An Athlete's Rise & Fall in the World

Christmas

2011-12-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings Readers

Just in case that I am not on or what - May the Holiday be what you want.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Rock in Roll Inductee - Beastie Boys

2011-12-09T06:43:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

This was the second hopeful that I was hoping for to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I know they were nominated before and did not make it, but I do not remember who their competition was for that year(s).

In any way whatsoever I am not insinuating that Beastie Boys were a shoo in with the other list of nominees, but in my opinion I knew their chances this time around was excellent.

Second day in a row that I have to admit something that I do not want to, but tis the truth.

I was not a Beastie Boys fan from the start.

I think that the first time that I heard them was "that" song. "... Fight for your Right to Party." I also remember seeing that music video around the clock on Mtv.

With the song title, again my opinion, it just was not. I am unsure how to say what I want to say. And then the video - Ok I guess, but the "Boys" looking at the camera and singing "... Fight..." That did not resonate with me for some reason.

Time passed and then one day I was a fan of Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock. Oh yes Readers, by that time I knew their names and really did not refer to them as "Beastie Boys" Of course, it helps me, the listener, to hear them say their names in their songs from time to time. ha-hah.

Something about how they sing, their voices and their tunes finally caught my ears. Even though I still did not care for the Anthem of "...Fight for Your..." I was coming to like what they really have done.

Looking back from today they have matured as a band and also kept together after so long. Their music has evolved and they have ventured into new ground through the years.

I have not followed them closely as I should be, but I do follow up later to check out their album(s).

I know they have been political, or still could be, in the past - but that has not deterred me from not listening to them. Granted, I have not even paid attention so you see that was not even a concern in my head

Whether it be Intergalactic, Brass Monkey, So Whatcha Want, 5-Piece Chicken Dinner - I do like what they have published. Interesting.

The last two albums are still a mystery to me, but when I do get around to I am sure it will be well worth the wait.

Do they deserve the induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Of course. Their albums throughout the years have shown that musically. Yes, they have had their hits and misses, but no different from any other band. Again, in terms of music listeners they probably would make people shake their head, but as a whole the nomination and induction was warranted

Yes, it is rap. Yes, most people will say "Rap Crap." Other people will cite that's not rap since they are white, yet these same people say Eminim "Rocks. Beastie Boys have the rap going against them from the get go since that will isolate a lot of listeners to listening to them for that reason alone. Which brings me back to now - for being around this long and still about to pick up a Grammy in 2008 they are doing something right as well as keeping, and perhaps winning more fans.

A personal flashback - I remember back on the Ride the Rockies Bike Tour that I did years ago I was in Aspen lounging outside my tent near the high school. I had finished biking over Independence Pass and now was just chillin in Aspen. Sun was shining, but there was concern for bears since there were Bear sightings as well as some deaths due to bears around that time and area. As I was sitting in my chair with my Ipod playing I heard "The Move" come on and then the part of the song played that I liked "in Stereo" hah hah. So, whenever that song plays I am transported back to that memory in Aspen. Which also reminds me that was where I had a 27.00 dollar Margarita (perhaps for another time and only something that would be done in Aspen)...

With that concludes this post - Congrats to the Beastie Boys for their Induction.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Rock in Roll Inductee - Guns N Roses

2011-12-08T12:46:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

The Final Rock in Rock Inductees were named. There was/is a list and you can go and find out yourself if you want to know all of the nominations - go Google.

However, there were only a few I cared about and only really I wanted to see two to make it into the Hall of Fame that I personally wanted to see. Granted, there were a couple more, but I had to think logically which ones that had a chance and ones that I almost knew were going to get in.

Guns 'n' Roses

I will have to admit that in the beginning I was not a Gun's n Roses fan. Not at all. I think it was that song Sweet Child o Mine. I was in Junior High, I think, when Guns in Roses came onto the scene. That Bandanna wrapped (Blue I remember) around Axl's head in such a way that only Axl can pull it off. Then, when MTV played music videos I remember seeing Sweet Child o Mine and seeing Axl do that move with his body. He sways his body from side to side in a big motion. Again, only Axl could pull that move off. Often imitated, but never could be done as Axl does.

I remember a couple of student, girls in school would dress up as Axel. Funny, but not funny. Funny were the Goths, but lets save that for another time. I remember the posters of the Guns and Roses being on the room walls of my friends. Needless to say I did not join onto the band wagon right then.

Then, it happened - I heard Paradise City. And then I saw the music video. Something about that song got my attention. the guitar riff, then the beat of the drums, then Axl starting to sing.

"Take me down to the Paradise City..."

What an intro as well as lyrics to being with I thought; as well still think as I write this today.

From that point on I have been a fan. Of course, I bought Chinese Democracy and it is not nothing like vintage Guns n Roses. Not at all. And Axl's voice is there, but not there.

In between Appetite for Destruction and Chinese Democracy I have gotten most of their albums - save for a collections and perhaps... what was it String Cheese Incident? Sorry Readers, I do not have time to check Google. Anyway, that album did not interest me or ???? I have forgotten.

Anyway, Guns n Roses. A band that was high and now loss. A rift between Axl and his former original members - minus one or two due to death. I even saw the VH1 special made on them. Wow. Yet, even though it was wow - it was not something unexpected nor would never expected. Guns was Guns. Yet, what was interesting is that either Axl showed up and gave concert goers a concert to remember for a lifetime or he showed up and did not perform at all. That was true. Even said that - Axl was known not for showing up on time and even started a riot in Canada (not literally started himself) for not showing up for a concert. People rioted.

Anyway, the last time I think I saw Guns n Roses play was when Axl showed up for an MTV show with new band members in Guns N Roses. It was weird and even seeing that guy "bucket head" supposedly to be Slash. I still can not figure that one out. Anyway, that was the last time and I was not impressed. I think Axl did that just to kind of stick it to his former band members. Though that is just a guess.

Mind you, I don't hate Guns N Roses now, but it will never be what it was in the beginning. Yes, I bought Chinese Democracy since it was the new album in such a long time. I have the album in my Ipod but the listening to the album is so rare.

I even found out two weeks ago that Guns N Roses is coming to Denver and they will be playing the 1st Bank center on 12/11/11. I kind of toyed with the idea of going, but not really. I do not know what to expect and I really do not know anything after Chinese Democracy nor have followed Axl's journey.

Anyway, so I saw on the list was Guns N Roses for the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame. Even without knowing who else was on the list I was 99% sure that Guns was going in. They paved the wave for... you know I am not sure, but I have this radio commercial saved on a cassette tape and this is what I remember and what I associate to the original Guns N Roses....

"They are the Most Notorious Rock band..."

Notorious, I think, sums up Guns N Roses.

Guns N Roses had hits as well as Bombs. Yet, something about the band makes them a place in history.

And I have been waiting and waiting for the final nominations to be made and they were on 12/07/11. Should I wonder if the remaining original band members will get together for the Hall of Fame concert? I don't know Readers. It may be best not to revisit this past Band.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

2011 Thankgiving Day

2011-11-24T09:35:00.001-07:00

Greetings Readers

Happy Thanksgiving Readers. Hope the holiday is what you want it to be.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Sunday Morning Mishap

2011-11-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings Readers

Okay

It has been a while since I have made breakfast… well going all out on breakfast. Granted, it is just me, but every now and then I will cook like I am cooking for a family of four.

I was missing some ingredients so I had to go to King Soopers to pick up some of the breakfast materials. I was getting this and that. Bread, Cheese, Coca-Cola, onion and then some breakfast sausage.

Soon, I was home. I was motivated, but not motivated. So, even then it took another 15 minutes for me to actually get started cooking.

I peeled and cut the potatoes, diced the onions grated some cheese prior to actually cooking.

After channel flipping for a bit I honestly have to say there was shit on TV Sunday morning. Nothing. I actually had to do On Demand. So, I picked some Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes to watch. Readers, that is another blog post, but this show was the very first time I saw this year. I have to admit that I was entertained and have to admit that some of the things Larry gets into are things that happen to me. Getting back to the story.

The pans were getting warmed up so I started cutting the sausage, cracking the egg shells so I can whip them up for scrambled eggs.

Fast forward – all done, except the toast. While the toast was toasting I put the final touches on my breakfast. The toasts pops up, I butter and then wait another 30 seconds.

I grabbed the buttered toast and then put some of my breakfast in the toast and took a big bite.

What the Fuck?

Fuck me. I picked up the wrong sausage. Un-fucking-believe-able.

I know I picked up the sausage I wanted from where I usually pick it up while shopping.

Somehow, I fucked up.

Fast forward to right now. If you were you and this just happen to you what would you do? I am pissed. BUT. I have no one to blame. It was my fault.

In addition, I opened and cooked about ¼ of the package. With that said – am I allowed to go back to the store and say I picked up the wrong package? Even though I did eat some? I do not want to eat the sausage since it is not the kind I eat.

It is not an issue, but it is an issue. I paid about 4 dollars and I simply can not throw this away. Again, it is my fault. I know I did not look at the package. I just picked up the package from the same place I always pick the sausage I eat. Anyway, I do shop there a lot so I really can not do what I want to do. I am going to have say nothing and just eat the rest – sucks to be me.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

"I am Invincible"

2011-11-05T07:16:00.003-06:00

Greetings Readers

It was only a matter of time.

Yet I did not think that it would happen this quickly.

I was actually happy when I got off work. The sun was still shining; the day’s warmth was still in the air. I was riding Lily and was riding home.

I was approaching my turnoff and I was going pretty fast. Yet, I was on my mountain bike – I had the big, fat tires as opposed to any of my road bikes. This meant that I have more surface area contact with the road. More importantly, I have some knobby traction. Bottom line I can take that corner at that speed I was going at. There was some gravel as well as some water from the melting snow where I was turning, but did not give it a second thought.

I should have.

Man oh man I went down like a clown. Fuck me. One second I was making that turn. The next four seconds I was sliding across the road with Lily. I held onto the handlebars as well as stayed with the bike. There was a car vehicle coming, but since it was getting ready to stop it managed to stop before coming upon me.

I got up gingerly, but knew I did some damage to myself. Some road rash as well as bruise marks were going to come. Oh yeah, my ego got bruised also. I guess Mother Earth missed me - I kissed her long and hard.

Oh the blog title - That was from the James Bond Movie Goldeneye said by Boris. I thought I was invincible too. And somehow I thought of that line

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

"Send a HELLO"

2011-11-03T23:22:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

This past Spring at the Post Office I saw the release poster for all stamps... well perhaps commemorative stamps being released and I saw one stamp that I had to have.

It was the Pixar stamps and two of the stamps that are featured on the sheet caught my eye immediately.

Up and Wall-E. Toy Story followed next. The other two I could care less about.

Anyway -

Send a Hello

Think of your delight when you find a letter, greeting card, or package waiting in your mailbox. It puts a shine on the rest of the day - even before you've opened it. Despite all the ways that we communicate with friends and family today, there still nothing personal as knowing that someone took time to choose a card... write a letter... wrap a package... and even choose a special stamp simply to "Send a Hello."

After all, "hello" may be a simple, everyday word, but it can mean so many things. We can "Send a Hello" as a cheerful greetings between friends, like Lightning and Mater in Cars. "Hello" can mean "I'm hear to help!" like Remy to Linguini in Ratatouille. It can be a tender message of welcome to a new little someone who fills our hearts with wonder, like Wall-E and his miraculous plant in Wall-E.

Sometimes "hello" can tell someone we admire that they're our hero, like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, or the simple word can express the love and affection we feel for one another - like Dug and Carl in Up. For more than 25 years, Disney-Pixar storytellers have given us characters who have shown us the wonder of friendship and family. Now they help you communicate that way you care each time you receive or "Send a Hello." Has the mail come yet?

And that Readers is what's printed on the back of the stamp sheet.

To me - Dug, Karl and Wall-E meant/mean something to me due to their character in the movie they were in. Perhaps I will discuss that in a future post. Nothing earth shattering mind you, but something to share.

I do not think that I have shared with you Readers that I do collect stamps - that I like. Anyway, I do and perhaps I need to post some of the stamps that I have collected since the mid 90's.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

What I do to save RTD/Lightrail fare

2011-11-02T13:14:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

The things that I sometimes do to save a penny. So, the snow storm came in and this time there was a lot off snow and I could tell right from the front windows that riding any type of road bike was going to be almost impossible. That being said I had to get Lily for another ride.

I left Lily out on the deck since the weather has been nice for a bit.

I got outside and found out that the snow was was heavy and wet. As opposed to soft and fluffy. Meaning that made my ride just extra harder.

Even that said the RTD stop is right there. However, this morning I did not want to give up $ 2.25 for public transportation. Also, how long was the wait going to be for the next bus to come by – which comes every 30 minutes or so. Would I be catching right away or will I have to be waiting for bit for RTD to arrive. And with the weather I did not want to be just standing around in the cold and slightly windy morning. I would rather work up a sweat and get my blood flowing.

Getting out on the main thoroughfare in my residential area was tough. Even more so what that the street was not plowed. That meant I had to bike in the vehicle’s tire tracks that have been so far this morning.

With the fresh snowfall the sidewalks were not going to be plowed. So, basically I was fucked. And the morning commute was not going to make this ride any easier. And I was not going to cave in and pay for public transportation this morning. No way. No how. Pretty soon I came to a part of my bike route to work where I am able to follow a bike trail in most of the way to work. That was my biggest concern since I know that was not going to be easy. And going through the residential areas are even tougher since technically these residential area are sort of isolated area with only a few ins and outs of them.

The biggest thing for me was once I got onto the bike path I better not stop. Once I stopped riding I was not going to be able to start riding due to the snowfall. Needless to say I was forced to a stop twice and managed to get on my bike and pedal after a few tries. Just the type of snow as well as the depth of the snow that made the riding difficult.

Soon, I was off the bike path and once more back to residential riding. Whew. There was this lady shoveling her driveway and said something like “You’re brave.” To me. I smiled.

The last part of my journey to work was going to be another challenging issue. There are sidewalks, but this morning none of the sidewalks were plowed. So, that meant I will be riding in the streets. And where I work there is really only two ways (streets) to work so I can not use back streets or cut across fields/parking lots, etc. With that said traffic was going to be a problem. Luckily I know the stop light timing at the intersection where cars are going the same direction I was. That way I can sort assume when traffic will be coming from behind. Mind you, I trust myself riding in the street. However, it is snow and perhaps ice; therefore either I or the vehicles could slip and slide. What if I slip and fall when a vehicle is right behind me? What if a car brakes and starts to slide?

Finally, 1 hour and 10 minutes later I was at work. A tough and long commute, but the bottom line is that I saved 2 dollars and 25 cents. Er. Actually, I saved 4.50 since I rode home that evening.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A week riding with Lily

2011-10-30T16:14:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

I would have to say that the past week was tough all throughout.

This past week was the first time that I had take Lily out for the upcoming winter season. Snow was and did come this past week. Unfortunately, the forecast was calling for a lot of snow. If I remember correctly - 9 to 12 inches.

What that meant was that I needed to use the Mountain Bike. With it being this late in the year I could not take the chance that it was not not going to snow. And with that chance there was the possibility of the snow coming hard and heavy the way people were talking.

Since mid spring Lily has been outside on the deck. I know, I know no way to treat Lily that way. Since then there has been signs of rust here and there on her. "Whad ya gonna do?"

I spent some time on her getting ready for the week on Sunday. Scraping off the rust, putting lube and wax on the chain. Checking her tires as well as inflating them back to specs.

Prior to last week I have been on the "beater" bikes for roughly about a month now. The good bikes have basically been put away until a nice day or even could be til next year. A "beater" bike some of you Readers may be asking what the fuck is a beater bike. Basically, it is a bike that is going to be taking the elements that Mother Nature will be throwing at you during the seasons. Also, the bike is used for anything else that you may not want to do with your good bike.

For the past year I now have two beater bikes that I use in rotation. My faithful Readers would know which ones they are, but in case you are a relatively new Reader then let me tell you. The newest one is Deneise and then the older one is Tracey. One's a Fuji (white color) and the other is a Giant (gray color). Tracey is about to reach 10,000 miles and she is starting to show her age, use and how much I have ridden her all those miles without any major replacements. That was the reason why I acquired Deneise last year. I needed a new beater bike and it was the right time.

Anyway, I have to admit Monday Morning Lily kicked my ass. Fuck me. I would have to say that I forgot how much of a difference there is between a road bike and a mountain bike. A whole of weight, smaller crank and working up a sweat. What usually takes me about 20 / 25 minutes took me about 50 minutes to get to work. The bad things were it was cold and all uphill. Though going home was all downhill basically. Monday night I slept like a baby.

Then, Tuesday came and I had to do the same thing all over again, except this time the storm was coming. I was prepared. What I was wasn't prepared for was the rain. I assumed, which I know Readers should not have, that the snow would be falling when I left work. Little did I know and that was from not watching the news was that the snow was not to start until 9 that evening. When I got off work at about 6:30 or so it was raining. Steady rain. Oh yeah, it was cold steady rain. I was not even 1/2 mile from leaving work and I was soaked. Soaked. Gosh, it fucking sucked. If I have not said it before or if I have said it a thousand times - being soaked to the bone while riding in the rain is the worst thing I hate.

Wednesday - where's all the snow that was forecast. Fuck me. I actually rode Lily for two days when I could have been riding either of my road bikes. However, the thing is both Deneise and Tracey had front flat tires. I was lazy and just have not had the time to fix the flats. Matter of fact, I think Tracey has had a front flat for about two months and I have been using Deneise for the past month until I got a flat on Sunday.

Thursday - even better. Still was riding Lily, yet I have to admit I was getting use to riding her and not out of breath like I was on Monday.

Friday - I knew this was going to be last day that I was going to ride Lily. Period.

And that Readers was my week with Lily. Oh yes! I spent the time on Saturday Morning by fixing both Tracey and Deneise and I have to admit it did not take as long as I thought it would. That is the really the only reason why I did not fix the flats. I don't hate fixing flats it is just if I do not get the flat fixed/repaired the first time I tend to get aggravated due to the patch perhaps not staying affixed to the tube, not enough rubber cement, not dry enough, etc. And what really gets me is when I get the tube in the tire, back on the rim, pumped full of air, then seconds later I hear a leak which I know is from my poorly done repair. Oh yes, I may be a seasoned/pro bike rider, but I have my "moments: from time to time when fixing flat tires.

Come Monday Morning I am riding a road bike - LOL. For sho'!

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

10 Years Later

2011-09-11T14:24:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

I remember watching the news in the morning, no different from any other morning, when the news changed from the "normal" news to "live" news and a shot of the World Trade Towers from a helicopter. There was black smoke pouring from one of the World Trade Towers.

I went into my brother's room, turned on the TV and then woke him up to tell him what was happening in New York.

Then I saw on TV the second jet coming into view of the camera and then disappear behind the building. A second or two later I saw the Tower explode out and the explosion of what had to be that jet crashing into the Tower.

I could not believe it.

I went to work eventually, and the few people I saw while biking to work I told them The World Trade Towers are gone.

Where I was working at the time they gave us the option to go home if we could feel that we could work in light of this tragic accident. I stayed the day, yet we were all quiet, most of the women were crying, had been crying, whatnot.

That evening was the moment it affected me on what just happened that morning.

Year after year. This day in history comes and goes. Along with that the moments of silences, the "we will never forget", tributes, tv shows, etc.

10 years later.

I get up early and was basically was going to avoid the live coverage of memorial coverage of the people that have names we know who died. This does not include the people who died, but we do not know who.

I turned the tv on and starting watching Mad Men on AMC since they are showing the show every Sunday Morning.

Well... I got curious. I scanned the guide and saw a show that was airing on several channels. Hmmm. I read the title - 102 Minutes That Changed America.

I changed to one of the channels, History, and what do you know I watched til the end. commercial free. This was a show not like any of those 9/11 documentaries, or some one's story that I have only glimpsed at since I do not watch those shows about 9/11.

No commentator, just raw footage, very low tones of music and lots of lots of video footage as well as radio, cell, phone,9-11 call footage from different parts of New York.

The moment in the show that stuck me was a camera was focused on couple of fire fighters looking up at the Towers and then you see all their eyes following in the same direction. You instantly know that they are following an object falling. Though you never know what the object is/was. As the object comes closer to Earth you see all their heads level out and then look away. I just remembered what I had forgotten. The people who fell/jumped from the World Trade Towers that day 10 years ago.

All those feelings I forgotten 10 years ago just came back.

I do not talk about this day nor do I want to discuss this day in history. I avoid watching the documentaries that show every time this part of the year.

Up until today, I have not blogged about this day in history.

This picture is the most haunting of that day for me. I first saw this picture in GQ and actually this was just luck when the picture was taken. Matter of fact, there is a sequence of pictures taken one after another of this person falling. As you can see Readers - this person is falling head first to Mother Earth. In reality the person is tumbling, but at this moment captured in time forever it shows a haunting falling person head first like Superman flying.

Video footage is tough to watch of that day. I have some VCR tapes of that day, but 10 years later I have not watched a single tape of that day. I think the most haunting footage for me is the footage of the first plane being heard over New York and below looking up to sky. Then you see the camera turn to the left and you see that plane fly into the World Trade Center. Oh my. My breath stops. It is amazing to me that the first plane hit was captured on video.

