Day 345

Missed a couple of days – no problem as no one is reading this but me anyway.

Weighed yesterday and I’m down 13 pounds for the starting weight. Feels good, but need to lose a lot more. Don’t feel like I’m dieting, which is a good thing, so hopefully it will keep going unless I start to plateau – always a possibility. If I do, then I have to adjust (walk more, eat less, whatever) to move on. Like this idea and it’s niche to see some results. KL is down ten or so too, and I can SEE it on her. She is tall and when we met she was really slim. It’s nice to see her slimming up again. I can already see the change with her even with only ten pounds as she carries her weight like most women – in her hip area - and it shows already. When she slims up she looks soooo good – tall, thin, good-looking and Italian. WooooHoooo. I really am a lucky man.

Classes are going great. Semesters each have a rhythm of their own, as do individual classes, and sometimes they go good, sometimes more difficult. I teach at a prominent university here, and the kids there are interesting. Many have cheated their way into the top 10% as this state allows top ten percent kids admission into state-supported universities as a guarantee of achieving the top ten percent. The only issue is that many got there by not putting in the effort they will need to graduate (or get through their freshman year). Most are fairly conscientious though, as compared to the community college where I also teach (part time). Those guys sometimes struggle with the “thirteenth grade” concept and think college is just the next class, which it is most definitely not. It is the next step up, and some struggle with the differences in expectations. That said, they are often slow to know that they can’t slack in college on papers, attendance, whatever like they did in high school. Might have been okay last year, but not now. Anyway, all classes are going well and it’s been a while since I had a semester when that was going on. The same class, with different mixes of students, can often have tremendous differences in dynamics.

If you’ve been following the saga of the Great Pyrenees, it appears that the steroids that the vet had him on was likely the issue. Makes KL and I feel better and it looks like he is going to be fine. One of the issues was that he might not be adoptable if he had some weirdity in him – common with dogs that have been rescued. He was starved nearly to death, sick, and apparently tormented with water (like from a water hose – probably for barking as Pyrs bark loud and often). He had been fine with us and then got spacy, so I’m glad it was the meds and he is okay now. Any dog that is 40 pounds underweight and who struggles to stay alive as hard has he has deserves a forever home with someone someday.

Some bad news. The world lost J.D. Salinger today (Catcher in the Rye). Robert Parker (mystery writer – Spencer for Hire) and Eric Segal (Love Story) recently. Not a good week for the literary world. Salinger’s book touched several generations of readers, and it is one of those truly special books (right up there, almost, with To Kill a Mockingbird). Love Story touched a whole generation and Parker was one of the best at what he did. I hope November Rain, Looking For Shoes, and Trinity (my books in progress) someday touch someone, even just a little.

I have come to the realization that I am, right now, as happy as I have been in my entire life. Not in an event sort of way – kids born, whatever, but in a day-to-day-living-sort of way. We have what most would call a “million dollar view” from our living room (and the bedroom!), the house is as low-tech green as we could make it, there are still plenty of fun projects to do here, my ham station is going together (okay, a bit geeky, but I like it), and I have a wonderful wife (Finally!). It can’t get any better than this.

I do wish someone would sign up as a follower so I can feel like there is one soul out there I’m talking to, but if not, no biggie. I’ll just chat with book characters, students, and KL when I need to talk to people (and sort of people).

Adios for now.

- Average Joe
Somewhere, USA