There are interesting enough things to post to the blog – but I am running dry on something… I can’t say its motivation or ambition that is in short supply… just some sort of doldrums. What I want to write about just doesn’t seem that interesting to me, its just easier and safer to keep reading content from the internet and defer creating any. Frankly, I am afraid of boring y’all so badly that you won’t come back. What do you mean that you get tired of reading how great I can rush void rays in Star Craft 2? 🙂

I think what tends to be really frustrating is that I feel like there are so many things in life I would like to be spending time on, and here I am grinding out hours of my life behind a desk doing work I am pretty “meh” on. Thankfully, my masters program includes a portion that helps throughout the course of the program to give direction on this matter. What is clear is that it takes some fumbling around to hit your stride and even then that is likely to be a temporary fix. Every astronaut gets grounded and all that jazz.

Perhaps being a professional blogger is not my calling either, but I do enjoy writing and I really appreciate everyone that takes the time to read these words. Don’t worry, I track you through Google Analytics (by geographic region, not by name or anything…)

Faithful reader, thank you 🙂

–Nat

That said, look at some of the quality spam a blog collects:

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What does that even mean?  Allocated the expression, that’s just classy.

Yesterday was a big day for the Juchems Blaine household.  Not one but two new pieces of exercise equipment made their way in as Kristin and I vow to take care of our health through the coming sedentary winter.  We (I) wore out our $500 Sears Pro-Form elliptical (see it soon on CL!) over about two years of pretty regular use.  It seemed like we got our investment out, as the purpose of the thing was to make a somewhat minimal investment and see if it got used.  It also had a 225 lb weight limit that I was sorta, kinda, on most days under so its destruction was something that was taken for granted.

Anyway, more expensive fitness gear also tends to be heavier.  The elliptical we bought from Smooth Fitness was their new space saver model which is 150 lbs and 5 feet long vs the one I really wanted but couldn’t justify that weighed in at 300lbs and eight feet long.  After the freight guys nicely put it in the garage, I managed to get it heaved up into the house and then down the stairs into the basement without drama, all by myself.

Kristin and I went out last night to Wal-Mart to pick out/up a treadmill.  For entry level stuff, Wal-Mart has great deals and a cheap warranty plan along with some actual variety to pick from.  We ended up with the entry level Gold’s Gym model and the $35 2-year all encompassing, in home warranty.  If we use that, I will be sure to let you know how that works out.  Anyway, this was about 160lbs and about a foot longer than the elliptical.  It barely fit into the CR-V but all was well until I tried to take it down the stairs.  Kristin wisely remained far away at the bottom, making sure the door stayed open and no cats made a break for it.  After getting the box down on its side, I was working at the top of the stairs, concerned that sliding it over the wood floors and the top wood lip might result in deep scratches.  This allowed the nose of the box to get well out of my reach and when it started sliding due to gravity and such I made the decision to slow it down as much as possible – I think I knew I couldn’t stop it.    I looked up at Kristin long enough to see the “0h-****” face and then I went head over heels down the last few stairs, landing with a smack on top of the treadmill coffin box.

Besides a couple of nicely rug-burned forearms (how did that happen?) and some odd sore places today I am not too much worse for wear.  Tonight will be the bigger test as the equipment gets un-boxed and we get to see if everything still works.

Moral of the story?  Don’t let your wife distract you when moving boxes that are roughly your size and 2/3rds of your weight.  Clearly this should be done when you are home alone and without your cell phone anywhere near.  That’s a recipe for success.

–Nat