10 years later.

I just saw and heard for the first time that Condoleezza Rice spoke with the Russian President Vladimir Putin - I never knew of this until this morning on that morning.

You know Readers I do not think that I have ever shared this with anyone I know or don't know. Why know? Why not before? Why at all?

10 years later

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-04T09:00:00.001-06:00

Greetings Readers

Just a quick post

Happy July 4th - Hope you are enjoying the Holiday

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Breaking Bad - Promo for Season 4

2011-06-12T14:32:00.006-06:00

Greetings Readers

Wow.

That is an excellent promo, first poster, for next month's new season of Breaking Bad. Season 4.

I just love that warning sign next to Walter White's profile.

And of course I saw the next teaser trailer for the new season on AMC's website on Thursday of last week. Nothing revealed for Season 4 mind you, but I have to use this word again, I love, the piano's keys making the music on how the trailer starts and then Walter's voice starts talking over the cut scenes that are from last season. Soon, we hear other voices from the main characters of Breaking Bad. Meanwhile, all this time that piano is playing softly, melodic, giving me restlessness. Only because I have to wait just over a month to see the first episode of Season 4. The trailer is only a minute long, but beautifully spliced together.

Now, let me get back to the poster - Walter White - I am going to bet that most of the viewers are going to say that is Heisenberg in full presence. Meaning, that is not Walter White.

I have to say no. That is Walter White. I have seen the subtle transformation from Walter White from the first season and well into the third season. In my opinion, there is really no way that the character Walter White could have two separate identities with all the "stuff" going on in his life. I think he has a strong character, but as he is progressing into the business he is make that character more of whom we stereotype as who could be a drug dealer type.

Again, that is Walter White. Is he mad? No, that is just the look. And I am racking my mind - what other character(s) in the TV realm with spectacles can make that look "bad!" That is the "Don't Fuck with me" look. And that look works.

We Readers saw that in the season finale of Season three when Walt was about to be shot at the Laundry (Meth Super Lab) by Mike. I think that was probably the best scene of Season Three with Walt turning the tables. I am not rooting for the drug dealer, the bad guy, but I am rooting for Walter White - especially when Walter says...

"You might want to hold off."...

"...6353 Juan Tabo Apartment 6.

Yeah."

Oh, the way Walter speaks that line (starting with 6353...) and delivered that confident look that Walter gives Mike. That is the look and the stance we all perhaps felt or want to feel if in the same or similar situation.

As the first words flash in the teaser trailer.

"Once you break bad"

"You never go back"

There are alot of variables to Walter White at this point in the series and I do not think I could have done any different from what Walter has done to this point.

What I mean is - what would you have done on Episode 12 - Half Measures - Season 3 - when Jesse is walking to the Drug Dealers he is planning to shoot. You Readers who know the story up to this point - what would you have done? Needless to say - that scene fucking blew my mind when I first saw it. That was not Heisenberg - that is Walter White. You know what Readers, that scene is still powerful to me - I mean that scene caught me totally off guard and I never saw it coming. I expected the scene to be about Jesse and the Drug Dealers and what the outcome would be in the finals minutes of that episode.

And Fuck me - even after Walter White did what he did he then gets out of his vehicle and finishes "the job". again wow.

Calmly Walter looks and says to Jesse - "Run."

So, you see I know that this is perfect promo poster for the upcoming Season Four of Breaking Bad.

Even as I write this blog I am just anxious since we faithful Breaking Bad watchers now have a solid start date of Season Four - as well as a teaser trailer and two promo posters.

Which brings me to the other poster I have not talked about nor posted. Basically, it is the promo poster expanded. To Walter's right (or to the left of the warning signage) is Jesse's head. It is okay, but somehow it does not fit. I am sorry I do not know why, but for me it just does not work.

I am not saying the wider promo poster is bad (sorry for the "bad" reference), but just does not fit. Although, if you Readers and faithful watchers look closer - (and yes I know it is a promo poster) - does it look like Jesse's head is/may be shaved? Anyway, from the poster Jesse's left side of the head appears shaved. His hairline on the front of his is that high so you can not tell if his head is bald or not. Hmmmm?

And that is about all I guess I better write since this blog post is getting long.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Another friend from my Past

2011-06-06T20:31:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

Another old friend from my past has surfaced into my life. And wouldn't you know it was during the same time I was working at TCI back in the 1990's.

I have not thought of her in about 5 to 10 years and I think it has been 15 years since I last talked to her.

So, how did this come about?

I was on Facebook on Saturday night and somehow her name just popped into my head. I did a name search and was hoping that I was going to be able to be able at least have a chance to find her among millions of people with that name.

Now, her name is common I think, but I had to be general so that was going to open the searching results even bigger than I wanted. Lo and behold, I got lucky and soon I was looking at a picture that would be a picture of the same woman I saw back in 1990's or so. I just had to imagine that person older and what she would look like in 2011. Not to mention that I do not remember where I have that old picture of her, her daughter and the family dog.

What also helped was that the person's picture I was looking at was the same State that I knew she was in when I last knew her. That helped alot. Minutes later I composed a short message on Facebook and clicked send (or whatever button that you click).

Fast forward to the morning, Sunday Morning that is, I see an email from her and it is confirmed it is her and she also remembered me.

We never met face to face, but we talked to each other almost every day that I worked at TCI and her where she did. We got to know each other as well as our family and our lives. Though at present I can not re-collect most of her life anymore. I guess that is the sign of being older. Hah hah. No Readers, mostly likely to not thinking of her in such a long time and losing the memories that I knew of due to new memories of people after her. Readers, there is only so much my mind can hold and remember.

There are times these days that I am walking from one room to another and in that time frame I get to that other room and I forgot what I was getting or going to do. The signs of getting older, I guess. Or perhaps I better hope so. =).

Fast forward a day's time - we exchanged information, phone numbers, email address as this blog site. I called her Sunday evening got voicemail left message and then she called back got voicemail and I got her message.

I have to admit it was the same voice, yes older, but the same voice I talked to day after day while I was at TCI back in the 1990's. As the "man with no name" said

"Well now...
....seems just like old times."

Her voice on my answering machine just made my day - hell, my week. Even my Month.

Anyway, I hope to catch up and at least see what's been going on. And I, of course, will tell her every time that I happen to see that movie "Trapped in Paradise" I remember her dog since her dog had only three legs. Funny how you associated something to someone.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Grilling Split-Decision

2011-06-05T00:24:00.008-06:00

Greetings Readers

Alright - this is going to be another what would have done situation.

Are you Readers ready? Remember, you have got to put yourself into my shoes, but you are not me - you are you. Okay, let us begin.

Let us say over the Memorial Day Weekend you bought some chicken and decided that weekend you are going to grill / barbecue some chicken at the local community pool.

You get to the community pool a little after noon and immediately see that the pool is packed with people. You walk to the area where the barbecue grills are located. You can already see that out of most them smoke is coming from the closed grills. You happen to see a closed grill with no smoke. You walk over and open up the grill - filled with food. OK. All the grills are being used. Basically, first come first serve. Not a problem. You leave just as quickly as you came since you got to go back home since you can not have raw chicken getting warm. Perhaps try again later in the evening.

Flash forward - it is after 6PM that same day. You do the exact same thing and it appears nothing has changed at the community pool, except the angle of the sun in the sky. All the grills are still being used. At this point you leave again - this time for good. Either grill at home or cook the chicken some other way.

Now, two days later you bought some steak two days ago and basically now it is time that you have to cook the steak you bought from the store.

You bought the steak on sale for 21.32, although the original price was 38.06. With all good steak being expensive these days you need to make sure you cook the steak the way you want it.

You decide that you are going to the community pool to use the outdoor grill at the pool that evening. After a full day of work earning that American Dollar and then some, you get home after 6 PM that evening. Your steak was prepped with a marinade and now is ready for cooking. It is about 6:45 PM that you finally get to the community pool. Immediately, you see that all the grills are available - you can pick and choose which one you want to use.

So, you choose a random one since there is no clear favorite that you want. Now, with this expensive piece of steak, mind you a package of three steaks being of New York Strip Sirloin Steak you decide you are going to cook this slowly and over medium heat.

After a while the grill is ready for you to use and all that time you were waiting for the grill to be ready all other grills filled up with other people and their dinner. Although, not a steak among them. Just hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and bratwursts from what you can identify when looking around.

Your steak is the most expensive food there at the grill area. Anyway, with these steaks ready to be cooked you decide that you are only going to use the top rack of the grill as opposed to the bottom of the grill. One reason is to keep the steak as far as from the heat and two - to keep the steak juicy. Since you elected to cook the steaks this way you know that you are going to have a longer cooking time from the other people there.

Oh, before even coming to the community pool you packed a book since you know you are going to be cooking for a while and you wanted to keep yourself occupied. You also set your watch timer at 5:00 minutes since that is what you are going to go by and flip the steaks over.

Back at the grills, while you are reading and grilling you notice some other people showing up, but turning away even before getting to the grills since they can see that all the grills are in use. Although, you happen to see one person with a plate of hamburgers walking and talking on the cell phone coming to the grilling area without stopping.

The person eventually takes a table behind you since you can hear them talking on the cell phone almost right behind you.

About five minutes later that person leaves the area still talking on the cell phone and you now see that person is not holding their plate of hamburgers. You have to assume that person left their plate of hamburgers on the table behind you since you do not care to turn around and verify. You are still cooking and reading.

Another five or ten minutes later that person shows up again still talking on the cell phone. Whether or not that is the same phone call or not that is irrelevant.

Now, another five minutes later and at this point in the scenario all the grills are still in use. No one has left their grill nor finished cooking.

You hear that same voice that has been talking on that cell phone came from right behind you.

"Excuse me? I see that you are using the top of the grill. Can I use the bottom of the grill?" is what that person that has the plate of hamburgers and been talking on the cell phone asks you.

Readers - you have a micro-second split decision to make and answer this person. What do you say? I have laid out the facts as well as all what I remember.

Remember Readers, you have the background as well the luxury of what has been read and what you may have already decided. Yet, in life you never know what is going to happen in the future.

I do not remember word for word, verbatim, but I answered

"No, I do not want your 3.99 hamburger's aroma in my 38.00 dollar steak."

There was no hesitation in my answer to her question. I said no for many reason - for example another reason - I was there first. And all the other people came thereafter. Meaning, first come first serve. Basically, when a grill becomes available that person is the next in line to use an open grill.

Whether or not I am not using the bottom of the grill - I am using the grill. Two, how do I not know what ingredients are in that person's hamburgers. Three, the fat from the hamburgers are going to drip and that will cause the grill to flame below thereby causing the heat to rise as well as the possibility of fire flaming up to your steaks.

Now, you Readers are not the first people I presented this to. I actually asked alot of my friends and about 90 percent of them would have said yes - no problem. But, none of them even thought of the hamburger's aroma cooking into the steak. They did not have a problem sharing, but they did not think of that factor of the hamburger's aroma seeping into your steaks. And half of them did not think that the fat from the hamburgers will cause flame ups.

So, with most of my friends saying that they would have share the bottom of the grill I had to find someone like me. Hah hah - impossible, I know. Let me rephrase that - I had to find someone with a type C personality. And yes, I know of two friends who are Type C like me.

I decided to ask one of them since that is all I need the opinion of. I told the above story and here is their answer.

"No. I am cooking a special dinner and I do not want your hamburger's aroma cooking into my special dinner."

I was not surprised. Type C's are always thinking "beyond the path."

For example - you get into an elevator going down. You get on and soon after a few stops the elevator gets crowded with people at each stop. Eventually, the elevator is packed and you have not reached your floor. What are you thinking? Anything? Nothing? Could care less? Not the Type C's - they wonder about the other occupants of the elevator, the people next to them, and more importantly the weight of the elevator with the elevator car filled with people. How many stops are there going to be before you reach your floor?

Bottom line - I was there first and that person, or any person, needs to wait until a grill opens and was out of line asking me to use my grill I was cooking on. It is generally known that if something is in by another person you wait your turn until it opens up for the next person to use.

Oh one more thing to add - one friend asked me - What if your hot next door lesbian neighbor, and if she was single that you knew of, was that person with the plate of hamburgers and asked you to use the bottom of the grill you were using? I said I probably would have had said "no problem" without a second thought. They laughed and I laughed, but I will admit I would have most likely said yes and not said no. Discrimination - I know. I might have even said "Sure, but I am gonna need some sugar" LOL.

And yet - another friend pointed out that plate of hamburgers was for three's children dinner and I made those kids go hungry for another hour than they had to. My friends are relentless.

Now, time to end this blog post - by the way Readers that person who asked me to use the bottom of the grill was just an average looking woman about late 20's / early 30's.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Coors Light - Cold & Super Cold

2011-05-31T01:01:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

Get the fuck out of here!

I just can not believe that yet there is the next evolution in cold indicators for such a cheap beer.

I just saw the TV commercial and I see that the evolution of the cold indicator has now made it's debut on the beer can for who else - Coors Light.

Readers - to make sure that your beer is just not cold, but "Super Cold" - you now have the ability to look at the can and you will either see, I imagine, just the words "Cold" if the beer is just cold. And then I assume when the can of beer reaches the stage of "Super Cold" I imagine the words "Super Cold" will appear below the word "Cold." I see on the can it is called the 2 stage Cold Activation.

Hmmmm.

I am not going to re-read my blog posts on the Cold Mountain indicator and the "window" in the 12 packs or beer to see if the beer in the packaging is cold, but I hope I am not going to say the same thing over again on this post.

This is just fucking stupid marketing for Coors Light, in my opinion. Coors Light clientele is not for people like me who look down upon that beer. As well as also call that beer "Piss beer" and I am not alone. This beer as far as I know is for campers, the common working blue collar class of America, the college students on a limited budget, and the people who only know that type of beer. That is just being general of me on who I think is drinking Coors Light.

Yes, I have drank Coors Light in my youth, but not anymore. I am beyond that type of beer.

I have not done research, but I can almost say with certainty that my friends if given a choice between Coors Light and let us say a micro brew, they are going to choose the micro brew. Although, the women may choose Coors Light for probably having less alcohol and avoiding a hangover the following day. I do not know that though.

A cold indicator on a can, or bottle, is not going to make the determination to drink Coors Light for that reason alone. It is just not going to happen with my circle of friends. We know for a fact when a beer gets cold, have an idea how we like our beer cold, and even yet we know we can put a bottle/can in the freezer to get the beer cold, icy cold matter of fact.

And patience has nothing to do with making the decision not to drink Coors. If you actually are going to watch/wait/check the beer can and wait for the "Super Cold" to appear... well I do not know what to say. I can not say that you are dumb. Or smart. I just can not believe anyone with a head on his/her shoulder would actually wait for the "Super Cold" to appear before drinking the beer.

Let us say Readers that the "Cold" indicator appears at 40 degrees and the "Super Cold" indicator appears at 35 degrees. Now, what if your refrigerator is set at 37 degrees. What if that person who puts that beer into the fridge and will not drink that beer until the words "Super Cold" appears. He/she will be waiting for a long time, since it is not going to happen due to the temperature in the refrigerator being set at 37 degrees and the refrigerator will not get any colder than 37 degrees. Now, any person knows that if they want their beer icy cold they are either going to put the beer in the freezer or into a beer cooler with ice.

Which brings me to something else. Yes, I know Coors light is a common beer among campers, picnics, state parks, etc and I also know that Coolers are abound with beer. Yes, some beer from the liquor store are room temperature and are put into the Cooler to get cold. So, I can see the Cold and Super Cold indicator coming into play. But, I also know that no one is going to wait drinkless, for the beer to get cold - or super cold. The beer may be getting cold, but that is not going to stop the average beer drinker(s) drinking a warm beer in the meantime.

Matter of fact, even if that beer drinker finishes off that beer and grabs another beer from the cooler - they are going to most likely grab a beer from the bottom of the cooler where the melting ice and most likely icy cold water is making the beer cold. That beer drinker is probably not going to look for a cold indicator - instead they are going to feel the can/bottle and then pop open regardless of "Cold"or "Super Cold." I know, as well as the beer drinker, is that beer is colder than it was before and a colder beer is better than a warmer beer. And we know a colder beer is better than no beer. Right?

I just don't know. If the previous marketing for the Cold Mountains Indicator and windows in the beer packaging is working and making more sales then I guess I can see how they had to go to the next stage of Cold indicators for their beer. Or perhaps sales are sliding/still sliding and this is the next step to save their faithful beer drinkers from drinking another brand of beer. I do not know.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

May Day - Seve Ballesteros Day

2011-05-07T04:04:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

Seve has passed on as of this morning. I do not know what to say about Seve.

I am happy to say that I was able to see him play and I will admit that he was my guy I wanted to win overseas (Ryder cup).

Though I will miss him on the golf course - like I do of Payne Stewart. Yes, Payne Stewart was favorite of mine before the US Open title. Seve joins Payne in Golf History - and much more.

Seve - I hope the best and will miss you.

Readers - this is a picture I want to post that will portrait Seve

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

May Day - Jennifer Galardi Day

2011-05-02T12:50:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

I was trying to find a great picture of Jennifer Galardi to show off on how beautiful she looks. Now, I am not saying that this is not a hot picture.

I think it was about a year ago that I saw her on Fit TV. Lo and behold, the same network where I saw Lily Goncalves doing her Yoga on Namaste. Well, the same thing Exercise TV, I think had an hour show (but could have been half hour) that feature routines by different trainers. Anyway, one time I tuned in and saw Jennifer. Wow. I know that Jennifer had two routines that came on time from time. The one that I really loved to watch was her Hip Hop routine. I did not care for her Yoga routine. That Hip Hop Routine she had snug green pants, low rise which you can see that sexy navel as well as that tattoo just peeking above the top of her pants. I think she was wearing some orange (or yellow) jacket and I can not remember the color of her shirt. Her Hair was dirty/sandy dark blond (but not blond) - though perhaps...

I remember doing the routine with her twice, but overall I could watch the entire whole show week after week.

So, that was in the past and recently in the past 6 months I see that she has done several 15 to 30 minute routines, which are on the exercise channel cable menu. Her hair is much darker and does not look the same as that I described when I first saw her. Somehow, I just do not remember her being this dark of a brunette. Also, she dresses... well she does not dress like she did in that workout I first saw her also - she's dressing conservatively and loose in workout gear. What I mean is that I am not turned on. She is not showing off that navel. Her hair also seems shorter and has body. Whereas I think before her hair was tied back and fine.

All in all, I still like watching her do her routines and every now and then she does some move that is so - whoa baby. LOL. And since I do not have FitTV anymore I do not get to see her do her routine. Oh, Lily is still the one on top of my short list.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Easter 2011

2011-04-24T13:55:00.001-06:00

Greetings Readers

I hope everyone has/have/had a nice Easter.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day Off - Letharic State!

2011-03-28T08:28:00.009-06:00

Greetings Readers

This began yesterday afternoon and continued into today when I woke up. I could not move hardly. I slept hardly. The most I slept was in two hours intervals. I slept on my bed, the floor, the couch, I sat up, and I just felt horrible. The headache was bad yesterday. I felt spikes of pain in my joints - something like I would imagine arthritis would feel like.

This state of Lethargy happened to me last year while I was on the P90X and it was very bad. I, of course, really knew nothing of this in the state I was in last year. But was worse was that I got very sick and that took me off the P90X plan for about 2 weeks.

This time around I recognized the signs (though not right away) and immediately started to dump sugar, some carbs and some saturated fats into my system. I did not run, I did not exercise and I am not going to do the diet at all today.

