grumble-mutter-grumble

I know, I know, you can’t beat the bots. I was “in line”, as they say, no later than 10:00:20am for the 10:00:00 drop.

And I don’t even love the brown ones. I just want to see how the fit is on these things without paying 2x retail for a pair.

It didn’t happen today, but I’m going to get these fucking things at retail.

It’s not much, but I’ll take it.

It’s not much, but I’ll put it in the book as our first snow of the winter.

I’m still holding out hope for a “real” one, since February is usually the month where we get them.

Pizza for the table and a Tecate bucket

A “pizza for the table” (copyright Supertrain LLC) was the best way to start a breezy lunch out at the Lilly Pad, a cool spot right on the James River.

Beer Dinner Outing

Michelle and I have been meeting friends out for monthly-ish beer pairing dinners at Garden Grove Brewing here in RVA.

They pair with local restaurants for a 5-6 course tasting menu. There have been hits and misses, but we love nearly everything we’ve had from Royal Pig.

I don’t know anything about Cambodian cuisine but this menu was a hit (except for the bitter melon!).

Good Bread

This is a request I was happy to fulfill.

Sucks

This is so damn stupid. What an asshole.

Stalling

I’ve got a work exam in the morning so I’m taking macro photos of the Pilot Metropolitan nib between taking notes.

I prefer the Fine point even though it exacerbates my poor penmanship.

2023 USPA Drug Tested River City Classic

I had a pretty good powerlifting meet yesterday. Went 8/9 with state records in each lift. The records were vacated, so I just had to make lifts to get them, but I got them which was cool. In a lot of these strength sports, especially at local meets, there are big guys and there are old guys but it is rare for me to run into other Big Old Guys.
I had a rough training cycle to get to this meet because the holidays didn’t leave me much room to get the work in. My openers were all recent gym maxes and I took some modest jumps on the additional attempts. All of these lifts were well below my lifetime PRs and with any kind of decent training or dedication I could have maybe made a run at a couple of them. It just wasn’t in the cards for this meet. I don’t know why I even sign up for January meets. I always choose the non-training option through the holidays and then I grumble when I don’t do my best.

Small success makes me want to make a more serious run at another powerlifting meet, but I’m also planning to play a lot of tennis this year and the two sports are not especially compatible.

Today, I’m sore but not injured, which is key. I’ll spend 2023 working to find a way to balance the two.

Just 10 minutes

I’ve never been a big incense guy. I don’t mind the smells, I just constantly leave the room while they’re burning and it’s a fire hazard.

Same thing with candles. I had to stop running them when I’m alone in the house because I keep leaving the room they’re in.

This cute(?) little Japanese, match-sized, incense stick is right up my alley. Even I can sit in a room for 10 minutes, probably.

Solid beery Saturday

Started this weekend’s podcast recording (in person with Adam!) with this very solid IPA from Burial Brewing.

Then we moved over to this decent DIPA. Great label but I don’t remember the brewery.

And I wrapped the day with a family outing to a new Mexican place, and standard-issue Negra Modelo, that opened by us. I got the birra tacos and they were delicious.