poop on a rope...

well i've been sitting around trying to figure out what i really want for Christmas and i pretty much have everything i want. Lord know's i have all that i need. i've been thinking about bariatrics lately. i've been this size for almost 2 years and i don't see me changing any time soon. my knee is jacked up and has been for all year. now the therapist is suggesting massage therapy. now if you add the therapy i am going to plus add the therapy for massage and the cash is getting up there.

i keep thinking if i handle the real problem it will fix my others. i'm going to see what my options are and talk to my ortho and get his opinion on fixing my knee issues now that my therapist is recommending massage.

on a different note Roubaix has been eating my floss and it worried me until the poop on a rope incident yesterday. imagine floss hanging out of kitty attached to poo with said cat running around trying to get it off/out of her. surreal scene for sure. she got it out and grabbed the toilet paper and flushed said poop and string. she had shots and she's lethargic wanting to snuggle and sleep on me. what a change of pace.

griffen is loving on his sister more and more. i watched him clean every inch of her today. i think it's more to put his scent on her than to clean her though. as in "i own you bitch" LOL. anyways i know for 100% certainty NO MORE KITTIES FOR ME. two is enough and two is perfect. boy and girl, long and short, young and old (for now) one antisocial and one social butterfly. couldn't be more satisfied.

-poop cleanin' dominator

-dominator

back from nor cal and MOTIVATED...

in addition to the chicks there being hot, they're into riding, hiking and swimming. Dallas chicks you can learn from this: get your ass outside it makes you sexier. the women in our office were very cute, friendly and in shape and into being outdoors. "girls so hot they'll melt your popcicle"

then i started thinking "if i were to date a girl like this i wouldn't be able to keep up on a hike or bike" that's when i decided to make a change. my knee is jacked up, my ass is too fat to fit into my cold riding gear and i'm totally out of shape. this must change!!! i ordered some cold gear that will fit me, bought a pullover and a jacket i can wear if i start walking and scheduled up rehab appointments this and next week.

stay tuned...

-california gurl motivated dominator

in the bay area...

so i'll be here in the california bay area until tomorrow afternoon. i forget how gorgeous it is here. now i know why people are willing to pay 10 percent state income tax. that said i'm a texan and will probably never leave the state to live for long periods again. but this place make me wonder. anyways, i'm here seeing how my company does business so i can write software to replace what they are using now. so my trips to san fransico will be rare for sure.

the knee is crazy swollen and i can't wait to set up my rehab appointments and start getting this thing back on track. i will get this thing back on track for sure. 2010 was a year of new beginnings and transitions. new car, new cat, new job, heck new house cuz i refinanced a new 30 year mortgage cuz the rates were so low. so 2011 will be the year i think i really make a difference as far as cleaning up my health, finances, house (literally LOL)

-san fran dominator

Happy Thanksgiving...

what am i thankful for: A LOT

NON-MATERIAL:

• Family
• Friends
• Cats
• peace in my spirit
• new job

MATERIAL:

• house
• car
• bikes
• computers

i'm so pleased with my life and the things in it, that if i was a billionaire i would only make a handful of changes to it. have a happy thanksgiving everybody.

-turkey, stuffing w/gibblet gravy dominator

i now have a Griffen and Roubaix...

i've been in the spirit of new beginnings these past few weeks and as you all know i have a kitty sickness. it's like my bike and computer sicknesses. i have no idea why i LOVE kitties so much but i do. i LOVE bikes and computers too and have no idea why.

any ways so i went to buy the last airbender blu-ray with my gift card so it was only 2 bux. and next door to the best buy is petsmart. i usually go in there and look at the kitties. i will stare at them for a half hour at a time. i try to see if they would be compatible with griffen. well there was this lil orange tabby that played with her litter mates yet laid on them when she was done. outgoing personality with cuddling tendencies. a perfect fit for mr griffen. i decided she was the one. i brought lil Roubaix [roo-bay] home thursday.

yeah i know that a single dude with multiple cats isn't a good look. but i will only ever have these two. that i know for sure. one boy, one girl, one long hair one short hair. both are lap cats so i'll have more than enough company on cold nights. Roubaix is named after the famous spring classic Paris-Roubaix as well as the Specialized bike of the same name. we Creole's have a French connection (note my name is French) and lastly if you say her name wrong it's Ruby and she's a red cat.

back to training talk. now that i left that sorry ass job that made me fat and stressed out i feel a lot more positive now. i've started rehab and they want me to start hitting the gym. i will make a point to go this tuesday. seeing as how i put off going to rehab because i wanted the time to go on interviews my knee has degraded some. but i'll blog more about that tomorrow. take care peeps.

