2011 in review - top ten list

10 Owning & working for my own business
9 Beach 2 Battleship weekend
8 Winning the Battle at Buckhorn Triathlon
7 Summer vacation in New England
6 Florida Winter Training camp on the beach!
5 Boone camp!
4 Visiting various family and our nieces
3 Being there when Bri discovered she was pregnant
2 Being there when Bri conceived :)
1 The birth of our son, with both Mom and Baby being healthy!

How is it going and Happy New Year

Hope you had a good holiday, whatever you celebrate.

You might be wondering how we are adjusting to life with the little guy.  We are doing well.  His sleep habits are all over the place, which means ours are as well.  Bri is doing most of the heavy lifting at the moment since we are breastfeeding and you need to give that a few weeks before offering the bottle or there is something called nipple confusion.  I have had that for many years but didn't realize there was a name for it.  So in another week or two my sleep habits, which have not been great for several years, will get slightly worse, at least in the short term, as I take over some of the midnight feedings.

Little Man is not a very happy guy from about 7PM until 2AM unless he is suckling at Momma's bosom.  This would be fine except that she needs some sleep, so from about 9PM to about 12 I babysit.  Which means I try to keep him from screaming bloody murder by bouncing, walking, driving, soothing, sushing, singing (very poorly and out of tune mind you, also I butcher all song lyrics or just insert my own), and other quiet-the-baby things.   In between when he nods off I can do a bit of reading or zone out to the television.  But there is a limit to how much TV I want to watch.  Anyway, many of you have already been there and some of you are one day to follow.  It is great but don't expect your baby to be the bestest baby ever gosh golly gurgle giggle.  They are all little poopy crying whiny monsters a lot of the time.

I am managing to keep up with a reasonable amount of fitness training (I hesitate to call it triathlon training right now) so should not be too much slower at the occasional race I make it to this season.  Local road races (within jogging distance) are my top pick.  Amazingly there are about eight that fit that bill.  Recently We did the Jingle Bell Run at Wake Med Soccer Park, and the following weekend the Jolly Elf Run at Bond Park.  What a great place to live.  We love it here.

2012 looks to be another busy year between coaching personal clients, swim clinics, and everything else.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Hope you have a great one and see you around sometime!

little man and me

more baby pictures

You can see more baby pictures on Bri's latest blog. 

the new world order is here

He already has a favorite football team

Yo baby, wassup?

chillaxin

Adjusting to the new world order

The new world order being impending fatherhood.

As we go through life we all learn to make adjustments and concessions, while adapting to our new environments.  We learn to meet others on common ground and negotiate mutually agreeable solutions rather than issue lonely ultimatums.  We learn to grow and change.  There will be a lot less of this in my future:

Or we can rage against the world and watch it pass us by from the corner of our bar stool or solitary bike ride to the middle of nowhere.  

Life is a beautiful thing, but it is short and the choices we make are the cause of our pain or pleasure.  Make good decisions and you can enjoy everything life has to offer and witness the growth of your friends, family, and community; use poor judgement or allow others to make decisions for you and you can quickly find yourself painted into a corner, with no easy way out.

Try to juggle multiple commitments, or relationships, or lose sight of your priorities; follow bad decisions through the downward spiral and find yourself where you don't want to be.

 (been there, done that)

I have thoroughly enjoyed most of my life and plan to enjoy the 2nd half as much as the first.  Being a good endurance athlete has been fun, but it has also taken a great deal of time and energy. 

So, what I'm saying is, beyond the "get your priorities in order" gestalt of this post, if I get a little slower and a little pudgier over the next few years, I'm not going to sweat it.  Thirty years of slugging it out has been fun.  I'm not going to be an absentee parent.  I will be the happiest slow pudgy guy you know.  My beautiful lady Bri gets to train and race as much as she wants for the foreseeable future since she is the better athlete anyway.

I will be happy to stand around and tell people to swim faster.

the waiting game

We are in a holding pattern here.  No travel this holiday season as baby is on the way.

My 2011 thankful list

I am thankful for:

The Big Bang
Sunshine and gravity, quantum mechanics and DNA and RNA, and perhaps a wink from God, without which none of us would be here
Brianne
Our soon to be son
My parents for having me
My sister for loving me
My in-laws for tolerating me :)
Tassie because she rocks!
Health
Great Friends
Cognition, logic, self-awareness
Science and all related science-stuff
Pizza
Baked chicken wings
The Ancient Egyptian who discovered fermentation
The Industrial Revolution
Microprocessors
Foo Fighters
Medical care better than the previous generations
The freedom my country still provides, despite lots and lots of problems
Athletics, triathlon, running, swimming, and good coaches through the years
My awesome job and great clients
Science fiction writers and multiple universe fantasy epics
The endless possibilities of the future

Have a great Thanksgiving!

not much new

I am now 40 years old so you have to listen to my sage advice.

We had a good time at the Foo Fighters concert.  I would post pictures but am lazy.

Swam a masters swim meet last weekend.  Fun but tiring.
100 IM - 1.03.8
500 free - 5.24
50 free relay split - 25.1 
100 free - 55.8

100 fly - 1.01.8

Getting back into a bit of running and cycling but keeping everything pretty easy for a while.

