Several random things make a post

[hrj]

Wandering through Toys R Us is a very depressing experience. Wandering through Michaels craft store is similarly depressing. Whatever happened to providing the simple, basic building blocks of play and creativity? Why is everything so over-packaged and over-promoted and over-determined? All I wanted was a doll-sized bicycle helmet (for the Deathraven mascot). Dolls, evidently, do not ride bicycles. However, I did find something that will be a lot more fun to ... well, you'll see.

I've been trying out an iPhone app called "Nutrition Menu" that performs a lot of the same functions as my from-scratch nutrition and fitness spreadsheets. (I decided I needed to do some re-calibration, so I've started detailed tracking again for a while.) Back when I did detailed tracking before, I tallied food and exercise separately: each had their targets, but I didn't integrate the numbers. This app keeps a running balance for the day incorporating both numbers. I don't think I'm fudging the inputs, but I find it hard to believe that, entirely ignoring basal metabolism, I have burnt more calories than I consumed today. (That is, the exercise numbers alone outbalance the food numbers.) To be sure, I maxed out on the exercise options for the day (bike commute, 10 mi. bike ride at lunch, 500+ cal elliptical routine, full weightlifting routine -- I don't usually do them all on the same day). But still. I'll do a full review of the app sometime soon.

Near-constant web access is a Good Thing when you're standing there in the fabric paint section of Jo-Anns trying to remember which colors you need to match for the Death Ride logo.

Have I mentioned that my DSL access is working again? I finally got around to calling AT&T on Friday, they sent someone out the same day, he fixed a bunch of corroded wires, and it's All Good.

Comments

[hyperparasitoid.livejournal.com]

I find Michael's depressing too. "Papercrafting" in particular depresses me. And apparently fake-flower-arranging is the art form of the 21st century.

[(Anonymous)]

My top favorite toys were: The box our new freezer came in, several prune boxes, old broken telephones, my model horses and my bike. I don't think children learn to play by themselves.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Try the Build a Bear Workshop store. They sell things like bike helmets for stuffed animals.

[gunnora.livejournal.com]

Here's one on eBay.