the Boston YC to the Gerry Club.   So I guess it wasn't a "Pub" Crawl as much as a "Club" Crawl.  Hence the term "Marblehead Pub Crawl".
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All of the cocktails and revelry screwed my diet.  Mostly the Cocktails.  So I'm a bit more heavy headed this morning than desired, but the kids will snap me out of it.
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Life is good.

Sundance Last Chapter

We put the Sundance School building up for sale today.   The end of an era.   The school  was great for Joanne, and I know that it was great for a lot of other people.
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But the numbers were down and some other factors entered in, so it was time to pack it in.
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I'm going to position the sale to take advantage of the elevator and the handicapped accessibility of the building.   The home will be a great place for a special needs family. 
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So that will be the last good deed done by Sundance.

Slimeball Sililoquy

So the other day, a Slimeball said he didn't respect me.
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When will the Slimeballs get the message????
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I don't want a Slimeball, POS, Asshole to respect me.  Because if he/she did.... then I'd be a slime ball too.
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So in case you are reading this... You Slimeball.... Kiss My Ass.   Try telling somebody else how ethical and honest you are.   You are a Slimy Slimeball and I could give a shit what you think of me.
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Strike that.  I want you to hate me.  Because that makes me the opposite of you.
~
You Slimeball.

dougmaxfield said...
How much do I love this logic? "Hate me, because that makes me the opposite of you". Gold, Jerry, Gold.

IPad Order

Have I told you that I have been lusting for an Apple IPad?
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I want one in the worst friggin way.
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I want one wicked bad.
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I Need one.
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But I've been holding back.... waiting for a good time to order one.
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Maybe next week.

Harvey Rowe said...


I just gave in.....Received my IPAD TODAY...Didn't need it...but ...

_____________________________________________________________
Harvey having an IPad makes me want one even more.
Life is so unfair.

Bad Mood Ads

I continue to be annoyed everytime I see a Bernie and Phyl's Furniture commercial.  The five people in that family are just so irritating to watch.  Painfully unattractive people with absolutely no speaking talent.  Plus it seems so egotistical to do your own ads.
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I'm sure that they are nice people in real life, and Phyl has MS and stuff, but their ads put me in a bad mood every time.
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Yet any furniture that Joanne and I have bought for the past ten years or so have been from Bernie and Phyl's.  Their price and quality are good.  So I guess I've been contributing to the source of my own aggravation.
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That happens a lot to me.

Peep Selection Process

Peeps -
Of late, I've been running into some of you who innocently are unaware of the Peep of the Week selection process.   I know that this is insulting and degrading to most of you who place your entire pitiful existance on what goes on in this pathetic Blog.... but it is just simply a fact.
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So, as part of my unending patience as a Mountain of a Man, I once again ... for the umpteenth freaking time... explain the coveted and sanctified selection criteria.
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To be a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week, you have to fit the following criteria.

• Have done something inspirational and/or annoying.
• Can't be Dead.
• Can't be an Animal (must be Human).

However, you are automatically a Peep of the Week if you bought me a bottle of Lagavulin (the King of Scotch) that week. (Last week, I got two bottles.) Over the past five years, I've had quite a few "Automatics".
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If you buy me a case of Lagavulin, you automatically become the Peep of the Year, deposing whoever is the reigning Peep of the Year (POTY). (This has never happened though).
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Also... a very important point is that you can never ask to be a POTW, and you can never ask why you were named a POTW.

 ~

So it's a fairly straightforward process.   Aren't you sorry you asked?

Jill Phillips said...


So I have a question for you!!!! I just found out that the building I work in has multiple wireless towers on the roof. Is that safe? Don't they give off dangerous levels of radiation? Your expertise and intelligence is appreciated. Thanks Clark!

________________________________________________________
A great question Jill.   All of the existing science says that there is no danger unless you are standing directly in front of a transmitting antenna (which I frequently do... and I'm totally ok).

You have faxes, tv programs, radio, cosmic waves, etc constantly passing though your body, yet people see a cell phone antenna and freak out.   I don't get it.   If cell phones and antennas were bad for you, then you and your friends would undoubtably be dead by now in my opinion based upon your level of calls and texting.

Jim L. said...
I wonder if she has noticed any increase in gang activity on the roof?

Forgeting Your Faith

I don't give a hot damn if our POTUS, Barack Obama is a Muslim.  It just would be nice if he acted wisely and in good faith.    That means, if he believes in the sermons of Reverend Wright, or faces Mecca in daily prayer, he admits it to the people that he serves.  That's the only reason that his true faith is an issue.


~
Let's face it.....Nobody makes a verbal mistake about what faith he is in a filmed interview... or anywhere else.  
~
But our biased ABC News Anchor, George Stephanopoulos was quick to help BO correct his faux pas.