-crazy cat man dominator

happy veteran's day...

ok, so the cat is out of the bag finally. I'M QUITTING. i was very relieved to give my notice on monday. i don't and have never mentioned the company name here or the owner of the dalas [sic] mavs because you can have google send you a report any time a word or phrase ends up in their search results.

i don't want them reading this shit no matter what i talk about. just because i would never work for certain people again if they had the last job on earth doesn't mean i'm going to flame them publicly for no good reason. but that said i'm a happier person already. i hate to blame any person place or thing for my weight but everyone that has known me knows that i haven't been the same since i started this job.

i started 12/11/2007 and the THIS blog started 12/22/2007 so i can't wait to see where this blog will go after this job is over.

one major thing that gives me hope is that my new job is 1.5 miles away from the house!!! that means i can eat out of my refrigerator and have access to River Legacy for breakfast lunch or dinner!!! i used to love going down to RL for a quick lap on the mtn bike trail for lunch.

-much happier dominator

monday...

the blog will pick up after monday...i promise...

-dominator

been quiet...

the blog has been quiet for reasons most people know about following my facebook. until i get some stuff figured out i'm kinda leaving this public record of my life unupdated.

-dominator

surgery went well... at home recovering now...

-dominator

i'm back...

well, i have (hopefully my last) knee surgery scheduled in the morning. just a quick cleanup that doc expects me to be back to work on monday. i do too. in fact i told him that if i couldn't be then don't do anything once you get in there. the no eating after midnight thing kinda sux cuz i'll miss my coffee in the morning. will update all social media after i get out.

-dominator

poundage missing...

this will be the last post until i start back working. but needed to state i am down 15 lbs from my all time high on 8/3 of 365. i wanted to keep this to myself but that nasty comment someone made the other day prompted me to share. one note to the person that made the comment. i have ip tracking turned on and i know where you were when you made that post. and i have a VERY good idea who you are. so LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE you little shit.

to everyone else i thank you for being so supportive of me. i love you guys i and i love that you encourage me to continue sharing.

-15 lbs less dominator

no more anonymous comments...

you got something to say to me? you have my other accounts for commenting or you can sign in.

-dominator

inaugural touareg ride...

so today after griffen woke me up i decided to suit up and drive to river legacy. this was the first time i've driven down to river legacy with the bikes in the back of the touareg. more on the ride in a minute but i still drive slow and look at the top of the car as i'm pulling into the garage. after driving into the garage 3 times with the bikes on top i have to say to i'm a little shell shocked.

i took the compact out today. i have been riding around with the ybb and the compact in the back but decided today that i need to be focused on riding the road bike. i'm a ways away from riding off road and all group rides are road rides so i need to be riding the compact. the ride was quick and only 30 mins. the hands are still trying to get used to riding.

as i promised the touareg pics are below. notice there are no glamor pics of the car because the car upgrade was more about the bikes than it about the bling...

the compact is on the special holder i made with the clip, 2x4, screws and velcro. that bike aint goin' nowhere... the velcro is so strong that when i flip the seat up it stays stuck!!!

the compact is already loaded

but the the ybb wants in too :-( notice the 2x4 with room for another bike...

now the ybb peepin through the back window all nice and snug

one big happy family all nice and comfy

there is still a back seat that even i can sit in that makes 2 bikes and 3 passengers

view from the back seat

view from passenger side

reppin' tha duck!!!

reppin' tha school!!!

the new plate for the touareg!!!

T for (touareg, triathlon, tha ivy league)

-touareg dominator

whats'a happenin'...

it's been a minute since we last spoke. what has been going on? well i put in for medical leave to have surgery on sept. 1st and got it approved. what surgery? personal stuff i've been putting off. but the major point is that because my leave is for almost 3 weeks i have been working like crazy to get things finished up at work.

my roommate from Penn, Joe, came down on the 3rd and hung out with me and Griffen gettin' our "Hard 8 bbq" grub on. we was the last of the 911 boyz to make it to Texas. so that was cool.

to pick up where i left off with "mission:aerobars" i got the bars installed like i wanted but because there is too much extra fat/skin in the wrong places no saddle will accommodate me in the aero position. so since that didn't work i'm trying to find a saddle that can make riding the road bike more ridable. i can't go on group rides on the mtn bike so i have to get the moots compact ridable.

then the other sunday while i was about to drive up to RBM to look at their saddles and look at their used bikes my car wouldn't start. i mean all the electrical in the car was off like the battery was dead. then i waited 5 minutes and tried it again. ALL of the electronics were on and fully powered but the starter didn't turn over at all. wait 5 minutes same thing. wait 5 more and it cranks perfectly but the radio and a/c don't come on. wait 5 more and drive down the block and magically everything is working perfectly. there is a ghost in the electrical system and i decided that day 8/8 that i was going to find another car IMMEDIATELY. even though financially i'm not in the best spot i can't have the car up and die on me all random style.

decided that my next car will have to have the bikes INSIDE and i am a VW guy all the way. that only left me 2 choices. the routon mini van and the touareg. although the mini van is nice and doesn't look like a minivan as a single guy with no kids i can't have a minivan affecting "the sexy". i've always wanted a touareg but they are so damned expensive. after an hour of googling i found a used one with a damn good price at a used car lot down the street. long story short the next day i drove it home LOL.

why a touareg? because they are the few crossover suv's that EVERY one of them are FULLY off-road certified all wheel drive. not like an xterra or 4runner where some of them are there is no such thing as an "off-road" package with a touareg. so daddy like. daddy like A LOT. i then proceeded to build custom internal mounts for 2 bikes. i will show you pics when all is completed but i can fit the Griffen tri bike and the moots ybb mtn bike in there mounted to brackets standing up at the same time. with one back seat and passenger seat to spare!!!

more updates to come.

