Double figures!
Well, I managed to find a gap in the bank holiday weather long enough to get out for a run. Two and a half miles again, seem to be pounding those out regularly now. Route was hilly again, especially the long slog back home up Talbot Street. Still, feeling better for it - hadn't done much exercise over the weekend and was feeling a bit lethargic, bloated and wishy-washy as a result. Now that I've done something I feel much, much better. Got to love those endorphines! the music was good today too - I was tuned in to Radio 1 and they played Jump, by Van Halen, and Smells Like Teen Spirit, by Nirvana - one of the defining songs of the nineties. So, double figures now: still jogging, still blogging. Watch this space!
Monday, 28 May 2007
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Don't rely on babies...
... as alarm clocks!
Contrary wee buggers! Sam's woken up at 5am every morning for the best part of a fortnight or so. So, knowing I wanted to get up not long after then to go running, I thought "it'll be okay, Sam'll get me up", and left my normal alarm set for 6am. Guess what? Sam slept until about twenty past six, Sarah had to go out, and I missed my run. D'oh!
Contrary wee buggers! Sam's woken up at 5am every morning for the best part of a fortnight or so. So, knowing I wanted to get up not long after then to go running, I thought "it'll be okay, Sam'll get me up", and left my normal alarm set for 6am. Guess what? Sam slept until about twenty past six, Sarah had to go out, and I missed my run. D'oh!
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Jog Blog #9
Tell you what, I feel like a runner now.
It seems SJM's waking up time is five am. It could be a lot worse! It's Summer, and the mornings are warm, sunny and clear, and once he's woken us up it's quite nice to get out of bed and enjoy the relaxed morning. You just have more time to do things, there's so much less stress. This morning, Sarah got up with him, leaving me in bed. Now, previously I'd have gone straight back to sleep. But as I was lying there there was a little voice in my head saying "you could go for a run" over and over again. I countered it by telling the voice in my head that I was fine, thank you very much and the nice warmth of my bed was as good a place, if not better, than pounding the roads around Whitwick. The voice in my head then called in reinforcements, and Mr. T shouted at me to "quit yo jibber jabber, fool!". That did it!
So, glorious morning. A tad early, but as previously explained there's not a lot I can do about that. Better a glorious Summer morning than a frosty Winter one, eh? Having not prepared last night, I couldn't find my usual kit so made do with a hastily thrown combo of Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and bright green jogging bottoms. And they are very, very green! To the extent I was quite glad it was this early and only fools like me would be up and about!
So, how was the run? Hard! I had a time-frame to meet, I could only be twenty minutes as Sarah had to go training for half past six. So, I went the route I've been toying with in my head, the hilly route, the h-a-r-d route! Right, where did I go? Started off like many others, up through the estate and past the park, then down Church Lane. That was a nice bit of downhill, absolutely countered when I turned up City of Dan into Cademan Street. I was tempted to cut up P
arsonwood Hill, I was tempted to cut up Temple Hill. I resisted! I made it to the top of Cademan to be rewarded with a nice downhill coast along Loughborough Road. Of course, at the end of that is / was Dumps Hill. Now that's a hill. It's even mentioned on the Whitwick Wikipedia page (although only in passing now, it seems to have been amended.) Anyway, I slogged it up there - hard work indeed - then back along North Street, back up Church Lane and home past the park
Blimey was I sweating. Blimey was I knackered! Blimey, was I pleased I ran that route? Hell yeah.
Did nearly two and a half miles, too, which is an improvement on last time out. On a hilly course too, which is nice. Of course that means there's downhill stretches as well as the uphill bits, but it's a good change of intensity! This morning's effort was to the soundtrack of Jay Z and Linkin Park's Collision Course album, which pretty much kept me going at the top of Dumps Hill!
It seems SJM's waking up time is five am. It could be a lot worse! It's Summer, and the mornings are warm, sunny and clear, and once he's woken us up it's quite nice to get out of bed and enjoy the relaxed morning. You just have more time to do things, there's so much less stress. This morning, Sarah got up with him, leaving me in bed. Now, previously I'd have gone straight back to sleep. But as I was lying there there was a little voice in my head saying "you could go for a run" over and over again. I countered it by telling the voice in my head that I was fine, thank you very much and the nice warmth of my bed was as good a place, if not better, than pounding the roads around Whitwick. The voice in my head then called in reinforcements, and Mr. T shouted at me to "quit yo jibber jabber, fool!". That did it!