Cocky and Obnoxious

Our Washington DC project is turning out very well.  Naturally, Nanepashemet Telecom is turning out deliverables ahead of schedule and the client is impressed.... so much so that we are about to expand now into Atlanta and the Carolinas.
~
And I'm seriously looking into opening our long awaited West Coast office in the Pacific Northwest.
~
Don't worry Peeps.  If Nanepashemet morphs into a large scale corporation spewing out obscene amounts of cash, I'll still be the same Mountain of a Man that you follow so pathetically on a daily basis.  Only slightly more cocky and obnoxious.

Mini Kate

This is my daughter Katelyn trying to fool me.....
~
I know it's a big chair Kate.
~
It's not a mini you

No Carb Loophole

My no carb diet has been going fairly well... but I've been in denial.   I've stayed away from Carbs in food, but have run fast and loose with carbs in liquids.
~
So Sam Adams, Dark and Stormies, Tangeray and Tonic have all been very much in the daily diet.  
~
This is not good... but it is much easier to avoid food in a social situation for me than to avoid a friendly beer.   And when some special Peeps ask for Dark and Stormies, I haven't had the discipline to push away a glass of the coveted Nanepashemet Summer Cocktail.
~
It seems like I'm falling off of the pace because of these loopholes in the no carb effort.  Even cranberry juice has more carbohydrates that I'm supposed to consume.
~
So I'll stock up on soda water, Fresca, and Diet Coke and see if I can rev this program into high gear for awhile.   Although, I won't swear off a sip of Lagavulin from time to time.

Jim L. said...


This doesn't seem to bode well for another evening of Sam's and good conversation.

_______________________________________________________________________
Exceptions will be made.... Jim.

POTW Week 32

Sometimes I feel bad that so many of you deserving Peeps go out of your way to become Peeps of the Week automatically by buying me a bottle of the King of Scotch... Lagavulin.
~
But not too bad.
~
This week was unique in that two bottles of Lagavulin made their way into my grateful hands by the combined efforts of four people.
~

Announcing....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 32nd Week of 2010

Rich Ellis (shared Automatic)

Jake Ellis (shared Automatic)

Bob Wojcik (shared Automatic)

Deb (shared Automatic)

Ed Hudson.

~
Granted, we all had a fine lobster dinner, but the Lagavulin has so much meaning. for me.

Golf Update

Peeps.
~
Got in 18 holes yesterday at a tournament with some old GD friends... Bob Wojcik, Rich Ellis and Ed Hudson.   It was  a scramble format and we came in at eleven under.
~
The good news is that my golf game has not deterioriated.
~
It's still wicked bad, but it hasn't gotten worse.
~
Even though I drained a couple of 20 foot putts, I can't say that my putting has improved either.  I think that was just a little on the lucky side.
~
And I still hate golf, but had fun anyway.

Hell Fire Wish

So Nancy Pelosi is not only for the monument to glorify the destruction of the Twin Towers in 911.... ie the Mosque at Ground Zero.... she also wants "transparency" for anyone who funds the Mosque.
~
How can anybody vote for her?????   She is so freaking out of touch.
~
I'm sorry Peeps, but there are somethings that I just don't understand and I just can't explain.
~
I don't believe in Hell, but I'm starting to wish there was one so that Pelosi and her supporters could wallow in eternal agony.   Maybe she could pass as one of the 70 virgins that the Muslim Martyrs are entitled to.
~
Such an Asshole.
~
Ironically, everything to date so far indicates the chances of the Mosque being built in Manhattan are small because of the amateurish process followed by the Cordoba Group, the development arm.   So all this angst and vituperation has only served to turn a light on our nation's leaders, the President and the Speaker of the House.... highlighting their viewpoints and leadership ability.
~
So maybe the Mosque is good afterall.

Taking a Stand

Barack Obama voted "Present" in the Illinois State Senate 130 times. That's 130 times that he refused to take a stand.
~
That's 130 times when he said "I'm not for it.... but I'm not against it."   "I'm not going to tip my hand because........"   Why????
~
There should be a rule against voting "Present".    Our elected leaders should be forced to take a stand.  Vote yes or no.   Not "I Dunno"  or "I can't decide"  or "I'm too freaking chickenshit to tell you how I really feel."
~
I have never had respect for people who vote "present".   BO did it 130 times and now he's President of the United States.

Wild Urban Turkeys

Those who follow this pathetic Blog know that I get a big kick out of the birds that show up on my Bird Feeder.
~
Naturally, a lot of the seeds fall to the ground below, and this morning I saw this turkey with her four chicks foraging there.
~
Pretty cool since we live in a completely urban area on a small 5,000 sf lot that is fenced in on three sides.
~
The comeback that turkey's have made is really impressive.  They were so rare in my childhood that I never expected to glimpse one in the wild.... let alone my urban back yard.

