RTT- Only in Texas

I don't often participate in the Random Thoughts Tuesday deal because I just don't seem to find the time. I don't really even blog as often as in the past but I've got a couple of things that I just can't leave only. So here goes...



From the annuals of "Only in Texas"
I was invited to an Executive Round Table breakfast this morning to speak. (Though I didn't speak all that much.) When I say Executive Round Table meeting think old white guys. Respectful, very nice but still old white businessmen. Anyway the start of the meeting is what was, to me anyway, strange. Sort of on the surreal side of strange. Sort of funny but not really funny ha ha. The opening of the meeting started like this;

1. a prayer, (short, sweet and to the point. Bless our endeavors, our government as long as they do what WE think is best and our christian values. I'm sure you get the picture.)
2. then came the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S., (this seemed a little less heartfelt than the next number. This pledging came complete with U.S. small flag.)
3. then the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag, (yes, there is one. This also came complete with a small Texas flag. Of equal size of the federal flag, mind you.)
4.  then the singing of God Bless America. (A rousing rendition I might say.)

At this point I think the other diners at IHOP were pretty freaked out. I was pretty freaked out. I didn't know what was going on so I kept trying to sit down between each section. After the first pledge I stayed standing, waiting for the others to sit just so I didn't make more protocol mistakes.


From the home front
Nessa went to the groomers on Sunday. This is not her favorite place to hang out but she bucked up. She got the whole spa treatment including the Top Dog Package. This package had her smelling like pina colada. 

She has a new little neighborhood girlfriend.  McKayla is 10 years old and a sweetheart. When she comes over Nessa becomes so excited that she runs circles around McKayla and the house. They play fetch, tug-the-toy and chase. This is the first young kid that Nessa has ever bonded with. Normally, she is afraid to children. 

Entertainment
JR was given free tickets to a baseball game tonight. You may have seen my posting on Facebook. These tickets are in the luxury suite. All the food and booze we can drink and all free! Well, free for him. The price for me is sitting through a baseball game without a book. He made me promise not to bring one. I tried to get him to take our friend Mark with him but he wanted me there. Strange man! He knows I'm an introvert who would rather stay home with a book and a glass of wine by myself.



That's it for me. Everyone have a great day.





Be groovy,
M

My cardio workout - a pie chart

I thought that I'd give you a little look see into my cardio workout. I subject do this workout every other day. Because I hate myself want to get into shape.

I title these days
 
50 Minutes of Hell

This is how the voice in my head works. Notice I didn't say voices. Those voices abandon me as soon as I step onto the elliptical. And, I hate them for it.

 Warm-up (10 minutes), cruising along at about 5.5 mph with a slight resistance of 3.

• This is easy.
• A few more weeks and you are going to look awesome.
•  Oh look! That young kid is going half as fast as you are. (yes, I'm not above this kind of statement.)
• You are awesome.

Kicking it up (10 minutes), speeding up to 6 mph and raising the resistance to 5.

• Oh yeah! You can do this ALL DAY long.
• The Tax Man...oh oh oh the tax man. (Beatles tunes makes some of the best workout tunes)
• Work it...work it baby
• Come on baby...twist and shout. come on come on baby now...work it on out.
• Damn girl, next thing you know you'll be running a marathon. (lying to yourself is an important component to motivation)

You are so awesome (15 minutes), keeping the same speed but ratcheting up the resistance to 7

• You got the ole heart rate up to the anaerobic range. Nice work!
• What the hells the difference between aerobic and anaerobic again?
• Who cares
• Ha! the young kid on the trainer next to me just quit. Wuss
• Yeah - The house is a rockin' don't bother knockin'  Yeah - The house is a rockin' don't bother come on in (Stevie Ray is cool)
• You are more than half way done.
• Just 20 more minutes left including cool down.

OMFG what were you thinking (5 minutes), same speed 6mph but just upped the resistance to an ungodly 10.

• Holy shit
• You are too damn old for this
• What was that song? I couldn't even hear it over my wheezing
• Dammit! I hate getting sweat in my eyes
• 3 more minutes
• 2 and a half more minutes
• Jesus when will this end
• 30 seconds...20, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

 You so suck (5 minutes) same speed, lowered the resistance back down to 7

• Why do you do that to yourself
• Don't tell me to slow down to lower my heart rate you stupid machine.
• Hey where did we go, Days when the rains came (Van is so smooth)
• Nike DryFit wicks the sweat away my ass
• Have I been singing out loud this whole time?
• No because I haven't been able to freaking breathe.  

Thank You Jesus (5 minutes) staring to cool down. lower my speed to 5 mph with the resistance at 5

• Why don't I wear a headband? It would at least keep the sweat out of my eyes
• Damn that stings!
• Layla, you've got me on my knees. Layla, I'm begging, darling please. (Eric, I love you)
• Now, that wasn't so bad.
• The hell is wasn't.
• But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow. (back to the Beatles)
• See! That wasn't so bad.
• The hell is wasn't. 
• You know you just repeated yourself.
• Yeah, I know...shut up.

Another five minutes for the real cool down and I'm done. 


While  I have to say I don't really enjoy this special time on the trainer I do like the results. When I first started 4 weeks ago I could only do 30 minutes at no more than 4.5 mph and the resistance set a 1. Now, I'm kicking out 4 to 5 or more miles in 50 minutes. I no longer count the 5 minute cool down as time served and I'm pretty smug.



Be groovy, 
M
(Yes, I do listen to a whole lot of 60s music while working out.)


 

Civil War Monument

When JR and I went to Shiner, Texas the other day we decided to take the back roads home. At one point we ended up in the town of Gonzales. It is a quaint little town that we plan to go back up to because of the outstanding architecture up there.

Remind me to show you a photo of their old movie theater. It is very cool and retro and still being used. Amazing!

Anyway, when driving around town I happened to spot this Civil War Monument. Though they prefer the "War between the States" to "Civil War". I screamed at politely asked JR to pull over so I could get a picture.

 

I have a grave and abiding interesting in Civil War monuments, Northern and Southern. My long time goal has been to someday catalog, photograph, and write a picture book of as many as I can find. Now, if someone would just give me the money to take a year off, buy a motorhome, a decent camera and such that would be great. The money has been a bit of a sticking point on this project.

What I find fascinating is that the Northern monuments were usually erected shortly after the end of the war. Typically, within the first 5 years. The Southern monuments took considerably longer. They usually didn't get erected until 10 or more years later. I'm sure it was a money/loser/carpetbagger thing.

Some battle fields and towns in Border States (those states that border the Mason-Dixon line) have both a Union and Confederate monument. I've noticed when this happens the Union one was dedicated first and is usually larger. While there are exceptions to this rule though. The social history aspect of this intrigues me. Call me a geek!

This particular Confederate Soldiers monument wasn't dedicated until 1910. After years of looking at these thing I can speculate that by waiting so long to design and dedicate their Confederate monument the town was able to put up a very grand one. 

I just wanted to share that little bit of my craziness with you. Like you didn't already know I'm a freak for this kind of thing.

Does your town have a Civil War monument?
Would you send my a picture if it does?

Thanks,
M