.: bistan.net :.

• #Mercer is on #espn2 playing for the Asun Conference championship. Go Bears! #
• These parent eat, sleep and breathe this crap. T-ball is only one “ball” that I juggle. #
• T-ball coach wants me to sell BBQ plates. Nope! If they needed more money they should have charged more up front. #ihatetball #
• Running a 12K in the morning. Have done 5Ks, 10Ks, and a 13K, but never a 12K. That guarantees a PR right!? (was bad week to give up coke) #
• My day so far: lawyers and t-ball. And I hate both. FML #
• It’s apparently National Procrastination Week. Of course, I celebrate it year-round! #
• Extremely windy run tonight. Need more miles to prepare for Saturday’s 12K but it’s not happening tonight. #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 420 (kcal). 3.25 mi.. 00:28:40 #
• Its 37 degrees outside and we’re eating ice cream! #
• 48 hours since my last coca-cola. I am struggling through withdrawal. Is it worth it? #
• I need to stop scheduling so much into one day. It makes it too easy to cut out the run. #
• This has to be the most epic hockey game since The Mighty Ducks. #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Cantrell Center 5K. 406 (kcal). 3.10 mi.. 00:25:30 #
• USA vs. Canada: It’s not about who wins the gold, it’s about who wins the fights! #
• USA vs Canada today for gold! Go world!!! #
• First time hearing Celine’s “Fly” in french. Awesome! itunes time. I will miss these olympics, but not the resulting sleep deprivation. #

Our lives have been incredibly busy lately: work, school, t-ball, races, and lots more.  With all of those obligations competing for our time, it is so easy to just zip through the drive-thru instead of preparing a meal at home.  In the last week or so, we have been eating out several times a day.  On Saturday: chicken biscuits after the 5K. On Sunday: McDonalds after church, O’Charleys for dinner. We have been eating out literally every day. That puts a strain on our wallet — and our health.  So for the month of March, we have decided to abstain from eating out.

I have also tried to limit my soda consumption in the past.  Unfortunately, in our combo-centric world, it hasn’t been possible to do so while continuing to dine out.  Who is really going to buy the chicken sandwich combo and fill the cup up with water?  So to take the health thing one step further, I have personally chosen to not drink coke during March.

Here are the terms of the restrictions:

• When there are events at work that have food, it doesn’t count as “eating out” — even if the food is pizza, etc.
• There is one exception: we can eat at Chic-fil-A once (because we have the calendars with the monthly free item).
• I am not allowed to drink any coke, even at the events above. This does not apply to other family members.

Today is day four and it has been tough.  Really tough.  I can’t remember the last time I went four days without a french fry and I never noticed just how many fast food commercials there are on the radio.  Also, social activities in the south are centered around food, so pledging not to eat at restaurants are starting to affect social aspects of my life as well.  The lack of coke has affected my motivation and energy.  It makes running a lot tougher when you take away a primary energy source. I am glad, however, that the symptoms of caffiene withdrawal have passed.

Can I successfully make it through the next 27 days? Tune in and see.

• I’m thankful nothing major happened to Hawaii. I don’t think America could endure another telethon. #
• Tball coach asked 3 time how many kids are on the team. It’s his team! Who is he asking? #hatesTballPractice #
• I see another telethon in our future #
• Brrrrrrrrr. Haven’t run a race this cold since #Disney. This 5K is going to suck. #
• 5K in the morning. 32 degrees. Then t-ball practice. Going to PR or die trying. #
• Lazy = parking in the fire lane at Firehouse Subs http://twitpic.com/15a3u1 #
• Sitting through pointless meetings is the biggest waste of life ::yawn:: #
• From a 400 lb person I know: “I’m very selective about what I put in my mouth”. What?? #
• 52 for me RT @MrBrettYoung: I scored 76/100 on the Pew Research Center How Millennial Are You? Quiz http://bit.ly/bV5Ary #
• came home to find Tristan and Kimberlie Davis counting each other’s teeth. Apparently this was a kindergarten homework assignment??? #
• A one character typo is going to have me at work all night. Ooops. #
• Tristan has been practicing his _at words, _ox words, and now, unfortunately, his _itch words. And he got them ALL. Hooked on phonics FAIL? #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 386 (kcal). 3.00 mi.. 00:26:21 #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Speed Work. 581 (kcal). 4.56 mi.. 00:36:28 #
• I hate #24 this year, but I feel obligated to watch it. #
• Only in central Georgia. . . http://twitpic.com/14r5f9 #

Last weekend kicked off a string of holidays . . . Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day, Fat Tuesday, Jonathan’s 31st Birthday, Ash Wednesday.  I pretty much missed them all.

