Astounding

I was at home last night watching a movie, and I found the entire thing astounding.  Really astounding.  Not necessarily the movie, but WATCHING the movie.  Why?

Because I was watching it ON MY PHONE!  I know it doesn’t seem like much NOW, but in the context of my life, it was pretty incredible.  More to the point, I was watching the new Tron movie. The movie was OK, but it was ironic that I was watching a movie that I had first seen back in the early 80’s (yes, I saw the original Tron, in the theaters.)  If you don’t know much about the movie, that’s ok.  This post isn’t about the movie, but about the delivery. 

In my life, I have gone from only seeing movie in a theater, or on broadcast TV several years later.  In the 80’s we go video tapes and laser discs.  At first, the players were very expensive, so you had to RENT a video tape player.  I remember renting them, but I don’t remember the movies we rented.  Go figure.  After a few years, VHS players came down in price to  a couple of hundred dollars, so just about everyone got one.  I still have a video tape player, and the kids still watch tapes every so often.  I hope that it will last longer than the tapes I still have.

In the late 90’s, DVD’s started to show up.  Better picture, sound. I bought my first DVD player for about $350.  All it did was play DVD’s.  My current DVD player has an internet connection, and plays DVD’s, Blu-Ray DVD’s, CD’s, and has a USB port.  I can watch movies streamed directly from the internet, or on any type of digital media that I can get my little hands on.

Today, I have a smartphone, with an application that wirelessly connects to the internet, and can stream movies.  It amazes me that I can do that on my phone.  I can also use it to buy things, move money from my bank, pay bills, write email, keep in touch with friends, so on an so forth.  And the phones keep getting smaller.  On my phone now, I have about 400 CD’s worth of music.  Do you remember CD’s? Now all the info fits on a 3 by 5 inch hunk of glass and aluminum and in my pocket.  I remember BUYING 45’s and LP albums at the store, hoping they didn’t get scratched.  I remember having a holder for 45’s that you kept all the records in, taking it to friends houses to play songs.  Now I can take ALL my songs with me wherever I go.  Movies too!

It seems that all generations have some type of change that made the world “better”. For my grandparents, it was the advances in travel, buggy to car, boats to planes.  My parents had all sorts of changes in their lifetimes that made life better, television, space exploration and all the new inventions because of that, the first computers, movies, etc.  I wonder what big thing my kids will have to tell their kids, “When I was your age, we didn’t have……”?

Goal!

I have met my weight goal!  My overall weight goal that is.  It wasn’t too much off my 40 before 40 goal.  Only 10 more pounds, but I have made it.  Now I just need to keep it.  So I have managed to lose 50 pounds in the last 6 months.   What other goals have I accomplished, that I set to make before turning 40?

None.

I have ALMOST finished the basement, but we are still missing a refrigerator, and most furniture.  I can’t bring myself to allow that type of expense right now.  Why?  Because I have another goal…getting a new camper, so we are saving for that.

So you ask, how do I feel about that?  Have I failed?  No.  I lost 50 POUNDS!  I also had surgery to fix 2 hernia’s that I didn’t know I had, LAST WEEK.  Still a little sore, but things are going really much better now than a week ago.  Work is good, and my family is healthy and we have everything we need to survive. We are truly blessed, and I thank God each day for what he has given me, and my family, and for giving me my family.

The fall is looking to be a good one for me.  It will certainly be busy.  The kids are in gymnastics, and music lessons will be starting in the coming weeks also.  Church activities are just around the corner, so pretty much each night of the week is about to be consumed with ‘something’.  Again I will be on a bowling league with some co-workers.  I am really looking forward to improving over last year.  The first few weeks will be a little rough, given my recent surgery, but I think it will be a great time.

I hope you all have a great autumn.  Hugs your kids each day.  They are growing up WAY to fast.  Especially my daughter. Hug your spouse, and thank them for who they are.  Don’t overlook all they do to help you through your day.

78 Days

There are now 78 days until I turn 40.  Back in March I wrote about some goals that I wanted to achieve.  Now that my day of reckoning is within site, perhaps it is time to recap, and get an update.

 

Goal 1:  Lost 40 pounds. 

Status: I have achieved this goal, having lost 41.6 pounds to date as of this morning.  I just need to lose another 10 pounds to meet my overall goal.  After that, my goal will be to keep off the weight.

Goal 2: Boundary Waters Trip:

Status : Limbo.  It didn’t happen earlier, and my dad now have hurt his wrist somehow, falling off a ladder I believe.  Also, I found out that I will need to have surgery to fix two hernias, so this trip may have to wait until next summer, or much later in the fall, which would be OK, there would be NO BUGS.

Goal 3: Backpacking trip with the Peanut.

Status: Probably not going to happen this year.  I don’t have a backpack, or most of the other equipment for taking such a trip.  Hopefully next year.  Maybe.

Goal 4:  Take a trip with my beautiful wife. This is still being planned.  We are planning on going the week OF my birthday.  Maybe to Maine, maybe to Wisconsin.  Ahh, can you imagine me in such exotic locations…..

Goal 5: Build a tree house.

Status: Not gonna happen this year.  Too Hot and Too Wet this summer. Plus, the funds were not available, or the time.

Goal 6:  Finish the basement.

Status: Done, minus a bar fridge and furniture, but a much more enjoyable, and useable space.

That’s about all for now.  I am still exercising everyday.  1 hour on the treadmill or 45 minutes of cardio/core every other day.  I am enjoying it, but I have to admit I am taking it a little easier since learning of the hernia.  My doctor said I should be fine to continue what I am doing but I have been letting up a bit anyways.

Hope y’all are having a great summer. I am, and I am happy about my progress.  Only 78 more days!  I am expecting lots of presents!