Wii Fit

We have had the WiiFit for the Nintendo Wii for a week now. So far I have managed to work out every day except one, which is pretty amazing in itself for two reasons. First, I am actually exercising, and it has lasted a week now, and two, I have found time to do it with the hectic schedule I've had.

Results so far you ask? Weight and BMI are about the same, but with the cookouts and such from the weekend, that doesn't surprise me much. If I combine this and the Weight Watchers plan both, I should see some really good results. Some body parts still ache after I do this, but that's from years of sitting around. AS I do more I am sure that will go away.

My impressions of the game are fantastic. The whole family is doing it, and while it is a "game", it is also a system, that when used on a regular and consistent basis, will show results. Anything that gets us lazy people off our butts has to be good, right?

I do wish that there were a couple of changes though. I wish that you could pick out all your exercises out first instead of having to pick up the remote, put the remote down, pick it up, put it down, etc. I also wish that it had a "plan", where it chose a list of activities for you to help guide you along in a structured manner. That way you couldn't skip the exercises you hate doing (push ups). Are these two things going to keep me away? Absolutely not.

If you have a Wii, and you were thinking about this game, I recommend you get it. It is worth the investment. And, your body with thank you as well.

Now I lay Me down...

Andrea and I went to a seminar last night on photography and light, called Captivated by the Light. The photographer was Ed Pierce, a very entertaining speaker, and I came away a whole slew of things I want to try, just to see if I can improve on the photography of mine.

He showed us some of his styles, and other photographers as well in little short video segments. The ideas that I got kept adding on. Things I want to try and do. We shall see.

The most powerful video was the one at the very end. It was with Sandy Puc, whose specialty is infant pictures. She was telling the story of this phone call she got one evening, while working with another client, about this frantic father who needed her to come down to the hospital and get pictures of his son. She said she couldn't right now, but she would make it down the first thing the next morning. Dad said he wouldn't make it that long.

She cleared her time away so she could go down and do the photo shoot. Shortly after she was done, the baby passed away. She was able to do another shoot with Mom, Dad and the baby without all the tubes and wires so that the family would always have something to remember him by.

From this, a non profit organization has grown, called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. It is for situations like this. The photographer donates their time, and gives the parents all the pictures. No financial burden to the parents, just photographic memories.

I had tears in my eyes. It was one of the most powerful things I have ever watched. It made me want to rush right home and pick up all my kids and hold them. It really affected me.

If my photography ever got that good to where I could do something like that, I'm not sure emotionally if I could or not. I don't know if I am that strong. There are other ways to help though, which if you go to their website, you can see. I know I will.

Stop and smell the flowers

What a busy week we have planned. Amber starts driver's Ed this week. This is the classroom portion, twice a week, 4 hours a night. That is on top of the normal drum lessons for Andy tonight, 4H band practice on Wednesday, its Lens and Leaves week for me on Thursday, which is the same night as one of the drivers ed classes and Andrea's Weight Watchers meetings. Andrea and Juli get together tonight for their every other week scrapbooking time. Friday we have to drop Andy off for Percussion Workshop with the 4H band, we have to go Saturday to do maintenance on the band amphitheater on the Hartford Fair grounds and Pick Andy up. Sunday, which is Mothers day, we drop Andy off for his 8th grade trip to Washington DC. WHEW!

This is after the weekend which included prop, a trip to Macy's for clothing and such as it was Friends and Family weekend, a Mother's day dinner (because we cant do it Mother's Day to to the DC trip), a night out for Andrea and I to see our favorite local Band, the Olde Cellar band, and a Lens and Leaves outing to Kingwood Gardens yesterday morning. And I wonder why every time Jeni asks me how I am, the only word I can use is tired.

Leave it to Albert to remind us to slow down, even stop, and smell the flowers!

Prom night

A night that Juniors and Seniors look forward to every year. Last night was Licking Heights prom. Amber was going sans date, as her boyfriend is the lead in a musical at his school this weekend and couldn't make the prom. The plan was to go with several other girls as a group (or is that a gaggle, I can never remember?)

The process started off with an early dismissal at 10:30 so that they could get ready. I picked Amber up and dropped her off at Jess's house, the spot of getting ready. Sarah was meeting them there.

It wasn't too long when I started getting texts about wanting to change the evening plans, like spending the night, seeing a movie after the prom and so forth. That required Sarah bringing Amber back here to get some over night clothes and such. No problems there.