So, glorious morning. A tad early, but as previously explained there's not a lot I can do about that. Better a glorious Summer morning than a frosty Winter one, eh? Having not prepared last night, I couldn't find my usual kit so made do with a hastily thrown combo of Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and bright green jogging bottoms. And they are very, very green! To the extent I was quite glad it was this early and only fools like me would be up and about!
So, how was the run? Hard! I had a time-frame to meet, I could only be twenty minutes as Sarah had to go training for half past six. So, I went the route I've been toying with in my head, the hilly route, the h-a-r-d route! Right, where did I go? Started off like many others, up through the estate and past the park, then down Church Lane. That was a nice bit of downhill, absolutely countered when I turned up City of Dan into Cademan Street. I was tempted to cut up P
arsonwood Hill, I was tempted to cut up Temple Hill. I resisted! I made it to the top of Cademan to be rewarded with a nice downhill coast along Loughborough Road. Of course, at the end of that is / was Dumps Hill. Now that's a hill. It's even mentioned on the Whitwick Wikipedia page (although only in passing now, it seems to have been amended.) Anyway, I slogged it up there - hard work indeed - then back along North Street, back up Church Lane and home past the parkBlimey was I sweating. Blimey was I knackered! Blimey, was I pleased I ran that route? Hell yeah.
Did nearly two and a half miles, too, which is an improvement on last time out. On a hilly course too, which is nice. Of course that means there's downhill stretches as well as the uphill bits, but it's a good change of intensity! This morning's effort was to the soundtrack of Jay Z and Linkin Park's Collision Course album, which pretty much kept me going at the top of Dumps Hill!
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Fun with maths
0.999… is the same as 1. Not just very close, but precisely identical:
a = 0.999…
10a = 9.999…
10a - a = 9.999… - 0.999…
9a = 9
a = 1
There's no trick here. It's just a mathematical fact that most people find deeply counterintuitive.
Proof originally posted here.
Road rage scum
You hope it never happens to someone you know
What sort of idiot would wrench open a car door and try and pull the pregnant occupant of the driver's seat out onto the road? Well, the sort of idiot who pulled out in front of Lou O'Reilly yesterday. Apparently, the other driver (clearly the owner of a very small penis and a compensatory large attitude) pulled out in front of Lou, cutting her up to the extent she had to slam on the anchors. She then did what 99% of people would do, and parped her horn at the offender - letting him know she was there, in case he hadn't seen her (and by way of a reprimand, no doubt). This moron then stopped his car in front of hers, go out and marched to her door, wrenched it out and attempted to drag her from the car. Had it not been for the actions of the gentleman in the car behind, who stopped and intervened, who knows what might have happened! Lou's seven and a half months pregnant. Doesn't take a genius to work out what might have happened, does it. Unfortunately, no-one got the registration number of the idiot in question.
I just can't understand the mentality of someone like this. Life's too short to worry about things like someone blowing their horn at you. Life's too short to be rude, to cut people up, to be aggressive and threatening. I hope karma works its powers and the moron gets what he deserves.
What sort of idiot would wrench open a car door and try and pull the pregnant occupant of the driver's seat out onto the road? Well, the sort of idiot who pulled out in front of Lou O'Reilly yesterday. Apparently, the other driver (clearly the owner of a very small penis and a compensatory large attitude) pulled out in front of Lou, cutting her up to the extent she had to slam on the anchors. She then did what 99% of people would do, and parped her horn at the offender - letting him know she was there, in case he hadn't seen her (and by way of a reprimand, no doubt). This moron then stopped his car in front of hers, go out and marched to her door, wrenched it out and attempted to drag her from the car. Had it not been for the actions of the gentleman in the car behind, who stopped and intervened, who knows what might have happened! Lou's seven and a half months pregnant. Doesn't take a genius to work out what might have happened, does it. Unfortunately, no-one got the registration number of the idiot in question.
I just can't understand the mentality of someone like this. Life's too short to worry about things like someone blowing their horn at you. Life's too short to be rude, to cut people up, to be aggressive and threatening. I hope karma works its powers and the moron gets what he deserves.
Jog Blog #8
Back in business now!
Up and at 'em bright and early this morning, braving the drizzle and dampness underfoot. Upped the intensity again: 20 minutes running. Well, okay, jogging. But none of this run / walk alternating, it was a full on jog for the full monty. So, I was quite interested to know how far I covered in that time: 2.27 miles. Not bad, not bad. That's 8:48 minute miling. Which is a bit slow, having just worked it out. Have to up the pace next time, but still, not bad for the first effort.