2012 race plans:
February - training camp
March - Tobacco road half-marathon
April - maybe the Triangle Ortho Centennial campus sprint
May - local race maybe
June - training camp
July - maybe Battle at Buckhorn sprint
August - local race maybe
September - Wilmington Y to cheer on Bri
October - nada

That's it for now, hope to jump in a few other events as possible! 

random survey Nov 2011 results

1. The last book you read was about:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Vampires		0.0%	0
Werewolves		0.0%	0
Science fiction		9.5%	2
Non-fiction		47.6%	10
Economics		4.8%	1
Detectives and or cowboys		14.3%	3
I don't read books		4.8%	1
Teen angst		14.3%	3
Adult romance		4.8%	1
Other (please specify) Show Responses			4

running

11/4/2011 11:12 PMView Responses

parenting

11/3/2011 10:18 PMView Responses

rob lowe's way awesome life

11/3/2011 3:05 PMView Responses

I think it was the tattoo lady thingy books. They are good btw.

2. Your primary savings vehicle is:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
401k		33.3%	7
403b		9.5%	2
IRA		19.0%	4
SEP-IRA		0.0%	0
Corporate bonds		0.0%	0
These things are foreign language to me		14.3%	3
Traditional bank account		14.3%	3
Muni bonds		0.0%	0
FOREX speculation		4.8%	1
Hard assets like real estate, gold, oil		4.8%	1
Primary business investments (partnerships, franchisee, etc)		0.0%	0
Other (please specify) Show Responses			2

My wallet

11/6/2011 11:26 PMView Responses

Put options on the whole European union

11/3/2011 9:40 PMView Responses

3. My favorite current type of TV show is:
	answered question		18
	skipped question		3
		Response Percent	Response Count
I don't watch TV (or less than 20 minutes a day)		22.2%	4
Discovery/History type shows		0.0%	0
Showtime/HBO series - Dexter, Weeds, Sopranos, etc		11.1%	2
Drama		27.8%	5
Reality		5.6%	1
Dancing with the Stars		0.0%	0
Comedy		33.3%	6
Animation		0.0%	0
Other (please specify) Show Responses			3

Daily Show (Fake News)

11/7/2011 8:53 AMView Responses

Last man standing

11/3/2011 6:03 PMView Responses

sports really, some comedy during dinner. Seinfeld and such.

11/3/2011 3:00 PMView Responses

4. Your age is:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Under 25		9.5%	2
25-35		28.6%	6
35-45		52.4%	11
45-55		9.5%	2
55-65		0.0%	0
66+		0.0%	0

5. Your net worth is:
	answered question		17
	skipped question		4
		Response Percent	Response Count
Negative		5.9%	1
Zero to 50k		23.5%	4
51k to 150k		35.3%	6
151k to 500k		17.6%	3
501k to 1million		17.6%	3
over 1 million		0.0%	0
Other (please specify) Show Responses			4

I'm priceless

11/4/2011 4:16 PMView Responses

Do I Count My LIFE INSURANCE POLICY?. . .I'm Worth Alot More

11/4/2011 1:05 AMView Responses

just like mastercard... i'm priceless :)

11/3/2011 3:05 PMView Responses

I am worth more if I die. Life Insurance. :)

11/3/2011 3:00 PMView Responses

6. I get my news primarily from:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
daily paper		4.8%	1
random blogs		9.5%	2
newsites like CNN, Yahoo News, etc		57.1%	12
TV news		19.0%	4
My dog		9.5%	2
Other (please specify) Show Responses			7

Daily Show and Colbert Report

11/6/2011 7:36 PMView Responses

Radio (this is the real answer... I can't select other)

11/4/2011 9:14 AMView Responses

The Economist

11/3/2011 9:40 PMView Responses

The Daily Show

11/3/2011 7:00 PMView Responses

Girlfriend

11/3/2011 6:03 PMView Responses

facebook. no really.

11/3/2011 3:05 PMView Responses

7. Intelligent alien life does exist.
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		19.0%	4
No		19.0%	4
Maybe		57.1%	12
All reality is an illusion		4.8%	1
Other (please specify) Show Responses			1

8. My favorite type of exercise is:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Swimming		9.5%	2
biking		4.8%	1
running		81.0%	17
Weight training		0.0%	0
Yoga		0.0%	0
Pilates		0.0%	0
Skiing, cross-country or downhill		0.0%	0
Rowing		0.0%	0
Butt clenches on the couch while watching TV		4.8%	1
Other (please specify) Show Responses			1

Group cardio classes

9. The martygaalblog is:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
One of my favorites		33.3%	7
One of several hundred I visit while wasting time at work		9.5%	2
The best blog ever		19.0%	4
The worst blog ever		0.0%	0
Self-indulgent exercise in narcissism		0.0%	0
Groovy, man		38.1%	8
Other (please specify)			0

10. I live in:
	answered question		21
	skipped question		0
		Response Percent	Response Count
Raleigh area of NC		57.1%	12
Southeastern United States		23.8%	5
Elsewhere in United States		19.0%	4
Outside United States		0.0%	0
Other (please specify)			0