Post Thanksgiving Happenings...

Well I had a great Thanksgiving. Got up a bit later than normal and went to the gym. I ran on the treadmill for about 45 minutes, then did some ab work and stretching and then rode the stationary bike for about 15 minutes before heading over to my Mother-In-Law's house for the big feast. I ate too much, but didn't make myself sick - so a happy medium by my standards. I followed that up with a nap in the reclining chair and then some dessert.

Friday followed with a bit of guilt from over-eating, so I returned to the gym for a swim. Got in 2300 meters in the hour and headed home for a day of non-commitment. After two days in a row of no work, I was starting to relax.

This morning I awoke refreshed. Another day with no particular agenda other than baseball practice this afternoon. I could get used to this schedule...ah yes, I was used to it, then I went back to work. Dang!

Anyway, it had been raining for the past few days here, and I decided a nice muddy trail run was in order. I headed over to Calavera Lake for the dirty deed.

I hadn't been on the trail for a few weeks, and it always amazes me both how tough it is, and how wonderful it is. The uneven terrain and unregulated inclines make your lungs and legs burn equally, and the beautiful surroundings and lack of anything but nature soothes them right back. The latter overcoming the former and making the run fantastic.

I got good and sloshy from the rain soaked paths and muddy bogs where the small foot bridges had been washed away from the torrents. I did cross paths with a few folks, exchanged pleasantries and kept on truckin'.

I usually run with my music on - on the street that is. But on the trail, I never bring it. I like to hear the quiet - unlike the traffic filled suburban routes we run on. Occasionally a duck or goose or some creature inhabiting the area surrounding the lake will squawk or run through the brush letting me know I'm intruding, but other than that it's pretty darn quiet.

By the time I hit the last mile back on the road to home, I'm feeling the impact of the hour on the trails up Calavera Mtn. and around the base, the short steep ascents around the lakes edge and the extra effort made by my leg muscles to find sure footing in the slippery clay footpaths.

I drink some water, and jog it on home. I find myself basking in the sun stretching outside my front door - not quite ready to return to the inside. I cool off, and finally stop sweating. Suddently I'm chilled and ready for a warm shower. Great day - great run. Time for a bike ride this afternoon maybe, or tomorrow.

27 days 'till Christmas I think...I better get back to the hustle and bustle.

'Tis the season...

Wow, Halloween is gone, Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and before you know it, Christmas will be here followed closely by New Year's. Squeeze in work, family and...heck, there's no more squeezing.

I've been putting off my workouts and gained some weight. Nothing too major, but it adds up...15lbs over the last 6 months. I lost 100 lbs 2 years ago. It took me a year to do it, and kept it off for a year...and now I've gained a bit back.

I don't like it. 'Tis the season to over eat and gain weight. I've got to get a handle on it before it I end up with a few of those handles again!

Competition And Learning To Lose

There's no doubt I'm extremely competitive. I'm not sure when it started or what made that intense desire to win a priority. But it's definitely there. I hate to lose at anything...I mean it's bad. I hate losing in games with my kids...seriously. How bad is that?

I guess it should come as no surprise to me that my son Jacob inherited or learned this behaviour from me. And while I think competition is a great thing...the overwhelming 'need' to win can have its pitfalls.

If you've read my Blog in the past - you'll remember that he's an incredible, natural athlete - specifically a baseball player. Since he was very young he could throw and catch. He has that natural smoothness to his play. Coaches are constantly telling me - 'he moves well' referring to his plays at second and shortstop.

For the past season Jacob's been playing on a Tournament baseball team - also known as "Travel Ball". It's a team we put together of the best 10 boys of the local league of 150 kids. I coach the team with another coach whom I've worked with for the past few seasons. They're a good team, and they've faired well in tournaments around Southern California.

This past weekend we had a tournment locally and the first day boys lost the first game and won the second game on Saturday. We returned to play Sunday in a do or die situation and the boys rallied in the last inning from being down by 3 to winning by 3 and everyone was pumped.