-2 bikes inside the Touareg dominator

saga of aero bars...

ok, last weekend i was on MISSION: Aero Bars!!! for those that don't know the most customizable aero bars ever created were the original "Carbon Stryke Ironman Clip-on" bars. a few years back mine broke and i looked for a replacement. to my dismay they didn't change the name or part # but TOTALLY changed the design.

Now for your lesson in the difference:

the old bars featured the multi-fit system

and looked like this:

the new style look like the following (note the awesome editing):

so i after i ordered 2 sets of these online and tied up lots o cash for unknown products i decided to send emails to these guys making them aware their photo is old and that they need to update it. oh, and btw don't ship the new style to me and issue the refund. they were cool with it and the education lesson that prevented more future refund problems.

i had clarence talk to profile years ago when i first looked and they said for safety reasons they did the redesign. the bolt was breaking and having your aeropad break off during a ride is pretty dangerous. which is PRECISELY how mine broke. but instead of creating a better bolt they took the easy way out.

anyways i decided that if any online company was just placing orders to the warehouse that was guaranteed to be the sucky new style so i started driving around to all the bike shops in town. most of those turned out to only have the new style as well. on a whim i went to bikes plus in coppell and they HAD IT. it was their display model. the guy said he had some on order but i told him i wanted the display. i then went into MISSON: AreoBars and after a 10 minute excitement filled tirade he got a lesson in what i'd been dealing with. man i'm glad that's over.

now i have to find a saddle that will fit the bigger bum i'm totin these days. so why the Griffen and why Aero bars? because my increased weight put enormous pressure on my hands and riding on the elbows would disperse the pressure a lot better. lets see how this experiment works.

-old style aero bar dominator

once a week...

well at least i've been consistent. only ridden on sunday the last 3 weeks. because of the weight the hands and feet throb like crazy for days if i ride too long. that fear has kept me off the bike thinking i'm going to do some swimming instead. NOPE. i have 2 bags full of gear to go swimming in the trunk and i couldn't get myself to the pool.

big thing is i finally met the mysterious sticky note girl (will remain nameless) and it wasn't the czech chick (long story) but we hung out at the duck on friday and i'm trying to get her on a bike.

this has caused me to look at getting the road and tri bike back into riding condition. my griffen needs a certain kind of aero bars and the moots needs some new tubes. anyways more to come.

-dominator

taking the hill out of the equation...

i usually love living at the top of ascension hill but my knees are too bad for me to walk up the hill. so i load up my bike and drive 1.8 miles to river legacy so i can ride without having to climb up the hill. it's sad but i did get 2 long rides in saturday and sunday. that wouldn't have been possible with the hill still in play.

it's a pain to load up the bike just to drive 1.8 miles but its worth it if i can ride longer times and get a more consistent workout.

-(no) ascension hill dominator

three days n a row...

i put in the third day in row. that was one of my goals for my ex-long weekend. back to work tomorrow. but anyways i have been working to not put in too many minutes so i could increase a little every day. i've been away from the blog for a little mostly because there is some career stuff going on.

once that is all straight there will be more to talk about. those following me on facebook know what i'm talking about but the blog is completely public so no way to know who's reading. nothing too major just not for public consumption.

that said, if it doesn't rain today i'll try to keep the streak going. on the diet front smoked jalapeño almonds are ridiculously good!!! and good for you. i've been working in more protein and less fat. stay well till next time.

-smoked jalapeño almond dominator

happy longest day of year...

let's see yesterday i went for a 6 mile ride and it took... ... ... an hour!!! yes that is riding a bicycle and NOT running!!! that included 2 10 minute breaks in the shade to cool off. oh did i mention i went out at 2pm in the heat of the day. well i was thinking since i only was going to ride 3 miles and turn around and i had cold water it wouldn't be that bad. man was i wrong.

355 lbs of blubber heated up in 100 degree sunshine ain't a good combo. having to walk up ascension hill in that heat sucked too. but i made it and it wiped me out for the rest of the day.