It kind of sucked that of all days this had to happen - last day of the accounting month as well as "my duty" has to be done - paying the rent for our company I work for. And there is alot of rent that I have to as well as the recon before leaving for the day. Yes, the person above me could do it, but what takes me four hours to complete would take him/her eight hours to complete. So, I really had to be in. Anyway, I left work right after we shut down since nothing can be done when the system shuts down at that time. I took Light Rail home due to my state. Even though it is about 6 six miles and 1/2 down hill I could not risk really losing energy and not being able to pedal. Which is what happened last year. I coasted basically downhill to Qdoba's from Lightrail on my bike - I ordered a chicken burrito (with tomatoes, guacamole, hit sauce, Black beans) and a side order of Chips/Salsa. Then, basically rode downhill all the way home. guacamole!?!? The first time EVER that I ordered guacamole in any food! I hate the way guacamole looks like, but a friend who is also an athlete recommend having an avocado (since is has fat). The first bite was tough, but I have to admit it was not bad. Not good, but it was okay. What I mean is I actually ate it and did not make a face or spit it out. Thank goodness - I was able to eat half the burrito and some chips. I fell asleep right away after eating and then I woke up about 9PM. Took, a Nyquil then slept until 5 the next morning. Note: I did buy a bottle of Coca-Cola this morning, but I did not drink. Day 21 of No Coca-Cola today. I bought it specifically for the sugar (well technically the High Fructose Syrup), but I am happy to say that I did not drink. Until the next time Daryl Charley The Fallen Athlete

Fat Tire - 2 Below

2011-03-23T07:18:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers Okay, I was in the liquor store over the weekend and I had to get some cooking Jack. I did not make a bee-line for the Jack. Since I was in the liquor store why not take a look around... I never know what my father would like as a birthday gift. I just do not know. And yes Readers I know I could have asked him, my mother or my brother – but it is not in my nature to do so. So, this year I was visiting a local liquor store near where I live and I saw that they still have 2 below (Fat Tire). I could not believe it Readers! Not only did I see that they have 2 below – they had two 12-packs and two 6-packs! Yes, I immediately thought of myself, but then instantly remembered that I am on the P90X program and I know that a micro brew is not on the list as part of the program. Yes, the generalization of beer is listed (as well as the calories), but beyond that I know better than that this beer can not be counted as part of the plan. Then, I remembered that my father does love this beer. Matter of fact, the last time he was here visiting in the winter he made a comment that he loved this beer. And yes, when I had my short visit earlier this month he made a comment that he could not find any more Fat Tire – 2 below. I told him that beer is seasonal and they had just released the spring seasonal – which is the Mighty Arrow. Further noting that since the Spring Seasonal is out - they are no longer making the winter seasonal. So, I picked up a 12-pack and thought this is going to make an excellent birthday present. Note Readers, I know this blog is public, but I know that my mother and father do not follow my blog nor have access to Internet due to the location of our ranch. Of course, I know that would not stop them from accessing the Internet when they could access the Internet. Anyway, as far as I know this will be a surprise, but if not then he will know that I did locate a 12-pack of 2 below - and I hope this will be a nice birthday gift. I am sure that the local liquor store probably should have pulled the seasonal beer since the new seasonal beer is out and was stocked in their cooler. But personally, I do not go by seasonal deadlines and I do not stick to the “Best Before” date listed on the bottle. I am sure that a beer “Best Before” will not be bad one day or two weeks after the “Best Before” date. Perhaps even a month or two after the “Best Before” date. I did talk to the liquor store employee I know and asked how long will the 2 below be in the cooler. He indicated not long, matter of fact since a new company took over the Fat Tire company, new the company is strict about how long beer should be sold/displayed. With that said I indicated that I would come by within the week and buy the rest of the stock of 2 below. Personally, I think this will make an excellent birthday gift. As opposed to buying dinner, since me or my brother do buy the meals for our parents when I visit them in New Mexico. To me, that’s doing nothing special since we do do that all the time. Until the next time Daryl Charley The Fallen Athlete

The Dark Towers Revisited

2011-03-22T07:40:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers News from the Dark Tower.

I would like to say "Wonderful" but the Dark Tower is anything but wonderful, in a manner of speaking...

Somehow I came across a news note that there was a new book in the Dark Tower Series, which ended years ago.

Readers - I may write something about the Dark Tower and if you have not finished the series of books then you may want to stop reading.

With the death of Eddie and Oy's demise in the final book and not to mention the ending for Susannah and Jake that was a hard ending to a come to. I first heard of the Dark Tower when I was either in Junior High or High School. And then just years later that part of my life came to an end. Granted, there have been short stories published in the Dark Tower world but not really involving Roland and his Ka-tet. Anyway, as for Stephen King and the way he feels about the Dark Tower - the Dark Tower is alive and has been part of my life all this time.

I do not think I have told you this Readers, but when Stephen was hit by that van - do you know what I thought? First of all, I was not concerned for Stephen at that moment. My biggest thought when I first heard that news was the what the fuck was going to happen about the Dark tower?! We will never know the ending? Er... I will never know is what I was thinking. How selfish, but that was what I was worried about when I first heard the news. With that said that is why I can say that the Dark Tower has been part of my life all this time. I hated Gasher(man), what about the Tick Tock Man, and Blaine. Worst yet, Odetta. I loved when Roland danced on the stage while that song was being sung - The Rice Song. Oh, there are so many moments and passages I could recollect.

Anyway, getting back to the topic.

The Wind Through the Keyhole According to Stephen King's website - the book is written and should be published in 2012. Apparently, picks up after Wizard's & Glass and before Wolves of the Calla. You Readers can go to his website to read the short message regarding this book.

First of all, I am pleased to read that the book is written (completed). And two, I want to go back and read more about Mid-World.

It will be, in the words of my-ex-coworker "Just so awesome." But, truth be told any visits to Roland's world is never a happy ending. Just like one of my favorite movie's title - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The book is good, there will be badness (for you can always count on that Readers with anything dealing with Roland) and the ugly will be what is left in the end.

Yet, I do enjoy.

As I stated in the beginning of the post - it is anything, but "Wonderful"... Let me be honest - It is "Fucking Wonderful!"

Note: Readers, the only book I was disappointed with was the Song of Susannah in the Dark Tower series. Perhaps, I will elaborate on that in the future, perhaps.

until the next time

Daryl Charley

The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 29

2011-03-21T08:37:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

Well, I can not believe this, but somehow I am actually posing for my P90X picture for today's blog post.I do not know how this happened, but it happened.

I guess I am happy with the results and I feel pretty confident about myself and to me I can actually see a "big" difference and know that my dedication is paying off. As well as knowing what to do and expect of the P90X program since this is the second time that I started the program.

I know that I do look a lot thinner, and believe that is/was not the plan. The plan is... well it seems that I basically have researched the first part of the program and that was to get rid of the "spare tire" I had. Yes, yes, yes, you Readers would not think I would have one, but as the pictures do show I did have one (Day 1) and I am / was embarrassed to show you Readers that I actually have a gut. Well, now we me posing for today's blog post I can actually show what is not there barely anymore and not even be embarrassed that I look the way that I look now.

And this is officially Day 29 on the P90X program. Although - total the actual day count is Day 40. And this is due unforeseen factors on the plan. And those days that I did not work out I DO NOT count as Days on the P90X program. Yes, it would be easy to count those days as part of the program, but I am only cheating myself. Oh yes, I want to get done with the P90X program, but I also want to remain as faithful as much as I can to the program.

I have admitted, as well as logged in my journal, all the things I have not done, ate what I should not have ate and drank something that I should not have drank. And yes, there were those moments, but at least I did not indulge in the sin of Gluttony, though I have to admit I did indulge in the sin of desire.

Now, for the next phase of the program - Day 30 to Day 60 I need to lose just a bit more of the belly. Yet, the prime focus will be toning and building on what was not there (or able to see before the first phase of the P90X program.

Note: This is Day 14 of the No Coca-Cola streak.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley

The Fallen Athlete

Those Wonderful Fast Foods Deals

2011-03-15T04:31:00.002-06:00

Greetings Readers

I did notice was I noticed about a week ago, but have not mentioned this to you my fellow faithful Readers, Bloggers, and P90X woman & man (women & Men) in training.

I was watching some t.v and lo and behold I see the first of two commercials that caught my attention.

Not a big deal at that moment, but all of a sudden it has now become a "deal."

I have been doing pretty good, except for the break in the P90X Program at the beginning of the month. Not to mention that I had to start my sobriety of Coca-Cola once more. As of today I am on Day 8 of No Coca-Cola in a row. It was not hard to go clean again, but I will once more admit it was real good to have Coca-Cola at the beginning of March.

Anyway, the first commercial - KFC. I could not believe it. The special which I knew about two weeks ago was the 10 and 12 dollar dinner deals that the two KFC's I know of near me had. But, now the commercial is promoting a $ 5.00 lunch meal. $ 5.00 dollars! So enticing.

The next commercial was no better. Pizza Hutt. All pizza all sizes are $ 10.00 dollars. My vice with Pizza Hutt is the Meat Lover's and the (?Super?) Supreme pizza. I just love those two specific pizza there. And I also like the red pepper flake packets. Those two go hand in hand.

And with either of those tantalizing entrees - A nice cold Coca-Cola or Beer would be heaven.

And in this same week a couple friends stated that I missed a good all you can eat Sushi. $ 14.00 dollars. Yes, there is Salmon and other fish, but also there is white rice as well as the dipping sauces. Not to mention that I would be paying $ 14.00 dollars, which means that I have to eat my $ 14.00 dollars worth. I know, I know, literally I do not have to, but in my opinion if I am paying $ 14.00 dollars for sushi I am going to be eating all I can.

I am not saying that I could have done that and then worked out harder the next couple of work outs as well as run longer. But that would defeat the purpose of being on the plan. As predicted, I turned them down and said in about 50 to 60 days I will be able to join the merry crew for eatin.'

I think I may have blogged about this, but if not then this will be the first time to mention this. Note: this is not happening every week, but when Friday's come around and I get the chance to go out with some friends for lunch - I will go. I ask where they are going and see if it will be okay. Meaning, what I am allowing myself to have. Basically, on Friday when going out I will get a medium or large fries to eat. Yes - French Fries. though, they are fresh cut Fries from Good Times or the French Fries from Five guys.

This is not funny, but it is funny. I think it was the second or third week when we brought our food back to the place of employment and we ate in the break room. I was enjoying my fries - apparently really enjoying since I did not even think what I was doing. I just did it without even thinking. I licked the fingers that touched and picked up the fries and after I was done with that I apparently stuck my index finger into the empty French Fries carton and started to search for any lingering French Fry residue. LOL . I couldn't fucking believe it, but yes I could fucking believe it. one can never forget the taste of the salt on the fries as well as the fingers. And with me especially watching my sodium intake I have to admit I was in sodium delight.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 22

2011-03-14T13:29:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

Ok. Here is the picture for today.

Today, there is no motivation to do anything really. 33 days unofficially and 22 Days officially. I did not have a regular P90X breakfast. I basically said fuck it and went down to the deli to get some scrambled eggs (yes with yolk) and some hash browns. I have to admit that it did sound good and was good. A different taste from what I remember having it some time ago. Not counting the Village Inn breakfast I had in Albuquerque, NM on 3-3-11.

I skipped eating lunch and I did not run, but that is only because I plan to run on Tuesday and Thursday at lunch.

I had some Hot Tea and water today. I biked about 9.86 miles and that's it. Nothing wrong with me today, but just feel like not doing anything really. Just go home and get caught up on that ever-soap-opera WWF.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 19

2011-03-11T17:13:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Today, when I woke up I felt like shit. Yes, tis true.

Anyway, took some time waking up and I was not motivated the start the day.

Apparently today was going to be a breezy / windy day. With that said I was not really to deal with the wind if I was going to take Andrea out. Handling wise since those deep rims can grab the wind and blow me around.

So, I took Rebecca out. First time this year. I forget from time to time how different it feels when not taking her out for a spin for such a period of time. As with Andrea I think it has been either early October or September since I last took her out.

She handled great this morning though I had to get used to being on her again. Andrea was the same way yesterday, though I have to admit I was kinda scared riding at 31 mph when going home. I guess I am not used to the speed nor Andrea since I have been riding Lily and Deneise the past 5 months.

The lunch run was great... well let put it this way. Not mentally great, but time wise I was 57 seconds faster, was stopped by two stoplights and had to stop twice due to my running shorts falling down-almost. =) The waist tie came undone (twice) and I could literally feel my running short sliding down. Go figure. With those stops and how I felt I do not see how I ran 57 seconds faster.

Being back onto the P90X after the "break" is good again. Though the abs are sensitive again - oh the pain. LOL. oh well, it will pay off. It better anyway.

Alright - that's about all. Another picture. I can actually put on one of the jeans (and not have to suck in the "gut" to button up ) I could not about a month ago. Feels great to know that I am losing the waistline again.

Lastly, I was at Ross about a week / week and half ago and I saw that there was on the clearance shelves some Iron Gym Ab Straps for the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout bar (can not remember the official name right off the tip of my head) that I bought about a year ago. I paid $ about 6.00 dollars I think, which I think was a deal. Though, I do not know how much they actually go for. Granted, I have been doing the P90X Abs ripper program, as well as the stability ball (whatever you call that plastic ball that is used for exercises whatnot) But to have these Ab Straps I now have another position to train my abs from. I will admit I did not realize how hard it was/is to lift my legs (or crunch the abs) and not to swing when doing my abs workout from this new way for me.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 18

2011-03-10T08:25:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Today was the day. Suppose to be a nice day. I think... well, let's be honest I have been putting off this day for quite some time. I know it is all mental, but I have been avoiding this day since Oct 16 & 17 of last year - the day of the 24 hours of Boulder.

A new year (well 3 months into) and I always look forward when I can take the other women out in my life. I have been riding Lily and Deneise for the past five months.

Today, I decided to take out Andrea. I can not remember the last time I took her out. My faithful Readers know that I love Andrea and love showing her off when I can.

Well, the tough part, for me today was going to be putting on the bike shoes and using them.

As I blogged in the past I really had a hard time after the 24 hours of Boulder - walking. I do not mean the day or the week after - I mean I really messed up / injured my feet. I was limping for two months straight. My feet hurt for the longest time. Any pressure on the top/sides/bottom of my feet put my feet into pain.

Basically the same reason I was putting off running until I ran the first time again since the 24 hours of Boulder on 02/22/11. I just did not know if I was okay or not. Did I want to re aggravate the injury sustained from the 24 hours of Boulder?

The bike shoes are snug so that was the main reason why I did not want to try. Yet, with me running at lunch and the feet doing fantastic I felt now was the time to put on the bike shoes and see if that was going to be okay.

All in all, I think it was mental. I did fine. I thought I felt pain in my feet, but I think it was mental phantom pain. Kind of like the stories of amputees have having an inch on a leg or arm that is not there anymore. As when I started running again two weeks ago I am going to have to get use to the biking shoes again. Note: Readers, three of my bikes are not clipless pedals and two of those bikes are winter bikes so that is why I am not wearing bike shoes for the past 5 months. I am able to wear my sneakers and those are just fine - since riding in the winter, at night, in the snow, on the ice I need to have quicker foot action in case I need to plant my feet to avoid falling as kiss mother Earth

I took her out and Andrea did great. I will have to admit I did a rookie mistake - I scratched up my right leg since I missed clipping into my pedals and scratched up my shin. And with that happening I also racked my balls in the process. Gosh darn. Or perhaps I am getting old. And going home I was going downhill and there was some wind I actually got scared a bit on how the wind blew me around while I was biking over 30 mph. I actually braked. Go figure. Me scared. Of course, with those deep dish rims if the wind is blowing from the sides of me biking I am going to be fighting against the wind not to be blown over/around.

And I plan to ride in my clipless shoes tomorrow - though if I feel any issue(s) with my feet tomorrow morning I will immediately stop riding and evaluate at that time. Though with the every other day running now I doubt there will be any issues. With the running the bottom of the feet is where the action is happening. The bike shoes will be different though. Action will be mostly at the bottom of the feet, though there will be a top action and side action so I will see.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 17

2011-03-09T18:25:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

Alright. Back to the P90X Program. I know, I know, but the break in the program had to be done.

I am not reluctant, but I will freely admit that I went on what alcoholics call a "bender" with food last week starting Thursday and ending Sunday.

Now, today after being back in Colorado for the past two days I have gotten caught up on some much needed sleep and rest. I made an effort to eat healthy for the past two days at lunch. I have not gotten to go to the grocery store and shop for some food to eat since being back at my humble abode. With me leaving Colorado so suddenly I had to throw out the food I was going to eat and I really do not have anything to make that is not healthy. Well, let me put it another way I do not have anything to eat at all. I can not even say that I can eat junk food since I do not have any junk food in the house.

I know, I know I do have the wild rice - but come on Readers I could not wait over an hour for that rice to cook. That was not an option I was willing to bend on.

So, after work I was going to go to Sunflower and get some salad materials (for Lunch) as well as some vegetable... well P90X vegetable soup making groceries to make that soup. I know that I start that in the crock pot and I am okay for having that a couple/ few days. No problem.

I got to Sunflower at a decent time after work. I was excited in a manner of speaking...

Flashback -

My lunch run was pretty good after not running since Monday Feb 28, 2011. I basically have not run for nine days and for me to start up once more without any workout/ running was alright. All in all, I was two seconds faster on my lunch run counter clockwise loop I run. Today, I ran 35:05 and I was alright with that. I was not expecting to be slower than my run 9 days ago.

My goal, for now, is to go as long as I can by lowering (beating) my running time each time I run. So far so good, but I have not got that many runs under my belt, yet. I took longer strides and and tried to keep that going for as long as I could. I kept in check my wanting to run like Forrest Gump, so I kept a nice pace where I was comfortable with my breathing and stride. Though near of each run at lunch I pick a point and then "run like the wind blows" since I know the finish line is near and I want to stop that stopwatch with a faster time than the previous run.

And on this specific lunch run there is only one point on the course that I check my watch for my time. It is at a corner and basically once I reach this point I can see my place of employment and there is a gradual downhill run, but with a short little wicked climb. This is always tough at first when I started running, but becomes easier and I do not refer to a wicked little climb, but a little hill. Yet, in the homestretch of finishing there are two stoplights and there are many fast food places located in this stretch. With that said there is heavy traffic and I have to be careful to watch each driver turning in and turning out of these strip malls. I could become an statistic if I am not careful of the other drivers.

With all that said I do like running this part of the course - I can see the place where my run will end. I can smell the aroma of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Five Guys and some Fries (I do not specifically remember the name of that fast food joint) and there are a few other aromas that I can smell and remembered that I was eating the foods those aromas I am smelling on my lunch run just a month ago.

Well, I pushed myself towards the end of the run as per tradition. I was expecting to have a slower time (but not much) with me not working out or running for the past 9 days. I reached the start/finish point stoplight and I pushed the stop button on my watch.

35:05(.29) - Uh-oh. Since I did not look at my journal recently I can not remember what the actual time was the last time I ran on 02/28/11. However, I knew it was 35: something. Fuck me. I walked back to my place of employment cooling down and listening to music. Yet, I wanted to know if I did run a higher time.

I showered and changed as fast as I could and then got back to my desk. I open my journal and looked at the previous time - 35:07. I smiled big. Fucking two seconds faster. Fuck me. I could not stop smiling. I fucking beat my time. 2 seconds. It could have been one second. The point being I beat my previous time. It's all good.

Present - ...and that is why I was excited when I walked into Sunflower that evening.

I just could not stop thinking how I beat my previous running time.

I grabbed my Salad material - Leaf lettuce, Green onions, a green pepper, and radishes.

Then I started grabbing my vegetable materials. I was doing okay with the shopping, until I was getting/looking for the carrots, and celery. Sunflower, and I do not know if it just this Sunflower or all, but this Sunflower does not sell individuals celery or carrots. Both celery and carrots were being displayed in bags/bunches. At King Soopers and Safeway I am able to pick as many celery and carrots I want/need. I am not forced to buy a bag/bunch. Fuck me.

Prior to going in I already made up my mind this was the only stop that I was going to make tonight. I am not going to any other store for anything else. I made up my mind to do all my shopping at Sunflower.

Needless to say Readers - I called it the P90X vegetable soup, but it sure was not the P90X vegetable soup. I will admit this soup was potato soup tasting to the core. I added mushrooms, snap peas, white onions and a generous amount of black pepper, but that did not help the missing celery and carrots.

For any of you future P90X participants make sure you get all the ingredients as listed in the P90X Nutrition Plan Book. Otherwise, this vegetable soup will not taste like P90X soup - and personally I did not want to eat the soup. But I did. And matter of fact, this will be tomorrow's lunch so I will have to eat this soup tomorrow.

This is the price I am paying (suffering) for for not stopping at Safeway, which is practically down the street from Sunflower. All I had to do was bike 20 yards North and I could have been in and out in less than five minutes and not blogging about how I fucked up my P90X vegetable soup.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Program Put on Hold

2011-03-02T07:20:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

A bit of a day off due to some circumstances that have come up in my personal life. There is a lot of running around I had to do today and yesterday.

Since, I did mention that I have a "muffin top" in blog the other day I might as well as get it out of the way.

I had to go to downtown Denver last night after work and do some things.

I have not been downtown in a while and thought to myself that I am going to stop by Ross (or was it TJ Maxx) and see if there are any good discounted underwear on sale. Specifically, the type of underwear that will show my "muffin top" in a certainpair of underwear. And since I was going to post a picture of this I might as well buy a new pair of underwear.

After all, I do deserve a new pair and I am now getting the look that I am looking for on my body.

What you see is far better than it was unofficially 21 days ago starting the Pre (and official) start of the P90X program. I was too embarass to take and post a before picture of my waist at that time.

Anyway, I have to admit that the waist line is gone down tremedously, but you Readers can see the "spare tire" I am working on to get rid of.

By the way, I will be posing in this underwear again and I am going to get even better (and hopefully showing some ripped body look)

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 16

2011-03-01T12:54:00.004-07:00

Greetings Readers

Something, personal, has come up and I have been busy with that; therefore I have been unable to do the P90X program the last day and today - though I did go for a run on Monday's lunch break.
Anyway, here is another picture of me tracking my progress by picture while on the P90X program once more.

It is amazing that now that I am two weeks into the program that I do not have a second thought about posting a picture of me in my underwear. Yes, I did not do the first time around last year and I even wrote why I did not do it the first time around. Now, I am okay with it – go figure. Though, I am pretty damn sure that I will spare you Readers a picture of me in a thong from the back. LOL. I know I am not that gutsy. That’s really to revealing for me to show to you / anyone that I am not dating.