We advanced to the final Championship game against a VERY competitive team - a team that routinely wins every tourney they enter. It was tough going and our boys were getting beat pretty bad.

Then it happened...Jacob missed a groundball hit to him. Not the end of the world...certainly not for most players. But he'd made probably 20 incredible plays in the 4 game series and he is not used to missing the ball. He let it get to him. I told him from the bench to let it go.

"Don't let 1 mistake become 2" I coached. Let it go...but he was visibly upset. Another ball came to him - this time he scooped it up like a pro and... threw the ball wide to the second basemen allowing the runners to advance extra bases. He was coming apart at the seams now.

We got the last out of the inning and had our at bat. Jacob came to bat, still with tears in his eyes. I'd tried to reassure him and calm him but it hadn't worked and now he was supposed to focus on hitting. He was rattled and backed out of the box repeatedly and watched - without swinging at 3 strikes. Something he hasn't done before. He walked dejectedly to the dugout. It didn't help he was the 3rd out and we were headed back out to the field.

He was standing on the field sobbing and we had to pull him from the game. He was in danger at that point...obviously unable to focus, protect himself or make a play.

I wondered how it had come to this...he felt so pressured that he couldn't let 1 mistake go. No amount of reassurance seemed to help. Of course everyone and their brother reminded him of all his 'highlight reel' plays - diving snags to the left and right, turning double plays that no one at his age makes. But he sobbed on. It broke my heart.

I have to take responsibility for it. I don't know how I did it, but I made it so important to win that my 8 year old doesn't know how to lose. I've always tried to be supportive with the good and the bad. I'm not typically a yeller - certainly not at my ball players. I just didn't see it coming.

Anyway, not a great game. He's fine now and really was better within an hour after the game. Kids bounce back that way. We went to batting practice today and he wanted to stop on the way home and play catch - and we did. Just me and Jacob, playing catch at the park. This was my son, the happy, go-lucky kid. Hopefully we can bring this to the games and still win a few games.

Happy Birthday Bubba

OK, so today is my birthday....43 years of wonder. I slacked off a few days over the weekend and then went for a Mtn. Bike ride yesterday, where I spent nearly as much time in the dirt as I did on the bike. I was feeling pretty beat up this morning.

I planned on my regular Tuesday morning 10k that Nic and I always run...but she let me know last night she wasn't running this morning. She had to go help someone do something...early.

Anyway, I slept in, and when I got up...running wasn't on my list of things to do.
Then I got on the scale. Soon the my running attire was donned and I was ready to go. I doubled up my socks to try and protect my blistered foot, but even walking hurt. 100 yards from the house I almost turned back. Then I thought I'd try jogging instead of walking. Low and behold, it felt better to trot than stroll. I got to our timed 10k course and off I went.

Honestly I felt pretty crummy, and as I approached 1 mile, I was going to turn around and call it a 2 mile warm-up and go swim or something. But I knew the something would end up being TV and Birthday cake. So on I went.

As I approached the turn-around point for my 5k run, I checked my watch. I was actually running pretty well, right on schedule or even a tad faster, and my heel was achy, but not rubbing too bad. I pushed on.

I was planning on turning around at the 1/2 way point for my 5 mile out & back, but I felt OK and when I checked my time I was around a minute below my normal average. I couldn't stop now right?

So I continued on the 10k course, determined to actually run the whole 6.2 miles. I wished for my running buddy...wished I'd brought my mp3 player...neither was going to happen. As I approached the 1/2 way point I was 1 1/2 minutes below my fastest time on this run...time to suck it up.

My heel didn't hurt anymore, my lungs did as I ran hard up the nearly 1 mile stretch of road uphill. I hurt inside as I crossed the top of the hill, knowing I had an equally long downhill. I stretched out my stride and flew. It was one of those special running moments... my legs turning quickly below me, no effort, not really even feeling them. I guess it's the mythical 'runners high' come true. I was in the moment for several minutes, feeling nothing. No pain, no anything really...just floating.

But, as the terrain flattened out, so did my delirium! I had a mile to go...I was feeling it now. My watch said I was minutes ahead of my fastest time on this course and I was looking at sub 9 min/miles (yes - that's fast for me for 10k - so stop laughing).

As I rounded the last corner for the 1/2 mile straight away finish, I picked up the pace. Too much as it turns out, and with 1/4 mile to go I was blowing up. I struggled the last hundred meters and was done. 55.:15. That's 8:55 mile/average for the 6.2 miles. Not blazing, but a new PR for me.

Happy Birthday Bubba!

Sledding in Big Bear, California

Ahhh, sledding in Big Bear! We've been coming here for years to spend vacation time in our favorite place - Big Bear, California. It's a small mountain community at around 7000' elevation in the Mountains above San Bernardino.

When we first came here, years ago we used to have to hike up the sledding hill. For several years in fact - but it's improved. The first improvement was a rope tow up one side. You'd sit in your tube and grab on to the rope. One year they added log-like steps with hay on them. Then a big rubber mat. Then miraculously one year the rubber mat moved like an escalator. That got better for a few years and then last year, they actually covered the moving sidewalk so you're out of the elements for the 3-5 minutes it takes to get to the top of the sledding runs.

I've combined all the videos I shot this week into one sledding montage put to the music of AC/DC. :o) Enjoy!

'Tis the Season

Wow, Thanksgiving came and went in a flash and Christmas is just around the corner. I can't wait until next week. We're heading to Big Bear, California - our favorite vacation spot and future home - for a week of relaxing and fun. Big Bear got over a foot of new snow in the storm we had in Southern California this past week!

So what's new? Well lots of stuff! Our bicycle clothing has been selling fantastic. We've ordered and sold through our arm, leg and knee warmers, jackets and shorts. We designed a few new short styles and they have arrived and are selling well too!

Most recently I got some of my samples in for my new line of Triathlon clothing. We'll have Tri shorts and Tri-Suits. Probably a few other items, but they samples look good. We're fine tuning the styles and they'll be ready for the early Spring Triathlon Season.

What else...weight loss is being maintained. Freelance eBay and Internet Marketing business is up! I've been doing a ton of freelance work creating listing templates, designing eBay stores and more. Nic is helping out at her old job working part-time after someone recently left with no notice. And with the holidays upon us - it's a good time to make some extra money.

Happy Holidays everyone! Whether it's Chanuka or Christmas, Kwanza or just another time of year for you... it's still the Holiday Season - so Happy Holidays!

Monopoly - it's not just a corporate conglomerate

My family likes to play games. Board games to be specific. We always have. My wife and I have played cards since we started dating - rummy or gin usually. And as our boys came of game-playing age we got them started with the basics...Candyland and Chutes & Latters and Uno. Then we graduated to Life, Battleship and Monopoly Jr. And they've grown to love it.

Jacob & Nic at Starbucks

As it turns out - we rarely play at home. We keep our games in the back of the family car and the games are usually played at Starbucks. It's such a regular occasion that when we walk in we're greeted with "Monopoly tonight?" .


We still mix the games up - but our family favorite is the classic Monopoly. Even my 7-year old has been playing since he was 5. We all have our favorite game pieces and some (Jacob) even have custom pieces - like a LEGO man.


Of course our boys could make change for a hundred since they were toddlers - and we credit the board games with that. But they learn a lot of other values from playing. Patience, teamwork, a bit of business sense - but mostly they learn about family. This is our time - game time. Family time - sitting, sipping a hot chocolate or mocha and spending an hour or two together playing a game.

Thanksgiving Day Bicycle Ride

Like I don't have enough to be thankful for... I got to go for a great bike ride this morning with my friend Josh and his girlfriend Lilian. We met a group of 40 or so from Swami's Bicycle Team for a 40 miler up through Camp Pendelton to San Clemente and back. It was a leisurely pace for us of around 15-16 mph. A bit slower than I'm used to going, but it is Thanksgiving Day and wasn't supposed to be a hammer session. I seem to have a hard time not going hard all the time, so this was probably a good thing for me.

I'll warn you first - this is a 30-second video shot with my cellphone, while riding - so the quality is exactly what you'd expect...pretty bad! But I wanted to try it and add it to my blog.

Anyway - I do have so much to be thankful for - and I am! I don't think I'll list them all here, but a short list would include God, family, friends, health, freedom and independence. Thank you everyone for your part in all of this!

Happy Holidays!

Here's a picture of Josh and Lily on the ride.

Sunday night

Sunday night... it was a long day. I got up at 5am to go the the Swap Meet to try and sell some of the things filling my garage. Our house is on the market and I'm trying to get lean...as far as clutter that is. In general, I'm the anti-packrat. I throw stuff away almost too quickly and then wish I'd kept it. But, I still manage to collect enough stuff overtime to fill my Trooper from front to back floor to ceiling.

Anyway, after a 6-hour stint at the lovely Oceanside Swap Meet, I was $500 the wealthier and 24 boxes of stuff lighter! WhooHooo

I grabbed some Chipotle for lunch and headed over the the Boy Scout Space Derby event. This is a fun tradition held anually by my youngest son's Scout Pack. They're balsa wood rockets that fly down a fishing line race track propelled by ....rubber band powered propellers.


My son, being the knucklehead he is, decided he intentionally didn't want to make it aerodynamic. He wanted it completely square, like block of wood it is when you get it out of the box. He also insisted we not paint it, or finish off nicely. He wanted to win the "Procrastinator" award (which is a real category), even though he planned well ahead to not finish the darn thing.

Amazingly he finished 4th overall out of some 60 rockets - beating many of the wafe like aero shaped rockets that obviously hours were spent on. It almost irritated people and only made our family chuckle. We spent literally 5 minutes on the entire project and he flew through 5 rounds with only 1 loss on the track before his final round for third place - which he lost. Anyway, it was fun.

I then hurried home for an online conference I was hosting for AuctionSelling101.com - our eBay education website. We coveed eBay stores today, where I instructed the attending students on how search is different for eBay stores than it is for fixed price and auction format listings.

Then we spent another hour where I literally opened up a store, and built it before them online in the conference room where I can share my desktop while talking to them in my headphones. Very cool stuff.

We had some dinner, and went over to Starbucks for an hour or so to play some Monopoly with the family. Then hit the grocery store and then home for the night.

Turns out we had a stellar day on eBay with the bicycle clothing! We sold 5 of our new cycling jackets and vests, several pairs of arm and leg warmers, toe covers and shoe covers and several pairs of shorts. Gross sales of over $350 for the day in just my bicycle clothing. Very good news!

We have an order already in that should be arriving in another week, and I have an order put together to submit next week. I sent out an email to my 400 plus past customers of cyling products directing them to my eBay store letting them know we had full inventory and lots of new items in stock. I guess it worked! :o)

A Landmark Day

Ok, it's not really a 'landmark day' but it's a change. For the past two years this Blog has been about eBay and Internet Marketing - hence it's old name... eBay Jay. But I've found I really wanted to write and share more and so I've decided to make it my 'catch all' Blog. You may learn more than you wanted to know about me, but you're taking your chances reading my Blog anyway.

So - Bubba Jay it is from here on out.

Ok, let's get started with the details...lol. Guess who these folks are?

Wow, that's right - it's

Nicole and I... 180lbs ago. Yup - I lost 105lbs and Nic lost 75lbs over the course of the last year and a half. Actually we lost it all in a year, but have maintained that weight for another 6

months now. Here's an after shot from a few months ago.

I actually wrote a short 'story' about our weight loss and entered it into a contest that Weight Watchers had... for most Inspirational Story. And we won first place in our region, out of a few thousand in the US. A local news channel from NBC came out to interview us and were were on the news.

It was kind of fun. Here's a link to the NBC website and you can check out the short 1 minute video.

http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=160971

Ok, enough fat talk. I'll be back soon with more. Or as my Weight Watchers meeting leader Melanie says "we'll see less of you next time".