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on a different note...

i'm making conscience diet choices these days. i'm starting to keep a list of the foods i liked that were healthy. and on july 1st i'll buy all the foods on the good list and hopefully after my july 4th vacation on the 8th i should have a good head of steam. i'm starting now so i'll when i flip the switch i'll be ready.

so what happened? 3 major things. first, nate newton just lost 100 lbs in 2 months after getting a gastric sleeve. and second was a report that said weight loss is 75% diet and 20% exercise and 5% rest. third was that streak i went on of 5 months of working out everyday with NO weight loss. that means i need to cut back on the bad food. i felt like crap during that ride yesterday and i don't want to feel that way again especially only doing 6 miles.

-calorie aware dominator

shut up and ride...

i'm trying to tell myself to just shut up and ride these days.

knee update: still swolen. it just stays swollen the whole day morning noon and night and there is pain in there morning noon and night. however, i'm just telling myself to shut up and ride. why? because i have noticed i have more energy than i did before and my knee is stronger and feels more stable. At the end of the day my feet don't throb as much and the other knee is feeling good enough for me to occasionally walk down the steps on it.

none of these things were happening until i started riding. the swelling is still about the same level it was a month ago but it's not bothering me as much. i am positive that the sweating, increased heart rate and bloodflow and continuous motion of the bike is helping out. besides it has to be better than just laying in bed all day.

-3 cream 3 sugar dominator

stronger faster...

i kept telling myself i wasn't going to ride but for some reason when i got home and took a whiff of a full litter box i knew i wasn't going to be able to head straight to the shower. so i grabbed my shorts, ipod, headphones and hr monitor strap and headed downstairs. threw all that stuff on gave the tires a pinch and took off.

i felt strong and the saddle soreness had almost completely gone which tells me the xxl shorts and wide butt seat helped out a lot. rode the same route as last time but 5 mins faster. trying to work up to going down the big hill and riding river legacy. maybe next week. i know for sure i'll have to walk up it but right now i'm barely strong enough to do that.

-beef au'jus dominator

getting stronger...

went by the duck yesterday and c-man picked out a couple of wide-butt saddles for me to try out. right now i suffer from the pressure point issue amongst other things. my hands feet and crotch are suffering from my added weight while riding. the goal is to get a streak started again and this time diet will be the primary focus. simple diet plan is cook everything whether it be good or bad just to break the habit of eating out. got a new oven last week so i'm rets-2-go.

the knee is getting stronger everyday. this is definitely due to me riding even the little i am. i also make sure i stand on one leg as much as possible. i tried out one of the wide butt saddles briefly yesterday and it felt surprisingly good. going to give it a longer ride tomorrow but the true test will be how i feel sunday! stay tuned...

-wide butt saddle dominator

happy birthday 2 m3...

-35 dominator

2nd ride...

wow, i have to say that after this second ride i feel like an amputee that woke and found this limb re-attached. this is an extreme metaphor but it's the closest i can get to describing what riding feels like to me. in short i feel alive. that beast, that alter-ego named "dominator" has been given breath again.

the only thing keeping me from riding more is how sore my saddle gets. excruciating??? doesn't even come close to describing the pain. even after hours of being off the bike i still feel throbbing pain in my hands feet and nether area. and THIS is only after 3 miles of riding around the block. i gots a long way to go but the journey has begun.

-ass cramped dominator

cleared to ride... OUTSIDE...

saw ole doc Montgomery today. let's see the bullet points are.

1. my knee is still paining and swollen because of bone swelling
2. my weight is not helping my knee heal
3. cleared to swim (always have been)
4. cleared to ride outside
5. he's not touching my right knee. just have to live with it

that's about it.

bone swelling? i didn't know bones swell but they do. long explanation but it has to do with the number of holes that have been drilled into my femur and tibia over the years. my weight is making the healing slower. ALOT slower and he explained why and mechanically what is happening.

he's not touching the right knee because it is only hurting because it's over-compensating for the left one. his PT Surge (from france) let me know why the part of my knee was hurting and some mental exercises to help alleviate the pain. like finding a song with cadence that matches my own and take a walk around the block making sure i step with the beat. this will force an even amount of time on each leg.

well bottom line is i will start riding this weekend if not sooner. the blog should get more interesting soon.

-soon to be riding dominator

deepest fear...

right now that fear is that i won't be able to lose the weight and get back to being "me" again. i am making a list of healthy things like to eat. i went to lowes today to replace my "death" oven. this way i won't have excuses to not be cooking. my best friends dad passed and this gave me a little perspective in my self absorbed life. so i'm going to stop beating myself up. i bought some goggles and more flip flops and towels to fill up my swim bag. so now i have to 2 bags with gear to spin or swim. now i just have to start using it. after my dr. visit i'll be able to do a better job of planning activities. right now both knees f--ked. one is STILL swollen and the other gives out when going down stairs. hopefully doc monte will be able to fix me up.

-2 busted knee dominator

what is your deepest fear...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

-coach carter watching dominator

10 days...