Jim L. said... 

And, Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. 

Losing Tolerance

It's back out to Western Massachusetts tonight for another session of permit hearings for the evil communications monopole that threatens to ruin the health and financial livelyhood of the fine neighboring condominium residents.
~
One of the processes in this work is to pull the public file of prior hearings for sites of this type which have already been built.   It's always interesting to see the angst and vituperation in the opponents testimony to the innocuous pole that now stands.... without any of the earth shattering consequences that were predicted to occur in the hearing.
~
Course in the present case, it has never been disclosed by the opposing condominium residents  that half of the complex already stares straight into a lattace tower that is as unsightly as these things get.  I'm just curious to know how this existing tower has affected their lives.
~
We'll probably never know, because they don't mention it.
~
Hopefully, this meeting won't be another late night session, because I hate the commute back to Marblehead for these things.    Plus.... adding insult to injury, this is starting to cut into the profit margin of Nanepashemet Telecom because our contract makes us eat all of these extra hearings.
~
So my tolerance for resident's claims that exaggerate and mislead is starting to waiver a bit.

Ass Kicking

Many of you Peeps are Rough, Tough, Hard to Bluff, and Damn Good Looking.... just like I am.
~
But let me let you in on a secret.    I haven't thrown a punch in over twenty years.
~
And there is a good reason for it.
~
When you get older, you have assets, you have a salary, etc.... when you let it fly.... the assholes sue you.  Doesn't matter if you are right or wrong... when the lawyers and the prosecutors get involved.... you are going to pay.
~
So think about it before you decide to kick some ass..... remember that it's not like the old days in High School when you had nothing to lose.

Get Back to the Dory

This video gets me really antsy about getting the Marblehead Gunning Dory back on the workbench.  But I still have a few pressing priorities.

Nice Start

I've purposefully avoided all of you Peeps who've asked me how much weight I've lost since staying off of the carbs for the last 12 days or so.
~
It goes without saying that it is none of your freaking business.
~
Nonetheless, as a Mountain of a Man, I realize that I must maintain the standards, set the bar, show the way for the rest of you hapless, disoriented, and uncharted Peeps.  It is a burden that I must bear.
~
So the fact is that I have lost 12 pounds in the first 12 days of this no carb, disciplinary period.... for a ratio of 1 lb per day.   I know that this rate will fall off over the remaining 75 days, but I'm pretty psyched at the start.  My goal is to get under 200 lbs  during the disciplinary period... but don't want to get too good looking too fast.

Classless, Hostile, and Insensitive

BO came out today and said that people have a constitutional right to build a mosque on Ground Zero.
~
He is absolutely correct by the laws of this nation, but if allowed to stand alone, it is the statement of a pussy.
~  
Let's face it.  The only reason that a Mosque is being planned for an area where radical Isamists scored a twisted victory is to memorialize the successful act of Radical Islam.
~
In the United States, we have separated church and state.   Where this has not happened in the Muslim world, it should be understood that the actions of the Muslims at Ground Zero were nationalistic as well as religious.
~
Obama's leadership here takes a narrow legalistic posture and negates the real reason that the Mosque is proposed.... to mock us and flip the finger at the American culture.   Mr President... protect the Constitution, but stand up and proclaim your real feelings here.   What do you feel about the gesture here to mock us, and deride us???????
~
Yes, the proponents of this Mosque have the right to build if they comply with zoning laws.   And I for one would allow it to happen..... but not without labeling in as a classless, hostile, and insensitive action.  It takes advantage of the liberties that this nation stands for.

Axiom

Every time anybody takes the opportunity to tell you that they are an ethical person.... they are doing something to screw you. Acting unethically. I have never seen this to fail.

Fun with Johnson's

It was the cocktail party that wouldn't quit last night as the entire Johnson family came over.  That includes reigning Peep of the Year, Jeremy and his beautiful wife, Julie in from Minnesota, the gorgeous Amanda from LA and of course Dale/Buck and Trophy Wife Gail.
~
Grandson Will was rather smitten with Julie and kept up a constant motion.  Mike dropped in which prompted Scuba Steve to come by and even Katelyn made an appearance at the end of the evening.
~
Jeremy had gotten about three hours of FreshAyer with a fake tattoo on his forearm to prove some streetcred with the C.O.'s.   His "THUGLIFE"  tat in Olde English lettering was freaking hilarious, and Ryan was apparently convinced of its authenticity.   He and Ryan had a great visit, and he came back with truckload of stories and anecdotes.
~
Jeremy had also let his beard grow for a week so had some mild, barely discernable fuzz going on with his tattooed audacity.
~
I laughed so hard that I thought my stomach was going to flip.
~
I was thoroughly impressed that Amanda and Jeremy found the King of Scotch, Lagavulin, much to their liking and we finished the last of the bottle that Maria Rowen had bought for me in gaining the coveted Automatic Peep of the Week designation.   We also finished the Laphrogh  and the Jameson's so my liquor cabinet took a good beating.
~
But it was damn worth it.
~
I'm hoping that some of you Peeps will step up for another "Automatic" soon though.