So, I thought to wear a stocking cap that I have been using lately for those cold morning, evenings and days, of course for my self picture.

I can feel the difference and even see the difference in my body since losing about 16 pounds since starting the plan officially 16 days ago (that does not count the unofficial start 20 days ago)

I am getting closer and closer to a “ripped” look I want to see on my body. I do not think that is asking a lot, but I am going the right direction and I know I am on the right track, so far. I know that I am not looking for that ultimate ripped look (though if it does happen that is going to be fucking… (In the words of ex-co-worker) awesome. I am expecting some ripped ab or abs on me soon. Not right now since I am on the fat shredder portion of the P90X program. And by gosh, that is working.

Looking at myself today – I can actually see that middle section is way down. Though, I will wear some underwear which hugs the waistline and I am betting that you will see that “muffin top” that I have. Fingers crossed that my muffin top is not that big – LOL.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 11

2011-02-24T18:36:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

Today was the last of the vegetable soup was for lunch.

And for the first time in 11 days I had something different besides water. I had Glaceau vitamin water Zero Naturally Sweeten - Lemonade flavored.

Less than a gram of sugar, but I think I tasted sugar. Nevertheless, I have to admit that little sugar was pretty good in the drink - as well as the different taste. Since, I have been mostly have plain water or every now and then water with a slice of lemon. Yes, I would consider this a treat for me!

I have scheduled the YogaX program for the P90X for tonight. If I remember correctly this is the longest workout on the program. An hour and a half. That's too much time, but okay. I just hate that I have to set aside an hour and half.

Oh, today was the second run at lunch and second run since doing the 24 Hours of Boulder last October. Fucking awesome. I felt good and ran about 5 minutes and 20 seconds faster than I did two days ago. I felt good to put the hammer down and kind of go for it. I did hit a few stop lights, but other than that I was okay. Again, I ran 3.86 miles in 35:30.

For the evening meal I had saute shrimp only. Using Olive oil and the seasoning I used was onion power and black pepper. I did not even use salt. No biggie since I really do not add salt to sauteed shrimp. I had about 8 oz and it was pretty good.

And that is all for today's post.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A New PS3 Controller, Red

2011-02-22T17:26:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

I had to succumb to buying a brand new DualShock 3 controller for my Playstation 3.

There is a story, but no different from probably why new controllers are bought.

It has been almost three years since I bought my PS3. I do like the PS3 though I probably not using it to its potential.

Anyway, 57.00 bones later I have a new red controller.

Basically, threw the original controller around one too many times and the last time it was thrown was about just a week ago. And that was all she wrote. No way to be fixed.

My fault. period. I can not blame natural disaster or act of God.

Anyway, I will try to control that controller throwing better, which I have been. Since I do not want to spend another 57.00 that I do not have to.

Oh, the only reason why I bought red (as opposed to black) was that this red controller was advertised for the God of War 3. That's it

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 7

2011-02-20T08:06:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Last night was my first steak in a while... well, since being on the P90X plan again.

I bought some sirloin steak (a 4 pack) for a pretty good price on Saturday afternoon.

First, the weather was actually ok (meaning not cold and not windy). And lastly, I was craving steak.

I did think about buying just one, but thought I am allowed to have steak on my plan, but I do not think back to back. Yet, that was not going to stop me from eating a portion for the next few days. As long as I watch my portions, the fat (oh I desire to eat that, but alas can not since I am on this P90X program.

The only thing that was with the buying of the steak is that I could not have A1 sauce, a lot of salt (meaning the usual amount that I put on a steak) and I could not have a beer or Coca-Cola wth my steak. Fucking sucks. Well, I could have, but again that defeats the purpose of the food plan.

Anyway, as much as I wanted to eat the steak alone, I did buy some fresh green beans from the produce section and then I cooked up some Wild Rice (though that added more than an hour to my cooking time since it does take that long to cook the wild rice. Since I was not going to have my usual seasonings with my steak I did buy a Jalapeno to eat with my steak. I have to admit the jalapenos was ok - not hot nor mild.

Oh, the other thing I want to mention is that I could not eat more than 1/2 a steak. Fuck me, did that fucking suck. I only limited myself to half a steak - I estimated about 8 oz. And that is basically going to be my portions for the next few days until I eat all of the steak - NY strip by the way.

And, I have to admit I do see a difference in the waist line. Though, the real noticeable place I notice is my pants. I can already feel the difference of how much of that "spare tire" I have lost in the past 10 days (or 6 days officially)

I do not know if the picture does it justice, but that is the picture of my dinner and it was oh so delicious. And I have to admit the steam fresh Green beans came out good - I added Onion power and just a dash of garlic salt - and lot of black pepper.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Denver Post Sunday Paper

2011-02-19T20:50:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

I blogged perhaps a year or two ago about the Sunday Morning paper and me.

I had a ritual for every Sunday Morning.

However, that ritual was broken when the Denver Post Sunday Paper got smaller, the Sunday paper costs going up and the eventual disappearing of the Sunday comic I loved to read on Sunday.

Also, the news was not that exciting anymore. I admit the other reason why I bought the Sunday paper was for the ads. The ads. Sales and sales to be looked and analyzed over and over.

But, Damn if I was going pay 50 cents more to read a smaller paper when I can get the info from the TV and Internet.

Yet, February 6, 2011 I decided to buy another Sunday Paper. After all, it has been just a year since I bought my last Sunday Denver Post Paper. And I only bought the Sunday Paper back at that time for the same exact reason. Granted, I could have found the information that I was looking for on the Internet, but thought what the fuck I can splurge the $ 1.50 for one paper.

Note: Readers, I have bought many, many Sundays in the past two years, but those are the Albuquerque Journal and only when I am vacationing down in New Mexico.

What? Why did I buy the Sunday Denver Post Paper.

The only reason why I bought the Denver Post, that is, the Sunday Denver Post was for the announcement of the bike tour I did a couple of years ago. No drum roll. It is the announcement of the Ride the Rockies 2011.

I have to admit that I am now looking to see what the route would be the new year. I am not impressed by the route itself. And the starting line is not even a place I thought would be a Ride the Rockies start. Granted, I never new where the starting point of any Ride the Rockies prior to my participating in 2009. And there is an explanation why I did not care/know.

Last year, the Ride the Rockies 2010 started in Grand Junction and if I remember correctly ended in Salida, CO. I actually thought it was nice route and even thought about applying, but decided not to.

Anyway, here we are. I will give it a thought, perhaps two, but I do not think that I will be applying for this year's Ride the Rockies. I will have to look at the Mountain Passes as well as the towns that the stops will be at for me to even consider applying for a spot. I am not impressed and after all I can already state that I have done the Ride the Rockies.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 5

2011-02-18T16:30:00.007-07:00

Greetings Readers

When I woke up the day immediately hit me like a freight train - I am sore and hurting in a manner of speaking. My mood is that I am beat fucking tired.

My body may have hit the too much "healthy" food and no sugar, carbs or anything that I am not allowed to have - as well as working out almost every body part.

I did not wake up shaking or anything like that, but when I woke up I was tired and everything was sore. I mean everything.

I had planned to make my lunch before leaving for work this morning, but that was not going to fucking happen. I know, I know Readers, I should have made the salad the evening before. But elected not to since I did plan to make my lunch salad in the morning.

What I did not count on what how I woke up and felt.

I dragged myself out of bed and basically dragged myself around my humble abode trying to move quickly and forget the rest that I wanted to do. I focused on trying to get ready and out the door. I woke up late and I was going to have to take the RTD bus and Light Rail to work due to how I felt. And if I was going to do that I had to get a move on before I miss the bus and have to wait about 30 minutes for the next bus to come.

I hate buying the salad lunch at work - basically about 6.00 bones. Yet, we do have a health conscious food place so I am sure that I could get a semi-healthy meal to buy, if I am allowed to buy one.

The other thing I was hungry. Real hungry. No egg whites hard boiled this morning. I guess I am going to be making one more stop this morning. McDonald's. That was the only place open at 5:30 in the morning on the route I was going to work on.

I know, I know, but I really was hungry for a Brekfast potato wedge and Egg McMuffin, and I had to satisfy that small craving, but more importantly that hunger. And I needed some fast energy, I think.

I got off the bus stop near McDonald's and went in. I also had a drink and I did get some sweet tea. Yes, Sweet tea and it did have sugar. I did not have a lot, but I did have some. The real first sugary drink in about 9 days. It was good. I felt guilty, but also knew that I was not going to go on a bender of Sweet Tea and Breakfast Potato Wedges. I did my best not to eat the yellow yoke in the McMuffin, but alas that said I was also eating the muffin - which is a no-no also.

As I was waiting for the Light Rail train to come I quickly ate the rest of McMuffin and saved the Sweet Tea for later. Why? That was going to be a drink to be savored and also it was going to be all I was going to have.

Soon, lunch came and I was still hungry. I decided to head to the place that serves meals. And that was where I saw Jerky Chicken with a rice mixture (sign indicated 323 calories). That did not sound too bad. Though there were two things that were "bad" about the meal and that was the chicken skin (fat) and the white rice (I should not be eating at all). I did not eat the chicken skin, but I did eat the white rice. That was something that I did not want to do, but I did since that was the only side dish to the meal. I know the chicken was healthy since that is on the meal plan and is lean, I think.

And that was the day. I did know this type of day was coming, but I did not think it was going to happen today. Oh, as you can see from the picture I took of myself does reflects on how I felt. Sore, tired and too exhausted to even get a smile.

Also, this time I am very aware of what I ate all day and what the consequences were. I am not ashamed, but that should be the last time that will happen.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 4

2011-02-17T17:41:00.004-07:00

Greetings Readers

This is another picture of me. I know I can not see any difference in my body and did not expect to since I just started the P90X program (again). This is the fourth day and it is way too early to see / notice any differences to my body in a picture. Yet, I am hoping to see that "spare tire" go down in the next week though.

Yet, I needed to take a picture since I am going to make a conscience effort to take a picture of myself and post.

I did not eat breakfast. Time got away from me, but I did take some Stir fry for lunch (and was also going to have for dinner). Since there is shrimp in the meal that shrimp must be consumed within a couple of days of cooking or else it goes bad.

I did make alot of stir fry and that was the plan. I wanted shrimp for the next couple of days and knew I would be okay with it.

I am very sore today, but overall my mood is okay. I did have about 2 oz of cashews for dinner.

Unofficially, this is the 8th day of starting my program, but officially the fourth day. I am very sore and knew what to be expecting. Yet, every time I start a new plan (again) I have to learn to cope with the new (or old) workout and what it initially does to the body. In the end, though the soreness will go away and I will be fine.

Here is the funny part, though it was not funny when going to bed. I have several positions that I sleep in.... anyway, I could not sleep in any of them. I basically slept in comma position all night. If I tried to move my legs, arms or straighten out my body - I could feel the soreness / tightness of my muscles. LOL. I think I smiled, but I can not remember, when trying to get into any position to go to sleep in. Oh, I did fall asleep right away, but getting into position was the hard part of going to bed.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 1

2011-02-15T21:20:00.007-07:00

Greetings Readers

Once again, I have embarked on the P90X Program.

Here is the Day 1 picture that I thought over and over about to post or not to post.

I am not fat, in a manner of speaking, but I did notice that I am getting a spare tire around the waist as well as the pants getting snug. And this is due to drinking of the dark beer, as well as few frozen margaritas the past week, Pizza Hutt Meat Lover's Pizza, KFC, Lays Potato Chips, and endless Coca-Colas.

Last year, I did not post a picture of myself when I did the P90X plan. I was embarrassed to post a picture of me with a "spare tire". Granted, I saw numerous blogs that had people way bigger than me posting pictures of themselves without a second thought. However, I was just not ready to post a P90x picture. Yes, I took pictures of myself but never had the guts to post my pictures I took last year of myself.

This time around I thought about it again, but fuck it. No Guts, no glory. Anyway, you faithful Readers know (and seen) me post pictures of my ass, nipples, and other revealing pictures through the years. Granted, I was not posing in my underwear like I am now. Anyway, I never gave it a second thought about my other pictures to post and whether or not I am revealing too much. And in this case it is for the P90X program, so it means like I am not flaunting anyway. Perhaps in 90 days I will be. =) Who knows, but hope to be.

In addition to the posting of the pictures - I took measurements and weight since I did not do that first time. I just gauged the weight loss by the looseness of my pants. I also bought a diet guide, but this is solely for writing down what I eat, drink and approximately how oz. I am eating. I am logging the supplements I am taking and the exercise.

Anyway, I am going about it a bit more technically, but also going to do with a bit of change of the last time. I understand what I went through the first time and am making allowances to the program. I do not wish, but hope to do within 90 days, but due to my work schedules during parts of the month as well as my personal life - I understand that I am going to be going longer than 90 days, and will not give it a second thought. I will give the program still my 100% involvement.

I am also allowing certain times to have "treat", "reward" or whatever name you want to give it to eat something not on the P90x program. Last time, at work I isolated myself from my friends since I could not go to lunch with them. Temptation was an issue last year. Better not to go was my thinking and that approach worked for me. This time around I am going to allow myself fries at least once a week so I am not being "stuck up", in a manner of speaking. Readers, my friends know that I am not being stuck up - they know that I am doing the program and how restrictive it is to me.

With that said so far, let me come to a stopping point. Let us see what comes of this and I am going to make the biggest effort to log / blog my P90X with you.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T06:58:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

I am valentine-less today, but that will not stop me from saying Happy Valentine's Day to the others who are not. Day has started though so perhaps I will be surprised by someone.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The First Pre-P90X Meal

2011-02-13T09:02:00.006-07:00

Greetings Readers

Okay, this is my first un-official healthy meal from the P90X program.

The weather was a bit cold for grilling on the barbecue grill and I have loaned out my indoor grill to my brother last year.

So, I was stuck in a bit of a pickle, a quandary.

Well, perhaps that is the wrong thing to say. What I mean that there was only one way to cook this Salmon. I was going to have to Pan fry this Salmon - in Olive Oil. Believe that. First of all, to pan fry a fish, to me, is a big no-no. I just do not do that. Period. Number two. I was going to have to use the healthy Olive Oil, as oppose to using something like butter or Crisco shortening.

Anyway, I tried remembering seeing any of the cooking shows on the Food Network that someone had cooked a fish in a pan. But, I could not remember. I did have the notion of wrapping this Salmon up in Aluminum Foil and sticking the Salmon in the Oven to cook. Fuck that option. I wanted to see first hand if I was going to fuck up cooking this Salmon.

Oh, before starting the pan fry Salmon I had started the Canadian Wild Rice since that does take about an hour to cook fully.

That was going to be my meal. Salmon and Canadian Wild Rice

Oh.... you know Readers this was not first pre-meal before going officially on the P90X program - my first meal was the Red Pepper Soup. Sorry.

I would say about 15 to 20 minutes later on the stove and pan frying the Salmon I was done. I knew that I did not want to over cook my Salmon since a dry fish sucks. All in all I got the right temperature, flipped accordingly and carefully and was able to get a nice cooking on the fish side and a nice and crispy skin on the skin side of the fish. I think what helped was monitoring the cooking temp, listening to the cooking and keeping a piece of aluminium foil over the frying pan. That helped keep the moisture in the fish.

Anyway, here is picture of the Salmon and I have to admit that I did a fairly damn good job pan frying my first fish on the stove stop.

And tomorrow will be the first official day of starting the P90X program, again =).

P.S. Yes, I sure did stink up my humble abode with Salmon smell.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 1 (well...pre day 1)

2011-02-08T18:35:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

Now, is the time for me to begin the P90X program - again.

Well, let me rephrase that. I am going to do what I did last time that was going to go cold turkey on the vices that I am not allow to have on the P90X program.

What that means - no Cola-Cola, no junk food, no alcohol and no fast food (except french fries).

This worked well last year and I am going to start that again with this pre-P90X routine .

Last year, I thought I needed to cold turkey for solely one reason and that was for the Cola-Cola.

Me being addicted to Coca-Cola is pretty bad (or good depending on your point of view) There are some (a lot) calories as well as that high fructose corn syrup that in the drink. I basically had to have some all day long. The comparison would be a cigarette smoker that needs to smoke all day long. In my case, I think it more than the caffeine in Coca-Cola that I desire.

Last year, after three days of going cold turkey - it all hit me like an addict. I woke up shaking and was having urge to get one fucking taste. I was lucky that there was no Coca-Cola in my humble abode.

Anyway, here I am. Beginning the detox. This is good for me since I can get that out of the way and not be detoxing and sore from the P90X program at the same time. I hurt last time and if I figure if that I was detoxing at the same time the first time I started the P90X program I knew I would have caved.

I have had the last of those Pizza Hutt Wingstreet Wings, I had my last bag of Potato Chips and I hope to have had my last 1 liter of Coca-Cola yesterday. This is not forever, but will be the last for I hope a while. Granted, last year, I went on vacation and did allow exceptions since I was on vacation and not to subject my parents (and brother) to the P90X food program. And since I was doing well at the time in the P90X Program I knew that enjoying some of the things I was doing in Colorado I knew I was okay to partake in some of the fast food and Cola-Cola that I did not have for a time.

I am going to go shopping for the healthy food today / tomorrow. I might as well start that to get a small head start into the "new" meals I will be having for the next three months.

I am also going to follow the plan a bit different since the meals I was making was too much (and too costly) for me to making, spending and trying to follow to a T. I am cooking and eating for myself, but also if I was making the meals per the P90X meal plan I have to eat something different each day and was also making alot for one person to eat. I am going to incorporate some of the meals back to back days so that I am not wasting food (and money)

The best thing around is that I know what to expect and how to approach this since this will not be my first time doing the P90X program.

Water was hard thing for me to do last time. Meaning, I really had a hard time drinking water, plain water, all day/all week long. This time around I am okay and know that having a slice of lemon (or lime) helped greatly with water. That's a helpful tip for your first time P90X starters.

The other hard part of the P90X program was setting aside the time to do the workout. Meaning, if you are the typically white collar 40 hours a week person, have a life (or even a family) it is tough to make time to workout with the DVD's. In addition, if you are single like me you have to do the cooking after working out. So, it was best to get your work done, get home at a decent time to leave yourself some time to workout. Worst one was the Yoga X - that is an hour and a half of your time doing the P90X program. After that, it was time for me to cook and the next thing you know it is time to go to bed.

Oh, there was never a problem going to bed (dog tired) since most of the time I was beat. And the more rest you had the better off you are the following day. I remember days last year going to bed before 9 P.M. Worst yet, falling asleep in front of the t.v., with it on, of course. The next thing you know I am half asleep walking to my bed in the early morning to finish sleeping.

okay Readers enough blogging for now and time for me to blog more later on this. After all I (or we) have some more time to get know each other (really myself)

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A fucking heat wave, in a manner of speaking

2011-02-03T20:11:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

As the post states... A "heat wave"

I was actually enjoying the nice break from the negative and single digit temperatures.

Also, we got another round of snow so I am still riding Lily.

This picture was taken about 6:30 P.M. I used the auto correct on the picture so the picture is way lighter than it way. It was pretty dark, pretty slick and where I was riding I was the only traffic that had come through in a while. Also, snow was falling lightly.

You may think I am a bad ass for riding in this weather, but I have to state that I am not as bad of a bad ass that I know of. She rides in Alaska and has a fucking nice bike for this type of weather, knows how to dress warm for the Alaska cold and does this with a smile. We Coloradoans experience real cold from time to time and this a period of time that we going through right now.

I do get bundled up and ready to ride in this cold excited, but then I think of that one woman in Alaska and she has so much more bad ass factor than me that she puts me into place - yet that draws a smile from me.

LOL.

Anyway, I thought me crouching next to this concrete wall would make a good picture. And I think it does.

Enjoy the weekend fellow Denverites.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

It's gonna get colder baby!

2011-01-31T16:42:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Fuck me. You know Readers? From time to time I have shown (written) that I am a "penny pincher" from time to time.

Anyway, it got colder today.

So, there I was getting off work later than I should of and knew that I was going to take Light Rail and then try to time the RTD bus on the bus route that I need to catch on the way home.

I got changed, bundled up pretty good and my fare ($2.25) ready before heading out in the sub-zero temperature outside. I was riding on the streets due to the sidewalks not being shovel out from the snow. Anyway, it was about 6:00 P.M. so traffic was light.

I came to the street that I was to turn on when I thought to myself... what if I have to wait for the next Light Train to come? I ain't going to wait in this mother fucking cold. No way. And then have to pay 2.25 just for a short Light Rail ride and then perhaps another wait until a RTD bus shows up for my bus route? No way. I am keeping my money. I would rather suffer now and keep the money than have to wait for the Light Rail, get warm, get cold waiting for the bus, and then finally get warm on a short bus ride home.

Six miles. Yet, miles in this fucking cold. Well, I kept on riding and was doing good. Though until about mile three, I estimate when I started to feel the cold in my fingers, feet, and the outside of my thighs.

And that is where this is the picture was taken about. About three miles from work and about three miles from home. I thought what the fuck. I stopped riding and decided to take a picture. Might as well mark the moment on this frigid evening. Also, it would stop the frigid wind I was feeling on my body and face from bike riding with Lily.

