Dumpster Fruitcake

Seen behind the cardboard/magazine recycling dumpster in Ephrata on 12/29. Look closely, its not vomit its....fruitcake!

Floating Lanterns

Tonight we were driving and I saw two brilliant lights in the sky.


They appeared to be flying in formation - changing direction several times in perfect sync. 


Helicopters?     


No. Turns out they were lanterns. 


Very beautiful especially as someone released three more and they drifted slowly up and over the car.

West Point PX iPad

Funny! this guy photo'd himself on display ipad

1966 Locker

 

This metal wall locker is in a newly refurbished barracks at 

Ft Indiantown Gap, PA.

It is in excellent condition and reflects why quality is important. Imagine the stories this thing could tell if it could talk.

1966 

An Honest Coffee Name

 

Finally, an honest coffee name

Beautiful Autumn day!!

Stupidity knows no limits

Old School USPS Logo Mailbox

 

Annapolis, MD.

I like this better than the newer Star Trek war eagle design

 

The Game Warden

Stopped at a Mennonite roadside produce stand.

 

Was wearing Army ACUs clearly bearing rank and US Army tape

 

The late middle-aged lady asks, "are you a Game Warden?"

Ancient Kids High Chairs

At a recent family reunion I saw these old highchairs. Nobody really knows their age but they are no doubt a product of the 40s or 50s.

 

In this time of turmoil and changing values and norms I found them to be comforting.

 

The Town of EPHARTA

The Cost of Freedom....

...is often measured in names. Names of those who have given their lives for freedom or had their lives taken by those who hate our way of life.

 

Just saw this trailer entitled "Never Forget" with a tribute to those killed on 9/11

The vertical black columns are the names of everyone murdered that day.

Little Free Library

This is a very, very neat global idea/project. You build or buy a waterproof, birdhouse-looking, box and post it in a public place. You then stock it with books that people can borrow. The rule is if you borrow a book you leave a book. 

I often complain that people are losing their interest in books - spending their lives looking at yet another computer screen.  Books connect the story to the reader's mind through tactile sensation. They don't require electricity and nobody is snooping on what you read, how fast you read it, etc (look this tidbit up in relation to Kindle....)

I am going to it!

http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/index.html

RIP Slim Whitman

Remember this guy? He could really yodel

Two More Awesome Vehicles

Pilot friend saw this on the ramp next to her

I feel more secure knowing Batman lives in my state

UPS & Rain

Glad those arent my packages the UPS guy is letting sit in the rain

Supai is haunting me.

Bending The Rules Legally.  "Comfort Animals" What if •I• am UNcomfortable with having these mutts around me? US Airways Captain next to me in terminal says comfort animals are normally dogs but can be monkeys. The link below says Elephants can be approved and DOT was/is considering adding pigs to the list. Seriously?? 
http://www.pettravel.com/passports_comfort_animals.cfm

Probably my new favorite Coconut Water. Comes in a hefty steel can. 

Burger King Jalapenos

Phoenix BK sells straight up jalapenos. Spicy!

Phoenix. Very desert-looking from the air. Urban sprawl. Surprisingly few solar panels.

Coolest Wheelchair Ever

 

I don't know where this little retro wheelchair came from.

But I hope it never leaves my department.

Rock on yellow & orange wheelchair. Rock on!

 

Burpee Challenge - Completed

Did over 300 burpees today to make up for all the incomplete days of the April 2013 Burpee Challenge (100/day). Thats 3000 for the month.

Tomorrow I announce the biggest fitness/CrossFit challenge I have ever undertaken.

Im starting to think I may have bitten off more than I can chew....

Train at what you suck at - except Double Unders

The Double Under

 

This should be a pretty simple task. You simple spin the rope TWICE for every time your body jumps off the ground. Some people achieve this by propeling themselves violently upward, some by piking their body like a convulsing fish and others by doing things the best way by using the finesse of simply torquing the rope fast enough to make it pass under their feet with hardly any additional height.

 

Sadly, I just dont get it. I can do singles. Sometimes I can string two together but inevitably I start donkey kicking and things fall apart.

 

I have been accused of trying to solve the problem by investing more and more money into better and better ropes. I now have some awesome ropes. The Rogue wire is great. The WODRope is custom made to my reach and height and I even selected the color scheme.  Still no stringing of DUs.

 

Someone asked me how often I worked on them. For months I was out all the time - without marked improvement.

 

My former CF best buddy once offered, "never ever do singles - ALWAYS attempt doubles".  Still no stringing.

 

A few months into my CrossFit career my trainer said "Dont worry, I once had a guy who took a whole year to get them. Well, its been over a year.

 

Even "the Fatman", who was the center of the Saving the Fatman series of articles in the CrossFit Journal, has them.

 

I have achieved mediocrity in most things CrossFit. I have achieved Satisfactory marks in some areas and better than than in a few. Still no DUs.

 

This task has become a thorn under my saddle. I am freaking myself out over it. Well, not really as I am not a guy  to get freaked out but it is royally pissing me off.

 

"Train At What You Suck At" is a crucial plan to CF success. I adhere to it. I do not generally cherry pick WODs.

 

But, my new SOP is to avoid WODs with DUs. Take that day and devote and hour of DU practice and do a box visit for each intentionally missed WOD.

 

Someday I will master them. And I will be good at them. Good enough to help other people.  I will.

 

 

Two Manly Vehicles

 

 

This Land Rover had Nebraska dealer tags on. Stopped to check the oil and grab some grub.

 

EVERY school district around has cancelled school today. Before even a flake hit the air. The big storm (still with snowfall predictions small enough in most areas to not cause driving problems) was supposed to start at 2AM.  So far, nothing.

To offset this hand-wringing, wimpiness I am posting two pics of trucks I have seen recently. I would love to have either or both.

 

Four door, full sized bed. Oh yeah!

A Truck To Drive Past - Quickly

When you see a truck hauling a unusual round container marked with RADIOACTIVE - you drive quickly around it

 

This WOD Sucked

My 18th different box was Crossfit Firebreather Fitness in Charleston, WV.

This one turned out to be QUITE spicy

50:30

Trainer: Willis Johnson