Figity Photos Part Deux

Low Carb

No carbs for 8 days and I've lost about 9 pounds.  There is no doubt that the elimination of bread, pasta, potatoes, cookies and crackers has significant power for weight reduction.   I still have a Sam Adams from time to time.  I mean... I haven't gone freaking crazy about totally dropping every single carbohydrate.   So this is technically a low carb diet.
~
Last night at the My Brother's Table Summer Party, it was easy to stay on  the shrimp and the cheese, and eat stuff off of the bread.  Been eating lots of nuts and cheese to ward off the munchies, where I would ordinarily turn to Cheezits, chips and popcorn.
~
But Man.... I miss my Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia..... really Bad.
~
I definitely feel like I have more energy.   Eggs for Breakfast,  Tuna with no Bread for lunch, Grilled Meat or Fish with Salad for dinner.  And as much cheese and nuts as I feel like in between.   Doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice.  
~
If I have lost 9 already in about a week, it would seem reasonable to be able to be able to lose 30 or so by the end of September.  Then I'll reintroduce macaroni and cheese, and Ben and Jerry's....  and Lay's Potato Chips.   All in moderation.   Plus I have to get some workouts in more consistently.
~
I like this diet better than counting calories because there is no denial - just a choice of different foods.  I'll probably switch to counting calories when I get to my goal weight in about 80 days.

Sarah Palin

I continue to think that she is great.

~

Not afraid to put herself out there.

~

Willing to take the abuse.

~

Dealing with the family issues that we all encounter.

~

Full of honest comment and common sense.

~
Plus she's smoking hot.

~

Deal with it.

Power Day

Yesterday was a power day at Nanepashemet Telecom as we kicked off our project in Washington DC and linked up with our new Mid Atlantic team.  Now more of the country will benefit from the boundless services of Nanepashemet.  Why should New England have all of the fun????
~
We also cut a deal on a killer home in Central MA for some of my favorite Peeps.
~
So what's the problem?
~
Basically getting up at 3:00 AM, having to suit up, and heading to Logan for a 6:00 AM flight always disrupts my natural patterns.  As in ..... no BM.  Then there is the rush to Dulles at the end of the day, only to have the return takeoff to Boston delayed for a couple of hours.   Then, on the packed Jet Blue flight,  I had a nice middle seat surrounded by two guys who didn't seem to share my sexual preference so to speak.  Not that it bothers me, but I made sure that my less than svelt frame stayed clearly within my own seating boundaries.
~
Didn't walk through the door in Marblehead until 10:00 PM.
~
Luckily, I always have my Mountain of a Man levels of endurance to carry me through this type of ordeal.   I can't believe how often that I had to do this when I worked for General Dyamics.  That's one other thing I don't miss about that company.
~
Today, there are a lot of details to take care of that will insure the progress of yesterday.

Monkey's Ass

''as a Monkey that climbs a tree, the higher he goes, the more he shows his Arse.''  - Benjamin Franklin.
~
I had a conversation with a Real Estate Broker today that brought this quote to mind.
~
or... to put it another way....

The faster the Monkey climbs the tree, the more of an Asshole you will see.

Pass is Fading

Despite my efforts to look the other way, Michelle Obama is starting to get on my nerves.
~
All of the cooing that goes on about her with the liberal media.  They even try to make us think that she is some kind of fashionable looker.   I mean, she's not ugly, but let's leave it there.
~
And she doesn't seem to have any intellectural depth.   Her campaign against obesity in children seems to miss the mark somehow.
~
This entourage to Spain... between trips to Bar Harbor, Martha's Vineyard and Florida..... how many of us can afford all of these back to back sojourns.   She's not a private citizen.... see's the Frst Lady of the United States - a title that brings her own White House Staff.   Not a good example when the country is struggling with 9.5% unemployment.
~
Then I listen to people like Cokey Roberts who smirks and says stuff like, "Yes, it's poor judgement and looks bad.  But this will all blow over."
~
In the end, the pass that Michelle and her husband gets will start to wear off, even with all of the swooning.

