Archive for March, 2011

Random Nonsense

It’s been a few weeks since the last update and I haven’t forgotten to write some new stuff I just haven’t had anything really profound that I wanted to talk about.  The weeks are all the same: work 8-5, gym 5-7, then relax and repeat the next day.   Obviously, I’m trying to get into good shape here for the upcoming Hawaii adventure as well as having to don a tuxedo in July for the big wedding (not mine – duh).  My working out has been going quite well.  I can leg press 400+ lbs, squat 210, and I’ve maxed out Planet Fitness’s dumbbells (75 lbs) for dumbbell bench pressing.  Equally impressive, my mile time has gone from 11+ mins to 8:50 and I can run 2 miles in about 16:40.

Unfortunately, all of this hard work has been rough on my knees.  It’s becoming a daily struggle, especially for my left knee to do any kind of plyometric activity.  I’ve tried ice, patellar tendon straps, drugs, you name it, and nothing seems to work.  My team leader at work has hooked me up with his orthopedic surgeon (who works directly with the surgeon that fixed Tiger Woods’ knee after he tore his ACL) who at some point I am going to call to make an appointment.  Frankly, I’m hoping it’s something that can be cured with surgery or physical therapy so we can just get it taken care of and fixed and I can be on my merry way with working out.

Last week I decided that it was time for me to buy an Xbox 360.  I honestly am not sure what propelled this; however, streaming Netflicks is awesome as is the Gears of War franchise of games.  I decided to go with the 250 GB Xbox because frankly I didn’t want flash memory which the 4 GB one has.  The downside to this was that every single place in Utah was sold out of the 250 GB only Xbox system and if I wanted it I had to buy the combo pack that includes that PLUS the Xbox Kinect (which is basically Microsoft’s answer to Nintendo’s WII).  I bit the bullet and got the combo pack.  I figured that having the Kinect was really like having a Xbox and a Wii all at the same time so why not?

On Friday, Carrie, AJ, and I tried out the Kinect and let me tell you – it’s pretty awesome.  Granted, 2/3s of us were intoxicated while playing, but even so it’s very accurate and not having to hold a controller really gives you a sense of freedom.  The only game I have for it is the one that comes with the purchase of the Xbox+Kinect but it’s still pretty legit.  I definitely would like to get Dance Central so I can kick Bobbi’s ass at dancing as well as Kinect Sports as I’ve been hearing it’s pretty fun.  One of the cool features of the Kinect is that during game play it takes snapshots of you and your friends playing that it shows you afterwards and you can even upload them online.  I’ll have to look at them again and see if there are some good ones I can put up on here for laughs.

Finally, March Madness is almost over and I will undoubtedly lose to my father in our own bracket challenge which means I owe him cocktails and a cigar when we’re in Hawaii (is it May yet?).  You can’t blame me, first time no #1s or #2s have made it to the Final Four?  That’s crazy, but it happened.  I guess I’m going to continue to pull for VCU to win the whole damn tourney now.  How amazing would it be if an 11 seed won it all?  At least Florida and Duke lost!

The 3 B’s of Hawaii (or 4 if you’re my dad)

In approximately two months I will be lounging on a beach in Hawaii.  No, seriously.  The dad apparently got some bonus money that he and the mom decided they want to use to fly the whole family down to Honolulu to visit the Stump clan.  I have to say I wasn’t against this idea at all.  I’m taking off from Utah on May 14th where I fly to L.A., at this point Amy and I reunite on our plane as we fly down to the rainbow state.  I have to say the word “excited” really doesn’t do justice.  I mean, Hawaii has the 3 B’s on lockdown (the dad added the 4th) – beaches, babes, beer, and bourbon.  We are going to dominate Hawaii.

Another exciting thing to point out about this adventure is that (randomly) at the exact same time I’m in Hawaii my friends Chandra and Scott will also be vacationing there.  Same island and all!  It is definitely a priority that we get to hang out at least for a few hours and knock back some drinks considering I don’t see  them anymore due to them bailing out of UT for year-round warmth in Cali (can you blame them?).

A few weeks after this great trip ends Laura and KP are going to be flying out to Utah to basically rock out with me for a few days.  Tentatively, they will fly in on a Wednesday evening, I’ll work Thursday while they go hiking or something and then I’ll take Friday off in which we will probably go camping in the Uinta Mountains.  I’m hoping that Matt and Bobbi will be able to come with for the camping but now that Roberta is preggo there is no telling if it will happen or not.

And finally, the weather here in SLC is beginning to slowly but surely warm up (albeit the random ass snow storm we had Monday).  In fact, it was damn near 60 last Saturday which provoked me to take the CBR out from winter storage in the garage.  I was a little nervous to ride it again since it’s been like 4ish months or so but, it’s just like riding a bike (literally).  I can’t wait until its regularly nice out!