10K a Day - Day 2

Did a little better yesterday. Got 7300 steps in. Walked two miles at lunch and then another mile or two this evening. It is supposed to rain today, so it will make it a little tougher to get the walking in at lunch. I may have to go to the mall and join the seniors in their walks.

10K a Day - Day 1

Well, after one day, I put in about 5300 steps. The pedometer needs a little tweaking, so I might have had a little more than the 5300 steps yesterday. Not quite sure how I'm going to get 10K steps in a day, unless I don't sit at my desk all day, walking around aimlessly, just to get the steps in. I did walk about two miles during lunch, since the weather was nice. Also walked a little at home last night. Still, the 10K goal looks to be a little "out there." Time will tell.

Greenhouse Quickr and the Connector

OK... so I'm playing around with Quickr on Greenhouse. I've downloaded and installed the Quickr Connector on my laptop, but I am unable to connect to the Greenhouse site with this connector. Am I wrong in assuming that I should be able to do this?

I would very much like to demo Quickr to the powers that be here at work, and can get around this piece of the puzzle, but it would be better if I could get it to work. I've tried it from home and at work (through a proxy server), and could not get connected.

When I've tried from work, I get the following window:

DICore:

The handle is in the wrong state for the requested operation

Also, I've added Discussion Forums to my Greenhouse Quickr Place, but there is no way to add a thread. This seems odd to me, in that it is a discussion forum, and in order for there to be a discussion, you need to be able to add a post. How am I to add a post if there is no link to do this?

I would appreciate any help.

10K a Day for One Month

Our company has started a 10K a Day for One Month health program. Today is the first day. The idea is to get up to at least 10,000 steps in one day. The company has about 45-50 people (out of about 120) signed up for this program, and has given everyone a pedometer, a fanny pack with a water bottle which you won't see me wearing), and a log to keep track of how many steps you took. At the end of the four weeks (June 4th), all logs are turned in, and names of all the participants (who turned in the logs) will be entered into a drawing for an unnamed prize. This should be interesting.

It's no secret that I need to lose weight. I figured this would be a good way to help in that process. I've been trying to get on the treadmill at home, but my will power is not what it once was. I've worn this pedometer since I got it sometime last week. The most steps I've taken in one day is about 1500. I've got a long, long way to go.

I wish they would have started this back in January... say around Lotusphere time...

Wish me luck.

Little League Baseball - Game 1

Well, after two practices and one scrimmage, the boys and girls played their first game last night. They lost 13-9 in a six inning game. My son had two singles, at least one RBI, and scored a run. He played left-center field and did good out there, but only had one or two balls come his way during the game. Before the game, my wife and I took pictures of my boy in his first baseball uniform. He say "Take a picture while I'm clean, and then take a picture after the game with I'm all dirty." We laughed. Funny thing was, the only two people to get dirty (sliding into first base and sliding into home plate for no obvious reason) were two of the three girls on the team. Two of the girls are also the only one's to get hit by the ball... one as a batter, who was standing too close to the plate, and when she swung, the ball hit her hands, the other while playing catcher, with the ball hitting her solidly on her knee cap. I heard it from where I sat, so I know it must have hurt, and she had the full catcher's gear on.

I'm not sure how I feel about the coaches, though. Our coachs seems like pretty decent guys, but I haven't talked to them a whole lot. The other team's coach seemed to be the kind of coach I'm not thrilled about. Sure, you play to win games, but at this age, the games should be more fun and not as much about winning. We sat behind the wife of one of the other teams coaches. She was keeping score. After each at bat, the coach wanted to know how many runs were scored. Sure it is important to know, but it seemed a little ridiculous to me. Our coach, after the game, got on the team a little bit, in a nice way (not yelling and screaming), about how they played in the first couple of innings for not handling the grounders very well. They didn't, but I blame this on only having two practices.

It was fun to watch and it did look like the kids had a good time. Especially the kids who played in the outfield, who were putting dirt/sand in their gloves or building sand mountains or watching the train go by. They're kids... what more do you want?

For the Star Wars fan...

I can't think of any Star Wars fan that wouldn't want one of these...

Star Wars R2-D2 DVD Projector

It's only $2900

Golf League - Week 2

Had our golf league last night (Wednesday nights.) Shot a 40 on the back nine. All in all, I was happy with my game. Started off a little worried, but came around and played well. Temps were in the mid to upper 50s with a slight wind. As the sun went down, it got a lot colder... probably lower 50s by the time we finished.

Wolf Creek Golf Club in Adrian, MI is the course. Again, if they had a website, I would link you to it.

