RECENT PHOTOS

SMITH CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Saw this sculpture in photos by another photographer and felt inclined to go shoot a few photos. The two bands are  the Sin City Sinners and Arena Tribute, both from Vegas.

 

LOCAL BANDS

I was on Fremont Street in Las Vegas shooting an assignment for the local paper and I decided to kill some time shooting a couple of local bands.

MINT 400 OFF ROAD RACE

I AM AN ASS

I AM ALSO AN UNCLE

My youngest brother's ex-girlfriend had his baby on Friday. He came back to my apartment today at about 6am and has been asleep on the couch since then. He woke up briefly at about 5pm when I got back home from working out and the movies (Casa de Mi Padre). We had the following short conversation.

Brother: You're an Uncle
Me: I heard
Brother: Oh you got the Email
Me: On Friday
Brother: It's a girl
Me: Cool
Brother: She has Down's Syndrome
Me: That Sucks

Brother went back to sleep.

I could have come up with a better response but I am still fuming over finding what appears to be not one, but two, drug use pipes in my living room while he was gone for 3 weeks, supposedly working out of town. I am honestly trying to figure out whether or not I am going to throw him out. Admittedly probably not the best time in his life for this to happen but He is a recovering meth addict and I don't need this shit in my house. Because when he gets short for money my shit will start disappearing again. I don't know what else I could have said. There is nothing I can do to make the situation better. I already told him a month ago that the kid is not to come in my apartment. Mostly because my dogs have never been around a baby and I don't know how they would react. I actually like kids. I just don't want to own any and I am not doing any babysitting. Did that once. For about 3 years. Convinced me I don't want my own kids. I believe in whippings and beatings to solve problems and I don't want to be put in that position.

UP TO DATE

BLLLAAAAHHHH!!!

I haven't felt much like working out as of late. I am feeling okay, just no motivation. Admittedly I do have dual hip flexor strains and my work/sleep schedule is constantly in a state of flux. But those are just excuses. I was going good for a while in January and February but totally lost it in the 2nd half of the month. I am going to try and go between photo shoots today. Even if it is just for a half hour or so. I am going to stay away from the elliptical for a couple of weeks as this is all I can figure that is causing the hip flexor problem.

RECENT PHOTOS

Hera are a few photos that I have shot recently. Some for the newspaper and some for myself. Some are low res because I just copied them from my facebook page as the original files were on my laptop and I am to lazy to go find them.

Santa in His Hoopdee - I shot this in front of my apartment. Some one set it up and I saw it while walking the dogs

 

 

 

 

This is what Fremont Street in Las Vegas has become--SAD, SAD, SAD

The opening act for Motley Crue at the Hard Rcok

 

 

Vince Neil - Motley Crue

Nikki & Mick - Motley Crue

Munky - Korn

Johnathan -Korn

My Car Family

LUNAR BLOWOUT

While everyone else was waiting for the eclipse I had a totally different "lunar" experience. I use lunar in the sense of referring to the posterior part of our anatomy that we sometimes expose as a prank. Not so much that as the colon that leads to it.

If you have ever seen the movie "Bruce Almighty" and remember the monkey scene that is the closest that I can come to as far as what I went through last night. I am beating around the bush a little so as not to be too disgusting.

Over the last week and a half or so I have been pretty sick with the flu and my system has been a little messed up. That being said, over the last 3 or so day I have not needed to take a crap. Not that I shouldn't have, I have been eating like a champ. Well I thought I would be alright after I had the occasion to relieve a little pressure yesterday morning. But such was not the case. I work graveyard at a convenience store in Las Vegas and I have to wait til the store is empty so I can lock up and use the restroom. While I was waiting for one customer to lose his cash on the poker machine I had an overwhelming urge to crap. The hell with the rules I was going to lock the customer in the store and do my business. But, alas, this was also not to be the case. Literally from the time I got the urge and could head to the restroom (less than 30 seconds) my colon decided to let loose as I was walking their. I had absolutely no control. I felt as though that monkey coming in out the mexican guys ass in the afore mentioned movie was filling my shorts. I know, disgusting. But shit sometimes happens at inopportune times. The worst part is that all I could do was clean myself up as best as possible and go back to work as I work alone on the graveyard shift. This is an experience that I can honestly say that I hope never has the ocassion to occur again in my lifetime.

WHAT"S UP

WORK ALL DAY

    It's been a couple of months now. I have been working 2 jobs almost full-time. Or one full-time and one 6-7 days a week. The second job (as it were) is as a freelance photographer for the local newspaper in Las Vegas. I wish I could make enough money at this job to make it my sole and only employment. I can make 600-700 a week depending on how many days I work. A little over $800 If I work everyday. That is definitely enough to live on but I can't guarantee how consistent it will be. It could be $800 on week and then $200 the next.....can't live on that. I am actually trying to get back ahead financially after being out of work for almost 9 months. I am trying to save up enough cash to buy a beater car. I have my motorcycle but sometimes a car is much more practical with carrying my gear and such.