Mackenzie was sick for a week straight.  It was a viral infection — the kind you just have to wait out.  Every morning Kimberlie and I would compare work agendas to see who could call in that day.  As for my birthday, we still haven’t picked up a birthday cake.  We didn’t even make it to Baskin Robbins until five days later.   My plan to eat all 31 flavors since I became 31 sort of failed too — the Warner Robins Baskin Robbins only had 24 flavors!  I guess birthdays are suppose to suck after you turn 30 anyway.

Oh well, Mackenzie is back to school today and we are both back at work.  I hate routines until something happens to throw off the familar routine.  Then I long for them to return.

2010 isn’t shaping up to be a very good year.  I’ll take 2007 or 2009 back in a heartbeat!

• Why is visiting #walmart like going to a third world country? #
• Listening to a compelling argument by Tristan about why marker tops HAVE to go on the appropriate markers. Visual aid: a toothpaste top. #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Al Toll 5K. 413 (kcal). 3.10 mi.. 00:25:58 #
• Interesting article on the internet from 14 years ago: http://www.newsweek.com/id/106554 #geek #
• Beautiful day. Finally. #
• Just ran a decent 5K on the toughest course in town #
• Lunch = Girl scout cookies. Thin mint. FTW. #
• I’m currently prepping Tiger for his press statement. #
• At #Mercer basketball game with Tristan http://twitpic.com/1411gs #
• Just heard a graphic story from Tristan about a classmate “getting sick” and the entire cleanup process. Dinner will not be soon. #
• Spent 3 hours getting 15000 messages converted to Outlook only to find this: http://twitpic.com/140agm #
• Why #foursquare may not be the smartest thing to use: pleaserobme.com #
• Paula Deen to guest judge on American Idol? The show is officially dead. #
• So 31 feels like 30, which felt like 29, which felt like 28, which felt like 27 which felt like 26. . . So why doesn’t 31 feel like 26? #
• Was it wrong to laugh at Locke when the sprinklers came on? #LOST #
• Hope this morning with a sick Mackenzie. Looking forward to working this afternoon. Tired of sitting home. #
• sick child = gonna be a long night #
• Mackenzie to doctor with 102 degree fever, Tristan to t-ball practice. I would rather be at work! #
• My first C#/XNA video game: http://www.bistan.net/643Project1.zip Let me know if you download and play it! #
• Home with the kids today — should be at work but day care is closed for the holiday. #
• A&E is having an Intervention marathon on President’s Day. Coincidence? #
• Legoland Florida is looking for a systems admin. Wish I had the specialized experience they want! #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 405 (kcal). 3.01 mi.. 00:25:19 #
• Hope everyone is having a Happy Valentine’s Day — or a Happy Independence Day. Ha! #
• Going to get Tristan some t-ball gear this afternoon — first practice tomorrow. #

On Friday, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed.  In fact, it was more snow than I have ever seen in Georgia.

When I was about 6, we had a little snowfall and had to use cardboard to slide down the hills in our neighborhood.  My grandmother was determined that I would not be sliding on cardboard anymore!  So for Christmas that year, my sister and I were given these awesome sleds from the JCPenney catalog.  Then they sat in storage for 25 years, waiting on the next great snowfall . . .

This is one time that being a pack-rat paid off!  Those sleds were worth the wait!

It was a fabulous weekend!  Sledding was finally conquered and multiple snowmen were built (pieces of some still remain). I’m probably the only person in central Georgia who owns real sleds!