A Continuing Process

It's back to Marblehead tomorrow after an extended weekend in North Conway.  As painful as the cycling was here, I know from past experience that it will get better if I push though the discomfort and maintain a training regime.
~
I think that I will pull out my old ten speed and see if I can use this to continue the process.  It's an old bike and probably obsolete, but it was always pretty rugged, so I hope that I can bring it back to life with my new found bicycle mechanic ability.
~
Laying off of the carbs has been no problem.  No craving yet for bread, cookies, pizza or pasta.  
~
My plan is to maintain a 100% no carb posture until I lose 20 to 30 pounds, then reintegrate these foods while watching my weight as closely as possible.  I mean... I can't turn my back on macaroni and cheese forever...
~
It would be nice to regulate weight solely by cardio workouts, but if I have to back off the carbs again to maintain, then that's the the way that we will go.

TommyO said...

Hi Jay,

Welcome back buddy.
Lobster has less than 1g per 3 oz. serving. Good to know that your hard work will still reap rewards despite your intake restrictions.
TommyO

Fun Cycling

It would seem that threading a bike chain onto a Shimano Derailleur shouldn't be such a big deal.
~
Wrong Kemosabe.
~
If I didn't have Joanne's bike to use as a model, there would be no way that I could have figured it out.  Plus I naturally dropped a washer while doing the job on the second floor deck, so spent at least a half hour trying to find this which had lodged between the decking boards.
~
The good part is that the mechanism was very nicely engineered and I only needed metric allen wrenches to deal with any of the connections.
~
So I finally fixed the chain after about an hour, then took a 15 mile ride out towards Jackson and back.  The ride was freaking torture.  I kept thinking about the guy that I met in the parking lot who said that he was heading to Ossippi for a 60 Mile loop.   WTF!!!!!  How can I find this so challenging while every peckerhead around seems to be piling up 50 miles for fun and relaxation????
~
Plus, I am acutely saddle sore after this weekend thrust for biking fitness.

Lucky and Happy

Yesterday, in an ambitious bike ride up Hurricane Mountain Road, I shifted quickly down to 1st gear and threw the chain.   Even though I had my allen wrenches with me, I had no idea how that chain was configured on the Shimano gear shifter, and opted to have Joanne bring the F150 to pick me up.
~
Afterward, we followed my intended route but spent a decent amount of time on Hurricane Mountain since some guy had flipped his sports car and the ambulances and wreakers held everyone at bay.   While I was stuck on the side of the road, about 25 rallye cars had roared past me and I suspect that one of them misjudged the tricky turns in this road.
~
At any rate, I felt lucky compared to that driver, with the top of his car all squished.
~
Had my chain not flipped off, it would have been a decent haul back and I probably would have overdone it again, so I was happy with the mishap.  So Day 4 of no carbs laid off of the cardio for the most part.
~
I'll try to repair the bike and rev it up for Day 5.

POTW Week 30

Day 4 of no carbs.   I didn't think that I would be able to walk this morning after my 35 mile bicycle debacle, but I feel surprizingly well

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 30th Week of 2010

Doug Maxfield
Pat Piscatelli
Mike Nestor
Tyler Gill
Jill Phillips
Christos Laganos

So I think I'll give the bike another spin today.

Pushing the Limit

Peeps...
You have got to FREAKING BACK OFF!!
~
All or your emails and vm's about whether I stayed off of the carbs for the 3rd and crucial day in a row.
~
To answer your annoying, irritating, neurotic and sometimes nasty inquiries.... I sailed through the day like gangbusters... not a carb in sight.
~
I started the day with a 15 mile easy bike ride - my normal New Hampshire loop.  Pedaled through with nary a problem.   So in the afternoon, I mapped out a new 20 mile loop and tackled that.   A bit more challenging, but a Mountain of a Man doesn't know how to quit.... which can be mighty painful at times.
~
After 15 miles I was pretty spent and thankful for the drivers who were swerving wide to avoid my erratic pedaling behavior.  But I'm sitting here typing this... proof positive that I again dodged cardiac arrest.



No carbs again for me tomorrow... but maybe no bike rides either.  Have to see if I can get out of bed.
~
I think about my old Lynn English and UMASS classmate, Christos Laganos, who regularly embarks on 100 mile bike rides in the mountains, and my roommate from UMASS, Bob Towne, who is a nationally ranked ultramarathoner and 100 mi trail runner, and my old partner, Harvey Rowe, who routinely scoops up all of the hardware in his Triathlon age group
~
Where have I gone wrong?    These guys have literally got me sucking air.
~
This working for a living routine has got to go... I have to get back into shape.

Jim L. said...
Jay, I remember those dorms out in Amherst were often ripe with a pungent oder, which explains why you thought Laganos was in classes with you. However, I believe I passed out once or twice at his pad in the Back Bay when he was at Northeastern.

Your right, though, about that working for a living, it is constantly getting in the way of my attempts to get into shape. My bike seems to collect more dust than miles.