FAST MOTHERFUCKERS (IMPRESSIVE TOO)

      One of the jobs I covered last weeks was the Las Vegas NHRA event. Let me tell you if you have never stood 5 feet from a Funny Car or Top Fuel Dragster leaving the starting line you are missing out. That was probably the most powerful (and loud) thing I have ever been around in my life. I have been to the drags before but not that close.
     The pro stock guys (210-220mph) were cool. Plenty loud and fast.  But when the big boys came to the line it was a whole different deal. WOW!!!!!!. Within on run of the cars I was almost begging for ear plugs. Ear piercing would be an under statement. They were ok when they were doing their burnout but once they actually took off down ste strip for real it was a whole new ball game. Not only were t hey loud but the force of their exhaust when they came by felt as though it could knock you over (and I weigh over 270lbs). I was pretty sure fillings were going to rattle free. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

                                          It was Halloween Weekend

                                Jason Line 2011 Pro Stock Season Champion

                                         Hector Arana Jr. - Pro Stock Motorcycles

                                          Yes It is called the Strip

                                                  Spencer Massey

                                         Pit Boss - The Track Mascot

                                Eyes of Spencer Massey -Focused

                                Kenny Bernstein - Should you have to pray

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

MY TRAINING (OR THE LACK OF IT)

    I did a century yesterday. Proud of that. I also know I could have done much better. My training for the last two months has sucked (my diet sucked for most of the year or I would have been at least 50 lbs lighter)

     In February I lost my job and was out of work for about 8 months. At the time I lost my job I said to myself "well I will just realx a little from working and spend more time in the gym". And I did For the better part of 6 months it was like a religion to me. I was in the gym 2-3 hours a day 5-6 days a week. Stairmaster, Elliptical, Life Cycle, Spin Class, walking 18 holes of golf. I went hard at these things. Then in about April I signed up for the RTC Viva Las Vegas Century and I started riding again. Mostly on the trainer initially and then started adding a couple of road rides as I got in better shape. I built up the rides from a base of about 40 miles to a high of about 85 miles by late July. Trust me that is hard in the heat of Las Vegas. And I hate mornings but I would force myself up at ungodly hours so that I could be done before it was hot enough to melt your skin.

About the time I did that 85 mile ride I think I came very close to heat stroke so it knocked me out for a week or  so and the workouts suffered for it. August was okay..but no great. AT the end of August and the beginning of September I spent about a week getting ready to move into a new apartment. That took about 5 days out of my training.

About the middle of the month I started doing freelance photography for a local newspaper again as well as starting a graveyard position at a local convenience store chain. This resulted in a grand total of 11 workouts in September. None longer than an hour and a half. Most 1 hour or less. Most on my trainer.

October was definitely not any better. I had a grand total of 3 workouts before my Century ride. 2 of these were  a long ride on Monday's and the third was a trainer ride. My longest ride was just under 60 miles.

As the time without a job grew longer and longer my drinking kept increasing. Which increased my eating and decreased my motivation for the gym. Not a great combo when you are trying to get in shape and lose weight. I am so glad I am working because it has severely decreased my drinking. Mostly due to a lack of time. But also because I have less stress in life.

All this being said I am proud of the fact that I went thru with the Century and completed it in a respectable time. My goal for the next year is to find a way to fit in my workouts, get in better shape, actually lose weight and do a century again next year. The goal will definitely be to do it in under 6 hours of riding time.

I CAN CHECK THAT OFF OF THE BUCKET LIST

RTC VIVA BIKE VEGAS 103 MILE RIDE

     I felt much better than I had any right to feel during and  after this ride. I was woefully under trained and probably should have backed down to the 60 mile ride. But no, I am a masochist. Finished in 6:40 of actual riding time.

     By all rights I should be writing a post that is titled "How Not To Train For A Century Ride". But apparently you can do less training than is necessary for a Century and still finish well and comfortably. I don't recommend it but it is doable. I way 275 pounds and I was pushing all but the hardest of hill with many of the so called healthy people. Makes me wonder what I could have done if I was maybe 80 pounds lighter and actually in shape. I am thinking under 5-1/2 hours easy.This ride had over 5000 feet of climbing and that beat me up pretty bad . Especially the 5 miles into the Red Rock Loop. You gain well over 1000ft in the first 5 miles. One tough mother.and there were a couple of other pretty good hills that I wish I had a 28 tooth gear to make life easier for my fat ass. I don't think I will do a lot of centuries, that is a lot of saddle time......but maybe 1-2 a year just to see if I can get better.

Enough for now I had 5-6 beers after the ride was over ( I still haven't peed) and I am feeling the effects. I was trying to get my kidneys working again. I read a long time ago that a couple of beers is a good way to do that if you are a little dehydrated after a marathon. I drank a lot during the ride and only had to pee once at the 20 mile mark. Should be peeing soon.