(BTW, I totally stole the title of this post from Kristi F)

• The new We Are The World did not make me want to donate to Haiti. In fact, it was so bad that #Haiti owes me five bucks. #
• Learned that 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US. Would not have guess that. The ones I know always want to distance themselves #
• For the first time ever recorded, snow is on the ground in every state in the continental US. #
• An olympian did not die today. You are not an olympian unless you actually make it to the #olympics . He unfortunately did not. #
• Bad news: 12k cancelled for tomorrow. They called the snow a “threat”. Good news: One neighbor took down Christmas lights. One more to go! #
• If weather.com is correct, I’ll be running a 12K tomorrow in 26 degree weather through 5 inches of snow. #WDWMarathon all over again! #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 145 (kcal). 1.07 mi.. 00:8:25 #
• I think cut flowers and greeting cards are such a WASTE of money. Wish wife agreed. #
• If you people had as much faith in the stock market as you have in the weatherman, this recession would be over. #
• Too cold to train this week . . . and I’m registered for a 12K on Saturday morning! #
• My 3 year old is running around singing @hansonmusic . . . “You gotta Stand Up Stand Up”. Daddy is proud! #
• Congrats to Obama for solving global warming. #
• Sending get well wishes to @lindseyvonn The US needs you! #
• Adios arrowplane girl. Sad sad sad #AmericanIdol #
• Arrowplane girl is on #AmericanIdol right now #
• Facebook sucks. Need to convince 180 more friends to give it up and get on Twitter. #
• HA HA HA This will make you LOL: http://autocompleteme.com/ Can’t believe people really search for this stuff! #
• Just toasted a nice turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch tomorrow . . . then Mackenzie ate it. #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 260 (kcal). 2.06 mi.. 00:17:39 #
• Why you should be cheering for New Orleans tonight: http://bit.ly/bXn9qe #
• I wonder if there will be anything worth watching on TV tonight? #
• Tristan’s T-ball tryouts today, C# project due tomorrow, and need to get a long run in tonight. Good thing I could care less about football! #
• Just realized how sad it is that its a Saturday night and I’m tweeting how many lines of code it takes to run a Mercedes Benz. #nerd #
• Lines of code: F-22 Raptor: 1.7 million. Boeing Dreamliner: 6.5 million. Mercedes Benz: over 20 million . . . http://bit.ly/9uNJQQ #

This is where I’m going next Tuesday. Can you guess why?

Two weeks ago, we signed Tristan up for t-ball.  Then we bought him a glove and a ball.  Basically, we dropped $130 on baseball, but my child can’t throw, can’t catch, and can’t hit.  It really was stepping out for me to sign Tristan up for something like this.  I hate committments, so I’m not looking forward to sitting at practice or the ball field several nights a week.  But I also thought it might be good for him to be part of a team.

Yesterday was tryout day. We were concerned that we wouldn’t know anyone, but we ended up knowing four others:

Tristan’s best friend from his old day care (who he hardly sees anymore)
Tristan’s best friend from his current day care (who no longer goes there)
A classmate from Tristan’s preschool
A classmate from Tristan’s current kindergarten class

And to make it even better, we know (or have met) their parents as well.  Let’s just hope he ends up with one or more of them on his team!

• Taking kids to PetSmart — closest thing we have to a zoo and they don’t know the difference. http://twitpic.com/11rj4d #
• Got this for my birthday and love it: http://bit.ly/9xG5Xe #run #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 769 (kcal). 6.05 mi.. 00:52:16 #
• New gas station having a $1.99 gas gimmick = traffic gridlock. No traffic cops in sight. #stupid #
• If you’re not thinking “WTF”, you’re not #LOST I love this show! #
• The new Locke is Whitmore??? #LOST #
• LOST #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 409 (kcal). 3.00 mi.. 00:25:36 #
• I grew up in the 80s. That’s why seeing the Jonas Brothers and Celine Dion singing We are the World is just weird. #
• Received an email that the “Copier is somewhat broken”. Not really sure how to respond to that??? #
• At ChuckECheese with the family. That’s how much I love them. #
• Hardest decision of the day: Grammys or Desperate Housewives? Can always hulu DH or watch Gs on youtube. #
• MapMyRun.com: Completed Regular Run. 514 (kcal). 4.00 mi.. 00:34:58 #