How am I feeling? Feeling good! Enjoyed the run, although I did start to wish I'd given myself rest periods after about ten minutes. Got on with it though, and carried on, and feel the better for it. Feel like I didn't have almost a month off, hopefully the rest will have energised me! Was listening to The Subways this morning - great music, and I heard yesterday that they're going in to the studio to record their second album, which is great news. Highly recommend them live - in fact, I think they're brilliant. They submitted a recorded message for Sarah, as a birthday present at my request, so everyone go and buy their record!
Up and at 'em bright and early this morning, braving the drizzle and dampness underfoot. Upped the intensity again: 20 minutes running. Well, okay, jogging. But none of this run / walk alternating, it was a full on jog for the full monty. So, I was quite interested to know how far I covered in that time: 2.27 miles. Not bad, not bad. That's 8:48 minute miling. Which is a bit slow, having just worked it out. Have to up the pace next time, but still, not bad for the first effort.
How am I feeling? Feeling good! Enjoyed the run, although I did start to wish I'd given myself rest periods after about ten minutes. Got on with it though, and carried on, and feel the better for it. Feel like I didn't have almost a month off, hopefully the rest will have energised me! Was listening to The Subways this morning - great music, and I heard yesterday that they're going in to the studio to record their second album, which is great news. Highly recommend them live - in fact, I think they're brilliant. They submitted a recorded message for Sarah, as a birthday present at my request, so everyone go and buy their record!
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Aerosmith tickets arrive!
They're heeeeerrreeee!
Hurrah and hussah. The Aerosmith tickets have turned up. Well, I say Aerosmith, but they're for the whole Sunday at Hyde Park Calling. See the official site here, or the eFestivals page here. I can't wait, it's going to be fantastic, not just Aerosmith, but Jet, Chris Cornell et al. The list goes on! That's in June, then, since we're talking gigs, we're off to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at Rock City in July too. Having had a dearth of giggage over the Winter - since the Subways in November - it's picked up now. Maximo Park the other week, now these two lined up. Yay! I'm excited like a six year old on Christmas morning!
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Jog Blog #7
It's back!
Okay, it's been a while. So long, in fact, that I had to look back through the archived blog entries to see that number I should enumerate this entry as! Almost a month ago. I should have been embarking on week three of this programme, if you recall, when it came off the rails as a result of a hangover. Well, we're back in business. Did I return to week one, given that I'd missed the best part of four weeks? I probably should have done, but hey, I managed my mile at grading reasonably well, so I've upped the intensity. Four minutes running, one walking, repeated four times to take me to the twenty minute mark. In fact I went a minute and a half over, as I needed to get home! Very nearly two and a half miles, in twenty minutes. I reckon that's pretty good going.
Music for tonight's excursion was provided by Franz Ferdinand, which seemed to be suitably fast paced. For my next grading I need to beat the time I set in my last one, which was 5:42. So, I need to find a track of about that length and make sure I finish my mile before it finishes. Pretty good thinking, I think! So, I need a measured mile to practice - and it turns out that Hermitage lake is almost exactly half a mile in circumference. Twice round in less than five and a half minutes? Twice round in less than five minutes? We'll have to see. Of course, I have to run there and back too, which might hinder the effort (or does it just count as warm up?).
Anyway, back on track. Feel good for it.
Okay, it's been a while. So long, in fact, that I had to look back through the archived blog entries to see that number I should enumerate this entry as! Almost a month ago. I should have been embarking on week three of this programme, if you recall, when it came off the rails as a result of a hangover. Well, we're back in business. Did I return to week one, given that I'd missed the best part of four weeks? I probably should have done, but hey, I managed my mile at grading reasonably well, so I've upped the intensity. Four minutes running, one walking, repeated four times to take me to the twenty minute mark. In fact I went a minute and a half over, as I needed to get home! Very nearly two and a half miles, in twenty minutes. I reckon that's pretty good going.
Music for tonight's excursion was provided by Franz Ferdinand, which seemed to be suitably fast paced. For my next grading I need to beat the time I set in my last one, which was 5:42. So, I need to find a track of about that length and make sure I finish my mile before it finishes. Pretty good thinking, I think! So, I need a measured mile to practice - and it turns out that Hermitage lake is almost exactly half a mile in circumference. Twice round in less than five and a half minutes? Twice round in less than five minutes? We'll have to see. Of course, I have to run there and back too, which might hinder the effort (or does it just count as warm up?).
Anyway, back on track. Feel good for it.
Monday, 14 May 2007
Scooter Rally
The 24-hour scooter rally
It took place this weekend, at the karate / kickboxing club. David Taylor, our local MP came and started the event, doing a couple of laps, before the kids went mad and did the first hour or so. The weather pretty much sucked, we all got soaked, and we all ended up very tired. I was there for an hour or so, then home again, then back from ten pm for four hours through to two, then home to bed before SJM woke us up at five am... and Sarah headed off again...