10 days since last post? well every time i decided to write something i realized there was nothing really new to say. my knee still hurts i stopped going to rehab, and my ass is still fat. this week i feel will be a little different. i am realizing there are some things i am just going to have to do with pain. that said, i will try and swim starting in a few weeks. i want to give my knee a couple more weeks of healing.

this thing in the back of my head is still there. the old dominator is still alive in there. why do i continue this blog even though i am in the worst shape of my life? why do i keep buying cycling gear and cycling t-shirts? so that it will always be a visible reminder i have unfinished work to do. i have to start to do something and will very soon. you can believe that.

-introspective dominator

2 o'clock no lunch special...

decided NO MO PT FOR ME...

i don't think they can help me any more than they have. there is swelling in there and until it's gone i will be upset at my progress there. i am starting to argue with the therapist about what is think is helpful and what i think is a waste. couple my knowledge of mechanical engineering, triathlon training and having had 5 knee surgeries there are some things i understand about my body. so if i'm telling you what you're making me do has very little benefit for fixing my problem YOU SHOULD LISTEN. but that's ok. she won't be seeing me any more.

just like i know dr. Monte KNOWS how to fix my knee i KNOW pt until my knee stops swelling is wasting my time. i need to be focusing on flexibility and stretching. there is plenty of time for strength and i'm tired of arguing so NO MO.

so where do i go from here. more stretching everyday, and going to start going to 24hour at lunch and try to use their spin bikes. i figure if i ask nicely they will let me. the regular bikes are crap so i'm hoping they will hook a brutha up. oh well, as always stay tuned.

on another note, i got some chinese on my way home and stopped at my spot Jimmy's Sesame House. this arab looking cab driver parked next to me taking up 2 spots and almost knocked me over on my way in. as i open the door i hear him order beef n broccoli lunch special (it's 7pm) then (i call him) Jimmy says "2 o'clock no lunch special" the cab driver says "i ask lunch. you sell lunch." then jimmy repeats "2 o'clock no lunch special" cabby "y no lunch? how much conventional dinner" (yes he said conventional) jimmy "3 dolla' more" cabby "i ask lunch YOU SELL ME LUNCH NO 3 dolla more" then i pushed him aside and paid for my food, when i left they were still arguing.

Man, nothing brightened my day more than a broken english argument.

-"no lunch special" dominator

shamu the triathlete...

lets see. the question d'jour is how's the knee. you know, i hate that question. i never know what to say because i'm visibly unhappy with my progress yet i AM making progress. all i really want to do is wake up and go for a ride first thing like i used to. but i digress.

after the EROR2 debacle i decided to buy some shorts that fit and keep a bag ready in the car with workout gear. to my dismay i found that pearl stopped making xxxl shorts and only make xxl. so i ordered a pair of bib shorts xxl. they came in friday and they fit perfectly. clarence is going to see if he can get a couple more. in the meantime i found a company that made Shamu some bib shorts :^D you didn't know Shamu was a triathlete? he kills the swim (of course) but his bike time is a little slower :^D but seriously they make up to xxxxxl (64 in) waist. they have mountain bike shorts and regular shorts so i picked up 3 different kinds at xxxl. the look like the chinese super cheapy shorts but hey i'm not expecting to be in them long.

-Shamu shorts dominator

eror2...

monday was a sick day and yesterday was my first day back. i had a bad weekend and it was capped by my bad tummy probs on monday. no food was eaten until 7pm. better now.

so yesterday i show up to work and i see this cute chick in the office that looked vaguely familiar. so i said "i know you from somewhere" and asked her her name. she told me and i then i remembered we rode the MS 150 a few years ago. we hired her company to do some accounting so that's why she was there. i mention her for 2 reasons. one she's in great TRI shape still. and 2 it reminds me of when i WAS.

MAN i need to get back into the sport. you're right G-man. my scale tops out at 352 lbs and beyond that it just says "Eror2" as in "error...2 damned fat" so that's my weight right now "Eror2" on the plus side my knee is getting better. not good enough to hit spin class yet but VERY close. in fact i'm ordering some fat mans cycling shorts today!!! ARGH!!! F-in EROR2!!! stupid knee, but it IS more solid than ever and i WAS warned this would take longer to heal but 10 weeks and i'm still having problems up and down stairs? it's not the PT's fault they are doing a GREAT job but when your knee swells there's little defense for that other than ice.

-EROR2 dominator

all swole...

well basically my knee is frustrating me. but i think it's a good thing. why? some days i wake up and it feels perfect. other days i wake up and it's all swole. no rhyme or reason for it. i mean if it had something to do with me working out or rehab then that would make sense. as a programmer and engineer i am a disciplined pattern watcher. and there is no discernible pattern here.

on the poz. that means my knee is doing better cuz a few weeks ago i didn't feel good at all. i will keep doing my bed hangs, which i slipped on the last few days. my next docs visit is next month and that's the one where he'll let me know if i can ride outside. the good thing is that's labor day weekend. if he says yes then i'm all good. in the meantime i've strayed from doing any swimming or spin class cuz i don't wont to aggravate my knee. anyone who knows me knows i have a HARD time setting limits. i have no doubt i would push it too hard if started.

one more thing. the MS 150 is in 2 weeks and right now MS is an incurable disease. i stopped participating due to injury but probably won't do anymore "raise money for X" events because i really don't care to raise money. kinda funny i started a website dedicated to that :^D but i don't like asking people for money. the point is if you know someone who IS riding and they ask you you should give cuz it's a good cause.