Weighty Issues

I'm on my second day of no carbs, and its going pretty good.
~
Mike says that no carbs is for pussies... but he's in his twenties and has no freaking idea what's in store for him.
~
Until I was 28, I could eat anything I wanted, with no weight repercussions.  But then, two things happened.  My metabolism changed, and I didn't need so much food or drink, and my career pressures increased and required  more lunch and dinner events.   Plus with family and job responsibilities came far less exercise.
~
So... I heaved on the beef.   Big time.
~
And once you get to a certain overweight and out of shape state, you start to get injured really easy when you do get the chance to do any meaningful exercise.   
~
Another problem that I had was that I used to be a competitive runner, and my ego wouldn't allow me to jog slowly.   So when I began a running routine, I would invariably find a time when I picked up the pace and strained something or threw out my back.
~
Now it appears that keeping off the carbs will do the trick.  I did it before and lost about 20 lbs., then went back on the pizza and mac and cheese lifestyle.   Can't say that this won't happen this time either but I'm going to try and make a run at it.

Pisc said...
Exercise every day for 1 hour, get your heart rate up to 130 and keep it there for 20 minutes. Dieting is for broads, just eat right. Start by having oatmeal for breakfast and some milk. Makes you sh*t proper and set you up for the rest of the day. a 12 to 1 work out will kill your appetite and keep you from jamming food late morning. Have a Muscle Milk before 11 and run with that for energy. Do not eat soy protein. Go with whey.

Yes, I am into this.

northshorewaterman.com said...
Dude, you're old. Stop trying to get to muscle beach. Build yourself a throne; get yourself a goblet (may want to have it bedazzled)and sit back and enjoy all you have created. Think of the lobsters and bluefish that could have met their maker during the allotted 'exercise' time. And for the record, worrying about soy protein vs. whey is for metro-sexuals.
________________________________________________________

Some harsh and cutting remarks from the WaterGuy.   Probably true though.... except for the Whey.  No Way on the Whey, Doug.  You are Way off... about Whey.

Vacation Plans

I was thinking of taking a couple of days off and heading up north - through Coastal Maine and then over  to North Conway.   Not sure when I'll go.  
~
Since I'm the owner at Nanepashemet Telecom, I can take any freaking time off that I want. 
~
So don't push me. 
~
I'll go when I feel like going. 
~
I just don't feel like it right now.
~
One thing that I am going to do is immediately lay off of the carbs.  It's not that I can't get into my pants... it's just so damn hard to button them.   And I'm not going to a larger waist size.   I'm going to go with cardio burns and no carbs until I need a belt to keep the pants from falling down.  The hell with a scale.  I don't care about losing lbs.  ..... just want to be able to grab any old pair of pants from my closet, and put them on with no issues.

Sound the Alarm

It's official.
~
The Gulf Oil Leak is over.  They can't find anything else to clean up.
~
We are damn lucky.... having dodged the Pandemic Swine Flu and the Greatest Environmental Disaster in History in the last year.
~
What was it that Chicken Little said???
Was it "The sky is falling, the sky is falling"?
~
So far, the Obama Administration has had some alarmist tendencies.  Is it some sort of plot to convince us that you should depend on the government for all of your needs?   Or is it poor judgement of the facts? 
~
I suspect a combination of the two

Bachelorette Behind Us

I let my guard down last night and watched the season finale of  "The Bachelorette".

~

Being a Mountain of a Man means that you are not afraid to look like a girlie man from time to time.  Even if it really looks bad.

~

Ali chose Roberto and sent Chris from Dennis, MA packing for home a day early.

~

I called it five minutes into the program.

~
Now that this is behind us, I will be resuming my normal rough, tough, hard to bluff and damn good looking demeanor.

Maria Rowen said...
According to Askmen.com, rough and tough with a little bit of fluff is the perfect combination for the perfect man. They recommend 2-parts John Wayne/1-part Nathan Lane. So when the mood hits, just saddle up your sturdy steed while you sing about surrey with fringe on top...

Review of Hooked

I was starting to feel guilty because I hadn't been to Tina's restaurant, Hooked, even though Mike and Katelyn had brought us home a clam plate from there.  So during a lull today at lunchtime, I asked Joanne to call for some takeout.
~
Another brilliant move by the Mountain of a Man!
~
Joanne got the Spinach Salad with Shrimp.   I was a bit more diet and health conscious, so I ordered the Fried Haddock Sandwich.... with a side of Onion Rings..
~
My considered culinary opinion is that the food was Freaking Delicious and Wicked Good.
~
Joanne just kept making happy sounds as she bit into her shrimp, and I was wrestling with a huge piece of perfectly cooked haddock that wouldn't come close to fitting in the tasty roll.  Which is always a plus.  The rings were great too - not greasy and with cornmeal coating that let the onion come through.
~
When Tina was telling us about the place.... How you could hang around and have a beer or a glass of wine while you waited for your order... I was silent with polite skepticism.  Didn't initially buy into it.
~
But the place really pulls it off... if I ordered dinner for takeout, I would definitely come early and down a beer in the pleasant upscale surroundings at their sitdown ordering area (aka... bar.)
~
There is a good chance that Hooked gets named as a Nanepashemet Official Endorsement in the  Favorite Local Seafood Takeout category... but we have to wait for the statutory probationary period.