The night shift wasn't bad - sat around the barbequeue with tins of beer, we felt a bit like those extras you get in movies set in New York, clustered around a brazier in the snow and rain. Well, there wasn't any snow, but there was plenty of rain.
Only one casualty from the event too, which is good going. Unfortunately it was me - I've sprained my thumb and it's rather swollen. Bit of a pain as my rib's back to normal and I was going to pick up my training again as of today. That's not going to happen!
Oh well... might try for a jog tonight.
It took place this weekend, at the karate / kickboxing club. David Taylor, our local MP came and started the event, doing a couple of laps, before the kids went mad and did the first hour or so. The weather pretty much sucked, we all got soaked, and we all ended up very tired. I was there for an hour or so, then home again, then back from ten pm for four hours through to two, then home to bed before SJM woke us up at five am... and Sarah headed off again...
The night shift wasn't bad - sat around the barbequeue with tins of beer, we felt a bit like those extras you get in movies set in New York, clustered around a brazier in the snow and rain. Well, there wasn't any snow, but there was plenty of rain.
Only one casualty from the event too, which is good going. Unfortunately it was me - I've sprained my thumb and it's rather swollen. Bit of a pain as my rib's back to normal and I was going to pick up my training again as of today. That's not going to happen!
Oh well... might try for a jog tonight.
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Just a number...
Okay, not the original number.
I got advised by the police that I should remove the other number from my website. Just a 128 bit hexadecimal number. I'll talk about that in a minute. However:
3B F5 B9 CA 9A 9C 81 33 53 97 54 36 FE E8 E8 49
Mwahahahaha. That's mine. If anyone's got any thoughts of using that baby for anything then they can just wait for my lawyers to be all over their asses. Hoh yeah, I own that number. I've got a few more too, and the luckiest of lucky people among you might get one for your birthday, if I feel sufficiently generous. If you want one, or more, go here.
What a load of crap. Can you own a number? What about your mobile number - who owns that? The network? You? If I make one up right now, like 07998766221, can the "owner" of that number find me and sue me for using it? Of course not. What about if I make up a random series of hexadecimal number pairs? Can I do that? Apparently not. AACS are actively pursuing anyone who publishes the particular hex string they used to encrypt HD-DVD format movies. Here's the important bit - as far as I'm concerned, anyway - you can be threatened with action for just referencing the number, without making any mention of it's provenance. As per my original "Just a number" post. I don't know how to decrypt HD movies. I don't really have much interest in doing that. The actual encryption algorithm, more interesting perhaps, but it's the legal, social and moral implications of being able to own numbers which I'm hooked on at the moment! I'd like to stress that it's not the police, the judiciary or even the (for once) politicians in this country who are responsible for this madness, it's the US courts backing ludicrous claims by corporations.
Can I claim to own pi? What about 19? How big does a number have to be before it is "ownable"?
I got advised by the police that I should remove the other number from my website. Just a 128 bit hexadecimal number. I'll talk about that in a minute. However:
3B F5 B9 CA 9A 9C 81 33 53 97 54 36 FE E8 E8 49
Mwahahahaha. That's mine. If anyone's got any thoughts of using that baby for anything then they can just wait for my lawyers to be all over their asses. Hoh yeah, I own that number. I've got a few more too, and the luckiest of lucky people among you might get one for your birthday, if I feel sufficiently generous. If you want one, or more, go here.
What a load of crap. Can you own a number? What about your mobile number - who owns that? The network? You? If I make one up right now, like 07998766221, can the "owner" of that number find me and sue me for using it? Of course not. What about if I make up a random series of hexadecimal number pairs? Can I do that? Apparently not. AACS are actively pursuing anyone who publishes the particular hex string they used to encrypt HD-DVD format movies. Here's the important bit - as far as I'm concerned, anyway - you can be threatened with action for just referencing the number, without making any mention of it's provenance. As per my original "Just a number" post. I don't know how to decrypt HD movies. I don't really have much interest in doing that. The actual encryption algorithm, more interesting perhaps, but it's the legal, social and moral implications of being able to own numbers which I'm hooked on at the moment! I'd like to stress that it's not the police, the judiciary or even the (for once) politicians in this country who are responsible for this madness, it's the US courts backing ludicrous claims by corporations.
Can I claim to own pi? What about 19? How big does a number have to be before it is "ownable"?
Not much Jog Blog...
The jog blog's disappeared...
