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  • My New Year Resolutions 2010

    Evidently Charles Barkley sets goals. He said so in an interview with Conan O’Brien a few weeks ago. Me and Sir Charles have that in common. Not that I’m comparing myself to “The Round Mound of Rebound”, just saying. Both regular people and big sports stars make resolutions. Either that’s my point or I just wanted to spice this post up with a blurb about an eleven time NBA All Star. You can decide. Anyway, let’s get to it. Here are my resolutions / goals for 2010. Assuming anyone cares.

    1. Finish a half marathon. This is really sort of low hanging fruit, I will admit. I’ve spent three months of last year training, am already signed up, and paid my money to run in the PF Chang’s Rock and Roll Half Marathon January 17th. My goal is to finish.

    2. Record all of my workouts in 2010. I have my spreadsheet all ready to go and this afternoon’s workout to record. If I can pull this off it will be the first year I’ve actually written down my workouts in any real detail.

    3. Finish the Swedish Rosetta Stone course Level 1. This will make my wife very happy. The in-laws bought it for me last year for Christmas. If I can get thru it just once, we’ll both be happy.

    4. Lifeguard & Swimming Instructor certifications. This is something I started out to do in 1993 and never completed. I was going to lifeguard at an adventure camp that summer. I settled for camp counselor instead. However, it’s always been in the back of my mind that I’ve wanted to do this.

    5. Complete an olympic distance Triathlon. I’m 99% sure I’ve picked the race out already. It’s in Flagstaff, AZ in August 2010. I actually had this on my 2009 list of resolutions but decided to conquer a half marathon first, do a few more sprint distances, and then go for the olympic distance.

    6. Take a photography class. Over the past year or so I’ve really gotten into taking pictures. It was a bit out of the blue really but that’s how a hobby hits me sometimes. I believe it mostly started with my iPhone; taking pictures because it was there. Then I bought a little point and shoot for my trip to the Grand Canyon earlier this year. Lately, I’ve bought a tripod, my wife gave me a monopod for Christmas, and I bought a really nice Canon SLR on eBay a few days ago and can’t wait to start improving my skills.

    That’s it. Just six things. There may be more later on in the year as I don’t feel I have to wait until the new years to set goals. It’s just fun to make them, write them down, and then look back and see how far you’ve come during, and at the end of, the year. Happy New Year!

  • Ringing Out the ‘OO’s

    What are you doing to ring in the New Decade? My wife and I normally do something low-key on New Year’s Eve; something that usually consists of having friends over to the house. Going out and having to drive on a night like December 31st is just too risky. Similar days include Forth of July, Memorial Day, and Saint Patrick’s Day. You get the idea.

    This year, however, we’ll be in Tempe, Arizona. Our hotel room is booked at the Mission Palms (got on their waiting list in April). It’s not Times Square or Vegas, but the Fiesta Bowl is that day, and we have tickets for the Fiesta Bowl Block Party after the game. So, really, what are you doing to celebrate? I’d like to know. Whatever it is, have fun, be smart, and stay safe. See you next decade!

  • My Wife the Fotograf

    It has been a little over one year since my first (sprint) triathlon. I’ve since done five more since and my wife has been with me at each taking pictures. The ones she took this past race on Thanksgiving Day are her best yet and so I thought I’d share them with you.

    This was a reverse event, meaning the run comes first, and the swim last. The shots progress from the run start to end, transition, a bike shot, and then to the swim.

    Each was taken with a Canon PowerShot SD790 IS without the aid of a monopod. Before our next big trip I plan on upgrading the camera and the accessories. I had a nice film camera when I was in school but haven’t made the upgrade to a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) camera yet but that’s around the corner. By the way, Fotograf is Swedish for Photographer. I hope you enjoy!

  • Jay Leno at Wildhorse Pass Casino

    Stop and consider a few of the great non-sport rivalries in history. Ford vs. Chevy. Fox vs. CNN. Coke vs. Pepsi. All have folks taking sides. Now consider where Leno vs. Letterman ranks. Recent news aside, I had always more of a David Letterman fan (especially Late Night on NBC). Dave is also a Sigma Chi, as am I, so he’s also got that going for him too.

    That said, my wife and I went to see Jay Leno at the new Wildhorse Pass Casino in Chandler, Arizona Friday night and he was awesome. If you ever get to see Jay do standup, take advantage. It’s much funnier than any of his television monologues. He really killed it. What was equally impressive is that the show started at 9:00 pm and went strong until ending at 10:30 pm. Now maybe I’m relatively new to standup but that seems like a solid set. Consider me a Jay Leno fan!

    That’s the end of the story. However, if you will indulge me on a side note, we learned that the Casino, which is visible from I-10, is not affiliated with the Wildhorse Sheraton Resort. If you’re booking a room at the Casino, make sure you book a room at the Casino, and not the Sheraton. Lesson learned. There was an unexpected upside, however. As luck would have it, the Sheraton happens to have a Five Diamond Restaurant, Kai, that was able to fit us in for dinner. We were really lucky because halfway into dinner the place was packed. It was an unbelievable two hours. Already planning our next trip.

  • Twitter 101

    Social media coming at you like a big wave? A former professor put it into perspective. “It seems technology is like that huge wave you try to catch and stay on top of, but eventually, and inevitably, it washes over you and either pushes up on shore where you will forever remain, or you will drown, or if you are one of the exceptional and fortunate ones, you will pop back up to ride the next wave.”

    Now, the 101 part: This is a blog. You likely understand blogs. Twitter is a micro-blog. What makes it micro? It allows 140 characters a post. I’d suggest a simple strategy to get started. Sign up at twitter.com. Then search for folks you’re interested in following. Celebrities (@lancearmstrong), friends (@owenwbrown) and people in your industry (@mashable). The gist Follow first and then decide how you will use the tool to communicate what you have to say.

    Got an iPhone? Get the Tweetie app and get Twitter in your pocket! For everything else see http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/