In the end I was very cold, but ok in a manner of speaking - as long I was not misery cold. I thought about taking a hot shower to warm up, but then thought otherwise. I turn on the t.v. switched to W.W.E. Raw, then turned on the stereo and turned off the t.v. I was going to crawl into bed and just listen to the t.v., W.W.E. Raw, in the dark.

Man oh man, certain parts of my body were very cold. It was cold in the sheets, but I could actually feel the frigid cold that my body experienced. Wow. I would say all in all it took about 30 minutes for me to actually feel warm and okay. The outside of my thighs got real cold. That is the part that usually does not get cold due to the pedaling and the blood flow being circulated in the thighs. Yet, tonight the skin on my thigh was icy cold to the touch.

Crazy.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

As my ex-co-worker would say "Awesome"

2011-01-24T18:53:00.001-07:00

Greetings Readers

So, I was on my way home when I had to make a stop at the local Supermarket to pick up my lunch for the week – Sunflower.

I have found out that Sunflower does have the cheapest produce, in my opinion, and usually the freshest produce around my part of the town.

I knew where I was going and also was on a mission to get in and out as soon as possible.

A few minutes later I was walking to the check out line – the one that I usually go to.

That was when I saw her. A woman from my past. Actually, it is the one to whom I refer to “as my ex-co-worker would say "Awesome." The very one Readers.

I could not believe it – I think it has been about 5 years since I last saw her.

Nothing bad, nothing good, but honestly Readers I was not in the mood to say “Hey…”

So, I headed to another open check out line, which by the way was only the next one over from her.

I made sure not to make any eye contact over in next line. I kept my eyes focused on my cashier and see how things play out. Meaning, would she initiate a conversation. If she did, so be it. If she does not, then so be it.

I smiled and made small talk with my cashier and played it out like any other time, except not looking around while being checked out. I know. I know. Kind of tough since I do look around.

Lo and behold, I noticed her glancing over in my area, but do not know if she was really looking since I did want her to know I knew she was who she was.

Writing this post – you may wonder why I did not say hi. I could have. But didn’t. I do not know. Again – nothing bad and nothing good. Though I did have a thing for her when I started working with her when I first saw her about 6, 7 years ago.

Anyway, thought to blog about this since it was nice to see her again from a distance. Her curly long red hair, nice profile (and body). I did not see her face, except in profile so I can not remember how she looked before I parted ways (as well as her accident)

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Birthday to Me

2011-01-11T10:34:00.001-07:00

Greetings Readers

Alright - Happy Birthday to me.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Birthday to my Mother

2011-01-10T17:09:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

First thing First

Happy Birthday to Mom

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Toy Crane Game Machine

2011-01-08T00:01:00.001-07:00

Greetings Readers

That toy crane game.

It is the devil.

I am strangely drawn to this coin operated game when I do come across this in my travels, mostly vacation travels. Though, not in my everyday travels since I could have a problem if I did have toy crane game to play everyday.

Then again, in the part of town that I live in near Denver, I can not even think of a coin operated toy Crane game being at. Definitely at no local supermarkets – and that includes any video games of any sorts.

Well Readers, it has come to a sort of tradition… fuck it… let me be honest. It is fucking tradition that I play a certain toy Crane game at the local supermarket chain store – Smith’s – in Rio Rancho, N.M. I have to admit that whoever does stock the prizes in the machine does a pretty good job of stocking items that someone would want. Yet, with the, in my ex-co-worker’s infamous line, “awesome” prizes – there are the fucked up prizes that are not even worth the 50 cents that cost to play the game.

The many years of playing those toy crane games I can tell which toy crane machines you may actually have a chance to pick up / win a prize. What I mean is that there are some toy crane machines that the “claws” are “loose” when picking up the prize. Also, I have come across a couple of machines that the “claws” are greased. That further pushes the odds against getting any prizes. Yes – Greased – You can see the gleam in the lights when looking at the “claws” from a certain angle catching the lights in the supermarket. Furthermore, I estimate that 25 percent of the machines that I do play and actually get the crane to get a prize when the crane does retract the “claws” the machine will jerk to a stop and when it does that jerk is enough to release the prize I did get from the “claws” and drop back into the machine’s pile of prizes.

Oh, how that fucking pisses me off. But, as Paulie Walnuts would say – “What are you going to do?”

Now, I am not going to drop more than two dollars in one meeting. After all, if I try and try and get close I usually know it ain’t going to happen.

And this depends on the prizes themselves. You Readers may think that the prizes are just there in the machine ready to be won. Oh no. About 90% of the time the good prizes are strategically placed in the machine so that you / someone will have to actually get the piece of shit prize before getting the, in the words of my ex-co-worker “awesome” prize. Meaning that if you see that one prize you want and even try the “claw” will get the prize and start to reel in. Yet, when the “claw” retracts the prize, the prize soon gets hung up and gets released from the “claw” Whoever stocked the toy crane machine has purposely placed the prizes in the machine so that you can not get the “good” prize without getting the piece of shit prizes surrounding the “good” prize since the bad prizes have been carefully wedge around the “good” prize.

So, even when I see a prize I desire, I must go for the piece of prize since I am there to play – period.

I know it is a waste of money, but I can not resist. To me it is like a gorgeous blonde I meet and I can not resist not saying hi.

I would say that the game is game of skill, but it is a game of skill and luck – but more of luck than skill depending on some the factors I did mention above. The skill is looking at the crane and the possible drop point and contact of said prize you want. Of course, if the “claws” rotate during the descent of the “claws” then skill goes out the door and luck comes into play. Although, with my background of toy crane playing I have taken in that factor so skill comes back into play since I have taken in the account that most likely the “claws” will rotate during descent.

Anyway, coming to this blog post and why I decided to write about this. This time around on vacation I was able to win two prizes at the same machine on two different occasions on my vacation. The first time I wanted the Simpson’s Bart/Krusty the clown prize, but fucking knew that prize was unobtainable without spending a lot of money to get. So, I opted for a prize I knew I could get and lo and behold – I did. Basically, A rabbit in a purple hat – a soft top pop toy. I wanted to play the machine and I wanted to win so I chose the only prize I knew I had a chance to win.

Then, on New Year’s Eve, after dropping my brother off at Albuquerque, me and my Dad stopped off at Smith’s and saw that someone won the prize I wanted before, but I saw another Simpson’s plush toy. Again, I saw that was not going to be possible to get without spending money. Then, I saw a prize that was not too bad and obviously a prize I could get. 50 cents later and first try – I got the prize – a walrus – his/her name on the tag is “Blithe”.

And that Readers is another part of my life. No addiction, but I can not resist playing when I see that there are prizes that I want.

What? The Holy Grail? Currently, I have seen a few machines with South park plush toys. And I so fucking want. You know me – I am a die-hard South park fan and I want any South park collectible. So far, I have not gotten any. I would say I have gotten close, but in reality no. What it has always comes down to is spending the money in order to get that South park toy.

I do not play every toy crane machine. Only the ones I see with prizes I would want to have. Otherwise, if no toys look desirable I am not going to play.

What made this obsession funny this vacation was that I pulled out a roll of quarters and told my Mom that I was going to play until I won something.

LOL – I said this, but did not mean it. Consciously, subconsciously, I wanted my Mom to middle name call me.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Apology Letter (and last) to D

2011-01-07T17:40:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

As I mentioned just recently in order to move forward you have to put the past behind you.

I have and thought to myself I might as well complete this statement by writing a blog post that will mean nothing to any of you faithful Readers, but only to that one person. I do not have a clue if she does read my blog, but there may be a chance that she does. Does that matter? I guess you faithful Readers may never know that answer to that question.

Hi D

This is not the first time that I was wrong and this will not be the last time that I will be wrong. I also do not like to give an apology for something that I did not do wrong initially.

I acted the way the way I did since the initial act was instigated by you. I felt that if you treated me the way that you did I could do almost the same thing, but in a different manner to you. It does take two to Tango and I know I have things I did to you that you could mention.

I gave you the silent treatment. Yes, silence is a powerful thing to do someone close. All I wanted was for you to ask me why I was giving you the silence treatment. I would have given you the reason why – no bullshit.

Like the reason I was mad at you for not keeping a couple of lunch meetings early in our friendship. Yes, something small and I understand that we all have emergencies and what not, but that was/is something I do not tolerate if the same thing happens over and over. Call it a pet peeve or not, but I do not like to be cancelled and cancelled upon over and over again.

I was mad for a time and then I came to you and explained why I was mad at you. If the other person was wrong I wait for them to come to me, but in the case with you I came to you and explained why I was the way I was. We mended the relationship, but with my character I can not forget that this event ever happened.

Well, this past year, you approached me in a manner that I was taken aback by surprise. I understand you got the degree and have that over me as education and status placement, but my placement in life is what I have chosen. Though, the one thing that I am not is an AA or an EA. I do not fetch coffee, I do not keep up calendars, and other things EA’s or AA’s are known to do for the person(s) they are hired to assist. You had a pissed off look and addressed me in a pissed off manner and I did not especially care for that.

Then, as the weeks past by and you noticed something different you used a mutual friend to try and talk to me through our mutual friend. That further drove the nail in the wrong direction. If there is an issue – talk to me directly, pull me aside, just do not involve any of our mutual friends into our differences. I am honest with you and can take most things that are said or thrown at me.

Sure, I would have apologized for my above actions in a heartbeat, but you never came to me at all. I could have went first to you, but after the first incident in our relationship I could not make the first move again. No matter what, in my opinion.

I enjoyed knowing you. As you know I made the effort to get to know you. And so as I learned of your martial status I did not let that deter me. And at that time I knew that I could not pursue you as a romantic interest – even though you are the woman I do desire – the hair color, the body, the voice and the demeanor.

I did flirt from time to time, but I hope never flirted any more than I should of. I never suggested let’s go for a drink, I did not inquire about your personal life. Though when I saw that one tattoo – it was an immediate turn on. But again, I kept the friend relationship to a minimum, even by not talking to you every day, which I could have done, but elected not to.

So, that is what caused my friendship with you to be cut off so suddenly. Now, I do and did apologize and I did call your phone number for the first and only time since you gave to me a couple of years ago and I left you a voicemail. I could have hung up, but I did not. I kind of remember leaving a voice message, but I do not actually remember what I said on the voicemail. Sorry. I was nervous, but my message was unrehearsed and my thinking on what to actually say was the tough part.

I could have said so much, but not knowing how you felt about me, what had happened and what you did not know – again I did not want to say something that could be perceived as something it should not. And I will admit that I may be thinking something else, but that is neither here or there. And as Prince sang “…it’s such a shame our friendship had to end…”

I do wish the best for you and I do hope that you give me a call, or send me an email to say something / anything from – a fuck you or you accepting my apology and tell me I am still an ass for acting the way I did to you. If not, I also understand your reasoning why not. I truly do.

What also bothered me, though not from you was that other people suggested that perhaps I was the one that made you question yourself. Or I was the cause for your troubles with giving you a bottle of wine. You giving me a couple / few rides home. I hope that was not the case. Again, I never asked about you and your hubby’s personal current relationship. I do not know if perhaps there is a therapist that you may be seeing for whatever reason(s). I do not know about your life except those moments you did share with me, which in my mind were not on a personal / taboo basis at all. Anyway, once those “seeds” were planted I could not help think I may have had something to do with your personal life. I hope not, but somehow I feel I did, but only by people even saying I may have a part. Consciously, I know I did not, but perhaps subconsciously I did do something that I am not aware of. If I did, I am very, very sorry. I am past that part of my life where I did have extra-martial affairs, but as we age so does comes wisdom and more thinking to the consequences of the act of an affair. Granted, I do have a lot of gorgeous married women friends and I do tend to flirt from time to time, but I think I know when I have / am crossed the line of going to far with a married woman. With your physical condition the last time I saw you – you were thinner than ever. I was worried, but also brought flashbacks to a woman I loved who is no longer in my life. Yet, that is another story, which I talked very little about, but affected and changed my life from that point on in my life.

You referred to yourself as a princess, I disagree. You are more than that – a desirable Queen. Though again that is something I never voiced to you - or could. And I could never call you a princess since I had a friend who referred to herself as a princess and she was that (but a whole more, but not princess like.) One princess in my life is plenty and I could not make two princesses in my life. If I were to be blunt you would be my “cougar.” Oh baby.

The only way to go any further is in my fantasies, but that is something that I will not share. We all have fantasies and I am not going to share about who I may be having fantasies about. (Not going to talk about that with you my faithful Readers… well you could buy me a couple of drinks and perhaps I might just slip about that subject.)

By the way, I know it has been two years, and like an elephant I really never forget things. Do you remember when I made Lasagna and I gave you a small Tupperware dish with a piece of Lasagna? I never asked for the dish back nor did I ask what you thought about my cooking. I am not worried about the Tupperware not being returned to me – at all. After all, my faithful Readers know how I personally feel about Tupperware.

If you need a reason, one reason, to contact me and are reading this blog, then that there is a reason (or additional reason) why you could contact me. Tell me how you liked/disliked my cooking. We may laugh. We may have uncomfortable conversation. Or we may say sorry to each other and see what happens. I do not know.

But again – As I was sitting with my family after Christmas in the living room – “in order to move forward mama always said you had to put the past behind you.”

I did see you walk out of my life before you were gone – walking to your vehicle. Corny as that statement reads but that is the last time I saw you. Sounds like a cowboy song. Or could just be life.

Take care and I hope the best for you in your life.

Yours Truly

Daryl

Readers, that is that. Readers, it took Forrest Gump to make me realize that I had to do the same thing. I have made my peace with myself and now look forward to a new year and a new age bracket to compete in. Hah hah. By the way, it does sound like I lost a love, but it is not. Just someone I cared about more than most of my friends - nothing wrong with that.

“and that is all that I have to say about that.”

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Summary perhaps?

2011-01-06T22:01:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

The many things that I do not like coming back from the Ranch is that I have to check all of my Internet accounts as well as emails that I was unable to access. This is due to the location of where our Ranch is as well as the isolation from the world where our Ranch is.

I was able to log onto my Facebook account for a few minutes and check one of the email accounts I have and boy oh boy I do not want to go through that mess. Though with one of my email accounts - that is my junk email account so most of those emails can be deleted right off the top.

The facebook account is just an everyday account that I mainly use for gaming for the two games that I play regularly – Farmville and Mafia Wars. I saw over a 100+ friend requests, which I did not even bother to even get started on answering / replying. There were two messages, but the one that I was hoping for was not there.

I checked the blog account – not anything new really, but the traffic has picked up since I have started to blog once more again on a regular basis. I do like to see that since I like to think I am sort of interesting to follow / read.

What I have written is just my personal stuff. I have yet to check my work stuff. I almost got the hankering to check, but thought I am going to find out in another day so another day can wait.

I have no qualms about this. Since I do not have access to the Internet that means I will not be able to be on the Internet. Sure, I do not like being incommunicado for such a long time, but I have learned to deal with this. I know that I saw a TV commercial that advertised you could have Internet access via satellite, but for me that is so far not needed in my life. I can not even imagine the cost, but really thinking about it how much am I going to utilize satellite Internet? Only the times that I am visiting the Ranch is when I can use this service. The parents probably could use the service also, but first they will need a computer / laptop with wireless connection.

That is the tip of the iceberg, I have the mail and phone messages to check. As well as stock the fridge and do laundry. I also have to get caught up on current events that have happened in Colorado, as well as elsewhere. Though, I did listen to the local radio station KTNN and got the hourly CNN updates at the top of the hour.

Alright Readers, time for me to continue catching up with my everyday life and I will let you get back to yours.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

First Post of 2011

2011-01-05T04:01:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

In order to move forward you have to put the past behind you.

I know this, but this is sometimes very difficult for me to actually to do from time to time. Yet, if it is difficult for me why did Forrest Gump never give it a second thought about putting the past behind him?

I just do not know.

Anyway Readers, I have taken some time off from work and my regular life for about 2 weeks. I said, or say, I think I needed it, but to be honest with myself I really did need the time away from my everyday life. With that said I headed off to the Ranch and sent some time with the family.

Very enjoyable and it took a few days get out of my everyday routine. Granted, I was sleeping on a mattress, in the farthest room from the pellet stove, but I was okay with that. I did bring my laptop and new portable dvd player so I had something to keep me busy/entertained.

With all that said I was able not to think about the things that have happened to me in the past month and started to question myself. And question others. Not second guess myself or others, but to think too much about something that should not be thought about that much in the first place.

I slept, cooked, worked a bit here and there, chopped ice for the animals, rode the four wheeler to name a few things that I did on my vacation. I also watched / listened to a few movies as well as played some Diablo II on my laptop. I realize that is an old computer game, but I was looking for some game that I wanted to load that was not too heavy on the RAM or the hard drive space on the laptop. Also, I borrowed a sub woofer from my brother so I wanted to hear a game an all new way. And let me tell you Readers there is a big fucking difference in the sound. Wow.

See. I was able to put the past behind me once more, but there are just a couple things that I will remember though, but know that I am able not to think about day after day, week after week.

In the next couple of weeks I will perhaps touch on some of the things that I did on my vacation. Like I swear that I saw the splitting image of Uncle Junior at Furr’s Buffet in Albuquerque, NM.!The icy cold weather that kept us in for a few days since it was too too cold to work outside on the Ranch. The three dogs that were shot since they went onto our Ranch property and killed one of Ranch Animals, my “Christmas Present”, my winnings at the toy crane game at the local supermarket – Smith’s, another award (as well as thank you letters) from the 4-H club to my parents for their yearly contribution, the blind calf’s progress, and how I spent my New Year’s Eve (not exciting though).

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Christmas Day

2010-12-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings Readers

Hope your day is what you wanted it be

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Just a Seasonal Message, last for the year

2010-12-23T13:08:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

I am not going to say anything really, except

May your holiday be what you want it to be.

Note: D.P. - hope your Hubby had nice birthday and H got/done something nice for him.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Gentleman Jack

2010-12-22T20:47:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

In all of my years as being a Jack Daniels drinker, well let me be honest, a connoisseur, of Jack Daniels I never had a drink of Gentleman Jack.

I never gave it a second thought.

What it comes down to is and I am being general about this there are basically 3 different grades of Jack Daniels. Kind of like Gasoline. Usually, there are three different grades.

Anyway, I figure there is really no middle grade. I mean that you either get the cheap grade or you get the high grade. Who really settles for mid-grade? My camero knows the difference between the cheap grade gasoline and the high end (octane) gasoline. She will either purr like a woman or sputter like an old woman.

With that thinking I have applied that exact mentality to Jack Daniels. I have tasted the basic grade and then I have indulged in the expensive grade. I never even thought about buying the mid-grade Jack Daniels.

Until this month and year. I saw that the local liquor store knocked off about $ 7.00 dollars on the Gentleman Jack Daniels and with a bit of coaxing from my friend I decided to buy my first Gentleman Jack Daniels.

If you are a Jack Daniels Drinker then you may know the difference. If you are serious Jack Daniels Drinker then you will know that the Gentleman Jack is much better than the general Jack Daniel’s. Though even if you think you are a serious Jack Daniels Drinker, but not as serious as you think you are you could mistaken the Gentleman Jack for Single Barrel Jack Daniels. No, not even close to taste, but I could see the above average Jack Daniels drinker may make mistake Gentleman Jack for Single Barrel Jack in its first drink.

It is not bad, but just okay for the price that I got it at.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Shortest Day of the Year - Winter Equinox 2010

2010-12-21T18:38:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

I have to say that I actually look forward to this day. After all, I do mark this day on my calendars.

I despise the time from the time change (fall back) to today (well even further) since I am riding in the dark in the morning and the evening. My days are night riding until weekend when, or if, I do get to ride out in the day light.

Perhaps just another day to anyone else, but to me it is the shortest day of the year. And from this day out the days get longer and longer and the nights get shorter and shorter until June

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Back to Blogging (again)

2010-12-19T20:54:00.006-07:00

Greetings Readers

I never did officially announced that I was back to blogging (once more again for the upmteenth time.) I do not know if I am. I am not thinking about what or why, but I think the reason is that I do have stuff to talk about - whether or not you are interested or want to know - I feel that I need to write it out.

More often that not I really do express feelings better when blogging than talking about it. As the saying goes this time of the year we are busy this time of the year. Whether it relates to your life, your job, or Christmas - we are on the move thi part of the year.

And taking the time out of your day to talk to someone for a bit may not be the best time to converse.

I do feel better than I did a week ago. With the help a few friends to comment and make me laugh I think I going to make it past this little rough spot in the road of my life.

I still waiting for a phone call, wanting to know. But at least now I am not thinking about getting one all day. Or if did I miss the phone call. She probably has a lot going on and to hear from me out of nowhere may not be the one voice she needed to hear at this time. I do not know. And No Readers, I am not going to call again, unless I make the phone call after a night of drinking - hah hah. You never know Readers.

Anyway, writing helps me to express my feelings one day to the Internet world. Therapeutic? I do not know, but I do feel it helps me.

