Emo... Isn't Good for Anybody...

I've been emo a bit lately. So, let's change it up with a good old fashioned ramble...

Matt Kemp's on the 15 day DL for the Dodgers. But I'm happy to have read this article, which outlines why the Dodgers won't be that too badly out of shape without him.

Spotify is the best $10 I spend every month. I've been exposed to so much good music... older albums like the Miniature Tigers' masterpiece Tell It to the Volcano... newer jams like Schoolboy Q's Habits and Contradictions. I finally feel like I'm able to keep my promise to myself to constantly listen to new (and old!) music, and it's all thanks to Spotify.

Dropped off on running for the past 9 days. And I can feel it. I'm antsy. But with Rachel at the 3DT Box Office on the weekends and trying to play more guitar and keeping the house clean and cooking more instead of eating out... well, running was bound to take a hit. Wait... this post was supposed to avoid being emo... oh yeah...

I love going to Disneyland with my family. Chase is at an age where everything is interesting and he's curious and energetic and feisty and has opinions and Disneyland is the perfect place to keep him engaged and satiate that need for exposure to new things. And he loves the Monorail, which is a plus.

Word. Sweet. Holla. Play guitar more and so on and so forth...

Plateau and other Stuff

In the beginning, things are difficult. You can barely run for 10 minutes straight without feeling completely winded. Your form isn't the most efficient, you're still trying to figure out what's comfortable, there is plenty of trial and error, you are motivated to get out there and run and train, but you might become impatient, anxious to see results, to see some sort of evidence that your effort isn't all for naught.

Then you fall into a groove. 2 miles in 20 minutes? No problem. Bring on some speed training. I'm gonna finish that 5K in under 30 minutes. Man, make it 29 minutes. No, 28 minutes. My goal's will be reached. I've lost some weight. Yeah! Clothes are fitting me again!

Then... plateau...

Damn. I can't just run for 40 minutes and continue to lose weight. I have to watch what I eat and add some strength training and maybe swimming would be a good idea and shouldn't I hop on the bike, too, yeah, that would be good and keep me well-rounded and motivated and I can fight through this plateau.

And that's the secret. You have to realize that you need to fight through. That there will be times when you see minimal gains, but you have to recognize that a baby step forward is still a step forward. Fight through the plateau, keep your legs moving, keep your spirits up, stick to the plan, keep your goals in your sights, because once you fight through the plateau, you'll be that much stronger, that much more ready to fight even harder and soar even higher.

Hmmm... when did I become a motivational speaker? :)

Dodgers are 13-4. Yeah, it's a long season, but you gotta take the easy ones when you can get them, and if Ethier and Kemp keep it up and the pitching staff holds it together, this could be a fun season. Hell, it will be fun anyways.

I think the Camp Pendleton Triathlon might be smarter because it's less expensive and saving money is always a good thing. It's in August, too, which might mean I can get a sleeveless wetsuit, which will also be less expensive.

NFL coaches are cheating. Athletes are reverting to their old ways.

And I still want these shoes.

Dodger Blue

Today was opening day for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I'm proud to be a Dodger fan, somewhere between casual and die hard (it's in my nature to reside in the middle).

When it comes to the Boys in Blue, there are plenty of fond memories floating around in my head:

• Meeting Steve Garvey at a church fundraiser when I was a little boy
• Listing Fernando Valenzuela as my favorite baseball player on my little league playing card 
• Games at Chavez Ravine with my family 
• My brother Rick sitting in the stadium on his Walkman, listening to Vin Scully calling the game
• Fireworks at Dodger Stadium on July 4th (coincidentally also my Dad's birthday) 
• Yelling "C'MON, BRETT!!" in unison with my dad about 20 times when Brett Butler came up to bat at a game (I was probably around 11 or 12)
• Enjoying the Continental Airline seats along the first base line with Rachel and her family
• Rachel's and my Trash the Dress Photo Shoot in Dodger Stadium with Ryan Caliendo (a surreal experience...)

 

 

 

 

 

So many amazing memories when I think about Dodger Blue...

We beat the Padres 5-3 today. Matt Kemp hit a 2 run homerun. Clayton Kershaw went 3 innings with no earned runs (he wasn't 100% due to some sort of illness). I wore my Dodgers shirt to work proudly, a daring feat considering our entire warehouse is full of Angel fans.

It's going to be an exciting season now that we have the stability of Magic in the buying group that purchased the Dodgers from Frank McCourt. And, as of today, the Boys in Blue are undefeated.

Yeah. It's time to stop residing in the middle. From now on, I'm not a casual fan. From now on...

I bleed Dodger Blue.