Free Big Mac's for Everyone!!!

Had an interesting day today which involved: going to the car shop to get my oil changed and new wipers, going to see Sadist Joel (my trainer), dinner at Carmichael's Steak House and then to the Bulls game. A full day by all accounts.

The good thing about the car shop I go to is that they have free wifi. So while they are taking entirely too long to work on my car, I can actually get emails and do work in a relatively comfortable setting. The news is on the tv in the background, there are donuts and they serve a bastardized version of Starbucks. They SAY it's Starbucks, but it's not like any Starbucks I've ever had. Ugh.

My workout with Sadist Joel (my new name for him) was really tough. Did the stairs with the 25 lb weight again, pull-ups, bench press with dumbbells instead of a bar (works on your stabilizer muscles), squats, seated rows, lunges (basically until I couldn't do them anymore), and then hops up the stairs. The later was a bit odd. First I hopped up the stairs one at a time. Then I did them two at a time. Then three at a time! Those who know my issues with stairs, especially at my parents' house, might think this feat somewhat extraordinary. I kind of surprised myself actually.

My conditioning progress is most easily reflected, in my mind, by the number of pull-ups I can do. The pull-up is a function of both your strength AND your weight. If you think about it, you can be strong as hell, but if you have to pull up 300 lbs, it's going to be tough. If you weigh nothing but have no strength, again it's going to be tough. The reason I mention this in detail is that Sadist Joel said he was barely helping me towards the end of the reps. He said it felt like he was picking up a five pound weight or less. Which means, if he's not lying to me, that a little more strength or dropping a few pounds and I could show some real progress.

After my workout, I had some time to catch up on work and then off to dinner at Carmichael's Steak House down near the United Center, prior to going to the Bulls game. The invitation was extended by a banker with whom one of our clients just started banking, as well as several people from auditors that we have placed with two clients as well. The group, ten people including myself, was a good mix and also included a commercial insurance guy with whom I really struck it up and may get some business. If an insurance guy knows ANYTHING about their clients and their financial performance, much less personal issues, then they are someone I want to know. Good business guy. I'm going to set him up with a meeting next week when el supremo is in town.

AND the Bulls scored more than 100 points and won, so everyone gets a Big Mac. Interesting fact about Lakeview Coffee Joe, I've never had a Big Mac or a Whopper. Add that to the having never seen E.T., Rocky and have never smoked anything and maybe you can understand a little more about why I'm single. :-)