Oh, this blog site appears to be running normal again. They have been update the blog of the day as well as the helpful notes now and then. I do see other bloggers still blogging away. With that said I think the time to continue blogging more steadily may come to pass.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Shaking Scared, my dear Readers

2010-12-18T08:00:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

The Present - I personally do not believe in the bucket list.

Flashback - 39 hours ago - I had to leave work early, well technically on time, since my contacts came in and I needed to pick them up.

I left work about 4:30 PM and then I was the leaving the eye doctor about 5:00 PM or so. I was in familiar territory that I bike regularly in, but since the season is now Winter and the night is fully here I have to be more alert when biking at this hour. Especially so, with the 5:00 o'clock after work rush hour, December, and people trying to get home.

I was unsure which way to get home - take one of the main thoroughfares? Take the residential streets home? Take the round about way home, which means zigging and zagging home, but the safest way home.

Oh yes, I had the reflective yellow and white vest, My front bike light, my back red bike that someone said if someone lived on the moon that they would be able to see my bike back light flashing from Colorado. LOL. I also had my green flashing light, which is attached to my backpack. That light was acquired the day before the 24 Hours of Boulder and I have to admit I do like the light. So much so, that I am actually using everyday. The only thing that is missing is my bike helmet. Nothing more, or less, that I can say about that.

I do admit that I did not cross at an intersection. So, I am to blame for what almost came to be.

There is a Tokyo Joe's in this little strip mall and thought to myself - maybe.

Full dark was here traffic was stacked going South on Yosemite. Going North, there was no traffic. Instead of heading to the next light I decided to cut through the vehicles that were stopped since the red light was on.

Readers, you know the roads. Usually there are two lanes. The on the right side of the road there is not a lane, per se, but a turning lane. Usually there is a sign indicating right lane must turn right. You just can not use that lane to keep going straight. Albeit, whether it be street sign or the white markings on the road indicated with a white turning arrow or the white line indicating that you must turn right. Buses except, of course.

That was where I decided that I was going to cut across. Traffic was stopped in both lanes going South and I knew that cars are to turn right - suppose to anyway.

Side note - "I have the right" - You know Readers that is one thing I can not say in this situation. First of all, I should not be cutting across vehicles waiting at a stop light. After all - it is fact that is where bikers have a greater chance of getting hit. Whether it be cutting or weaving in and out through stalled traffic may be ok to you. It is not. And yes, I know this.

Well, I looked at the stop light - still red and I could still see the green light on the cross traffic. Traffic is at a standstill on where I want to cross. Looking good and safe. I casually road in and through the first lane nearest the lane going in the opposite direction. I did not make any eye contact with any drivers since I was looking at traffic around my area. I get to the second lane and cross in front of a SUV type of vehicle. I could not actually see over or around the vehicle, yet I kept the same speed I was biking at. Not normal biking but probably faster than I should be going while cutting across through two lanes of stopped traffic.

I reached the final lane, which is a turning lane only. I saw a pair of headlights coming down the turning lane. I kept going. In a second. Yes Readers, in that one second I noticed that one car was not going to turn right.

I acted on instinct. Again, being aware of my surroundings is something I do and I would have to say that was the only thing that kept me from being a statistic. I managed to stop, turn my front wheel to the left, put my left foot down. I said, I was two inches from being hit, but I think it was an inch.

I stopped so fast, but again Readers, as I wrote I was biking faster than I probably should have been. My back end of the bike came off the ground and was threatening to flip me off. The bike swung to the left and was going to swing into the car and taking me with it.

Another second later the car was already at the stop light turning west. She was gone. Yes she. I saw her scared face barely, and I did not even have time to cuss or anything else.

Wow.

Another second later I get my foot on the bike pedal and try to pedal to the side walk, but I could not get on the bike pedals. I was shaking pretty badly.

Readers, I really scared myself on what just happened. And what might have been. And I do not get shaking scared at all. That I can remember.

I tried to get pedalling knowing the light is going to turn green. I could not do it. Still straddling the bike I walk the bike to the entrance of the strip mall and then take a few breaths.

I did not look around. I was concerned for myself. I could fucking care less what people just almost witnessed or what not.

In this strip mall there is a liquor store - Fuck Tokyo Joe's. I needed a drink. Something to calm me down. I grabbed a 6 pack of 2 Below and carefully biked home on the sidewalks and residential back streets to get home from perhaps getting hit again.

I was still shaking slightly when I arrived home about two miles later.

Getting back to the first sentence of this post - I am not going to create / do a bucket list - due to this very close incident. Fucking close Readers. Hmmm... let me talk about a bucket list on a future post though.

Yet, I did think about the last words I said to some people in my life. Most good, a few bad and well... last words, in a sense.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Close one last night!

2010-12-17T17:59:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

Wow, this entry may have not been made due to my cracker-jack timing last night!

I will write more later, but I almost became a statistic of bicycle / vehicle accidents last night. I usually do not get shaking up after hits / close hits, but last night was one of those rare moments.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete... who lives another day

The Ignorant Senor(ita) - Update 12/2010

2010-12-16T13:07:00.009-07:00

Greetings Readers

The Ignorant Senor(ita)

Well, I happened to go to this blog the other day (that I use to follow off and on) and I see that he/she is almost in the same boat I am. Though a bit different. Blogging off and on, but he/she has some issues about coming out from his/her anonymity, maybe, again.

Fuck me Readers - That recent blog post on why, how come and what would - was like the terms and conditions on the back of the credit card statement! And talk about beating a dead horse - over and over! I get it. Your Readers get it. You obviously have issues about yourself and can not see them.

As Nike indicates - Just do it! Or shut the fuck up and move on.

Although, I do keep my friend's names classified. Those names are just as confidential as the nuclear missile arming codes. Although, I think I have posted a couple of pictures of my friends.

Anyway, he/she wrote a fucking epic post on why he/she keeps everything "secret" Believe me, I can understand and relate. But, then he/she wrote another epic post on what if he/she came out.

Though what I have read is no different from any other person's life and relationships. Your stories and relationships are not unique. But of course, other people's stories, lives, events are kind of interesting to read if you are looking for other things to learn, know, explore or just follow. Your friends are no different than my friends. I have friends that do not get along with certain other of my friends for what ever reason. I too have some cheap skate friends that do not tip 15%. I have friends that I desire. I have thought dirty thoughts about a couple of friends I have - come on who hasn't. I have friends who mean the world to me, but I never told them that.

I can write, spell, use big words, but I do not do that all the time. I mess up my sentence structures from time to time. I use the word their, when I should have used there. I try to type correctly and most of the time I will proof read my blog posts for grammatical errors. And I try to write more than a few sentences when posting. Though, I am not going to write a 3,000 word essay on every blog I post.

I do not think I have blogged about specifics of my sex life. I know I mentioned a couple of intimate desires, thoughts and things, but nothing about a specific sexual encounter I have had. I will admit that there is a desire to write about a sexual encounter I have had. Yet, that is personal. Excuse me Readers, I am smiling as I am typing this since I know that most likely will - I have planted (blogged) that thought and now that will probably bounce around until I do. And should I - I will tell you Readers - The aroma of her fragrance, the clothes she wore, what she was not wearing, her body, the way she looked, her lips... Whoa. I better stop.

I understand the Ignorant Senor(ita) being in their twenties, thinking they are more mature than they are. I will not argue. Matter of fact, I thought that way when I was in my twenties. I lived the life of a twenty something. I did all that. and more, I bet.

I also tell you Readers that I am flawed. I am an asshole. I am rude. I am pissed off. I was wrong. What he/she has not told his/her loyal Readers that he/she is none of that. He/She does not not say that.

I have told you Readers alot of myself, which if I knew you in person I would never tell you all of this. And if you know me and did Google me to find out what/who is Mr. Charley, I could care less. I know what I post is out there for everyone to see. You Readers have seen my nipple(s), probably seen a few butt cheeks, the type and color of some of the underwear I have. I am not embarrassed or ashamed. I blog like how I feel / act. My friends know that I blog and I have provided a few of them the link. I have told you Readers what turns me on about a woman and what not.

Again, the only thing I do keep secret is my events/interaction with certain friends. And yes Readers, the friends that I do write about on certain situations, I often give them their "codename" on my blog. They laugh and ask how did that name come up, but I really do not know. Bobbie Rae is Bobbie Rae, I actually believe if she was not who she is today - she would be a Bobbie Rae from the South. LaMont was used because of Sanford & Son - which me and friend just smile and laugh about since he is so not Lamont. hah hah. Pssst - yes Readers - he is so a Lamont.

What I do not do on this blog is gossip or talk shit about on my friends. It would be easy, I bet. But this blog is, and never, will be about that. I do gossip in my real life, yes I admit that, and do talk shit. We all "hate" or "dislike" someone else for whatever reason and I could blog about those people, but I feel that is wrong. But I do blog about the people I "hate" who ask me "what time is it" while waiting for the bus, while I have my earphones in, which he/she can clearly see.

Readers, I think this blog post is getting too long now. Anyway, I am not making a point, but this recent blog from the Ignorant Senor(ita) was about his/her secret identity, relationships and life. Again. Oh yes, again and again. In the beginning of his/her first blog was the reason why for the blog. Then, throughout he/she still has to bring up a few reasons why he/she can not divulge his/her identity and his/her friends. Matter of fact, his/her friend's names are not even fake names. An Example would be like, "The fuck up," "The Coffee Drinker" "The Canon Powershot picture taker" "The 5th time unemployed friend" etc. You get the idea Readers.

In closing, I could not read every word of his/her recent last post. It was the same story again. And the same analytical breakdown on why he/she can not come out from his/her secret blog. And once again too fucking long to read and think this is interesting (for the umpteenth time)

He/she has not blogged about about committing a crime. Well, he/she did blog about getting so drunk and passing out on a front lawn - so that would be the crime of public disorderly. He/she has not blogged about sleeping with a CEO/President that would / could create a scandal. I think he/she is worried about what his/her friends would truly think of him/her if his/her friends, that he/she does calls friends, could put a real person with the Ignorant Senor(ita) blog. Or he / she is really worried about all the things he/she said about her friends on the internet. Not down and out bad, but carefully written that he/she is better than everyone else in a nice condensing manner.

Sorry Readers, I can not stop typing - Again, that Tipping and the Ignorant Senor(ita) had with a couple of years ago. He/she has some serious issues about tipping. I do myself, but would not blatantly point that out who specifically did not tip 15 % on my blog with my friends. If he/she is worried about not meeting the 15% unwritten rule to tip (though not unwritten at some restaurants these days) after a friend's get together meal then leave extra. Yes, you should not have to, but shit happens. Some people do, some people don't - who are you to say that is wrong. And to make sure that you never have to leave extra tip do not go out with them again for a meal, except fast food (where we as a society do not generally tip fast food employees)

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Lonely Lit Up Santa Claus

2010-12-13T19:00:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Any other time I would not give a shit.

Yet, with the things that are happening around me in my life currently I feel sad for this one 6 Foot Light Up Santa that I have been seeing on my bike route home after work for the past week.

I take this bike trail part of the ways home and it is pitch dark in most places.

Anyway, tonight I see the light up Santa facing the bike trail, the trees, the creek - and there he is. Lit up and his right arm in the waving hi position. Basically, waving to me as I bike on by each night. Just me, him lit up and the one little sidewalk path lamp with a small string of Christmas lights (I estimate about 50 light bulbs on the string) lighting up this darken part of the suburbs.

No one is going to see this Santa Claus driving by. No one will see this Santa Claus walking by at night due to the lack of light. I think, the only time that this Santa will be seen is by the likes of me biking home. Though there could be the occasional dog walker, there could be the runner running at night on the bike path. Other than that - that Santa will not be able to wave to the world with his lit up smile.

Yet, from a certain point of view one could say that this Santa is lucky to be displayed, at all. And I do not disagree.

I do not care for Christmas, but I do hope that any person who comes by the Santa will give him a glance. That's all that Santa needs. A glance. A second. or more.

This Santa - to me - will be remembered as the Lonely Lit Up Santa Claus of 2010.

Update - 12/14/10 - Sorry Readers - this is the best picture I can do without the flash and darkness. And his left hand waving - not his right.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Amazing Race - update 2010

2010-12-12T20:51:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

I am not sorry about not talking about the Amazing Race.

In the past two years - the Amazing Race has gotten "dull."

What I mean is that I do not want to fucking see a flaming Gay / Lesbian couple. I know flaming couples. And I do not want to see that on the Amazing Race. The Amazing Race is about racing. Not about the fucking lives of gay / lesbian couples on the race. Those gay / lesbian couples that are featured are over the top. Too fucking over the top for me.

The Amazing Race is about racing. Not about gay / lesbian couples showing disgust about "poop" coming out from an animal. That is something an animal can not control. Get over it.

Anyway, I hope the future Amazing Races focuses on the race - and not the gay / lesbian teams. I like the teams. I like the competetion, but I hate the showing of the gays / lesbians having trouble. Or the bull dike or fem acting gay to a point of hurting to watch the show.

By the way Readers, my close friend had their cousin participate in the Amazing Race recently.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

"Come Back..."

2010-12-11T19:41:00.004-07:00

Greetings Readers

Am I going to follow a path down to depression with the certain events that have happened in the past month? Depression is too strong of a word to use, perhaps a sadness I have not felt in years.

I hope not. I do hope not.

I was watching the movie Inception again and I think everything in my life just bombarded me and then the scene at the end of the movie when Cobb goes looking for Saito was playing at that moment.

He is eating a bowl of food, remembering, looking, helping and old looking Saito to remember.

The music sets the tone of the scene.

"Come back..."

Then, the scene switches to the 747 first class cabin. Cobb blinks and looks up and around. Then, camera view pans from left to right starting with Arthur. The music is low and so melodic and fitting after what has happened to that point in the movie. Arthur looks at Cobb, looks down, then looks up at Cobb with a smile. The smile says it all - we did it Cobb. You came back, my friend. The camera continues to pan right and then we see Ariadne slumped low in her first class cabin sleep and looking at Cobb directly. The look of confidence.

Lastly, Cobb's view continues to pan right and stops on Saito. Saito is also slumped in his first class cabin seat. He looks at Cobb, seeing him again but not as an old man, but young again. He then reaches for the phone and makes the call.

The scene is nothing to write about, except for me, perhaps. The scene showing the happiness and all of them making it back from the dream levels, as well as Limbo.

I think it is safe to say if you have not seen a friend in a while you can not help not to smile, acknowledge them and just know you have their friendship.

Cobb walking in the airport terminal seeing his team that went down into Inception with him. It was a glance a times when he saw his one of his team members, but then there was the quick glimpse for a second for other team members before walking on.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Phone Call and eventual voicemail message

2010-12-10T18:32:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

I made one of the toughest things that I have not done in a long time.

I called a friend (well, Readers that may not be entirely true since I was not friend material for most of the year) yesterday after finding out she was terminated.

She gave me her phone number about a year or two years ago and I have never called her since that time.

With me just finding out what happen, my current status with me as not being a friend and something else - I had to call.

Though before making that call it was actually making the call. It was like calling a woman for the first time to go out on a date. Was the phone number still good? Was she going to answer? What am I going to say? Does she even want to hear from me? What would she say to me?

When was a good time to call? Do I call from home? From work? Perhaps I should have a drink before calling after I get home. Should I call after 5 PM? And so goes the questions

Needless to say, I picked up the phone and started dialing a few times all day then stopped. Eventually, it was time to man up and get it over. Boy, I was nervous and was sweating under my armpits. Oh yes, that's how nervous I was.

I dialed and soon heard the automated voice indicating please hold while that party is located.

That was the longest 15 seconds, I think, that I waited.

It was even longer wait than my mom's voice last week saying "That another Charley died." I was so nervous after hearing that - fearing the worst.

Anyway, soon I hear her voicemail message and was kind of relieved that I got her voicemail. Though, the thought of what would be appropriate/right to leave was next. I did think for a microsecond of hanging up, but x'ed that thought.

Readers, I did not want to ramble with my voicemail message, but I think I did. I did say I was sorry, I also said I would be probably the last person who thought she would hear from. And a couple of others things. I said bye and that was that.

I was relieved after the phone call, but was shaking a bit. Did I do the right thing?

I know Readers I am being vague and not telling you what happened for me to be the way to her this year. If you faithful Readers know me then you know I do not like being treated a certain way. It happened with me from her and I did not like that. And Readers I could not not pretend that it did not ever happen. I was looking for a sorry or something, but that did not happen. Eventually, I gave her the silent treatment.

Yet, finding out I put all that aside and made the call. Perhaps she may call me back. Perhaps she will talk to me again. Perhaps she will tell me - Fuck you. Perhaps. If not, I do not blame her and I will understand.

I am sorry for the way I left her the last time she ever saw/talked to me.

And Readers this is another reason to add to why I do not care for the Holidays this time of the year.

Note to Nick - I guess your statement long ago to me - that I am the rudest person ever - is correct. She would agree with you.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A call one may not want to make

2010-12-09T22:28:00.002-07:00

Greetings Readers

Just a simple post, but the hardest to write...

Well, basically I know I need to make a phone call.

Ant that one phone call ranks up there with the one phone call from jail, I bet.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Inception - DVD and Blue Ray release

2010-12-08T22:22:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

I picked up a few copies of the movie Inception on Tuesday. One for me and the others as gifts.

I know this movie is not worthy of Picture of the Year, by a long shot. Yet, this was far the best movie I have seen this year.

I did see the movie on it's Thursday's midnight showing down at the old/new Southglenn mall area this past summer.

I found the movie interesting. And I have to admit that when the local movie theater up the street went to $ 5.00 dollar a movie every Tuesday I made several trips to see that movie for $ 5.00 dollars.

So, when the release date for the DVD / Blue Ray copy was announced this was a no brainer to buy for my collection.

Me and a friend went to Best Buy and we both got the exclusive limited edition to Best Buy Blue Ray combo pack. With the movie came the movie script as well as some notes and conceptual artwork.

The Blue Ray is packed with stuff, but I only listened to the movie soundtrack and the watched the three trailers that were made for the movie so far. There is still a whole alot of stuff I have yet to watch.

I am interested, but I want to enjoy the movie on how I have interpeted the movie, as well as the ending of the movie, to date.

I do not think there is any Oscar award nomination acting in the movie so if you are looking for that - it is not present.

I think I have said this before, but the reason why I like the movie is the concept of dreaming and the relationship to the real world. Like the tub of water and the water filling Cobb's dream.

I know from personal instances that first ray of sunlight lighting up my room has had an effect in my dream and eventually wake up remembering why I woke up coming from a dream that I just dreamt.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

I paid my entry fee; therefore I participated

2010-12-07T19:39:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

Here is a quote from another blog about their participation in the 24 Hours of Boulder this year that has caused me to comment on his view and participation of the same event.

"If a runner is walking and limping that much how much damage is being done trying to compensate for what ever injury or lack of conditioning caused them to start walking that way? Perhaps that is a good indicator that they should quit?" - Chris Pruchnic (runner # 133)

I do not disagree. However, I paid my entry fee and I have every right to be there competing in the 24 hours of Boulder. It is not called You must Run the 24 Hours of Boulder. But the 24 Hours of Boulder. Complete as many laps (7.14 in length) as you can run in a 24 hours period, if I remember that was stated on the web site (website link is below).

http://geminiadventures.com/new/?page_id=105

I understand that this runner had a headlight lamp. Good for him. As well as I did and then some. A green glow stick and a green light/flashlight Combo. Yet, Readers, the course was pretty open except for a single trail path near the halfway point of the course. I estimate about a mile in length that you could possibly run into someone by accident. But as far as I know every runner that past me or ran past me in the opposite direction were mindful and careful. I do not remember ever seeing a frown face or some comment like "move over" or "watch out."

But wait. I know I was on the same course as this runner and I know for a fact that is was not as dark as he stated. Also, the course was most of the time wider than a school bus. And in some places the course was two car widths wide. The only time the course got dark was if you were looking at the stadium glow and then back to the course, thereby causing your pupils to readjust (dilate). Same thing goes for the highway that runs on the East side of the reservoir. If you look over and then back to the course you pupils have to re-adjust once more.

And running at night is not just about lights. You have to listen to what is around. You can hear the other runners - running/walking. Or if they had a pacer more often than not I can hear them talking. This year, I did use my Ipod. Except I only put one earphone in one ear and left the other ear open so I could listen to my surroundings

This runner is a good runner and I did read at some of the things he has done, but the lack of respect by complaining about us same fellow runners walking on the same course under a 2/3 of a moon's light. I think, I remember the moon being more than half moon showing.

I just checked the moon almanac and the moon was 67 percent full that night on October 16, 2010. The Almanac also indicates the moon sets at 1:08 AM. I think I remember seeing the moon set and disappear about 1:20 or 1:40 AM so I that is about right.

I will admit the course got dark (like it did for me 2 years ago), but almost all runners had some sort of light(s). Though, I will agree there was about 5 % that did not have a light. I saw one runner running with a green glow stick only.