Hole 10 - 311 yard Par 4
This is not a difficult hole. It does have a pond... well, what used to be a pond, at the end of a decent drive, but it is located to the right side of the fairway. A long drive could reach it. I say "used to be a pond" as we've not had any rain this year, and the pond is pretty much empty, save for about a foot of water near the center. Anyway, I hit a good tee shot and was about 100 yards away. A little too much for a full pitching wedge, not enough for my sand wedge. So I chose a soft pitching wedge and barely made the left side of the green. Up hill putt with a slight bend to the right. Hit the putt a little too firm and went by the hole and missed a 5 footer for par. Took a bogey.

Hole 11 - 376 yard par 4
Nice straight way hole. Slight drop in elevation about 50-75 yards in front of the tee. Pulled my drive to the left rough, but still had a good shot to the green, about 115 yards away. Being that I have a set of Callaway clubs, which includes a 10 iron (between a 9 and a PW), I chose the 10 iron. Hit the ball to the back of the green. The pin was in front. Slight downhill putt and it looked faster than what it actually was, and my putt made it a little more than half way to the hole. Missed the par putt for another bogey.

Hole 12 - 140 yard Par 3
Downhill par 3. Trees to the right, trees and a creek to the left, with a sand trap guarding the back left of the green. Tee was placed at around 125 yards to the green. Since it was downhill, and the pin was in front, I thought I could hit my 10 iron pretty close. Finished short of the green, but just in front. Chipped on and made the 9 footer for par. Finally.

Hole 13 - 501 yard Par 5
Nice long par 5. Tee sits down below the fairway. The fairway is wide, but on the right side there is a bowl shaped crater, still part of the fairway, but it makes for a blind second shot. Trees on all along the left hands side, and past the bowl, trees along the right. Hit a good tee shot into the bowl. A little too close to the hill to use my 3 wood, but I really didn't have a choice if I wanted to get close to the green. Hit the top of the hill, but the ball went far enough that I had a little less than 100 yards to the green. Didn't hit my PW hard enough to reach the green, but chipped up to a gimme par putt.

Hole 14 - 155 yard Par 3
No elevation changes on this little par 3. Hit an 8 iron off the heel of the club, but hard enough to get it up close to the green. Chipped past the hole about 5 feet and made the par putt.

Hole 15 - 348 yard Par 4
This is a U-shaped hole, in that the tee sits above the fairway and then the fairway slopes up to the green. Hit a good drive to the top of the fairway, leaving me a good SW to the green (about 75-80 yards.) Hit a good shot and put the ball about 15 feet from the hole. Slight break to the right and didn't hit it hard enough to get it in. Tap in par.

Hole 16 - 290 yard Par 4
Another U-shaped hole, with a creek about 240 yards from the tee. Can't hit my driver here. Hit a 3 iron, but my right foot slipped as I was coming through the ball, and the I pushed it right. Not too bad, but had about 150 yards to an uphill green that slopes towards me. Hit a good 7 iron to the right side of the green. Pin is on the left side of the green. Hit a good putt, but finished below the hole about 5-6 feet. Made par putt. That's 5 pars in a row, if you are counting. I shouldn't be, but I am.

Hole 17 - 556 yard Par 5
Again, a U-shaped hole, but a little different. The landing area of the drives usually finish on the up slope of the hill, leaving an uphill lie for the second shot. Hit a good tee shot, a little right, but still in good shape. Me and my 3 wood haven't been getting along over the past several years, but I told myself that I need to get comfortable with it again. Well, we still aren't getting along. I got under the ball and popped it up to the right of #16's tee, about 40 yards. Have a good lie, but still need to hit the 3 wood again to get close to the green. Topped the damn ball and it stopped on the back of the down slope of #16's tee. Put the 3 wood back in the bag and hit a good 3 iron, just short of the green. Chipped past the hole, about 12 feet and missed the bogey putt coming back. Tap in double bogey. So much for the string of pars and I knew it.

Hole 18 - 380 yard Par 4
Nice, straight away par 4. Driving range to the left, so don't pull the ball, or you'll be searching for a needle in a haystack, amongst the driving range balls. Hit a good tee shot, a little right, but in the fairway. I've got about 140 yards to the hole, but have a big tree that I have to get over to reach the green. The pin is in front. I hit one of the best 8 irons I've hit this year, and finished on the fringe, right in front of the hole. Had an 7 footer for birdie, but missed it. Just didn't hit the putt hard enough.

All in all, a good round. A little tentative with my putts, but I just don't have a feel for the speed of the greens right now. With some rain, the greens will come into shape, and the speeds will be more consistent. It's still early in the year, but my game is pretty good right now.