Turkey Day!

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and safe too! We have it so good here, we're thankful for so much. I miss getting together w/ the family for the holidays, that's definatly the hardest part of living so far away! Mom- we went skiing today though, and the snow was perfect!! We hosted thanksgiving here, at our house, with some friends of ours, that also don't have nearby reletives.

I was looking for a nice turkey picture for the holiday to post on the blog, so I typed in 'turkey' on google images... and this is the first hit:

Can you believe it? Is that how you would like to spend your thanksgiving? Getting dropped in oil, I'm sure is right up there. We did not have a full turkey, but we did cook a turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams (some tofu also), the whole deal.

Oh yea, did I mention that the skiing is officially awesome.

We'll be skiing the rest of the weekend.

That's all!

Ironman Update.

My de-ironing progress continues. I started out with a ferritin level of 1090, in June, and now, over 5 months and 23 phlebotomies later, I'm at a miniscule 231!!! Yea twenty freaking three pints in 24 weeks - one short of 3 gallons. But don't worry, I'll be hitting 3 gallons tomorrow (that's alot when you look at a one gallon jug of apple juice). A ferritin level of 231 puts me within the -normal- range for a non-iron overloaded person (normal range for ferritin level is somewhere around 30-300). WOO HOO!

This was nothing short of great news, but I'm not done yet. The doc said the goal will be to get the ferritin between 10 and 30. I'm still under going weekly phlebotomies, for a few more weeks, so it will be important to make sure I don't actually run out of iron, which would lead to anemia.

On the fitness front, I ran in yet another 5k run last weekend (the COCC turkey trot) and I made it to the finish in under 19 minutes. I was proud of my friend Sean, and my friend Erika, who were the overall winners of the race. That wraps it up for running races in 2006. In fact, probably racing period. I'm planning some big events for 2007, many of which include pedaling a bike.

Here is a teaser for my next post: [11/23 update: you'll have to wait a few more days :) ]



bye.

Apple CRAP-ple.

Apple iPod nano: completely remastered
Apple MacBook: intel core 2 duo

Yea, in the past few months I got a new ipod, and what do you know, a few days later they came out with a new, even cooler nano with more storage and more battery life. yippie. We got a new MacBook at the same time, and now, what do you know, they have come out with new faster MacBooks. What the hell. It's not like I hadn't waited 5 years (or more) for the next sweet laptop to come out. I could never bite the bullet, because I figured a newer faster one would be offered next month or next year. So what happens when I finally get a laptop? Well, exactly what I thought would happen. Aside from the bad timing, I have to say I'm totally impressed w/ the macbook and it has more than likely converted me to an apple user, instead of PCs only. I only should have waited a few weeks.

I've been a bit sick the past couple days, nothing major, but hopefully it goes away because it's lame.

There was a trace of snow on the Mt batchelor web cam today, so we might just be skiing by Thanksgiving afterall.

I was 2nd in the 10k last weekend but I should've been 1st. I'm chaulking that up to having 22 phlebotomies in the past 23 weeks. That's right, 2 more to go, and I've got 3 gallons. My next appointment at the doc is Nov 21st, so there'll be a full update of de-ironing progress.

MacForest 15k

One of the best 15k trail runs is held each fall in Corvallis every year. The course has gains and loses about 1000 feet, so it's challenging, and it's held in MacForest which is resembles a rain forest after living in central oregon for the last 2.5 years.

The race is usually on the day that the clocks get switched back one hour. So basically you have tons of time before the race to get there, so you can sleep an extra hour. So for whatever reason, I had it in my head that the race started at 10:30am. We didn't get off to a super early start, but I didn't consider us running late. That is, until the gas light went on in the Subaru, (which means get gas immediately if the wife is in the car). So we got gas in Corvallis. As we were heading to the race, I glanced at Laurie and asked, 'it's at 10:30, right?' She replied: "I don't know, It's at TEN THIRTY, isn't it, Ryan?" in a sarcastic sort of way. I was the reason we were going to this race so obvioulsy I was the one that need to have the details right. So as we were pulling in to park, I was thinking we missed the start, because there were other cars parked, but there were only cars, no people. So we parked the car, and then like clockwork, Jazzy, our dog, ralphs all over the back of the car. (And I mean a big puke.) The plan was to have Jazz stay in the car while we ran, so no Lauire is stressing because the dog is sick, and we were thinking well should we just turn around, and go home? I think we both felt like doing that. We managed to get the car cleaned up so the dog wasn't laying in puke, and then jogged toward the start. Again, it was pretty desserted, excpet for the timer, and a few spectators, I knew we'd missed the start but I asked someone anyway. We went to get our race bib, and started about 15 minutes late. I ran the first mile w/ Laurie, and then proceeded to catch half the field, and Laurie ran the whole course passing a good amount of people as well. I'm proud of her finish, as she wasn't really 'pumped up' for this race (at all). So I didn't break any records but I did manage to run the last 8.3 miles in 58 minutes and 30 seconds.

