Running.

So, I've recently started running (again) and this time actually feel pretty into it.

I went out and bought some proper running shoes (which are like running on clouds) and they make a huuuge difference in how it feels.

I've never owned any Nike products before in my life, but upon trying on a bunch of shoes and reading some info I put aside my "fuck Nike products" stance and settled on the LunarGlide 2:

So fucking comfy

I also started reading about this Nike+ shit they have and it sounded like an awesome way to track progress/get inspired so I picked up a Nike Sportband which also comes with a sensor you put in your shoe in a little slot under the liner.

+

The thing is cool because it tracks your distance, calories burned, pace...and something else I forget at the moment.

Remove the little unit from the band itself and plug it into a usb port on your computer and it uploads all your run data automatically and then shows you a cool chart.

Totally unnecessary for running, I know, but honestly, something like this goes a long way for inspiring me to get off my ass. I love tracking progress, setting goals and just having a visual to look at after a run. It's a genius product in its own right.

Technological shit aside, I've found running to be real therapeutic in a way. I swear, I hit my wall pretty early on (I am out of shape. I know this.) but forcing yourself to keep going is such a great feeling because eventually, that feeling of "jesus christ, I'm going to fucking fall over and die" fades away and you get a real good jolt of energy and then feel like you can go for as long as you want.

I take it easy and have just tried to go a bit further every day, it's amazing how fucking sore I was after the first few days. It was near impossible to climb some steps. But once again, force yourself to run some more and I guess your body just gets used to it, because I still feel it in my legs, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was.

It's all about just wanting to feel a bit better and more fit. I've always thought about joining a gym or something, but realized all I truly like to do is run or bike and why pay money to run on a treadmill or something when I can do it for real and get some glorious fresh air while I am at it?

I haven't really started any diet as of yet, but I plan on cutting back certain things in my life, certainly. I'll just never cut anything out completely. Fuck that.


Short version of this post: I love running.

Watch. If you want.

I've been messing around a bit more with the ol' Go Pro camera and tried mounting it to the tank using the suction cup again and got this on a quick test run:




Pretty cool view, I think.

I'm always amazed at how wide the thing shoots. It lacks any sort of preview to check your shot, but realistically, as long as you're pointing it in the general direction you want to record, it is fine.

I'd like to take a moment to complain about Windows Movie maker and its inability to know the difference between various aspect rations and also resolutions. So annoying. It simply would not encode the video at the same resolution (1080P) as the original file, even using the "custom" settings.

As a result the videos will never look as good as when I first pull them off the camera, but whatever. Youtube steals even more quality in order to make them watchable anyway.

I have nothing else to say.

11 DAYS!

I HEART SAMUS.


Please don't suck...

Planet Earth.

I've wanted to watch this series (BBC version) since it was first produced, but never have. I almost bought the DVD set several times and, finally, a few weeks ago grabbed it on Bluray since it was on sale.

I proceeded to watch it and be in absolute awe.

The scenes and shots captured in this documentary are nothing short of amazing, and that's no exaggeration. It's incredible. The amount of time and dedication put into this thing were huge and it paid off extraordinarily.

"71 cameramen and women filmed in 204 locations in 62 countries on all seven continents, spending more than 2000 days in the field" says wikipedia




If there ever was a project more suited to selling people on High definition video, this is surely it. Absolutely mind blowing.

It's one of the most beautiful things I've seen. I found out that I could watch a great white leap out of the water all day long and not get bored of it, or watch a polar bear slide down a hill, or see a river form, or volcanoes erupt or...you get the point. It's extensive without dragging (not that I think it could, because I still craved more after the 11 episodes were over)

The episode focusing on caves is probably my favourite. I can't believe some of the stuff I saw.

It reinforces the fact that we live on a truly amazing planet and makes me glad to be alive. There's so much beauty.

It also depresses me, I have to admit, seeing what humans have done earth, and will continue to do without learning.

It makes me downright sad, actually. The series does a remarkable job at making you feel almost like an alien from another planet looking in, and I think that's part of why it's so depressing. Cause eventually, you go hop in your car and go to work or something and it's just...gross.

This documentary should be forced viewing for every single person alive.

If you've already seen it, you probably agree.

Firefox 4, you are FAST.

Apparently I've got a lot of fluid in my ear. Or that tube that connects your ear to your everything else.

I started having the feeling you feel when your ear needs to "pop" but it never did and stayed like that for a day and a half almost. Most sounds were muffled but certain things were almost magnified to the point that it felt like a drill puncturing my brain.

I couldn't even sit up because it bothered me so damn much.

I went to the doctor the other day and he reccomened I try some over the counter nasal congestion spray for a few days and see if that works.

Yes and no, I would say. Much better than before, but the feeling still seems to come and go randomly and holy fuck is it annoying.

Dude seemed to think there's no real infection...yet, but I don't know. I shall give it a few more days.

In other news I don't know if the gang (you know who you are) still plan on camping anywhere this summer, but I am probably correct in assuming the answer is no.

That said, I'm pretty sure I am gonna book some time off late August or early September regardless and either put some decent mileage on my bike and hit some more distant places, or sit at home and relax. Probably a combination of the two.

My hours seem to be up and down and all over at work, but even then, it's exhausting to me and I feel like I need some real time away from there.

I guess it'd be nice to have the means to take a real honest to god vacation...but...no.

Anyway, time away from work is vacation enough, even if I sleep for a week and a half.

Got a new razor a while ago after doing some reading. This fine piece of German steel was pretty expensive (yet affordable as far as quality razors go), but the way I look at it is that so are disposable/electric razors (which I hate) so whatever. This thing'll last forever with proper care, and the difference between it and the crappy ones I used to use is truly night and day. It's incredible.

I've got nothing else to say.