-knee all swole' dominator

shocking developments...

well 3 days ago i get home and... well let me back up. 2 fridays ago i get home and i hear a faint buzzing noise. then i get to the oven and the alarm, i never use, is going off. so after 3 days of on and off alarming it turns into a full time alarm. Griffen is scared to go to the litter box so when i get home he has peed in the sink. i went off. busted the glass face of the alarm (still going). i opened the back of the oven, still plugged in, and touched the pliers to red wire going into the timer. then KAPOW!!!

it melted the pliers where it made contact. yes melted. and the breaker didn't even flip. i was shaken to say the least but learned my lesson. top that off with an embarrassing story of me making a move on a married women (of course i didn't know) and i had a hell of a week. BTW my favorite day of the year almost was my last and the cool thing was because i blogged about people would have known.

the knee is better and i keep doing bed hangs. one of 3 times i go down the stairs is a good one and half the trips up are good. i can't wait to start riding again. me buying up a bunch of food at the donut store was NO BUENO yet MUY BUENO :^D

-electrified dominator

taxes SUCK...

that is all :^D

-dominator

4/14 my favorite day of the year...

for some unknown mysterious reason. 4/14 has always been my favorite day of the year. i think it has a lot to do with the weather in texas on that day. it's usually mild, sunny, the grass is green and the wildflowers are in full bloom. i try to always go for a mountain bike ride this day of the year. for obvious reasons that won't be happening this year. but i'm already looking forward to next year. i'm thinking next year will be the year for Ironman Coeur d'Alene.

big plans for someone who can barely walk right now. but hey that's how this whole "dominator" thing started. i was high on pain meds after my last knee surgery in 2005 when i saw THIS gatorade commercial. i thought "you know? i can do an ironman." from that day forward i started training, bought me a road bike and convinced stacy to teach me to swim. it has been a long journey and it's nowhere close to over but on my favorite day of the year i can't help but think about getting back out there and killin' it.

8 weeks today post-op and knee is still swollen and in pain. but the limping is getting better.

-sir limps a lot dominator

3 new mtn dew flavors...

OK, i love mountain dew. i admit it.

mountain dew has 3 new voting flavors:

white out

typhoon

distortion

now that is outta the way. the knee is doing better. what is different? i started doing over-the-bed hangs. the pain is almost unbearable but i almost forgot how important it was to do them. if i had more time off i would have been taking more vicodin and doing more of them. that was the only way could do them for hours i'm finding out now. tramadol is a good all day pain killer but no match for the bed hangs and the intense pain of stretching scar tissue laden ligaments and breaking of scar tissue that's under your patella.

in short it HURTS LIKE A MUTHA!!! but the next day you walk ALOT better.

so. that's what i decided to do. i can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to getting back on the bike. in fact i'm going to attempt setting up the trainer tomorrow. we'll see.

-mtn dew-minator

mentally tough...

ok, it has officially been 7 weeks since surgery and my brain is having a hard time coping with limping almost this entire year so far. yes i am progressing but it is so draining waking up with your knee fever and having to get ready for another day of hobbling ALL DAY. the rehab chick says i should do more exercises at home but she doesn't understand that the more i do the more it swells. swelling = pain = limping. so i told her tough chance. anyways, i'm hanging in there but it's slow moving.

-brain drained dominator

crazy day...

so crazy moves are being made at work. too much drama. i slipped and almost fell on the kitchen floor this morning cuz i need to mop up some bug spray i've been too lazy to clean. Rangers won, McNabb traded, Tiger talked and Duke playing for championship against cinderella Butler? crazy sports day as well. i just want to go home ice the knee and veg out. which is exactly what i will do. well hopefully. that and mop the floor.

that slip gave me a scare of a lifetime so i have got to fix that hazard.

-slip n slide dominator

happy caesar chavez day...

the only reason i know about this holiday is cuz all texas state gov't offices cerrado. which is no bueno when you're trying to get your tags renewed.

6 weeks post op and i actually feel ok. i only need to take 2 trams in the middle of the night. one usually lasts 3 hours. so take one at 2am and one at 5am. the bad thing is that it hurts enough to wake me up so i HAVE to take one. but the swelling is greatly reduced. i can go down stairs pretty good but going up stairs i don't have quite enough power and stability in the bad leg to go up without the hand rail. but if i use the hand rail i can go up pretty good as well.

i think i will have some chipotle in honor of good ol' caesar.

