tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50147035517411460562024-02-06T22:59:29.644-06:00Football EpilogueLiving, staying healthy and not taking life too seriously. Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.comBlogger324125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-58728736832378972162024-01-07T13:44:00.002-06:002024-01-07T13:44:25.231-06:00SimplifyingI am currently relaxing in my recliner deciding what today's agenda entails. Probably a bit of work on the basement bathroom as well as some cleaning, i.e. nothing profound. Yesterday, I got the new toilet mounted on the flange and installed trim behind it, in opposite order of course. It's interesting how the final install/finishing aspects of a project feel the most satisfying. Framing, drywallMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-15777154725478709972023-12-31T11:14:00.003-06:002023-12-31T11:27:22.869-06:00Retrospective '23 (not my original title)Home Designed/3D printed ornament, 4" diameter. Let me know if you want one, free with shipping. I've often started my posts with the title only to find that my meandering words betray the initial intent. The title does start as a prompt, a passing thought that I think might be worth a few hundred words. The pivot usually happens a paragraph or two in, perhaps I've exhausted the idea or Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-11107227782421165772023-11-04T10:37:00.004-05:002023-11-04T10:37:57.405-05:00All Good Things...These guys at 8th gradeThese guys as seniors and district champs!Last night my son stepped on and off the high school football field for the last time as an athlete. He and his group of 26 fellow seniors had an epic ride that started in their elementary and middle school days. In hindsight the journey feels unbelievably fast, too fast. I feel truly lucky, grateful, blessed to have been able to Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-56811504601070693282023-08-06T11:47:00.000-05:002023-08-06T11:47:03.372-05:00A Quiet, but Exhausting WeekendFinally! A weekend as I enjoy them...almost. Let's say I'm 85% full relaxed and peaceful. Coffee, morning soccer and getting back to some writing. The 15% is due to the muffler on my car having rusted out. I'm pretty sure I just redid most of the exhaust within the last couple of years so I'm a little perplexed that this muffler (well really where the pipe attaches) went so fast. Oh well. Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-7327414782133851852023-08-03T10:23:00.003-05:002023-08-03T10:53:32.227-05:004th Grade BAA Football Calendar 2023
Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-13972955164627457232023-05-06T10:38:00.000-05:002023-05-06T10:38:04.002-05:00Saturday Morning PostNorman Rockwell's "Triple Self Portrait". Borrowed from website: "10 Most Famous Paintings by Norman Rockwell". Prints and such: https://amzn.to/43OWe1HThankfully, I've been feeling a bit back to normal lately. I'm starting to actually feel acclimated and less in a form of "survival mode". All I have to say is it's about damn time!Feeling back to normal, it's time to re-baseline, i.e. get Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-3260567289670352462023-04-23T11:58:00.003-05:002023-04-23T12:03:07.825-05:00The Joys of Home OwnershipA favorite scene from "The Money Pit". Sometimes feels fitting :)Calling weather in the mid-40°Fs (~7°C) comfortable seems absurd but that's the hand we've been dealt at the moment. At least it's warm enough to keep things thawing and to start out on some outdoor projects. I even had a tree cutting/trimming crew out this past week (I've got a recommendation if you need it) to take care of a few Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-51749861696052066122023-04-13T22:17:00.005-05:002023-04-13T22:17:56.514-05:00Writing PromptsUpping my writing "game" has been on my mind lately. One way to exercise the brain and spur some creativity is using writing prompts: story ideas generated by someone or something else. Using prompts are a supposedly a good way to exercise creativity, find some new inspiration, build some endurance at ye olde modern typewriter and just have some fun with; a sort of mental cardio. The Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-57511873836431840102023-04-09T12:45:00.006-05:002023-04-09T12:45:58.235-05:00Why I BlogAs with my last couple of posts, writing has been a tricky endeavor. My head feels muddled and it's hard to linearize my thoughts in a manner conducive to a blog post. Still, I try. It's an interesting problem as there is a lot of stuff I want to write about, but there's enough thinking pulling me away from those items. In essence a lack of feeling centered and in the moment; preventing some Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-6041549564124938912023-02-11T11:18:00.001-06:002023-02-11T11:18:18.746-06:00UpgradeGimbal test print. All pieces printed nested simultaneously.I print, therefore I am...finding myself in an interesting mix of hobby and micro-business. Things started a few years ago and really had little to do with 3D printing and more to do with entrepreneurial curiosity and an easy point of entry. My dad, needing some somewhat consumable parts for a tool (pneumatic nailer) found that the only Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-47682797439437723412023-02-04T12:24:00.002-06:002023-02-04T12:24:33.922-06:00Settling inUgh. It's been way too long since I've done some writing. Ultimately, it would be great to put in a couple thousand words a week. It's the same as exercising/playing an instrument/etc.; the more I do it the better I get and the better I feel. For me, writing has the effect of serializing my thoughts. It gives some manner of order, and priority to all the things buzzing around my metaphorical Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-26402411489304537272022-11-25T08:57:00.000-06:002022-11-25T08:57:31.939-06:00Black FridayListen up you capitalist dogs! Your economy needs you! It's no time to be thinking about saving for the future! Real happiness comes from buying people things they don't need and will forget about within minutes! Let's not forget the real people who matter here, the shareholders. I'm not talking you and your pithy 401k nest egg. I'm talking the ultra-rich, the new-age aristocrats largely born Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-16281854510479546122022-11-20T10:42:00.004-06:002022-11-20T10:42:59.081-06:00A Ramble (about work) I've been having a tough time finding a cohesive line of thought for putting in my blog. I tend to like some structure to what I write, at least a minimal amount of pre-planning. However, that's been tough lately. I think a part of it is the new job. It has me in a state of heightened anxiety as I learn my role. For me, this means results in a distracted level of focus. This is perhaps due Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-19162906697467771992022-10-09T14:50:00.003-05:002022-10-09T14:50:43.242-05:00Chilling in Chicago I'm relaxing in a Chicago hotel room waiting for both the Minnesota Vikings to start playing and for my daughter to emerge from one of what might be the best nights of her teenage life. The two of us ventured here to witness the spectacle that is Harry Styles. The original plan, still intact, is to attend his concert tonight, October 9th. We have tickets and are all ready to go. Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-90580509423104371782022-10-09T11:50:00.000-05:002022-10-09T11:50:23.953-05:00Beautiful ColoradoIt's been a crazy couple of months with the mix of taking on a new job and coaching football. So far I'm enjoying both. I'm admittedly liking the latter a more than the former but that's what things you have a passion for are supposed to be, right? For the new job, I am missing being more deeply involved in technical work; particularly with the magnetic materials that have made the majority of myMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-82424596114119399562022-09-03T08:54:00.002-05:002022-09-03T08:54:11.730-05:00Hard to WriteIt has been a while since my last post. The last two months sped by with my job change, a trip to Colorado and a short bout of Covid. Things are finally starting to stabilize just in time for football season and another year of coaching! I've also been finding myself in a more DIY mode of operation; making slow but steady progress on home improvements, car repairs, yard work and the like. Thus, IMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-47145786136251733192022-06-02T10:17:00.003-05:002022-06-02T10:17:23.928-05:00Between Worlds III'm over 1/4th done with my time in work limbo and thought it would be a good time to check on and tweak the self-imposed "Honey-do" list from last time. Two days ago was more of an "action day" with plenty of time spent in the yard. Yesterday was more of an "out and about" day with a couple of appointments and a "farewell" happy hour to cap off the evening. I think the biggest thing so far Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-13091315505275303552022-05-31T11:33:00.003-05:002022-05-31T11:33:41.843-05:00Between Worlds (Jobs)Image by Pexels from PixabayFriday May 27, 2022. My last day of work for the company I've been with for over 13 years. By most accounts, I should be still heading into the office today. After some toying with the idea of making a job change over much of the pandemic, I had decided to be content. The work was challenging and there were new opportunities to advance the state-of-the-art (in magneticMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-79975800329415648552022-03-26T12:08:00.001-05:002022-03-26T12:08:12.544-05:00Springtime!Image by Jeon Sang-O from PixabaySpring is officially here! The vernal equinox was this past week and now we have more daylight than night. It is amazing how fast the days have become long, extending natural light well into the evening hours. One of my favorite things about Minnesota are the long summer evenings with light on the horizon until nearly 10 pmNaturally, the season change, here in Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-88352982189657376772022-02-21T15:10:00.002-06:002022-02-21T15:10:37.638-06:00Montana Report CardThe first lift up.This is going to be a quick one. I took my kids skiing in Montana a little over a week ago. It was a fun trip. The snow was great (at least for a Minnesota skier) and we left the rockies on Sunday sore, but ready for our next outing. As with my recent flurry of trips, it's a good opportunity to reflect on the food and activity choices. So here's another report card:
.tg {Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-73746560080510705052022-02-20T11:35:00.001-06:002022-02-21T15:11:28.464-06:00Battling on in the WinterI've been using this blog to keep on with my fitness journey quite a bit. I've been writing less frequently as habits are being instilled. Still, it's good to check up and it might be getting time to pivot on to other things that this journey is enabling. First off, a quick check in though. Since the holidays, I've been maintaining my weight fairly well. The added level of consciousness fromMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-79803554386266213052022-01-23T14:25:00.001-06:002022-01-23T14:25:24.993-06:00Walking in a Winter WonderlandImage by Stefan Keller from PixabayWhile I love the song, I have to admit that getting the daily 10k steps leaves much to be desired in winter walking. Before delving into my recent walking challenges, I do have to make a very real brag. With the help of Noom, and may some luck, I was able to maintain my weight through the holidays! I consider this a sizeable victory, as it is tough for anyone toMinnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-39647999278167673552021-11-27T07:18:00.003-06:002021-11-27T07:23:08.029-06:00Thanksgiving Report CardImage by Oberholster Venita from PixabayAnd just like that, Thanksgiving 2021 is a shrinking speck in the rear-view mirror. I'm grateful for having written my previous post as it helped keep me mindful during the feast. Still, there was a mix of good things and areas of improvement. Thus, similar to my travel report card, I came up with one for social/holiday eating scenarios (again I used this Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-7811650465832317712021-11-25T08:00:00.004-06:002021-11-25T08:05:53.721-06:00Holiday Food for ThoughtOne of the big challenges in staying healthy, particularly for those of us who struggle with eating, is when the outside world "pivots" on us after we've established good habits under a certain set of conditions. By this I mean anything from a prolonged change in the weather to an injury or medical condition that might keep us from getting our steps.
I started Noom in May. Living in Minnesota Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5014703551741146056.post-61565545258412676292021-11-17T09:12:00.001-06:002021-11-17T09:12:07.200-06:00Keep it Simple Lunch Healthy frozen lunches for the week.For this healthier me journey to work for me, I require simplicity. As on top of things as it sounds to cook meals at the start of the week, that's actually luxury talk for those who have time and don't mind the cooking and the dishes. I don't mind the cooking, but I abhor the dishes. I also don't think there's much actual cost savings and, for me, Minnesota Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17721018269378438293noreply@blogger.com0