POTW Week 29

August is usually a downer month for me, because I typically start the summer with thoughts of all types of things that I will do, and how many fish I will catch, and then I get stuck working for a living and all of a sudden it is August.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 29th Week of 2010

Lew Anne Publicover
Jeff Previte
Hector Brito
Alex Watts
Jeff Dolloff
Chelsea Clinton

This August, I'm expecting big things, huge things... a real breakthrough.
We'll see in thirty days.

pisc said...
caught my first Bonito last night on a Hopkins, way off of South Cape Beach. The Hopkins is a preferred lure of your friend who wishes not to be mentioned. Baited the tail with squid (night trolling on the surface with a beacon). Strong surf had the bathtub we were in rocking.

Did not hit terra firma until 9:40. full five hours of sea legs. Not so sturdy today. But got a new one. The august we remain the best. Sorry Obama.

Dark and Stormy Evening

It's saturday evening and we had a real fun day with the grandkids in the Wall's pool.  I was teaching Will the Butterfly stroke, because if he only knows freestyle and backstroke, he'll be falling behind the other 3 year olds.
~
After a full day of watching Joanne chase toddlers and change diapers, you can really work up a thirst. 
~
So it's obviously time for a Dark and Stormy, the classic summer cocktail, and a Nanepashemet Official Endorsement.
~
Even though I am out of the preferred Ginger Beer, Stephans, I have plenty of the Gosling's Ginger beer which is an acceptable substitute.  The one thing that can't be substituted is Gosling's Black Seal Rum which is surprizingly affordable.  And you really shouldn't forget to add a fresh lime wedge.
~
I'm particularly blessed tonight, because I have ample supplies of all of the required ingredients on hand.
~
And there is no chance that I can drink to excess, because I'll be nodding off by about 8:00PM anyway... so there is just enough time for one or three.

Saturday Morning Recount

I told you that I would let you know how the week went as I was ruminating that it would be a big one on Monday morning.
~
It's not often in business that the deal you are targeting lands in the timeframe that you think it will.
~
But that wasn't the case this week, as Nanepashemet Telecom ended up with a purchase order from a 1st Tier National Contractor to begin work on a significant amount of sites in the Mid Atlantic Region.   And we assembled a killer tieam to immediately implement this work.  All done without a blink, skip or glitch.
~
That's not to say that the week didn't contain the usual amount of bullshit.  More like typical chickenshit.  Bullshit would be a complement.... but it was predictable and will be managed according to plan.
~
So now, Washington and Baltimore will feel the power and efficiency that New England has already experienced in the presence of Nanepashemet Telecom.   I have another feeling that August will be a breakout month here in New England as well.

Clean Up Confusion

With the "Greatest Environmental Disaster in History" as BO has described the Gulf Oil Leak on the decline, ABC News has reported the decline of the cleanup jobs in the area.
~
From people complaining of economic turmoil because of the spill, to people complaining of economic turmoil because the spill has gone away.
~
This is confusing.
~
Two weeks ago, an oil spill the size of Kentucky was supposed to wreck havoc.... now they can't find oil to clean up. 
~
I must have missed something in the last week.

Narcisstic Image

Boring
Classless
Selfish
Dishonest
Predictable
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If you think that this describes you, look into the mirror and behold a sad narcissist.
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All of these schemes will backfire.....  No matter what thoughtless, self serving actions you take. 
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The only way to escape the karma in your future is to stop thinking about yourself all of the time and try to think in the best interest of the others.

Yacht Scare

Not much more  press these days on the Gulf oil spill.   Now that the source has been plugged, nature seems to have taken over and the oil is being dispersed and absorbed.  After all... it's a natural substance from the earth.
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The big scare.... that this would destroy the Gulf forever, and that this is the worst environmental catastrophe.... seems silly in retrospect.
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It was so similar to the Swine Flu, and the Bird Flu before it.  Lots of scares by the Obama administration about a "Pandemic".
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But now the Obamas are hiking in Maine and planning a return visit to Martha's Vineyard.  Things seem a little relaxed.   Maybe Kerry will spin the "Isabel" up from Newport and take them for a sailboat ride.   Hopefully, all of the Rhode Island maintenance is complete and his tax bill that he always intended to pay is all settled.
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What type of maintenance does a new $7mil. New Zealand built yacht require anyway?????   A little Lemon Pledge while keeping up with the dusting should do the trick.   I hope that Kerry got a warranty from that New Zealand boatyard for all of the money that he paid them.
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Poor Senator Kerry.... If the Gulf disaster wasn't such a bust, nobody would have focused on his yacht maintenance problems.   The Dems can't come up with another scare soon enough for the Senior Senator from Massachusetts.

