diet, exercise, fat, fattyboombalatty, grotesque, health, jabbathehutt, obese
In Fam, me, Me, ME! on November 10, 2009
Have you seen this man?
If you’ve only known me during my professional life, the picture at right probably makes no sense to you. It is clipped from a recent Facebook post of a group picture during my senior year in high school. I look scrawny, bordering on gaunt. I was prolly around a buck-sixty.
As the years have gone on, I’ve, um, blossomed to a robust 285. While the first twenty were muscle packed on as a collegiate swimmer, the rest are … not. I recently found out that’s ten pounds more than the apex my father hit– and I’ve always considered him fat.
While I’ve gone on diets before, a couple weeks ago, with April’s help and support, I hit a tipping point and embarked on some major lifestyle changes that I believe may well stick. For that reason, I’m contemplative about how I got here, and anyone who is a glutton for detail or who might be in a similar position can get the full story after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
april, banjo, chesapeakebayretriever, chessie, dogs, dysplasia, family, love
In Fam, Memoir on July 28, 2009
My favorite photo of Banjo. After a long play, he'd want to float regally on his raft, which we called "George," after the actor George Raft. We're weird like that.
As a kid, I never had a dog, or any pet for that matter. My mom was terrified of cats, and perhaps had OD’d on pets as a child, as my grandfather kept everything from dogs to monkeys to bears to sheep as housepets. I got a cat on graduating from college: Buffett is now sixteen years-old and looks likely to dance on my grave someday. But it was April who brought dogs into my world.
April and I married in October of 1999, right as we were moving to Charlotte in my first attempt to start a business. Her first birthday as my wife was a couple months later, and it was clear that she wanted a dog — not just any dog, but a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Read the rest of this entry »
houston, jenn, joost, keeney, love, marriage, wedding, worthington
In Fam, me, Me, ME! on April 27, 2009
Man and dog on the eve of the wedding
My best pal, Houston Joost, got married this weekend. I had the privilege of serving as best man. It was an amazing weekend, and I’m thrilled for him and for Jenn Joost (nee’ Keeney).
My toast went over pretty well, so I thought I’d save it for posterity here. Note that I didn’t read this word for word, but it was in the ballpark. I generally prefer speaking extemporaneously, but in this case I needed something to fall back on if when I got choked up.
So here ’tis. I meant every word:
Read the rest of this entry »
chaos, creativity, risk, squirrelnutzippers, wilco
In Fam, Gadgets, Music, me, Me, ME! on January 16, 2009
Partly because of my company’s new lease on life, I’m in a creative mode for the first time in, well, too long. I was making my way to work this morning, amping with coffee and good tunes and was reminded of how much I love songs where a band — usually a band that is generally technically precise — goes off the rails into a cacophony that is both sloppy and skillful. The resulting sound is loose and fun, but also suggests that it is born from an attempt to go just beyond the range of their high level of skill.
Here’s two great examples:
Sometimes, creative success requires risk.
christmas, knowingyourlimits, natkingcole
In Fam, Music on December 23, 2008
(Graphic rendering of April’s theorem.)
If, then...
harryharrison, love, newyear, simplicity
In Fam, me, Me, ME! on December 15, 2008
Harry Harrison
I’ve been on a holiday music downloading kick this year and have been listening to a lot of new (to me) tracks.
I just discovered “May You Always” by New York DJ Harry Harrison. It’s apparently an old, tired bit for New Englanders, but I find it simultaneously old-fashioned and of our time. I can’t think of a better wish for all those whom I love, those I like and those with whom I walk on through troubled times: Read the rest of this entry »
feet, health, mbt, shoes
In Fam, Gadgets, me, Me, ME! on October 26, 2008
I have horrible feet and ankles. I don’t mean that they’re particularly ugly — but even when I was in shape, I’ve always suffered from foot and ankle pain and a tendency to sprains and twists.
I saw ads in a couple issues of Wired for MBT Shoes, and on asking April about them learned that her mom is a huge fan. Read the rest of this entry »
Fam, me, Me, ME!, pups
In Fam on August 25, 2008
This is just a test post. So go away. Nothing to see or read here. Return to your homes.
