Good morning,

Here is my February health update. Again, I’m only two out of three. I really need to step up my game on the pull ups, especially since my friend Ryan and I are in friendly competition and he’s already at four. To be fair, he started off already able to do two at the beginning of January and I’m still struggling for my first one, but that’s no excuse. I need to catch up and beat him to 23 on December 31st!

I found this YouTube video which shows you how to build up to pull ups. The methods I was using are on the right track, but this is a little more structured and graduated to help build up strength. I’m going to follow this for the month of March to get my first pull up. Ryan - you’re not allowed to watch. In fact, I think there’s a fresh batch of doughnuts at Tim Horton’s with your name on it...



A very positive thing, though, is that part of my goal is to lose 1/2” around my waist at the navel every month. So far, January and February have both been 3/4” drops, which is fantastic! I’m very happy about that, and the push ups are coming along well too going down to a 90 degree bend at the elbows.

Check the goal tracker log for the details. Have a great weekend!

It’s finally here! The Asessippi 2009 video you’ve all been waiting for.

I actually had the video finished yesterday morning, but since then I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to deliver it to you. I set the video to music rather than the whooshing on the snow which makes it much more engaging and enjoyable. However, I’ve noticed quite a few videos on YouTube lately that have had the entire audio track stripped from the video because of copyright violations. I do legally own the music I used in the video, but I didn’t want to chance any problems from YouTube with my video here so I’m hosting it on my site. This also gives me the ability to put it in QuickTime format which I find to be better quality than YouTube.

The video is 7:01 long. I hope you enjoy it! --> Asessippi 2009 video <--

First, an injury update. It turns out that Lynn also had her legs pinched under the chairlift while mounting, also skied into the trees, and fell on her hip in the parking lot in regular boots but fortunately while still wearing her helmet. I think we may have a new winner in the most-beat-up department.

I’ve got the photos page up here. It’s also accessible from the Photo & Video Gallery to have easy access any time you come back, not just from this particular blog entry. Check back for the videos. To make a proper montage will take a bit of time, but I hope it won’t be too long.

Until then, enjoy the pics!

Wow, Asessippi was a blast!

Eleven of us went out to Asessippi for the weekend for some great snowboarding, skiing, and tubing. Most even got away injury free! There was nothing serious, fortunately. You have to expect bumps and bruises on such a trip. In terms of physical injury, I think I had it the worst with a bad dismount off the chair lift causing a massive encounter of my shin and the metal edge of my snowboard on Saturday followed by a knee injury on Sunday 30 minutes before it was time to get off the hill to return to Winnipeg. I couldn’t even drive my car home - Paul had to drive for me (thanks Paul!) because it was my clutch knee. Fortunately both were on the same leg so I can still hobble around on my right leg. I’m also glad I booked today off of work to recover! Despite the ouchies, I’d do it again in a second. Well, okay, after I heal then I’d do it in a second.

I wasn’t alone, though. Shannon and Andrea both ended up in the trees, Shannon and Karen had their legs pinched under the chair lift while getting on, and Ryan had a nasty fall on his hip while also landing on a clasp or something on his jacket making the hard hip landing that much worse. There may have been others, but that’s what I know about for now.

We stayed at Hank’s Hideaway, a great cabin with a hot tub about 10 minutes from the hill. If you ever go to Asessippi, I strongly recommend Hank’s Hideaway!

I’ve got lots of pictures and video that I’ll be putting up shortly. The pictures should be fairly soon, but the video will be a bit longer. I want to make more of a montage set to music this time.

Stay tuned for more!