2nd Adirondack

I haven't made a big deal out of it, but in between the important stuff, I have been assembling Joanne's Adirondack chair from the duplicate parts that I cut when I made Kate's last fall.
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Have the third coat of Marine Varnish on and it is starting to look pretty good.
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My ulterior motive is to get the space in the garage to try to get serious about working on the Marblehead Gunning Dory again.

Persuasive Pints

I had a wicked urge for some Ben and Jerry's after dinner tonight, so I headed up to the Marblehead Community Store  and bought a pint of Cherry Garcia.... and a pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie... and a pint of Chocolate Mint Cookie.
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I would have bought more, but I was worried about hitting the top of the credit line on my Visa card.
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The Chocolate Fudge Brownie got the nod, and it was wildly satisfying.  The other pints are still in the freezer.  Calling me..... Taunting Me.....

Big Week Feeling

I have the "this is going to be a big week" feeling going on this morning.
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Which is not surprising given the stuff that Nanepashemet Telecom has on its plate.  It will be interesting to be sitting here on Saturday morning, six days from now, recounting the events of this week.

Maria Rowen said... 

Ben & Jerry…’Taunt’me. Tempt me. Tantalize me with your gooey goodness and your fanciful flavors… Today the peep preference points to Pistachio Pistachio...but tomorrow this peep plans to get her Banana Buzz on… 

Tuna Lips said...

Why, Missy Rowen, you speaks real perty. I likes gooey goodness . . .shucks, Ise blushin' red.

Yacht Yarn

I was shocked to hear about Senator John Kerry's new custom built yacht......A $7million dollar beauty, built in New Zealand and moored in Newport, RI.
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If nothing in that first sentence irks you a bit, then please read no further.   In fact.... get the hell off of my Blog!!!!
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I don't care about Kerry's wealth.  I'm trying to get some myself and would never berate anyone for their possessions.
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But if you are in the market for a product or investment, and you ignore the needs of your surrounding community who could benefit by your purchase, that shows a lack of loyalty and class.
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If I have a friend who owns a restaurant, or sells insurance, or brokers mortgages.... that's who I buy from when its time to spend my money.   As long as the cost and the quality is reasonably the same, it is an act of disloyalty to ignore the economic offering of my friend or associate.
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So now Kerry decides to drop $7m of the Heinz ketchup fortune into a sailing yacht.   So who does he buy from???  Not a New England Boat yard, where such a job would keep a town in employment for a year.  No.   He shops it around and has it made in New Zealand.   Probably saved a little cash.
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At least he doesn't moor it there.... not that he chose his home state of Massachusetts.   Seems that if he moored it in MA, he may be subject to taxation in the state that he represents, so he chose Rhode Island.  He obviously has no intention of ever spending a mooring dollar in Massachusetts since the name of his yacht, as painted on the transom is "Isabel ~ Newport".
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I used to like Kerry, but lost it for him when he misrepresented his war record during his Presidential run.  He seems like he is really out for himself, and this yacht yarn exemplifies this.
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Seems like it's time to retire to Newport for the senior senator from Massachusetts.

Abbie's Keeper

The row never happened because Brady and Katelyn  wanted to help me pull the traps.

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So we headed out to Halfway Rock and hit the bait pollack pretty good, landing about twenty in an hour or so.  Then we pulled all of the traps with six keeper lobsters... a pretty good haul.

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The fog was a challenge and we headed into the Boston Yacht Club to grab a cocktail or three with something from the grill.  Joanne came down for a couple of chardonnays and then Nancy Bruett, Abbie Bruett and My Friend Who Doesn't Want His Name Mentioned in the Blog showed up on the porch with tales of Abby's landing of a 42", 26 lb. Striped Bass outside of Brown's Island.

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That inspired Brady, Katelyn and I to live line the pollack slowly around Browns and Naugus Head, then over to the Power Plant on the way back to the Salem Harbor Mooring.

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Nothing.

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The day belongs to Abbie.

Pisc said... 

What did she catch it on? Not pollock?
Live lined pogeys this morning in Hull Gut. Boated three keepers. Lots of fish out there.
Take your Lobster while you can, that industry in MA is shut down.
Obama! 
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MFWDWHNMITB says that he and daughter Abby caught 4 mackerel and, minutes after live lining with one, hooked onto the keeper down by Brown's Island.