A running commentary of my first Jumpercise.

An inner dialogue of my first jumpercise (that's what i am calling it anyway.) Mind you i have to do this outside because my ceiling in the garage is too low.

OK, Danny boy, LET'S DO THIS AAAAAHHHHH! 9:31 am

*Jump* 1 *Jump* 2 *Jum...shit*. *Jump* 1 *Jum...SHIT!*. *Jump* 1 *Jump* 2 *Jump* 3 here we go, good rythm, good speed, *WHACK (Rope hit the gutter)*. *Jump*Jump*Jump* there it is, feeling a little tight in the calves but no biggy, it'll go away. *Jump*Jump* Crap i am tired....*Jump*Jump (THWACK, right on the end of my toe)* DAMN IT!. well, i think that will be good for now. Got a good sweat going, feel a little burn, not including my broken toe. Can't breathe, all signs of a good work out. Time? 9:32:12 am.

The Seal is at it again, only this time.....

Unlike some people these days that like to follow the latest diet and exercise trend, i like to make up my own. The main reason is i don't want to modify my diet, like, at all. I was forced to give up my seal ranking at the pool because of a somewhat inconsiderate boss at a company i no longer work for decided to join the Y and go at the same time i had been going for many months. Anyhoo, bitterness aside, the seal will no be jumping rope at home.

I came to the realization that jumping rope is not only kinda fun but inexpensive and gets me wicked tired every time i do it (which is very rare). I recall my days in gym class as a 5th grader enjoying the "Jump Rope for Heart" contests they had. I do realize that when i begin this new workout, I will be reminded of the fact that I am 31 years old and things that used to be easy are really very difficult and makes me wonder it our athletic peak is around age 12 not 25. I used to be good at hula-hoops, rope climbing, chin ups, monkey bars and chasing girls at recess for the soul purpose of putting them under the "kissing machine" (an A/C unit that hung on the wall of the Special Education shack). I can't Hula-hoop, climb a rope, do more than 2 pull ups, the monkey bars, chase girls, or believe that the special education kids were literally in a SHACK detached from the actual school in the back corner of the playground!

I digress. This jump roping should be exciting.

p.s. totally unrealted but did you know you can do your math with google? i just did a little math for work and needed some square roots. so i typed "square root of 1152" and it gave me the answer. man i wish i had google in middle school.

Non fat, double, tall, no whip, with foam, iced vanilla latte.

Oh man, i am one of THOSE people now. I am at Starbucks....at lunch time.....writing a blog. i hope that the 8 people in here are looking at me thinking (what is that guy typing). i always wonder what people are writing or typing on their computer when i am on the train or airplane. Now i know, they are are doing nothing really other that typing/writing "i am on a plane/train/in coffee house."

One thing i have been thinking about lately is all the signage in peoples front yards on the 8 mile stretch from bellingham to lynden. There are two, count 'em, 1-2 signs on the way up here that tell us that the world is going to end may 22, 2011. they even have a big "NO" symbol with 2012 in it. there are a couple of anti-abortion signs, a sign that tells us to by local firewood.......yes, buy local firewood, and of course a couple signs about the government stealing from us and a couple calling their land a "land grab" zone.

All of these signs obviously come from passionate, convinced people, as far right as possible republicans. all are well and good, and i can understand the case for most, (minus the firewood one, that is just strange to me) but the end of the world ones are just ballsy. i like that. the balls it takes to tell not only Washington travels but Candians as well that come may 23, we will not be here. this is a bold statement and one that, i feel if they are wrong, they should be a little bit embarrassed about.

The Madness that is March...Madness

This year the NCAA has is doing something that i have never seen before and am very excited about it. They are broadcasting on more than one station. CBS, TNT, TRUtv (whatever that is) and TBS. All day non stop coverage on 4 stations not to mention watching online where you can pick and switch to any game you want to watch. I can imagine that people that live for reruns of 2 and a half men, everybody loves raymond and whatever they show on TRUtv are pissed, but lets face it, 99% of those people are rooting for Wofford to take down BYU right now.