What is every parents fear on prom night? Well, besides what some vile boy might do to his daughter, a car accident ranks right up there. Well, it seems there was a second car trip that was going to involve getting Jen from Sarah's house. Evidently, Amber forgot something so they came back here 1st to get that. Have I mentioned the absolute downpour of rain that started around this time? On the way from here back to Sarah's, Sarah hit the brakes in traffic, but the car hit the water and kept going, right into the car in front of her, which in turn hit the car in front of it. Luckily, no one was hurt. Cars were damaged, parents and kids alike a bit shook up, but all is well.

Parents and kids alike converged on the Taylor house for pictures, and as soon as the kids left, the parents got down to business with a pot luck dinner. Games of Euchre and a movie was the after dinner entertainment. Over all, everyone had a great time. I'm sure things could have been much worse, but with this group, things couldn't have been much better!

I cant believe I was doing THAT

Ken and Juli came over last night to watch some Hockey with us, drink some beer and eat some pizza. Ken is a Pittsburg native, and his Pens had a chance to sweep their second round series against the Rangers.

They didnt look very good, and the Rangers handed them their hats 3-0, in a game that was getting chippy at the end. If that emotion carries over to Sunday's game, this could get fun. In my opinion, the best part of playoff hockey is the playing the same team anywhere from 4 to 7 games in a row. The emotions, the bad blood just continue to boil between the two teams more and more as the series festers. This series is starting to fester. Two off days to taste that bad taste, then Sunday comes. This ought to be good!

The second game of the doubleheader is what had me shaking my head in a "I cant believe I am rooting for the Red Wings" moment. I am from Ohio, born and raised. Lived here all my life, except for those 9 years in Uncle Sam's Army. Ohio does not like Michigan. I think it is like any other neighboring state battle, but then you throw in this little football game in November every year (Ohio State vs Michigan for those living under rocks or in caves), and the dislike grows. When you grew up during the Woody - Bo era, its ingrained into you. I moved to Columbus in 1999, and discovered I'm just a mild Michigan hater. This town is nuts. A tad overdone, but thats my opinion.

Columbus got a Hockey team in 2000. They got plopped in the save division as the Detroit Red Wings. One of the better Hockey teams around. The beat us. They've beaten us every which way but loose. Not only do they beat us, but they make it look easy. Not only do they make it look easy, but they take over our Arena. So not only do they make it look easy beating us, they have half the arena cheering for them. Its like sandpaper. It rubs me raw. If I couldnt go to the game, I'd rather my seats were empty than sell them to a Detroit fan.

So here I am watching this second game last night when I find my self wishing for the Red Wings to crush Colorado. Why? #52. Adam Foote. The traitorous bastard that used to be the captain of the Blue Jackets. He whose last action as the captain of the team was to throw a tantrum because the Jackets would not operpay to keep his services. When things did not go his way, he used the threat of "I'll creat a very negative attitude around the whole team and be disruptive as possible". What kind of captain is that? Its not. He's a piece of crap.

He got what he deserved. In a game that Colorado absolutely need to win or go home, they got outclassed 8-2. Adam Foote? One shot (a miss of course), one giveaway, and a -3 rating. Nice job shithead. Hope you got what you wanted. I hope the Avalanche kicks your sorry ass to the curb.

Now I can go back to rooting against the Wings!!!!

Its all fun and games

One of the many things I love to do in my spare time, and I do mean many, is play video games. I'm not one of those hard core games that get all caught up in this and that. There are certain games that I like that are musts when they come out, like Mario, Zelda, and yes, Pokemon. I know, a 40 something guy playing pokemon. Its fun, and it doesnt require massive time at one sitting.

Within the last month or so, many of my favorite games have been released. We had Smash Brothers Brawl, a nice cartoon fighting game, Mario Kart Wii, good for racing, and 2 Pokemon Mytery Dungeons, Explorers of Time And Explorers of Darkness. There just is not enough time in the day to play them all, especially when the rest of the family wants to watch TV.

To top it all off, later this month comes the ever important WiiFit, the revolutionary new way to get active, through a video game. I have no idea how I'm going to squeeze that time in, I dont have time to work out now as it is.

Maybe if I win the lottery....yeah, thats it, win the lottery, then I wont have to work...it will be nothing but play time then...hmmm, I might be on to something.