Yet, the statement the blogger wrote rubbed me the wrong way. I will admit and was one of those who did not have a light on the back of their back. Thinking more about it I bet about 90 percent of the runners/walkers had no lights on their back. Just the headlamp and perhaps their pacer having a flashlight. So, this particular runner needs to take some responsibility on their part and make sure that they do not run into a runner ahead of them. It seems to me that particular runner had tunnel vision and thought he owned the course since he is a better runner than most. Yet, that may not be true since this was the 100 mile / 24 Hours Championship that is held in October in Boulder, CO. There are two other 24 hour races and those are held in Moab, UT and Laramie, WY and I do not know for a fact, but I am betting some of those runners who did those events would may want to come to Boulder for the Championship event. Note Readers - he did mention he finished in the top ten.

The blogger stating "...that they should quit?" Perhaps. But my goal was not to run the 100 mile championship race. I was a solo male entered in the 24 hours solo race. And the only fucking goal was to beat my lap record/personal best of 7 Laps from two years ago. I had to do 8 laps at whatever cost. Quitting was not an option. Who are you to tell me otherwise?! I did not train. I did have a lack of conditioning - big time. But, that did not stop me from paying my entry fee the day of the event and competing. I had every right to compete on the same course as you, as anyone. I did walk / shuffle like a Hollywood Zombie and that was my undoing. I am still recovering for putting myself through that last lap to get a new personal record and the official mileage count over 50 miles.

I have had no bad experiences on both times I have competed in the 24hoursofBoulder. Sure, running the course over and over again is something I do not look forward to, but I am thankful that this race is even happening. Be thankful for that, though reading this runner's post - I think he has not run the 24 hours of Boulder before. I would rather run in a loop as opposed to the 24 hours of Boulder not being able to hold the event at all due to no course being available for whatever reason.

My big complaint is the serving of "Shasta" or "Big K" 2 litter soft drink being offered at the two aid stations. I did pay 110.00 dollars so I would have liked to see Coca Cola, Dr Pepper, or Pepsi to drink the first time I ran this in 2008. This year I made sure to bring a 6 pack of Coca Cola to the event in case they did it again. Which they did, but I soon saw some Coca-Cola late at night/early morning for us runners. I needed the taste I know to help me.

All in all, there is nothing to post anything bad or be disrespectful of the event. I love seeing the teams, the pacers, the elite, as well as myself, a runner pushing their limits for a specific reason. I had no problems running, except for my body breaking down throughout the event.

If there was a complaint, issue or whatever from me then I would not compete in the event. You faithful Readers know me - if I find something "that I do not like" I voice my opinion and to go as far as not to do/go there again.

If you have followed me (read) this far Readers - here is the link to that specific post and you can read and interpret what was blogged by Chris.

http://halikuadventures.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/boulder-100-report/

I have nothing personal against Chris, my faithful Readers. He just needs to remember how he got to where he is at now. And yes, in case of me being one of the limping (Hollywood zombie) walkers in the middle of the night I did stay to the right of the road whenever possible and Chris can go fuck himself for hinting in my condition that I probably should not be competing in the event any further. I had a goal and that is none of your fucking concern / business. You were running 100 miles. My goal was completing more than 7 laps on October 16 - 17, 2010. I was on a mission and the only option that was going to stop me was - quitting.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

50 days later

2010-12-05T06:48:00.011-07:00

Greetings Readers

Yes, 50 days later.

I am about 90 % to 95% from full recovery after doing the 24 Hours of Boulder back on October 16 & 17, 2010.

I do not know what the fuck I did to both of my feet to be in the condition I was in.

What I mean is that I could not walk normal for the past two months. I have been unable to wear my dress shoes. Though I did wear for one day about 5 weeks ago and that was a MISTAKE. If there is some pressure against a certain point on my feet it would cause pain and inflammation. And if the pressure was constant I would be limping the following day(s). Even if I was wearing some of my certain socks that were a bit tight I would be limping the following day(s) thereafter.

I did try limiting my walking, stair walking and bike riding for the past couple of month, but there is only so much I could limit. I have not done my lunch run since after the event. I was not going to run and I could not run in the first place.

And I have not even tried to wear my clipless biking shoes,which means that I am only able to ride three of bikes in my collection. That's alright though -that means I am keeping my good bikes in great condition by not riding them. Though I miss showing off my HED3 Rims. So, I was only riding the bikes with regular pedals.

I think, I finally healed my feet over Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday. Due to some recent family tragedies and work - the timing of taking off to the ranch was not possible this year. In a sense that was okay.

I was able to keep off my feet, catch up my sleep, play the recently new video game I bought (Fall Out New Vegas) the entire holiday time off. Also, I was able to avoid the third degree from my mother about doing that running event. I am sure if she saw the condition I was in she would have dragged my off to the doctor's office.

Now, I only mentioned the pain and limping. I have yet to tell you the bruises, the blood blisters under a few of my toe nails, the regular blisters and the peeling of my skin.

What I can not figure out why I am in this sort.... well I am basically not in this sort of condition anymore, but what the fuck caused this? I know doing that last lap was tough at the 24 Hours of Boulder and I was walking, trying to run that last lap. I knew my feet were hurting from the 49.94 miles prior to starting the 8th lap, yet it was not like the last time were I had that blister on the bottom of my foot and that caused me great nuisance two years ago.

The shoes, the same shoes I bought a few days earlier two years ago before the 24 Hours of Boulder, were the same ones I wore this time around. The running shoes have been used a lot, but I do not think that much. With that thinking that is the reason why I did not buy a new pair of running shoes before this event.

When I run at lunch, I have another special set of running shoes I strictly use for running at lunch (before becoming lunch running shoes these shoes were only used only for my Marathon running). Which means these shoes were not used every day. I think the only time I used this shoes were on the weekend when I was doing my 13 mile run on Sunday during the summer. And if were riding my bikes with the regular pedals I use two other older sets of running shoes for biking shoes. Now, those older running shoes are used used and definitely can not be used for running.

I guess reflecting back it may have been the shoes, but I do not know. I did do some training so it was like the last time were I did no training, but it was only some training. Mind you, I did not train for this event this year. I planned to earlier this year - and matter of fact I think I planned doing the 24 hours of Boulder back when I started the P90X program. Which by the way Readers - incorporating running with the P90x program - was fucking insane, but dang the running helped me get in shape faster with the P90x.

Oh, the funny side of my feet condition for the past 50 days were just that my friends and co-workers just loved joking with me. Oh, look at Mr. Charley. Hey Charley why you walking funny? They exaggerate themselves running to me. Ask me how my time was in county. Hurry up Mr. Charley our lunch break is going to be over before we get to the car. And so on.

One friend mentioned the saying "For every mile ran you need a day of recovery." And that saying could be true since I have seven more days and I am almost healed. Though two years I know that I did not need 49 days to fully recover. Go figure.

Last thing. One friend mention "stress fracture." Wow. Once that got mentioned and I started to Google and Wikipedia that word and soon thought I could have had that. I do not know, but all those symptoms fit my condition and I got real worried about a month ago when I was not healing faster than I should have been. I looked at my blog history after the first time I did the 24 Hours of Boulder, but I do not have any blog entries after the event indicating I was in serious pain for weeks. I know I was for a few weeks though two years ago. But I do not think I was injured for seven weeks after the event. I just do not know.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Thanksgiving Day

2010-11-25T23:57:00.001-07:00

Greetings Readers

This year I am staying in Denver and having no Thanksgiving. Oh no, do not worry. I am okay with that.

I hope you Readers have a nice Thanksgiving Day and Holiday.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Places in the Heart

2010-11-19T18:41:00.003-07:00

Greetings Readers

Places in the Heart

It took me 26 years, I think, to finally see this movie.

I guess one could say this was on my bucket list of movies that needed to be seen by me.

From my point of view the only thing I knew about the movie was the movie poster – as shown on my blog.

I did not have a clue what the movie was about. Nor did I know who even played the movie. And yes Readers, I did not even care to know.

Yet, after seeing this movie I was impressed. John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Ed Harris, Lindsay Crouse, and a couple of actors/ actresses that I can not remember their names as I write this post.

Long story short – the movie is about Sally Field’s life after she becomes a widow in the 1930’s. or was it 1920’s. There are also Borders, cotton and a tornado in the movie.

I admit that the reason why I have not seen this movie is that from the movie poster the movie does not look like my type of movie. Anyway, here it is - the year 2010 and the movie is available on TV and there was really nothing else to watch the time I saw the movie.

I was finishing up dinner when I started watching the movie, but soon found myself on the couch, eating my dinner and watching the movie with great interest.

Well, there is a certain part in the movie that I saw what I felt back at the 24 hours of Boulder in October.

When I saw Sally Fields on her hand and knees after working through the night and the dawn of the day arriving doing what needed to be done and saw her will… or perhaps her agony in the last moments she had left… I could not help to get a bit teary eyed. I know it was a movie, but wow I did my same thing where I was doing what needed to be done in October as I saw the sun rise over the horizon on October 17. I was not on my hands and knees crawling, but I was limping, trying to walk to complete that 8th lap. That was what I needed to be done, whereas Sally Fields had to get every bit of cotton. I was teary eyed for what I did, and not for Sally Field’s character, on October 16 & 17 for 24 hours before the last moments I had left.

It is amazing what we humans will do when something needs to be done. Not something under life threatening conditions, but something that needs to be done.

And what something was - "Desire"

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

My First Time... well... maybe not... technically

2010-11-03T23:27:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

Do you remember your first time?

Not that FIRST time! hah hah.

I remembered my first time when having a bottle of Corona with Limes - yes plural.

I think, I only knew of Corona as a beer from Mexico and that was that. Nothing more.

Well Readers, I took a trip to San Diego back in the early 90's. It was the first time I went to San Diego. Matter of fact, it was the first time that I went to California. And the first time that I went to the West Coast.

On the night of the last day I was going to be San Diego I went out with a couple of friends. Well, two women - Andrea and Mary. Fucking wow. Mary was the designated driver and me and Andrea were going to have fun in La Jolla and San Diego drinking.

We started off the night at the Hard Rock Cafe and that was the only place I remember being at.

Anyway, Andrea ordered the first round and she chose Corona. When the Corona arrived she immediately took the lime and squeezed the lime juice from the slice into the bottle.

Nothing new to me. But. What she did next was. She grabbed the bottle with her right hand and put her thumb on the top of the bottle. Then, she carefully flipped the bottle, but quickly. I saw that the Corona was upside down and then she was gently moving the bottle back and forth to shake the lime from the neck of the Corona bottle. I quickly saw that the lime dislodged from the neck of the bottle and then the lime floated up to the bottom of the Corona bottle. She waited about 5 to 10 seconds before flipping the bottle back to the upright position.

Readers, that was not the end. Andrea carefully removed her thumb from the top of the bottle as to not to have the beer squirt all over the place from being shaken all over the place. She then took another slice of lime and then squeezed that lime into the bottle.

I soon saw what she was doing. She successfully integrated the lime juice into the Corona beer.

I did the same thing, though for the life of me I can not remember how I did it.

And that Readers was... well the only way, I will drink a bottle of Corona to this day. Matter of fact, I have since perfected the art of mixing the lime into the bottle of Corona. I have even mastered wrapping a napkin around the bottle of Corona.

That was my first Corona, in San Diego, with a lime properly mixed into a bottle of Corona and Andrea was my first California Blonde.

You faithful Readers may have picked up on was that Andrea is the name of one of my bikes, is named after the same Andrea that showed me how to properly mix a Lime into a bottle of Corona. I will never forget Andrea - a fucking gorgeous California blonde.

Too bad I fucked up that relationship also.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Happy Pre-Halloween 2010

2010-10-30T20:52:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

Every year I try and get the Reece Peece's King Size candy bars for my Trick o' Treaters, but this year I was kind of late and I did not want to pay full price for a King size Candy Bar. Especially so when I have to buy so many of them.

Instead, this year I bought M&M's since they were on sale. I am a fan, but only to the Peanut Butter M&M's. Heaven. Matter of fact Readers, I am putty in a woman's hands if she gives this to me. Hard for me to say no or put up a fight, argument or discussion when presented with Peanut Butter M&M's.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

IRT Deadliest Road - Lisa Kelly

2010-10-28T22:05:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

I have to admit there is something about Lisa Kelly.

When I first saw her on Ice Road Truckers there was something I was drawn to.

Not her attitude, but how she looks and carries herself. And honestly Readers, Lisa is wearing sunglasses all the time, which is probably due to avoid going snow blind from the sun reflecting off the snow. Which means I can not say it is sultry look of those penetrating eyes.

Oh yes, I know about that and that does happen time to time here in Colorado when we become heavily saturated with snow. The landscape turns 90 percent white and the only way to really see is to have sunglasses on.

Anyway, Lisa Kelly is very cute to me. I think it is her body type, but with that it is some of features that I am drawn to. Her smile, her cheekbones, her hair are just a few things that I am drawn to about Lisa.

She is just not a woman driver thrown onto IRT for the sakes of ratings. We faithful Readers know that Lisa is a skilled driver. She does belong and does deserve the respect of being an Ice Road Trucker.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Blue Mountains - Part 2

2010-10-25T21:05:00.003-06:00

Greetings Readers

It was just a year ago when I blogged about the Blue Mountains.

Whether the sales have been very good or very bad, but now there is a new addition to the Cold Mountains Indicator.

There is now a window on the 12 pack bottles carton that was clearly designed for locating the Blue Mountains on the bottle and to truly see if your beer is cold and ready to drink.

What the fuck.

Is society actually buying, bought, into in the Blue Mountains indicator?

No needs for me to blog what I expressed a year ago on what I did/do think.

Yet, this new addition to the Blue Mountain Beer is still fucked up.

I only drink from bottles and anytime I come home from the liquor store I remove all the bottles from the package - whether it be the 6 pack or 12 pack container - before putting into the refridgerator.

So, if I did drink this beer this new addition would be useless for me to take advantage of.

Before ending this blog Readers. I do not care if you drink this beer. If you do (and I have done so in the past.) so be it. I do not think any less of you. I have my taste(s) and drinking that beer is now in the past for me. I would never say never again, since there may come a time I might have to partake in indulging that beer again.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Ahlete

The "Good" Ice

2010-10-20T18:53:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

“Good” ice.

Is there such a thing you wonder? Of course there is.

Whenever I do need ice for mixed drinks / drinks most of the time I will use ice I bought from the local supermarket that sell those bags of ice that those cashiers ask about 50 percent of the time when checking out “Do you need stamps or a bag of ice?”

There is a big difference from the ice you may make from your unfiltered faucets at home and the ice that is shipped and sold at the supermarkets / gas stations. Granted, I can not say that for every maker of bags of ice.

Years ago I saw a documentary by luck about bags of ice. Really – how interesting can a documentary be about bags of ice? Well, think Readers how and why would a major network invest and make a documentary on the bags of ice when it probably costs a lot of money to make, produce and show the documentary.

With that said I decided to give it a look.

Wow. So many things and processes are used to making those bags of ice – as well as shipping and marketing. Again Readers, I can not say this is true of all makers of ice, but the water that was use to make the ice was filtered, “cleaned” and specifically processed a certain way to give that bag of ice that pure almost clear ice from the bag.

Whereas, when I make ice from the faucet at home I fill the ice tray up and then put in the freezer. Hours later I have my ice cubes. But – the ice cubes are not clear and are pretty Air bubbles are in the cube as well as the impurities that are the water supply. Readers, it is amazing what we are using and drinking from our faucets that come from the local town/city water supply and treatment plants.

Anyway, what it comes down to Readers if your ice cubes are clear you pretty much know that water was filtered to filter out all those impurities from the water.

Most of my friends think ice is ice. Yes, but to me I want the best ice to use if I am having a drink on the rocks or a frozen Margarita.

I know, I know. Mr. Charley - you and your Single Barrel Jack Daniels, Scorpion Mezcal, Chinaco Blanco Tequila, to name a few expensive liquor - why are you even using ice at all? Those liquors should be indulged neat. I agree, yet every once in a while I do like ice in my drinks. Even with a mixer! Whoa. I know, I know the ultimate sin. And one of the two ultimate sins I like to enjoy is – single Barrel Jack Daniels, with Coca-Cola and some of that “Good” ice.

Granted, to the unrefined taste buds it may taste no different from just a regular bottle of Jack Daniels, ice cubes made from your faucet and Coca-Cola, but to me I can taste the minute differences as well as the expensive Jack Daniels mixed perfectly with the Coca-Cola.

One would say I am defeating the purpose of buying expensive liquor.

I will let you Readers decide for yourself. I have my ways and they have been set in stone. Like a mule sometimes I can not be budged from my ways.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

24 Hours of Boulder - 2010

2010-10-17T18:24:00.001-06:00

Greetings Readers

I fucking am sore and hurting. Will give a post race update later.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

T-Minus 4 days and counting

2010-10-13T00:37:00.003-06:00

Greetings Readers

Here I am Readers, basically two years later to the day and the time to think about doing the event I tried for the first time two years ago.

There are thoughts. Am I ready? Should I do the run? Is the future weather cast going to be favorable?

It is the 24 Hours of Boulder - held of course in Boulder, Colorado.

I did check / watch the morning news the morning for the weather forecast and I see that the prediction is going be sunny. I did not see any rainclouds, snow on the weather forecast, which means that gives me the possibility to think about doing the run again.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Very Nice Ass, I have to admit

2010-09-24T13:21:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

So, I have to admit that this is a very nice picture of an Ass. Normally, I am not looking at Asses when checking out women, but when this showed up on my profile - I was like "Damn!"

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A New Bike - A Fuji

2010-09-11T05:30:00.003-06:00

Greetings Readers

Tracey is so close to 10,000 miles and is basically showing her wear. And unfortunately, the wear and tear is on the crank – specifically the teeth. The teeth are worn down to nubs as opposed to the sharp teeth and every now and then the chain slips and that is not good.

She was beginning to show trouble late last year and since then I have been putting off buying a new bike. A new “beater” bike that is.

Readers, in case you need to know a “beater” bike to me is a bike that I can use everyday that I do not want to use my good bikes. As well as use in any type of bad weather – rain, snow, sleet, hail and high winds. This is bike I do care about since I will be using this when I do not want to use my good bikes.

However, this year I rode all of my good bikes throughout the year. Amazing, but I could not really rely on Tracey and was getting tired of the chain skipping on me more and more. I have to admit that it was kind of not my MO to ride good bikes almost everyday.

Yes, the simplest solution would be to purchase a new crank, but usually the beater bike was a bike I bought out at close out prices – meaning “cheap! Cheap! Cheap!” And to buy a new crank the price would almost be ¾ of what I bought the bike for. In the long run it is easier to buy a brand new beater bike, in my opinion.

I think I was the bike store and I happened to look at the bikes on a chance. One this I was not going to do was buy another Scattante bike. Nothing against Scattante, but I feel that brand of bike is not my type of bike after getting Rebecca a few years. Granted, she runs (as my former ex coworker would say) “awesome”, but I quite do not feel that harmony I should when riding her. Except for the speed she has and she was specifically built for speed. Fast, beautiful and Phat (Pretty Hot and Tight), just like the Rebecca I knew.

The bike as you can see from the picture is a Fuji. I never had a Fuji and if I remember correctly one of my “fellow” ex-bloggers had a Fuji and he did like the bike. Oh, that fellow blogger was from the ayearofbikecommuting blog. Anyway, the bike was price right and decided that I might as well. The bike will be brand new and I have a new beater bike.

Oh, the flak I got on the new bike. First and foremost was the color scheme. What the fuck was Mr. Charley thinking? That color is so not you Mr. C. I could not disagree. Yet, check this out. About a day after getting this bike one of my superior’s gave me a bike jersey. Lo and behold the bike jersey color matched the bike color scheme. No, he/she did know about the new bike and the color of the jersey was coincidence to match the bike color.

I do not have a clue what to name her. There is not a name off the top of my head that I could name this new bike.

Until the next year

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

"Don't Call It A Comeback"

2010-09-06T07:43:00.005-06:00

Greetings Readers

The seasons are a changing as well as the times.

Spring and Summer have come and gone as well as my daily blogging.

I have to admit that blogging after a while does become a bit much for me.

I liked blogging, but I found that it was becoming one extra thing in my life that I was trying to keep up with. Let's be honest, it was becoming my life.

Anyway, I have been away and I think I am going to come back into blogging.

I may have a direction on how I want to re begin my blogging. Then again, perhaps I will just pick up right up where I left off. You know readers - my run-ins with local denverites who's seemingly dumbass questions are exactly that. My adventures at/on RTD and Lightrail. My vacations. The loves of my life. My friends. My opinions. My headaches. And of course - My fuck ups.

Presently, nothing has really changed - still biking, still running, still have the neighbor Jenny, had a fall out with friend I lust after because she treated me as AA/EA and then had the odasity to use a mutual friend to talk to me, growing my hair out, still watching Breaking Bad, and so goes the list.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Post !

2010-06-29T22:28:00.002-06:00

Greetings Readers

So you miss me AND my blog posts?!?!

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X - Day 1

2010-04-21T17:36:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

Day 1 - is now in the book

I have to say that I woke up and started to shake. Whether it was from the caffeine, or Coca-Cola I do not know, but what I will admit is that if there was any fresh Coca-Cola in my humble abode I would have immediately "went for it."