Another aspect that makes this years tournament a little different for me is that i have no money what so ever riding on any of the games. That is to say that i am not in a money bracket pool. My cousin invited me to be in his office pool (which i have won before and took home a solid purse of around $200.) This year i have paid and exceptionally little amount of time watching college basketball. i watched the 3 games between Wazzu and UW but that is it. I think i may have kicked off the season watch a Gonzaga game against Kansas St (which they lost) but that could easily have been last year. Speaking of Gonzaga, they are whooping on St. Johns right now 28-18 with 10:26 left in the first half (let's hope i just jinxed them....or am i going for the reverse hex???)

One day i will go to Las Vegas for the opening round of the NCAA tournament, take $100 and see what i can turn it into (or how many games it takes to lose it all. Either way, FREE DRINKS!!!)

I Wish I Had One Hundred Million Dollars.....HOT DOG!

I had a New Years Resolution to write 1 blog a week......I couldn't even do that! I have sat down to write a couple different blogs and just couldn't get them done because my topics were, let's say, weak. One was what would happen if Burt the Cop actually shot George Bailey in the back towards the end of "It's a Wonderful Life." This topic went thin real quick. We know that Clarence wouldn't have let that happen and if he did it would be the most depressing movie in history. One thing i am trying to do is to remind myself they don't have to be long. this of course will take me some time to learn. this is suprising to no one and i know that :). SO, my topic for this one will be:

"The economy needs me to win the lottery."


Here is my 5 step plan of $1,000,000 ($600,000 after taxes).

1. pay off condo, truck, student loans. roughly $150,000.

2. buy a modest but nice house. $350,000
(down to $100,000 already)

3. $50,000 for Charlotte

4. dream vacation to the Greek islands with bells and whistles $25,000 (first class to Greece is $15,000 as it is) .

5. upgrade the Prius ($25,000 for the low end probably).

Now i know this isn't that impressive because if you are reading this, i am sure you can spend $600,000 pretty easily too. in all reality, a lot more would make it to the bank, i don't need expensive extravagant things, only extravagant vacations :). some say i have a "possession obsession" in that after i buy something i go right to the next. the thing that makes me annoying is that i just don't say "hey, wouldn't that be cool to have "x"." i say, "hey, wouldn't it be cool to have "x"," and then repeat this many, many times, research the hell out of it, talk to people that don't care about my item, if there is a store that carries it, i will camp out there at lunch time staring at it saying "should i?". when it comes to the moment where i have the money or decide to just pull the trigger, i can be standing in line holding the item in my hand, look at it and say "i don't need to spend money on this." (i am happy to report that i don't have credit card debt. i only use that for select items, mostly associated with travel.) this type of ridiculous behavior would be fixed by one type of medicine and one only, cold hard cash. if i had lots of money and wouldn't have to worry about not having any after my purchase, there would be no second thought, i wouldn't bug anybody about my obsession, i would just do and enjoy......

All that being said, i can spend $600,000 on mostly practical things in 5 moves, i can't imagine the damage i would do with $100 million. this might sound kind of cliche but the friends and family most certainly would want me to win. the more over $5 million i win, the more you win. SO, here is my announcement:

Dear Washington State Lottery Gods,

Our country needs a boost. Local economies as well as the National economy needs spenders, not savers. The stimulous package, in my opinion, was too small. I did my part as a citizen of this great nation by instantly spending my stimulous money on god knows what. It is time to start thinking about how to get people spending again and i can think of no better way than to give millions of dollars to someone who cares not for expensive imports like Lamborgini's, physics and those weird little italian bathing suits, but to someone who will buy american like Lincoln Town Cars, Gibson Guitars and whatever else i feel like because i am AMERICAN DAMN IT!

This is a tough task to complete but i am up for the challenge. of course i will need some help in reviving this economy of ours. read my lips, if you let me win $100 million (after taxes), at least $20 million (give or take) would go to friends and family. My parents alone would basically have an open account.

In these times of double dip recessions, we need people that will invest in our country, community and most important of all stability for our children. I will leave you with one question and one question only as said by the late President of the United State, John F. Kennedy; ask not what your country can do for you, ask why the Washington State Lottery Gods shouldn't give Danny Simon $100 million (after taxes)?

Thank You

My Name is Danny Simon and i approve this message

(now i need to buy a lottery ticket, i have never bought one before. i am kinda hoping for the one and done type situation.)