Most Annoying Guy Ever

So I roll over to Einstein Bros for a quick 15 minute lunch (which was quite fantastic, by the way), and I end up sitting at the table next to this guy. Looking at him, you wouldn't guess that he was a bottomless fountain of snot which he masterfully rockets into harmless napkin with the combined noise of all of the vuvuzelas at the World Cup. But he does, proudly, no less than six times during my 15 minutes in his proximity. Add to that the three guttural belches he summoned, from which, I'm pretty sure I felt the heat from as well as smelled last night's dinner. Or maybe he had some other bodily function firing away as well. But, it would be tough to tell over the noise from him continually crinkling his Diet Coke, which clearly is not helping. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be headed back to work. Wow!

Not all those that wander are lost

If you don't care where you're headed, it can be quite fun to see where you end up. Even in a tiny area like mine, you can never possibly see everything there is to see. That's why it's fun to occasionally just venture out and about and try to find something new. For example today, riding around, it was fascinating to roll across an aged structure called "Jack's State Line Inn" in Avella, PA. Jack's advertised Beers n Dolls, in addition to an old tin sign touting drinks, food and fun. It might be fun to venture in there some time just to see their brand of fun.

Another place I'd never heard of was Meadowcroft Rockshelter (http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft.aspx), which is alleged to have been inhabited for more than 16,000 years, since Paleo-Indian times. The place is now operated by the Heinz History Center and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2005 with several key archaeological findings. 

Other things along the way included, Doddridge Fort (http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=20851) and a place in Georgetown, PA where Meriweather Lewis traded in a leaky canoe and for $11, bought another canoe that also leaked (http://lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=2966). Oh, and did I mention that I learned that Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez was from around here. Learned that by driving through his hometown of Langeloth, PA where they have a welcome sign in his honor. Also, learned that a ferret is a domesticated pole cat, thanks to a quick jaunt down pole cat hollow.

Ah, the things you learn. Looking forward to another outing some time soon!

Super Bowl Party

Another great season of Steelers football. I always love having everybody over each week for Steelers games. And, it was especially great getting everybody together for the Super Bowl. I was just sorry that we couldn't deliver a victory. 

Rockin the new avatar in honor of Brett Keisel. Go Stillerz!

via TweetDeck

Steel Is Dead?! Steel is alive and well in Pittsburgh

With all the excitement of the Steelers making the Super Bowl, it's that time of year where the media does that same story on the origin of the Steelers logo.

In fact, there is a great, factual piece on the history of the logo that can be found on the website of the logo owners, the American Iron and Steel Institute.

The story of the Steelers logo (the steelmark) is a fantastic one. And, it gives people great insight to the formation of the Pittsburgh region.

But, there's always that paranthetical remark by media and announcers that "steel is no longer made in the region," "steel is dead in Pittsburgh," or even worse, "steel isn't made in the US anymore." Let me explain why that is horribly incorrect.

While it's true that downtown Pittsburgh isn't packed with side-to-side mills, the fact is that steel IS still made here. In some instances, the quantities of steel made here are in excess of when we had s

ide-to-side mills lining the downtown area.

It just so happens that steel mills can do much more with much less today. In what once took miles of mill space to make steel, modern steelmaking can take place in much cleaner, smaller steelmaking facilities.

Downtown pittsburgh, has become a metropolitan area. But the steelmaking capacity is still here in the region. In just a 25 mile circle from the downtown area, you'll find several steelmaking facilities:

• US Steel Edgar Thompson
• Universal Stainless
• Union Electric Steel
• Allegheny Ludlum (Midland, Latrobe, Brakenridge, and Natrona)
• Whemco
• TMK Ipsco Koppel
• Ellwood Quality Steels
• AK Steel Butler

And, that doesn't include the global headquarters for US Steel in Pittsburgh's downtown area and other corporate offices that ARE in the downtown area.

So, to pronounce steel dead in Pittsburgh, or to dismiss the 80+ million tons of steel annually produced here in the US as dead--just because you don't see it in our downtown areas, is just perpetuating a misconception.

Steel IS still here in Pittsburgh--it's smaller, cleaner and much more quiet than its ominous past. Which, I guess that should be a compliment to its environmental and technical advancements. But, still, PITTSBURGH IS STILL A STEEL TOWN. Go Steelers!

Go Steelers!

Pre-game shot.