-chipotle carnitas dominator

straight leg vs. ice paradox...

so here is the dilemma i do over-the-bed hangs to straighten my leg. it is an exercise that is used to gain full extension in the knee. i have found it is the only thing that works with my past surgeries. the downside is that after about an hour your knee hurts like a mutha. if it hurts, btw, that means you need to keep doing it. your knee shouldn't hurt going through it's normal range of motions.

the paradox is that your knee to warm to get the best stretch yet it swells after a good stretch and you want to ice it to get rid of swelling. so i have been trying to do the stretch then a couple of hours later do the ice. doesn't always workout that way but this is where i am right now. one more thing i am noticing...the scale is increasing. no surprise. you mean cadbury cream eggs and chili cheese coneys not a nutritious dinner make? :^D i will work on that as soon as i am able to work out with no swelling.

-over-the-bed hangin' dominator

solid yet swollen...

5 weeks post op visit and doc said "that's a rock solid knee right there" i have 3 more weeks of intermittent swelling and pain he said. yippee just what i wanted for easter... 3 more weeks of pain and swelling. he also said the pain i feel in my right knee is normal and that it should go away as my left starts pulling it's own weight (so to speak).

i'm beat and i had to move PT from today to in the morning so i'll pick this tomorrow. bottom line: pain, swelling, but knee is solid.

-rock solid, but swollen knee dominator

fever knee...

woke up in pretty bad pain this morning. why? i didn't ice after work yesterday thinking i could skip it. answer: NO! so guess what i'm doing right now while writing this? ice. well i'm back taking tramadol which is not as bad as vicodin but i'd rather not take anything. it seems pt and work aggravates my knee where it starts swelling. swelling = pain.

this morning it felt like my knee had a fever!!! i decided i won't start swimming until it no longer swells after activity. just the smart thing. so until then i will continue eating crap cuz the only thing that stops me is working out. don't worry, i'm not. everything is gonna be alright. now lets hope the doc sees everything where it should be tomorrow...

-fever knee dominator

POL reefing...

this would be the procedure that is used to strengthen the inner part of my knee. so far it is causing my recovery time to be longer than all the other procedures. it only took 2 weeks before i could go up and down stairs this time around it has been 4+ weeks and i still have trouble.

BUT

i have noticed a strength of my knee i haven't felt in years. i'm am guessing '03 was the last time my knee felt this stable. the acl surgery itself is nothing compared to the pain i have experienced with the POL procedure. the good news is unless i tear my mcl i won't have to have a procedure like that one EVER again.

the bad news is i can feel pain in a bad place in my right knee. and i may have to get surgery on it too at some point. geez i'm falling apart. but you know the dominator will never give up!!!

-POL reefing madness dominator

fundthis.net now ssl secure...

my site is now ssl secure and now i will begin the marketing push in earnest. the readers of the daily D know i rarely mention things outside of athletics but i urge you guys to check out the site and use it for your next fund raiser. i collect NO money it's just an easy way to get money into your paypal account. i will probably be asking you to be facebook fan of the site soon. just giving you a heads up :^D

https://fundthis.net

-dominator

bracketology...

my brackets posted on espn for the world to see.

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=4714392 ($$$)

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=4719477 (Duke as champ)

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=4714586 (plenty of upsets)

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=4724238 (straight chalk)

-bracket bustin' dominator

major pain like damon wayons...

holy crap!!! my knee is sore and throbbing after pt today. will write more about it tomorrow.

happy st. paddy's day.

-route 44 green apple slush dominator

unwrapped...

one month post op today and the knee is free!!! no brace and no wrap. man this feels weird.

- naked knee dominator

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why ti???

i woke up this morning dreaming about riding my YBB through the trees at river legacy. 2005 was my favorite year mtn biking. 2006 is when i bought my YBB and i have been trying to put the 2 together ever since. i promise i will this year.

Why Moots? because they are sooooo awesome, made from the same stuff tanks are made of with an understated aesthetic of raw matte Titanium and an incredible ride quality. these are FOREVER bikes. this why i own TWO moots. in a world after the apocalypse they will be uncovering Moots frames. Titanium has infinite fatigue life aluminum does not, and titanium is the only PURE metal that does. while 2 shops i love and support sells them, Colonels and Mad Duck i have a better relationship with and live closer to Mad Duck so pick your Moots up at Mad Duck today :^D

-dominator

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happy daylight savings time...

this is one of my favorite times of year. trees are blooming, temps are mild & we just added some more daylight... on the backend. makes it harder for me to get up in the mornings but in three more weeks there will be enough sun in the mornings.

nothing really to report. just going to go to rehab tomorrow but looking forward to it. i'm getting stronger on walking up and down the stairs and the pain level is tolerable with no narcs. been off the narcs since monday cuz thats when i ran out and didn't feel enough pain to call in another script.

i should get cleared to swim next week and will start doing that on the weekends. i told myself April will be the "change the diet" month and really work on cooking most of my meals. thanks to facebook i'm finding out i have been motivating people almost my whole life. i don't know why that is that people hear what i say and decide THEY should take action in their lives. but whatever it is I need to do it for myself. i need to start motiving my damn self to get to competitive weight and stop make excuses. why april? because this is the month of my arch nemesis, the cadbury creme egg, and i have been powerless to defeat them. and that ben and jerry's new flavor got me hooked too. oh well...

