Recently in Personal Category

You know you're old when you wake up on your 33rd birthday and you look in the mirror, blurry eyed and not-so bushy tailed, your body creaking and groaning from the marathon training thinking it's just too damn early for work.. It's just then you notice that your eyebrows are growing closer together and there are an increasing number of hairs are growing out of your nose.

And then, you get a Dyson Vacuum from your wife for a present. Of which, your wife is excited to give to you. And you, all thirty-three years of you, is excited to get. What a life I lead.

I'm living proof that exercise does a body good.

In 2003, while still considered Fat Rob, my cholesterol numbers were 160/112/38/100 (Total/Triglycerides/HDL/LDL). In 2004, I was at 170/124/45/100. A bit more healthy, but room for improvement. That was the last time I was tested, and well before I got into my serious training.

I got the latest test results just today: 158/38/54/96. Note that second number. Down from 124, my triglycerides are now way below acceptable threshold value of 100. The HDL & LDL are now within normal values (>40 & <100).

Aside from an extensive exercise regimen, my eating habits have improved. Everything is now whole grain & wheat based where applicable. I eat some more fruit through tasty smoothies, and my portions are way smaller and more often. I could stand to eat more vegetables, but they taste yucky so that may be harder to overcome.

So, here's a protein smoothie to good health!

In college, my friends were throwing a party. $3 got you a cup and all you could drink. It got out that I didn't pay for a cup. I thought I "earned" it by being friends with the hosts. I was berated by a unknown senior for not paying my friends a measly $3, if not more. "How could I so cheap?" he asked. It was an early lesson in karma and it changed the way I live.

From that day forward, I took the scolding to heart. Ever since, I've never thought that I deserved something because I was a friend of the host, or something was in my town. I pay because the occasion requires it. I tip more because someone just brought me food that I told them to do. And they do it with a smile, no matter how I treated them. I pay because when I do something good to someone else, good will happen to me.

I fell off my bike. There; I said it. I fell off my bike on the way to work. I just wish it would've been more spectacular. Maybe I shouldn't even count it as a fall. But, there is blood, so maybe it counts?

The most humiliating part is that occurred on flat, smooth pavement in front of the State Capitol. I was slowing for a red light, then -- WHAM! -- I'm up and over my handle bars. I put my hand and elbow down to catch myself and roll to my hip and sat there a second. Whoa. What just happened? I took stock of the damage. My rear strobe light is in pieces here, there and over there. My elbow is scraped, my right hand hurts and my hip is a touch sore. Overall, A-OK. I pick the bike up and prop it up on the curb and retrieve the pieces. It's when I'm putting things back together I get an idea of what happened.

Because it rained last night and everything was still wet this morning, I thought it'd be a good idea to take the fender from Kris' bike and put it on mine. (I hate having the skunk line up my back.) When I went to put the light back on, (which is really odd that it fell apart at all), I noticed the fender unattached and hanging from its mount on seat post . The post itself was turned 30° to the left as well. So that's how it happened. The fender must've slipped down and lodged itself in the tire tread. Then it smashed into the bike light and associated seat post. Once it hit the post, the bike stopped completely. My body continued forward up and over the handlebars, sending me to the pavement.

I ended up with and inch and a half scrape on the elbow that hasn't stopped bleeding an hour and a half later. No holes in pants, shirts or shoes and the bike is just fine, too.

Stupid fender.

Kris and I are now moving into Phase Two of adulthood. (Phase One was getting married.)

It all started Saturday night when a new e-mail announced a new house within our price and location specs. It announced an open house, too. That night, we were out and about for dinner and drove by the house to scope it out. Hmmm...looks like it could have potential, but we decided that the open house would have to show us more.

And that it did. We were amazed to find a beautifully restored kitchen that opened to an actual dining room which spilled over into a nice living room. Upstairs features three bedrooms, each with large, walk-in closets. The basement holds lots of potential with enough room to stand up straight and then some. (You'd be amazed how tiny and low the ceilings are in basements in older houses.) We were so intrigued, we had to see everything twice.

We continued to two other open houses, but enlisted the services of my parents and sister to view the house and provide their opinion. We were at the grocery store when we got their positive report. We engaged our buying agent from there and got the wheels started. Two hours later, we were back inside the house with our agent, who was equally impressed with the home. We prepared the offer letter on-site and crossed our fingers. We stopped on the way home for a small bottle of Asti, not enough to jynx us, but enough to celebrate.

Three hours later, popping the cork never felt so good. The current owners accepted our offer and we are now potential home owners. Whoa.

But, please, don't take our word for it. Take a look for yourselves. Many thanks to all for your support, advice and well wishes. On to Adulthood. (And please, don't ask what Phase Three is. We're taking this one step at a time.)

I'm not really sure how this works, but I figure there's enough of you out there that actually know me. Help me understand myself by filling out my interactive Johari window (Background on what a Johari window is.)

