Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Administrative Stuff

Christmas Tree Recycling - geograph.org.uk - 1128546 by Gerald England CC
Yeah, the holidays are over.

Christmas has come and gone.


New Year's has come and gone.

My long vacation has come and gone.

Sigh...

First world problems, right?

Anyhoo.

While on holiday I neglected a number of things:
  1. My waistline
  2. My blog
  3. Other peoples' blogs
  4. Book reading
Things I did not neglect:
  1. Fine dining
  2. Consumption of beer
  3. Watching football (college and pro)
  4. Sleeping
  5. My granddaughter
Under the neglectful things, book reading didn't happen because there just weren't enough hours in the day. Especially if you factor in the things that I didn't neglect.

The waistline? I've been fighting that battle for a long time. I fought well when I was in the Air Force, I exercised and tried to watch what I ate.

Since I quit smoking (two years, two months and 3 days ago, thank you for asking) the battle of the bulge has been tougher. Those of you who have "been there, done that" will know what I mean. (All you naturally skinny types can just sit the fire truck down, right now. It's a metabolism thing, 'kay?)

But this blog, other blogs? My neglect of that was a denial of something I truly enjoy. Writing this stuff and reading other peoples' stuff is far more entertaining to me than many things. Well, except those things noted under the "did not neglect" category. Actually, blogging beats football any day. But watching football with family, while drinking beer and eating, trumps blogging. Sorry. Gotta be frank here.

Frank? I'm Frank, you're not...
Anyhoo.

(Does anyone think I overuse the non-word "anyhoo"?)

Neglecting the blogoverse pains me every time I do so. Since last month's festivities began the blog has gained two new members, #47 and #48, respectively. Actually, they are...


The Brighton Pensioner! His blog lives here, I've been following him for a while. Good stuff. (Of course, I've always had a soft spot for our cousins across the pond.) BP (as he is sometimes known) will be known (henceforth) as FNG 47. Or BP. Drinks would be on him and...

The Prairieadventure! Or PA, as I like to call him. His blog lives here. Rancher, Navy corpsman guy and all around interesting guy. He shall be known (from this time forward) as FNG 48. Or PA, if you insist. He and BP, er FNG 47, will kindly leave their credit cards with the publican on duty.

Welcome aboard gentlemen, sorry it took so long to acknowledge your presence in the mess.

Now, any more old business?

[Points at taminator013...]

Ah yes, go read this (thanks for reminding me). An excellent tale of WWII flying. Depart in a P-51, return in an FW-190. Seriously. Cool stuff.

(Why is The Feral Irishman not on my blog list? Those responsible will be sacked.)

Anything else?

No...

[Looks around the room, with a "Master Sergeant glare."]

Very well...

Dismissed!

Update:

In the "why we can't have nice things" category - I had BP's blog linked twice, not BP's, then PA's. That has been fixed. Those responsible have been sacked.

20 comments:

  1. Frank...

    VERY well played.

    Thanks for the nod, Sarge. I'm getting traffic from your place. Exciting!

    That FNG 47 and 48 says a lot. Your excellent blog prompted me to defibrillate my own effort, so I owe you a large debt of gratitude.

    Oder vielleicht die Schuld! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh.

      I have a lot of reading to do over at your place!

      Delete
  2. I am starting a new diet which if it works will morph into a way of life. It it works i will post about it. I quit smoking maybe 3 years ago (does an occasional cigar count? No! pheew)...I feel you pain weight wise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do keep us posted.

      The Missus Herself is constantly trying to inflict some diet routine on me. Usually it's a female thing which one of her friends swears by.

      She used to be on my a$$ all the time about smoking. I quit that because I wanted to quit, not because she did. I'll lose the weight eventually, I just need to work at it. (I quit smoking while my wife was in California for a month. It worked because no one was nagging me. I hate being nagged!)

      And yes, it is painful. Especially as I have never met a donut / chocolate cake / pie / etc that I could pass up.

      Delete
  3. Quit smoking in 1984, so can't blame the weight gain on that. Well, I could, but that would be pathetic, wouldn't it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh. The initial weight gain (~10 pounds) I blame on quitting smoking. The other 30, that's all on me.

      And yeah, pathetic describes it very well in my case!

      Delete
  4. What can I say, Sarge, except thanks for the welcome? And any time you are in la Previere at the same time as me and Nicholas (the owner of the bar) feels like working, the vin rouge is definitely on me.

    (And just to cock a snook, I quite three and a half years ago and haven't put on a pound!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is that bar on the Route de Juigné? Or is it the bar in Restaurant Le Fourneau on the Route de la Blisière?

      As you may gather, I love playing with Google Maps. I assume we're talking about the village of La Prévière in France?

      No, I've not been there, looks lovely though.

      Didn't gain a pound did you? Yes, I am jealous. Votre métabolisme doit être superbe!

      Delete
  5. Let's see here.
    BP is a grand addition; one of two Englishmen with whom I have had personal contact on more than one occasion; and one heck of a writer, too.
    I can't say as much for <a href="http://prairieadventure.blogspot.com/><i>PA</i></a> only because my acquaintance with him is virtual and recent, but that he is a Corpsman and a rancher speaks well. My stepson's a Corpsman (ret.).


    I quit smoking in about 1978.
    I started again in about 1983.
    This time I only stopped smoking... in 2008.
    I gained 15 pounds almost immediately.

    I have replaced smoking with blog surfing ...and, in some cases, lurking.
    In other instances I have become an active participant.

    I probably need to get out more?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nah, you're fine Skip. (Except for the missing rel="nofollow" in the PA link.)

      And getting out is overrated. So I'm told...

      Delete
  6. Good luck with the waist line management. I'm one of the lucky ones . . . gave up smoking 14 years ago . . . gained a pound.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You and BP.

      Metabolism can be your best friend, or your worst enemy.

      Of course, exercise would help. Or so I'm told.

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. I think you'll like them.

      (Trust me, he said...)

      Delete
    2. I worked for most of the holidays.....................................................

      Delete
    3. Dang. But that's the Air Force for you.

      ;-)

      Delete
  8. Cut out the carbs! This really works even though I hate to give up all the good stuff made from carbohydrates.

    I envy all the good stuff you are writing, I can hardly put a syllable on the screen...

    Barco, Out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nasssty, stinking carbses. We hates them...

      Actually I love carbs. Pasta, bread, donuts, mittens on kittens, flowers in spring...

      No, no, no... This isn't a musical!

      But you're right Barco. That would help. A lot.

      (And yes, I'm in a goofy mood tonight. Not enough sleep!)

      Thanks by the way. I have days where my Muse has apparently wandered off and decided to leave me bereft of ideas.

      It's then that I post videos of aircraft.

      Delete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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