Random randomness

[greatbear]

For the progheads out there in LJ-Land, an article and video of Robert Fripp in the studio recording sounds for Windows Vista (Windows Media video, natch)

Brokeback Mountain has finally opened in local theaters here. I hope to get out and see it soon.

I found a pic of me from about 20 years ago, when I bought the piece of land my house is currently sitting on. The plot of land originally had a house on it many moons ago, but it had been abandoned for some time and was eventually burned down. The land when I purchased it had been totally overgrown, but had remnants of the past owners still in place; a stable-like building that was falling down, some fences (also falling down) and several old-fashioned apple trees. The trees were quite productive and until I built the house, left in place and harvested from for a few years. Sadly, most of the trees had to go since they were in the area where the house was to go. I managed to leave a couple intact, which still produce some of the best 'cooking' apples. A huge maple tree here was overgrown with poison ivy. I had a friend come around with a big A-C wheel loader to help me clean things up. Here is the pic, with me hoisted up in the loader bucket. The green you see is just a portion of the poison ivy. And yes, I am shirtless and handling the stuff without gloves. By now you can tell that I dont get poison ivy:


And yes, it's the days before the beard, I think at the time I had my meathead fu'chu stache. And almost a mullet. And a lot less belly.

EDIT: Due to requests (and my own curiosity), I rescanned the picture to a much higher resolution, cropped and adjusted the levels to see exactly what I looked like back then. I believe the pic was taken in '86. The cheesey stache came later in the year, it's fairly 'normal' here. Bleah.

Comments

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Shame you don't have a close up of that woof!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Okay, I did a close-up. It aint much. Click on the cut at the end.

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Woof! Not bad, not bad at all!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You've given me inspiration that there is still hope for me as I get older. Even at my best I could not benchpress what you are doing now (365 vs, what, 425?).

Well I am a stubborn old mule....

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

that got a very late start at this. I've recently gotten a bit of competition from a certain tall Brit back east that thinks he is going to best me! I can't have that now, can I? -G- It is a good competition though and we will both benefit from it. My next goal is 495# by easter. It will be a stretch to make it safely, but I didn't think I would get to 425# either.

Re: Well I am a stubborn old mule....

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

You gotta fill me in on some of your tricks (as well as stuffing Louk into a box and mailing him over here for some serious trainer action!). I think the competition is good. You and the other fellow should keep score. lol

495# by easter? Yeow!

Re: Well I am a stubborn old mule....

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Louk is a pocket bear, and I would like to capture him into a dark place someday, but his partner would object after a bit. He is very good though and pretty as a new penny.

Well theoctothorpe, my competitor, whoops my butt on arms (the boy has 20" guns), but I have him on chest and legs. He is hell bent to catch me on chest though and is screaming through the plates. His only problem so far is that he forgets to eat. Not sure how we match up on back and shoulders, but I expect I'll find that out next weekend when I visit NY. He is young though and probably will pass me on everything but chest, that is my strong point.

I've had to stay out of the gym for 3 weeks so when I get back next weekend, I'll probably find that I have lost quite a bit of ground. But, I just ignore the urge to short cut and dig my way back up. I think I will make 495# by easter, but if I miss, it won't be by much. I've finally learned how to isolate my pecs from my triceps on the bench and it actually makes the job easier.

What I need to concentrate more on is hamstrings and quads. (glutes, of course) My legs are skinny from the knees up, or at least that is how they look to me.

Re: Well I am a stubborn old mule....

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Yikes. How I wish I could train with you guys.

Re: Well I am a stubborn old mule....

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

Now that would be fun. I am loooooong overdue for a visit to the DC area, many friends that I have not seen in 6 years. One of my best buds lives in Balto and I miss him a lot. I hope that one of my trips back home (90 miles north) I can get down there for an overnight, if so I'll let you know and maybe we can have a go at it in the gym. I can't say if theoctothorpe could make it down as New York is a bit far to come for an overnight and he does have someone at home to consider. Of course, the workout this weekend has been nixed and theoctothorpe has let me know that he will not let me go against my doctor's orders even if I should try. :( We've gone to the gym together about 4 times, but have yet to actually work out together and I'm looking forward to that opportunity.

[beardoc.livejournal.com]

When did you grow your beard and why? And was it before or after you discovered the bear subculture?

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I started growing the beard around '90, but would shave it back to a 'stache in the summer months. The beard became permanent about '95 I guess, but mostly to offset the increasing chrome-dome. It was before bear culture when I started, but it just happened that I decided to leave it right around the time I discovered 'bear culture'. Lately I shave to a van dyke in the hottest part of summer to be more comfortable.

[envirobear.livejournal.com]

I've got to agree that we need a CLOSEUP! Woooof! But a word of caution in case you find yourself in poison ivy again: I used to teach botany, and for many years, I would would wade into the stuff, pull some vines and leaves to show my students...NEVER a problem. Then a DJing bear who knew that I did plants dragged me out for a weekend of camping and hiking, with the idea that I'd teach him more plants. At the edge of a trail in the limestone cliffs along the Illinois River, he stopped and demanded "Is this POISON IVY?" I grasped a leaflet with the tips of ONE finger and thumb, told him YES, explained how to tell, and released it. We kept hiking, and I used that hand to push my hair off my sweating forehead. Monday morning, back at work, several colleagues commented about me breaking out...and a street person suggested that I see a doctor about what he assured me was syphillis. I went to see my doctor, who despite my telling him about what happened, forced me to stay there for 4 hours until blood work came back...he walked into the examination room and said "I guess you were right...it must be poison ivy instead of syphillis...but this has to be the WORST case I've EVER treated. What were you doing, ROLLING IN IT?" It had spread on my face, arms, legs, chest, and stomach...and it took one $130 steroid injection to fix. (I didn't go back to that doctor, either.) You can be exposed to poison ivy several times before your immune system finally "understands" it...and the next time after that--BOOM!--you react. And it gets worse every time after that. So please BE CAREFUL around it...it IS miserable, and I wouldn't wish it on ANYONE...except for maybe Pat Robertson, Tom Delay, Dick Cheney, Rick Santorum, and George W. Bush *GRIN*

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I still am not affected much by it, only if I have scratches or cuts that the poison gets into do I get any sort of itchy reaction, but it's relatively minor. Not a year goes by that I dont encounter the stuff. I know a buddy that didnt used to be affected, and he blew up like a balloon one year. I also know a few that have very severe reactions to it. That picture alone is enough to probably make them start itching. lol

[http://users.livejournal.com/_angry_alan/]

Whoa.. almost like Tarzan.
Sans long hair... and WITH pants.

[in-fin-i-ty.livejournal.com]

Amen! And big butch machinery!

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Unlike some, I dont consider front-end loaders just a fashion accessory. lol

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I had the long hair at one time too. Blame the 60s/70s.