[And just so you know, "robbyb" was already taken, so I went with "robeb." Say it with me: "Rob E B," my initials as well as "Robby B."]

I was pleasantly surprised to see and old friend this morning, if only briefly. The last time we were together was last summer, when people were commenting on how skinny I looked. Too skinny in fact, some commented. I brushed it off because they were all used to Fat Rob, who doesn't exist anymore and didn't like that much anyways.

Back to my friend. I was putting my belt on when he showed up. During Fat Rob days, I used the first hole on my belt to keep my pants up. I wore it this way for quite some time, and it showed. Fat Rob put some serious strain on No. 1. So much so it deformed into an oval. After Fat Rob was evicted, No. 1 quickly gave way to No. 2, which gave way No. 3. After flirting with hole No. 4 during the heaviest training months last summer, No. 3 and No. 2 were back during my lazy days. No. 4 was long gone, most likely enjoying his winter days in the sunny confines of Arizona with the other snowbirds.

Well, imagine my surprise this morning, when No. 4 made an appearance! However, I elected to stick with No. 3 for comfort for today as I hadn't eaten breakfast yet. But, it's good to know that No. 4 is nearby and ready to for use. Soon, my friend, we'll be reunited and all will be right with the world again.

Ellen Degeneres was featured in an ad for American Express that had a single word (maybe two) and a blank line that had "her" answers on them. (The jury's still out on if they are actually hers.) You can review it here, just scroll through the images on the bottom until you see her brushing her teeth. Apparently, they've asked the same questions to different famous people, so feel free to view them all.

I quizzed Kris on her answers, and she did the same to me. Here are my responses:

Childhood ambition: Lego Master Builder

Fondest Memory: There are many, but I narrowed them down to anytime I've thought to myself "This is good." One example is being at the top of a small hill in Denali National Park.

Soundtrack: U2

Retreat: My bike

Wildest Dream: Not only to win the lottery, but to think that it won't affect me all that much.

Proudest Moment: Crossing the Ironman Wisconsin Finish Line

Biggest Challenge: Overcoming my brother's death.

Alarm Clock: The same since I was twelve. And it still works perfectly.

Perfect Day: Any day that I was in St. Lucia on our Honeymoon.

First Job: Paperboy

Indulgence: The computer/internet

Last Purchase: A velvet-like jacket from the Gap

Favorite Movie: The Shawshank Redemption

Inspiration: I'm currently struggling with this one. It was getting across the Ironman finish line. Part of me thinks that my next "thing" has to be bigger and better. But that's going to be hard to top. I wish it were easy to be inspired to save money for a house.

What about you?

As a kid, I had the typical white-hot blonde hair. We all did. Though I never really thought I was a "blonde," in the way the jokes describe, the last twelve hours have made me think that some of the blonde roots are still there.

For example. I put a load of laudry in the machine and started it. That's all. Nothing else. It took me five minutes to realize that I didn't put detergent in.

Then, I woke up, ready to go swimming. But, my alarm hadn't gone off so I figured I had a few minutes and stayed in bed, paying no attention that it was brighter that it should be for 6 AM. When the alarm did go off, one hour later than it was supposed to, I missed out on my opportunity to swim.

And finally, I keep my keys and sunglasses in the same basket for easy placement and retrieval. Leaving for work I grabbed my keys and left, leaving the sunglasses behind on the overcast day. Just outside the door, I fumbled through all my pockets looking for my keys I know I just grabbed from the basket. After a bit, I went back in, took of my sunglasses and grabbed my keys, locked the door behind me and left for work.

Is it Friday yet?

We were gambling on the off chance we'd get a seat on the earlier flight out of Indianapolis. There was a slim chance, but that vanished after finding out that flight was delayed until after our regularly scheduled flight. Now we were gambling that our original seats remained. They did, but we were going to press our luck. We volunteered our seats on the chance they would be needed by others, on one condition: we wouldn't end up on the now later flight through Detroit. We were offered a trip through rainy Minneapolis and compensated with a $300 voucher. We would leave a half-hour later, layover in the Twin Cities for two hours (rather than three in Detroit), and get in just about the same time as originally scheduled.

We sat through some serious confusion at the gate desk and were finally rewarded with our Northwest-bucks and two seats home via Minneapolis. Only time would tell now if our gamble would pay off. Who would win: The checked bag flying through Motor City, or the two of us through the City of Lakes?

Everything on our end went swimmingly. We were in Madison slightly early. Within twenty feet we found out we won. Seriously won. By taking the later flight, we arrived early and beat the bag. The flight into Madison from Detroit was now scheduled to land at 12:45 AM, a full two hours late. We happily left an address for the bag to be delivered, and counted ourselves lucky to have worked the system so well.

However, we did do something wrong, as pointed out by our flight attendant. In Detroit, along with the voucher, we should've asked for passes for the WorldClub. Something to file away for the next time.