-mission to marzipan dominator

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rehab recording...

well, my rehab sessions are now being uploaded to the calendar site. looking forward to being able to go riding. these last few days are ridiculously beautiful so if you're reading this and you haven't been for a ride... SHAME ON YOU!!! if you got 2 good knees and you ain't outside enjoying God's gift... SHAME ON YOU!!! get out and ride ladies and gents. do it for the dominator for he won't be able until june.

that is all...

-cabin fevered dominator

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up & down stairs...

(3 weeks post op) major milestone today. i can go up and down my stairs in home one foot at a time. before i had to put both feet on the step. rehab was good and i can hold the straight leg raise the whole 10 seconds for 5 mins with that shocker machine. i also got to put 5 mins on the bike. it was just for range of motion but hey anytime on the bike is good time :^D

-stair steppin' dominator

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pt 4 me...

first day thoughts? my therapist seems cool and easy on the eye. the desk chick is a cutie for sure. oh, you want to know about what i did there :^D

just hooked me up to the shocker machine and did quad sets and went over the exercises she wants me to do till next visit. the best part is at 3 times a week for 3 months i'll get some cheap personal training as well. i'm looking forward to the workouts. more 2 come...

-electrocuted dominator

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cute redhead receptionist no ring :^D...

physical therapy has very attractive scenery.

that is all...

-dominator

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leaf buds...

NO... NOT bud leafs but leaf buds. i am noticing leaf buds on the trees so in a week blooms will form and in another week all the trees will have leaves. i am so sad cuz riding my mtn. bike in spring is my favorite thing to do in TX. i can only hope to be riding in july just in time for the Tour de France...

-mtn bike dreamin' dominator

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well hello calf, glad you could join the party...

i woke up this morning in the absolute worst pain. my leg was ALL swollen i guess from being on it all day yesterday. deep throbbing pain is the worst. i almost broke the glass and pulled out a percacet (the nuclear option for pain) but realized if i did i wouldn't be able to drive for 3 hours and probably be drowsy for the whole work day. instead i popped a vicodin and 4 advil waited an hour and a half in bed before moving. that seemed to work.

when i got to work i noticed my calf muscle was sore in a good way. that meant i used it. i haven't used it in over 2 weeks so that was nice of it to join the dominator walking party. rehab is on thursday and i can't wait. i am so excited to get started. i will try to go at least 2 times a week and maybe even 3. hopefully my doc can keep prescribing the visits. i mean at 20 bucks a pop copay is nothing. the PT place said there is no limit just that my doc has to keep writing scripts.

as far as my weight goes i dropped 5 lbs in 3 days but i have NO doubt that was quadriceps atrophy. all i can say is i hope i NEVER EVER EVER have this surgery again. 5 times is ENOUGH!!!

-CALF-ine powered dominator

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first day back in office...

man, laying in bed all day and taking pain killers makes you kinda soft. i couldn't wait to leave work and rest the leg. but at least a put in a full day at the office. i start rehab on thursday at 8 and i can't wait. my pain level can be described as uncomfortably tolerable. it's only monday and i have no idea how i'm gonna make it the week. we shall see.

-uncomfortably tolerable dominator

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...i'm on a horse...

i just love that commercial. look at me. now back at him. now back at me...

anyways, i am supposed to have the brace on at all times but it doesn't fit right and i don't think i can get it to fit right either. my thigh is large but it is atrophied so it's hard to get it fit right. there is NO way i can get it to fit without first wrapping it in an ace bandage. so my rule is ANYTIME i leave the house then wear the brace and take a crutch, just in case. even though i broke that rule last night :^D

went to my post op visit thursday and so far so good. he said it was natural for me to be in that much pain after the POL (posterior oblique ligament reefing) procedure.

right the most pain comes first thing in the morning for 2 reasons. first, all the swelling get to set up cuz you're not moving around. second, you're asleep so you're not popping meds so your level of meds in the bloodstream is close to nil.

work in the morning. the first time i've been in the office since 2/16 kinda crazy that it will be march tomorrow. i start rehab on thursday and i can't wait. for right now i am doing the "over the bed" hangs to increase the extension. the towel under the foot just isn't hardcore enough for me. after about 3 painful days of bed hangs i got all the extension i need and there is no pain whatsoever so it's worth it. i just make sure i co-ordinate it with a vicodin dose.

shout outs to the Cowtown race peeps. y'all keep doing the dang thang!!!

-dominator

...i'm on a horse!!!

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