I would estimate it was about 10 minutes later when I was finally really awake and was able to get up. I was still shaking slightly. Now Readers, I have gone cold turkey as of Saturday afternoon. No more Coca-Cola, no sugar, no alcohol, and no fast food. Basically, stopped all the "bad" stuff I consume on a daily/weekly basis. I figure I give myself a few days before actually starting the P90X program to detox, in a manner of speaking. It may be a crazy, but I figure I might as well do this. All or nothing.

I got up and knew that I had to have my first breakfast, my first P90X breakfast. Egg white Mushroom Omelet. Let me tell you Readers, An Egg white, a 6 egg white, omelet, was not very pleasant to look at. Meaning, comparing that to my pre-P90X program, my omelet looks no where near close to the Egg white Omelet. I had the entire thing though - Perhaps my mind made it tasted funny, but that may be because of what I normally have in my omelet as opposed to the P90X omelet.

That done - I got my lunch, which I premade, as well as all the supplements and Whey I bought earlier in the week. Again, Supplements are extra, but I thought to myself - what the fuck. I might as well go "Full Throttle" with the program and hope this will be the way to the results I am hoping for. I am expecting something, but with the supplements I am betting that will only help even more. Right?

Oh on the way to work I bought a huge bottle of water at the gas station (Circle K). $ 1.99. Note: This is even cheaper at the Store (King Soopers) for 1.29. I knew that I drink water all day. Well.. let me rephrase that - I have to drink water - period. I am actually watching what and how much sugar anything I may want to drink. I know that perhaps I may want to buy a powerade/gatorade, but their sugar in it - alot in manner of speaking.

Taste good and probably okay. But again. what the fuck. If I am going "full throttle" then I need to still to stick to water. Even though there is no Coca-Cola for me I might as well not substitute for a less sugary/fructose drink.

Lunch - Chef Salad - The P90X chef salad. Good, but again not what I am normally use to eating when I make my salad. Doable and eatable, but just not what I am used to. Oh, I forgot the dressing, but I do not eat Ranch dressing, so I was going to bring vinegar and Oil, but I forgot that so I was dressing-less. There is a cafe in our building and in the past I can get a saucer of Italian dressing when needed. But again - what the fuck. No substitution and I need to stick to the meal plan as close as possible. And we all know that those Ranch dressing are loaded with "stuff" whereas vinegar and oil (olive oil) is much, much better.

After work I went to the store to buy my dinner and my meals for the next day. Salmon for tonight and stir fry. Readers, I did go grocery shopping days before - I bought the stuff that will not go bad - rice vinegar, bottle of white wine, sesame seeds, etc. Whereas, I can not buy the stuff that is going to go bad in a few days or needs to be cooked a couple of days.

It is so weird to see my fridge filled with so much fresh and good stuff. All there is now are vegetables, Ham, Onions, Almond Milk and all my hard liquor and wine I keep in the fridge. Don't worry Readers, I am not going to be tempted by the hard liquor. I do drink the hard liquor, but I can months without drinking that. Also, that bottle of wine is the same one that I bought a year and a half ago. Now, if there was bottle of beer then I would be tempted.

Anyway, it does look odd to see a "Clean" fridge, as well as a "pantry." No junk food in the humble abode. That part was not hard, since I normally do not have any junk food in the abode. I only buy when I get the craving - Lays Potato Chips, Frozen Ice Juice bars (sorry I can not remember the actual name since it has been a while since my last one), etc. I threw out condiments that I was not going to use - barbeque sauce...

Fast forward - the Day 1 photo. I decided on the boxer briefs and I am actually embarrassed by the photos. What I see in the mirror every morning is not what I am seeing on what the camera took. I do look big in the stomach area. Can I blame the lighting? the angle? Does not matter. I took and posted and will have to get over what I saw/see. Though, I better see improvement in 2 to 4 weeks in the 30 day picture. I just better.

I put in the first workout. It was tough. I did my research before buying the P90X and yes they said the DVD instructor does says some "corny" things from time to time and yes that is correct. But all in all, he made me smile, when I was grimacing trying to do some routines. There are options before starting the DVD so technically I think that you could mute the dialogue. Sorry Readers, I did not thoroughly look into since I am going to listen to what he says in order to do my first workout. I would estimate that I was able to do about 80 percent of the DVD workout - Day 1. Some routines were hard. Though if I could only do one, then I did a modified version. Yes, I could wait and catch my breath until the next routine, but what it boils down to is that I am in full throttle, I better give it everything I can.

Needless to say, I was sweating when the end of the program was reached. Wait. Apparently, I was not done. I had to do another routine and this was pure ab work - 22 minutes or so, I think. I have to admit I was already "burning" and the muscle were fatigue by the first 55 minute workout. This was torture for me. I did what I could do and if I couldn't I tried as hell to do what I could. I did not wait until the next routine started.

And that Readers was my first day of the P90X program.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

P90X

2010-04-17T13:45:00.004-06:00

Greeting Readers

I see that the blog site I am on is still up - which I like.

Well, I have to say that I bought the infomercial - P90X.

I know, I know, but I needed a change in my life. not necessarily a goal, but just a change.

I have to admit that I am getting a little bigger in the stomach area, due to no training, no biking, no running, drinking, and a bit of junk food, per se.

Anyway, I am excited. I know I can, but the thing is that I am going to go cold turkey with the eating program, no drinking beer/alcohol and no Coca-Cola. I hope I can do all that.

There is going to be none of that reward things we tend to do for ourselves when doing something great. For example, I am not going to drink a bottle of Coca-Cola after a week into the program. To me that defeats the purpose of the program.

Sure, I would like to get ripped, but that is not why I am doing/bought the P90X. I have no goal(s) to do, I have no plan(s), I just want to try and see what happens.

I did the research for the past 2 weeks before buying the P90X. I think I have an advantage to the start of the system since I do bike/run normally. Then again, this P90X program might kick my ass off the bat. Who knows.

Now, some of my faithful Readers know (and have commented) on some of my pictures of myself. I am not shy, though now I am a bit shy right now. I was not worried about the before picture, but in the past two days I now have to pose for some pre-shots and then post.

Question is Readers - Do I take a shot in normal underwear, A thong, Boxers, String bikini, Briefs, boxer briefs, or shorts (running, normal, everyday shorts)? I do not know. I have to admit I have been thinking about the thong. Why not. I might as well show as much as I can so we can see the difference all over my body. What? Why not the birthday suit you ask? I think that would be too much (err too less).

The changes will happen in the beginning of the program, but I am not sure if the results are going to be "big" since I am in the shape I am in. As opposed to being really overweight. The body fat for me is above normal so I know that will go down and perhaps that may show in the first two weeks.

I am going to do this program full throttle. I did have all the accessories that are needed for this program so I do not have to buy any extra equipment. Wait - It is recommended that I get Yoga blocks for the Yoga program so I may have to buy that. Since I have not done Yoga ever I better try without the blocks and see if I need after my first workout (whenever that happens in the program).

The food buying is going to be expensive that my current spending, but not a big change for me since I do eating healthy. The biggest thing will to be stop eating white rice and potatoes that I do now. I go to the grocery store every other day so going to get fish that is on the program is not going to be a problem for me.

Lastly, the supplements. We know that can get really expensive. Question to myself - Do I really need? Whey, fat burner (i think), some sort of bars, a few other things. Obviously, I would need if I want t probably do the program to a T as well as see the best results. I do not know.

I have a couple of more days to decide on the supplements. I do have the creatine recovery stuff, since I use that for biking so I do not have to worry about that expense. Just all the other expenses is what I am worried about.

I think that is about all I have to say.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A Blog Post after the Deadline

2010-04-05T12:58:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

"Ding. (pause) Ding. (pause) Ding..."

Do any of you faithful Readers remember?

Just about a year ago was the Season 2 of Breaking Bad that just started and I remember either episode 2 or 3 was the "Ding."

and Uncle Tio.

I never thought that he would be back.

And this time he was fucking ringing that bad boy bell on his wheelchair. Not the ominous bell ringing when the scene fades to black. But Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding...

The bell ringing was constant and in anger on the scene that played out last night.

It is interesting where Breaking Bad has started this season and what has yet to come. But, what I found out that is neat is that in some of the new episodes they have filmed some of those scene sort of close to where our Ranch is located. Close - meaning about 50 miles away or so. That may seem alot and so what, but when the scene was filmed out in the middle of nowhere and on the way to Albuquerque from our Ranch it is kinda neat to know that I know where they filmed the scene that was supposedly representing Mexico in Breaking Bad, but in fact in the near the Heart of the Navajo Nation (in a manner of speaking.)

So far so good with Walter and Jesse, as well as some nice flashback scenes that showed characters from the past season. Not actual flashbacks per se, but scenes of the old characters that showed what happened prior to us seeing them last.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

The Deadline is today

2010-03-26T13:07:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

Today is the last day for what ever blogger has in store for blogging.

With that said and no domain - I am shit out of luck.

new blogging will be on wordpress

http://redhooktyrant.wordpress.com/

Thanks for following and sorry about not blogging consistantly anymore. Busy, Bored and other things going on.

Though, if things have not changed by today's deadline then I will still be here

Have a wonderful life if we do not get to share another story again on blogger

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

"...touched by an Angel"

2010-03-19T15:42:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

These are the pictures of the aftermath of my bike accident coming home after work. Oops, multiple bike accidents. And the not so funny thing is that I was actually riding Lily and had two – count’em – two bike accidents that probably should not have happened at all.

If any of you local Readers are in the Denver area then you know how snowy it was when 5 o’clock rolled around on Friday evening.

Anyway, I was pumped and ready to ride home in the snow as well as biking past the traffic that was common on a Friday, but tripled due to the heavy snowfall. So, traffic was at a standstill and I was basically sticking it to everyone since I was riding and moving faster than the vehicles in traffic. Knowing that I was smiling and had a good attitude knowing that I was going to be home faster than the people stuck in traffic.

I was about halfway home when the street I was done was going to end so that meant I was going to turn and get onto a new street. The street I was on did not have much traffic therefore I was riding the tire tracks left by the vehicles already gone by. Meaning, the street I was on was not plowed at all. Not unusual due to the heavy snow fall and major streets getting the snow plowed from them first.

I was starting my turn left when half way into the intersection I went down. Damn. I was down in a heartbeat and that did not stop there. I can only guess, but I think that back tire loss traction and slid out right when I was turning left. That being said when I hit the snow in the intersection I slid in the direction of the turn but I was rotating in a right direction. 180 degrees later, which was about a second later I was looking back in the direction I was turning from.

Yet, that was the least of my fucking concern. I had a back pack full of liquor. And not the cheap stuff. I actually bought a bottle of Single Barrel Jack Daniels and a six pack of that Breckenridge small batch 471, which I think goes for anywhere from 12 to 15 dollars a six pack. Note: I only had 5 of the 6 bottles since a friend wanted to taste a bottle of beer that came from a six pack that cost me $ 14.00 dollars. He can not understand why I would pay that much, but he wanted to know what it taste like before even thinking about spending that much money on a six pack of beer.

When I hit the snow I immediately heard the sound of breaking glass. That sound can not be mistaken for any other sound. Fuck!

I fell on my left side. Was that the side of the back pack that had my Single Barrel Jack Daniels on? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I can not remember how I packed the liquor inside my back pack.

I stood up, heard someone as if I was okay, but totally not acknowledging anyone. First goal was to get out of the intersection. Damn, did the Single Barrel Jack Daniels break? That’s about $ 40.00 down the drain.

I managed to get on the sidewalk pretty quickly. Yet, when I started walking to the curb I started to feel my left leg get cold. Fuck. That was the alcohol running down from my back pack into my bike pants. Shit. Do I assess the damages right now? I am going to get wetter and colder. And if I check the back pack what difference is that going to make? Fuck it – let me worry about the damages and cry, if needed, about the broken Single Barrel Jack Daniels when I get home and open my back pack.

I decided to go through a subdivision to cut my time down getting home.

Soon, I was out the subdivision and turning onto a sidewalk next to Arapahoe Road, a major used road and traffic was at a standstill.

I exited the subdivision and turned onto the sidewalk. Well, I never got onto the side walk. Readers, there are many sidewalks that have different corners. Some have little ramps so bikes can ride up and down without a problem. Others you have to actually lift your front tire since there is no ramp to ride up. On this corner, the ramp is not flush with the street. I think there is about a ½ to 1 inch lip from the end of the ramp to the street.

You guess it readers, with the heavy snow and the angle I was turning onto the sidewalk I caught the lip of the sidewalk and basically caused me to get into my second fucking crash of the evening.

I felt and immediately saw what was going to happen since I kept going straight and not onto the sidewalk. Fuck. Traffic was right there and I do not need to crash into a vehicle. With alcohol all over me I think that would not be a good idea to get into an accident with a motor vehicle.

I grabbed those brake levers fast and hard. I only had about 5 or 10 feet I think before crashing into the side of a motor vehicle.

Not sure what happened next, but I was soon up and over my handlebars and once again kissing Mother Earth on my left side of my body. Again, the sound of breaking glass. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. If that was not the Single Barrel Jack Daniels the first time I crashed then sure as shit this had to be the bottle breaking this time. I do not get touched by an Angel or my luck is never that lucky.

This time around no one called out to me, but a lot of people stuff in traffic saw my endo up and over my handlebars. Technically, this was my first endo of the year.

I was mad after the first bike crash, but after this second un-fucking believable bike crash I could not help to smile and laugh at myself. My left leg was soaked as well as my left shoe and socks with alcohol. Urgh.

About 5 minutes later I was home.

I set the back pack on the table and unzipped the back pack.

Fuck me. Fuck me!

The Single Barrel Jack Daniels was not broken. Not fucking broken! Only three bottle of the Small Batch 471 were broken. One bottle was smashed into oblivion while the other bottles were just broken. Yet, I thought to myself as lucky as I was with the Single Barrel Jack Daniels I was mad that the bottle I traded with my friend should have been broken and not my expensive beer that were. With that thought I immediately let it go since I was oh so fucking lucky that I did not break the Single Barrel Jack Daniels.

I was touched by an Angel

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

8 days remaining, I think.

2010-03-18T16:55:00.004-06:00

Greetings Readers

Taken this morning - I thought that the color palette was striking and then thought if I can photograph this picture great it may be great.

Sexy.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Mudslinger (from Redhook)

2010-03-12T16:30:00.004-07:00

Greetings Readers

My faithful Readers should know my aka

If you are not a faithful Reader then I shall divulge that aka

My a.k.a. (Also Known As) originated after an extensive trip to Seattle, Washington back in the 1990’s

I visited the Redhook “plant” that was/is (sorry Readers as of 2011 I do not have a clue if that is still in operation in Freemont) in Seattle / Freemont and if I remember correctly it is near the outdoor cinema park. What I do remember was the smoke coming from the rocket out front of their building. Someone told me that smoke from the “Blast Off” of the Rocket comes out at the top of the hour.

Anyway, I was very impressed with the microbrew Redhook. Back then I did not even have a clue what a microbrew was. The taste was something unbelievable to me. A definite change from the beer I was drinking back then.

Fast Forward. I soon became a faithful beer drinker of Redhook. Back then there was this beer they made – and perhaps they still do – but I have not seen for a very long time, Blackhook Porter. Oh fucking wow. That beer was the Holy Grail for me. Until, one year I saw they incorporated Starbucks into their beer and made that as a single 40oz bottle. I had that special made beer once and that was that. Never again. Fingers crossed that they do make that again. If I remember I think it called Triple Stout.

Anyway, with me loving Redhook and becoming a regular drinker of Redhook soon the name Redhooktyrant came out of that.

As of today I am known as the “Redhooktyrant” and also use that as a team/individual name when required for any race that needs a team/individual name besides your given birth name.

With the first picture on the blog post I think that this a new type being released this year. Mudslinger. I am not excited about the caramel and as stamped on the six pack carton – “Nut Brown Ale.”

I was not impressed, but I did not say it was not good. Not bad, but I think this is not really a beer that will make me buy more of this Mudslinger. Thinking about it I think it is due to the mix of caramel and Nut Brown Ale. Though, what I did like about Mudslinger was the taste was definitely different from the Blonde, Longhammer, Winterhook, Copperhook to name a few kinds of beer Redhook makes. Please give it a try if they do make next year since it is a seasonal beer. I am sure that I will buy another six-pack next year, if to be produced.

Lastly, the other pictures are pictures of the only bottle of beer (unopened) that I have left from a 6 pack of Blackhook I bought back in 1998. Wow – 12 years ago. That bottle was bottled on 03-04-98.

I rarely keep any bottles of beer, at all. Yet, I was so fucking moved by the taste I had to keep an unopened bottle to show off/keep as a reminder. When I do entertain guests and they see that bottle of beer on my shelf they do ask what’s so special about that bottle of beer. And at that point I tell them and more than they probably expected about that one bottle of beer. Yes, they know I know my liquor and have taste, but know I do know my beer and they agree with me about 90 percent of the time...

Redhooktyrant.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

A new blogging site I think I will be starting on

2010-03-09T18:31:00.004-07:00

Greetings Readers

I think I have found a new "home" - I am testing the posting and entries - I will give the website address in a few days since that most likely will be my new home forthcoming.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Nip / Tuck - Final Cuts - One to go

2010-02-25T12:43:00.005-07:00

Greetings Readers

"I wanted this to last forever. And you know that."
Dr. Christian Troy

And that my Readers is a quote from the the last episode of Nip / Tuck next Wednesday that was in the trailer for the series finale show.

I really love the trailer, simple, and perhaps zen-like. The Piano's single or double melody that I can hear from my inexperience ears. I got a bit choked up and a bit teary eye knowing that this is it Readers. No more episodes left, no more McNamera / Troy, Liz, Kimber, Julia, Matt. and of course Nurse Linda.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Breaking Bad - Season 3 next month

2010-02-08T12:53:00.006-07:00

Greetings Readers

Have you?

The Third season of Breaking Bad starts on March 21, 2010.

Season 2 was excellent. Now, the time for Season 3 has just about arrived.

Spoiler Alert for Season 2 finale.

When we last Walt he had just saw his wife drive off and then two airliners exploding right above his house due to crashing into each other by Jesse's dead girlfriend's father who was the air controller manning the radar station that caused the mid air collision.

Wow.

I am wondering how Season 3 is going to start, but more importantly there was so much damage to Walt's personal life as well as his partner's, Jesse's life - how can it get better?

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete

Samuel Adams

2010-02-05T17:25:00.006-07:00

Greetings Readers

I was watching TV the other day and I was trying to unwind from the day's routine.

So, again there I was watching another commercial and this time a Samuel Adams commercial caught my eye this time around.

I am not a fan of that beer. No, I do not know why I do not care for that beer.

Anyway, I hear the unseen voice say that Samuel Adams has dark colored bottles to keep out the light (sunlight supposedly since the scene showed the beer bottle out in the open.)

And to top that off - the six packs box almost have the bottle holders to the top of the bottle. Almost maximum effect to block out the light.

Interesting.

Interesting that the beer maker is pointing that out to us consumers.

Now, Most of the liquor stores that I have been into the beer coolers are located in the back of the store - basically away from the front windows of the store.

Though, if the store windows were not covered in advertising or ads advertising price specials. Which, at that point, there is not any direct sunlight entering the store.

In addition, I doubt that a Samuel Adams 6 pack will hardly be exposed to sunlight/light long enough for the beer to be "tarnished," if you will. Since the beer is well known and drunk-rotation of six packs in the cooler is probably daily. I doubt that a 6 pack of Samuel Adams in the front of the beer cooler will be there for more than a day. Unless, at a local strip mall liquor store. Where those liquor store cater to local residents and convenience.

Once that 6 pack of beer is in your hands/car, mostly likely that beer will be drunk within the week. Now, if there is a long delivery process of beer from the Samuel Adams beer plant to the liquor stores, then there is a problem right off the bat with "tarnished" beer and being exposed to light.

I am not buying beer as of today for the cardboard 6 pack box that may cover the entire bottle of beers in the 6 pack. I am definitely not buying a bottle of beer for the sakes of a dark brown bottle. If my beer bottle is brown - so be it. If clear - so be it. I highly doubt that I am going to have a brown bottle or clear bottle of beer very long in my refrigerator to worry about light damage to the beer.

I am still going to buy the "common" 6 pack holder of beer and never think twice while looking for a beer to drink if I have to find myself in front of the beer cooler looking for a new beer to try. Matter of fact, if I could not see the bottle most likely I am not going to get that 6 pack a second look.

I look at the packaging and see what type of beer is being packaged/offered - Ale, Pale Ale, Hop, Flavored, Stout, etc. I am not making my decision on the packaging on what beer to try. And since I frequent a large liquor store I know that 6 pack of beer in front of the cooler has been recently moved to the front of the cooler due to presentation and rotation of beer being sold.

And that Readers was just something I thought to blog about. Oh, I don't hate Samuel Adams, but I do not drink that beer.

I find it funny that probably 80 to 90% of the beers that I drink do not advertise on TV. You see I do not need advertising to influence what I drink. Matter of fact, my beer that I choose to drink are from me trying a new beer or on a recommendation from someone.

until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete