Oh, Joy
2006-07-18, 1:02 p.m.

Day 695 Oh Joy

Just got an email from Cindy. Not good news. No, nothing like THAT. She thinks that perhaps her Saturn�s clutch is getting ready to shit the bed. This bad on several fronts. 1 � we gotta get it fixed, period. 2 � It ain�t gonna be cheap. 3 � I was trying to amass some funds for a 25th anniversary gift � guess where those may go now? 4 � that sandwich I brought in for lunch disappeared in 4 bites, I swear.

Only good thing about this? The timing. Eric just drove it back from Syracuse Sunday night. Can�t imagine the poor kid stuck out on the New York State Thruway (I-90) waiting for me and a tow truck. Glad it made it this far.

Cindy normally leaves work around 3 in the summer. I should be just finishing up at the oral surgeons with the stitch removal by then (Dr. M. A. Lester � malester � molester � get it? Not spelled right, but geeze, the sentiment is there. Too bad she�s such a nice person). Could work out not too bad if her clutch fails this afternoon. I was planning on going back in to work, but I could take stuff home and work there I suppose. Better warn the boss man just the same.

Funny what 24 solid hours of rest will do for your legs. Felt almost human on the elliptical trainer this morning. Unfortunately, the Y�s computer system was down, so no using the fancy resistance machines this morning. That means I might have to wedge in some weight work tonight around aerobics. Maybe.

Live update � just talked to Cindy on the phone. Clutch problem seems to be more in the pedal travel & return rather than anything with the plates themselves. Might be a spring in the pedal/lever system slipped off. I hope, I hope, I hope. Might be able to fix it with a flashlight & pair of needle nose. Or maybe it�s a hydraulic clutch. Might just need fluid. That�s be real easy. She also responded to an email I returned to her. I mentioned something about difficulties with her anniversary present if we had to get the Saturn fixed. Her response was �Oh my gosh I shall not make you not get me a gift� Somehow the double negative works in that line, although I wouldn�t recommend it for the casual user. I did ask her if she was willing to walk to work in order to get an anniversary gift. Haven�t heard back yet. Wonder if that�s a bad thing?

Oh � Last big update on that whole weigh-down thing between me, Sport and Alison. Sport? We got thumped. Alison actually dropped 8 pounds inside her 8 week window. I didn�t come close to my 14, and if�n I remember right, you kinda stalled at -5 yourself.

We were able to prove a couple of things here. 1 - Guys don�t necessarily lose weight any faster than the gals, and 2 - We were really silly for not declaring what the winner would get when this was all over.

Psssstt � Sport � you & I need to go put our heads together and decide what faboo prize package Alison done won. S�pose I oughta contact you separately, huh? Ooh, plus I still owe you that ab cruncher motivational tool too, don�t I? (I saw that picture of you last week. You REALLY need those ab crunchers. Hmmm. Wish there was a better way to convey the SARCASM that was dripping off that last sentence. Rilly. How the heck were you going to lose 8 lbs anyhow? Cut off your left forearm? You did pretty darn good dropping 5. Ok, better close parentheses soon)

Back to the zoo. Finished my tiny sandwich, an apple, a peach and an orange already. Oh, and half a cup of coffee. Decaf. Must pretend to get some work done before the ripping of the stitches. Hope Cindy�s car makes it back home . . . could mess with my aerobics schedule, dang it.

Updated stats:
Weight start: 206.5 on 1/1/06 (265.0 on 1/15/05)
Current weight 186.25 on 7/15/06 (IT MOVED!!)
Next weigh in: 7/22/06

New target � 8/22/06 to be at 180 (my 2 year quit anniversary)

The Keep on Truckin goal: (idea stolen shamelessly from Marn�s Big Adventure)
Miles at speed 7/18/06: 553.32
Miles with cooldown: 608.53
Target for 2006: 1000 miles
Plus 45+ miles biking so far.

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