Well, no it hasn't, it's just on holiday while I repair myself. Rib still not fixed - hurts less, until I sneeze. I'm not sure whether the heavy breathing caused by running will be comfortable or not, and I don't want to try until I know it won't hurt! Not exactly the "no pain, no gain" mentality, but I think caution is justified. Hoping to get back into the swing of things in a week or two though. Watch this space.
Well, no it hasn't, it's just on holiday while I repair myself. Rib still not fixed - hurts less, until I sneeze. I'm not sure whether the heavy breathing caused by running will be comfortable or not, and I don't want to try until I know it won't hurt! Not exactly the "no pain, no gain" mentality, but I think caution is justified. Hoping to get back into the swing of things in a week or two though. Watch this space.
Party!
Had a birthday bash for Sarah on Sunday
What with it being a bank holiday on the Monday and all. Weather just about managed to keep off long enough for us to barbeque some burgers and sausages, and the assembled throng to slurp their way through the beer fridge. Everyone had fun, there were no casualties (as far as I'm aware), and a big thanks to Verity for looking after the food on the barbie when I got distracted. Which happened a lot! Massive thanks, too, to Justin for dancing to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think it made everyone's night!
What with it being a bank holiday on the Monday and all. Weather just about managed to keep off long enough for us to barbeque some burgers and sausages, and the assembled throng to slurp their way through the beer fridge. Everyone had fun, there were no casualties (as far as I'm aware), and a big thanks to Verity for looking after the food on the barbie when I got distracted. Which happened a lot! Massive thanks, too, to Justin for dancing to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think it made everyone's night!
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Sam says....
8hhhvdtjjyfgedrfytujtikopl;
e3dae3d, 063,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
063bbb 063b n mjnnnhhhhhh jhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjhhh lhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħµ ħħħħħħħħħħħħ
e3dae3d, 063,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
063bbb 063b n mjnnnhhhhhh jhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjhhh lhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħħµ ħħħħħħħħħħħħ
Late nigh, early morning
Kakooti
It was Mum and James' birthday last week, so last night we all went out for a meal at the Kakooti restaurant in Coventry. I've been a few times now, and the steaks, particularly the "steak vulcano" are the best I have ever had. Oh yeah, I mean that! The only downside is the fact that we have to trek to Coventry to go there! As a result we were quite late home, and to bed. Which is fine, all in a hard day's Rock and Roll lifestyle.... unfortunately SJM decided that one of us would have to be very un-Rock and Roll and get up at 0630 to pander to his whims. You can almost hear the Stewie like machinations taking place in his mind! Not to worry though. Jack got up too and the three of us are now ensconsed in front of the TV watching one of the greatest films ever, Flash Gordon.
It was Mum and James' birthday last week, so last night we all went out for a meal at the Kakooti restaurant in Coventry. I've been a few times now, and the steaks, particularly the "steak vulcano" are the best I have ever had. Oh yeah, I mean that! The only downside is the fact that we have to trek to Coventry to go there! As a result we were quite late home, and to bed. Which is fine, all in a hard day's Rock and Roll lifestyle.... unfortunately SJM decided that one of us would have to be very un-Rock and Roll and get up at 0630 to pander to his whims. You can almost hear the Stewie like machinations taking place in his mind! Not to worry though. Jack got up too and the three of us are now ensconsed in front of the TV watching one of the greatest films ever, Flash Gordon.
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
Competition Update, and more "no jog" blogging
One trophy for the family!We did pretty well as a club, scoring two firsts, two seconds and two thirds (I think). I got one of the thirds, which is nice - another plastic trophy to go on my windowsill. I was in the intermediate +75 kilos category, so despite having dropped a few pounds there was no need to actually weigh in, as I'm clearly heavier than that! Jack and George both lost by a point each, and fought well, as did Sarah, who lost by six points to four. Long day, lots of sitting around, and lots of keeping Sam entertained. Everyone was ace, though, and a quick thank you to Richard "DD" Hopkins of WUMA for the present to Sam, and organising the event.
Mum... don't read the next paragraph!
No jogging? Again? Well, I've got a good reason this time! I've realised, following discussion with Craig (my Sensei), that the soreness / tightness of chest I've had for the last week and a bit following being kicked in the chest during sparring, is in fact a fractured rib. I sneezed the other night, and it felt like I'd been shot. Consequently I'm being a little bit choosy about the exercise I undertake until I'm feeling less sore (despite having graded, and competed in the interim), and the thought of chest-heaving exertion didn't fire the enthusiasm this morning. I'll be back on it, though, as soon as I'm up to it.
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