Triathlon Training and Tivo

So much happening ...

TRAINING: My triathlon training has started in earnest. 4-weeks until the tri'. Today, I fake-joined a gym. You see ...I need a pool in which to train. So, I'm using a 1-week trial at LA Fitness for a week (free), then I'm going to pretend to be auditioning Bally's for 2-weeks (not my fault they'll actually let you use their facility for 2 weeks), and finally I'll buy a cheap pass for the local h.s. pool to train any additional days. Problem is ...after 1 day at LA Fitness and how nice that place is ...I wanna join. Hmmm. I guess that is why they give away free weeks. If you care to donate to my personal fitness, I would appreciate it. I'll write your name, or the name of your business, on my legs and arms while I compete in the October 12th Collegiate Triathlon.

REDIRECTING: Once again, I wrote a great article for AsktheCommish. Read it here. I expect Dr. Scholls will be contacting me soon and paying me for that comfort insoles script. And ...sahweet! I'll use that money for my gym membership.

MOURNING: The death of my Tivo. I love Tivo. Tivo is created by TV-nerds for TV-nerds. My Tivo 'got' me. It has 2 tuners easily jumped between, Tivo suggested shows I might like and got it totally right, and was so easy andhad such a fun noise it made when pressing buttons and fast-forwarding and stuff. Well ...last week ...Thursday ...a day I'll never, never forget ...it died. So, I had no choice but to call and get DirecTV's far inferior DVR. It arrived Saturday. I've used it quite a bit since then. But ..it's ...oh, man ...I said I wasn't going to cry ...it's ...not ...the ...same. Pray for me in this difficult time.

CELEBRATING: That DirecTV will renew its relationship with Tivo next year and I will be able to smash my stupid DVR on the curb and get Tivo once again. Oh, what a happy day that will be. I wish I knew the exact date ...I'd circle it on my calendar and prepare for its arrival. "Hi, Tivo. How've you been? It's been a tough year. I'm glad you're here." I wish I could blip-blip-blip my life forward to that moment.

RAINING: All weekend. More rain than I've ever seen at one time. It rained non-stop (and I'm not exaggerating) from Thursday until late in the afternoon on Sunday. My yard typically gets some water pooling up in the middle of the yard during heavy rains. No biggie ...usually. But as the monsoon-type rains kept driving and sheeting, the "pooling" became a lake and was not more than 6 feet from my house. My neighbor was dealing with the same fear and, together, we decided to dig a trench on our property line and try and make the water move from the backyard out into the front yard and then into the street. It ain't the best trench you'll ever see, but damn ...it worked. I now count Civil Engineering among my many amazing skills.

DIGGING: A trench. I know. I mentioned that already. I was wearing a wind breaker and now, in hindsight, I wish I would've boken out my trench coat. I paid good money for that thing ...seems like I should have finally used it for its intended purpose.

WRITING: Lots of stuff. I'll be recapping Survivor and Amazing Race this fall, I'll have my part of the Mad Men piece on spunkybean tomorrow, and a few other things. I know ...I impress even myself.

Until tomorrow ...stay dry.