Maybe do another 10k this weekend in Powell Butte.

Until then.

Running lately

Not much new. I ran the Sisters Scramble 10k last weekend, and was pretty satisfied with how it went, considering. This weekend it's Mac Forest 15k trail run in Corvallis, and on Nov. 4th it's the Lords Acre 10k in Powell Butte. After that hopefully we have some snow? I heard it's snowing in the rockies, and there have even been reports of skiing in the midwest. We should be skiing soon. Speaking of skiing, there's some new technology in ski poles. I know, you're thinking it's that new swix pole that looks more like a blade and is really strong and really light. Nope, it's called a coldpole, and you can read about it by clicking here. It might come in handy toward the end of the birkie if you can manage to keep it thawed.

We're going to Portland for the weekend. Planning to stop at Silver Falls state park on the way out to see if the falls are really silver. I need some new photos.

Hasta Luego

the mix

Last year I came out with a music mix. Ok it's just a bunch of pop songs, and some you might like some you might not. This year, I will again build a mix, and it'll be coming out sometime within the next 3 months. Get ready, because this years mix is going to send shockwaves through the music world. There are still openings, so if you have any requests for the 2006 mix, drop me a line. You know how to get ahold of me. Email. Comment. Phone.

Here's last years mix (code named Kyle's mix, for obvious reasons).

1. The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)
2. beck - ghettochip malfunction (hell yes) [remix by 8-Bit]
3. nine inch nails - Only
4. butthole surfers - dracula from houston
5. gorillaz - feel good, inc.
6. the killers - sombody told me
7. blur - song 2
8. weezer - hash pipe
9. weezer - island in the sun
10. eminem - lose yourself
11. si*se - sometimes
12. si*se - more shine
13. alanis morissette - crazy
14. madonna - hung up
15. live - the river
16. live - white, discussion
17. the killers - mr. brightside
    

This weekend I'm gearing up for the Sisters Scramble. A 10k trail run through the woods. The compeition will be feirce, but we're drinking the good drink and eating the good eats, so we should be bringing the 'A' game tomorrow. It would be sweet if I hadn't had to donate NINETEEN pints of blood in the last 20 weeks. You do the math. That's more blood than 2 of me can hold at one time. In anycase, I'm feeling pretty decent and should be able to rip off a sub 40 minute 10k. Costume might be in effect.

end.

new URL - same spot

The new URL www.nessski.com is operational. Sort of. Give it a shot.

It'll just bring you right here to nessski.blogspot.com, but please update your bookmarks to www.nessski.com if you have them, and I know you do.

NHL prediction

The 06-07 nhl season is young, and I intended to get this out before the season started, but here goes. I predict that the Minnesota Wild will win the stanley cup this year. Here's how it will play out:

East finals: Pittsburg (wins most improved club over last year - worst to first almost) vs. Montreal. West finals: Minnesota vs. Detroit

Minnesota will crush Montreal in 5 games, and it won't be over until June. A homer pick you say, picking your home town MN wild? No way. OK maybe just a little bit. The Wild finally opened up the pocket book and signed some goal scorers: former SCSU star Mark Parrish and Pavol Demitra, to go along w/ all star Marian Gaborik (or also pronouced 'mary ann' by wild coach Jacques Lamaire in all of his interviews - classic). That offensive strategy will work great, along w/ Lamaires defensive coaching style. It will be great to see Lamaire match up against the Canadiens.