'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!

Crunch, Crunch, Crunch

That's the sound I hear...crunch, crunch, crunch. I'm in Big Bear, California. My home to be in the next few months hopefully. It's a crisp 38 degrees outside and I'm mid-way through a 7.5 mile run.

There are so many things that go into this run. They seem to all come to me at once. A year and a half ago I started losing weight. When I plateaued a year later, I had lost over 100 lbs. My wife has lost 75. We're the same people with a new lease on life. So here we are...at 7000' altitude, a week before Christmas, running in the snow. Yes - the snow. One of the many reasons I can't wait to make Big Bear my permanent home instead of vacaction destination. I love the snow and I love that crunch, crunch, crunch sound our feet make as we run the Alpine Pedal Path along the North Shore of Big Bear Lake.

The weight loss is one of many things...the next is the running itself. An athlete most of my life, I've never considered myself a runner. But I've run 20-25 miles a week for the past 75 weeks. I'd be lying now if I told you I wasn't a runner. I enjoy it now. It doesn't hurt anymore. I find comfort in my runs. I think better while I run and certainly better after.

Ok, back to Big Bear! It's the small town I love - the community. It's the skiing, hiking, mtn. biking, backpacking, kayaking, running, horseback riding, snowshoeing...jeeesh the list goes on and on.

I don't understand it...evertime I tell someone I'm moving to Big Bear, it's always the same reaction. First they get the dumbstruck look, and then they all say it. "Why Big Bear?". I recite the list above and I guess because none of those things are part of their lives - th lieir expression doesn't change. And I just smile. I can't wait to make it my home.

It's been a goal for years. Slowly working towards it. Getting the ducks in a row, and now the house is on the market. Of course it's an ugly time to try to sell a house in Southern California, but I don't even care. I don't have to make a dime on it. If I can just break even, I'll be the wealthiest man alive! I'll be living in my vacation spot of choice, on the Pacific Crest Trail in the mountains of California, a mile above the ocean, where the air is still clean and I can hear that crunch, crunch, crunch!

'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!

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".