Sorry In Advance: I'm working with a trainer and a dietitian

So, let me start this by saying sorry. I've made a commitment to drop some serious weight and it's going to change a few things...at least for a bit.

No, I'm not apologizing for doing something for myself. I'm saying sorry, because I know I've conditioned a lot of people around me to expect a certain level of debauchery when they hang around with me.

Not to take too much credit, but I'm sure I've drug some of you down along with me. In fact, debauchery is the backbone of several relationships. So, I understand it's going to leave a few skid marks when I stop on a dime and make some major changes. I get it. But, you're just going to have to bear with me.

Here's a brief look back and a look for where I'm headed.

During most of the early part of my life, I was thin as a rail. In fact, people often questioned whether I was eating at all. I was undersized for the sports I was playing and I was too thin in general. In fact, I often chuckle now when I see the shirts "I beat anorexia." I was by no means anorexic, I ate like a horse. It just so happened that I played sports year-round and was quite active. So, despite eating like a competitive eating champion on a daily basis, I was still a skeleton.

So, naturally, when I got to college and I was no longer

playing organized sports year-round, I started packing on a few pounds. But, really there was no issue. In reality, through my college years, I packed on several pounds and it really didn't even register as a blip on the radar. In fact, I rather enjoyed having some mass and still relatively being in shape.

Well, enter graduation. Back at home. Still living the college life style. Partying with old friends. Except, I was no longer walking miles to class. I was no longer biking around town. Life was pretty much working retail, finding the beer special of the night and trying to find a job.

If you think your lifestyle couldn't get any more stagnant, you need to find yourself a desk job. Yep, after months of searching and a false-start with the Penguins, I landed a desk job--probably the most stagnant you can be--short of being dead. It becomes a lethal combination. You can finally afford to party like you always wanted to, and you're sitting still more than you ever did in your life.

But, hey, at least I was out every night, right? Well....enter marriage. Yep,

remember that Sunday night volleyball league? It was replaced by game night.

Fifteen years of work and eleven years of marriage later, I'm huge. No, not like reality TV huge, or Godzilla intervention huge. I'm huge for me.

The hints are there. People say, wow, you've changed

since your wedding pix. Translation: "Damn dude, did you eat Woody?" Or simple things like my wife buying me a reinforced outdoor folding chair. "Translation, JIMMY! You're killing my dainty lawn furniture. Here, take a big boy chair and make it your own."

I've dropped 20, 30 pounds before with crash dieting. But, somehow I've managed to re-find them. I'm not in any major health concerns. In fact, I just completed a 9-week 5k running program. So, I'm in at least decent cardiovascular shape. But, the weight isn't coming off like it used to. Something had to change.

I've tried doing it on my own. Doing the treadmill and still doing the fork and 16oz beer curls (sometimes 22oz depending on the brand). But, I wasn't taking off the weight like I wanted to. So, I decided to enlist some pro's.

Now I have a trainer and a dietitian. I've got a goal to lose 20 lbs in one month. Mark your calendar for August 16! But, it is exactly what it's called, a change. So, the old, go-with-the-flow, partying Woody is going to be on the sidelines for a bit.

For the next 6 weeks, my entire diet and workout plan is dictated by this program. Essentially, my routine will be:

• 7am: 1 protein, 2 fibrous
• 10am: .5 protein, .5 fibrous
• 12pm: 1 protein, 1 fibrous, 1 snack
• 3pm: .5 protein, .5 fibrous
• 5pm: 2 protein, 2 fibrous
• 10pm: 1 snack
• 8 glasses of water and some of my old-reliable unsweetened iced tea
• 3 scheduled ass kickings by my trainer

I realize that's going to crimp on the normal modus operandi of how I spend my time with all of you, my friends and family. Hell, it's crimping on MY life...haha. But, much like I did when I went to get my master's degree, I'm just going to hunker down and plow through this.

I expect a certain amount of "you should do it this way," "here just try this," "what, not even one drink with me." I'll just politely nod--or in some cases punch you in the throat.

And, so, here I sit, eating what I would often refer to as "cat food," and writing this blog. Like I said, without giving myself too much credit, I know I created a monster. I know I created expectations that at any given time, I could go out, eat a horse and chug a brewery and not miss a beat.

In fact, I still could do those things, but right now I'm not. That guy's on the bench for at least the next six weeks and most likely on limited duty thereafter. So, I am sorry that it's probably going to cause some panic and confusion among those that expect that from me. But, like all things, it'll work out....once I'm down several pounds....