Western North Carolina

"Not all who wander are lost."
--J.R.R. Tolkein

We returned yesterday from vacation. Our usual place for getting away is western North Carolina. On Sunday, we met some friends in Brevard and drove up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We took a little hike to a rocky overlook and ate some delicious pie from the Pisgah Inn Restaurant.
We stayed in a cabin on Cold Mountain, made popular in recent years by the book and movie. (Interestingly, though, much of the movie was filmed in Romania.) With a magnificent view, we stayed on the deck a lot, reading or just staring at the trees. I got in a great amount of hiking.
Having been a camp counselor in that area, I was reminded of the daily weather patterns. Our days would typically start out clear but by afternoon a storm would brew. On Wednesday night we got thunder and lightning and mucho rain. We slept with the windows open--a gift compared to our hot summer in the flats.
Our closest town was Waynesville. One day we drove over to Lake Junaluska, a United Methodist retreat center. Another day, we found an Episcopal retreat center and camp pretty close to our cabin. A kind man (the director?) greeted us on the road and gave us some of the history.
The gravel lane that led to our driveway didn't get much traffic. Maybe 10 cars in five days. Every time we heard the familiar crunch of gravel, we'd run to the deck ledge to see what kind of car it was. This is the kind of entertainment I seek on vacation.

Six ways to look better naked

I have to admit that headline caught my eye.
I read it aloud to Michael and he said: "Turn out the lights?"
Here's the full story.
After sticking with this routine for awhile, I imagine you'll look better with or without clothes on.
Be sure to alternate the strength training with cardio.

Lance Armstrong: Cheater?

Floyd Landis says he is. And Greg LeMond.
This piece from Thursday's Time.com tells of one Jeff Novitzky, an investigator for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who's pursuing answers.
I don't know what to believe about Lance. Mainly I go on the evidence: that he's never failed a drug test. But on the other hand I'm pretty skeptical/cynical about sports and all the "records" broken by stars on the juice. I'm also not one of these people who needs a sports star to remain on top for my orbit to spin. (Though I admit having a certain affinity and admiration for the seven-time Tour de France winner.)
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. And I don't doubt Lance will fight it like he fought cancer: with both barrels.

Tech support: A journey through hell

Not to put too fine a point on it.
We got a two-page letter the other day from our cable company, saying that we (or someone accessing our wireless network) were in violation of copyright laws. When I Googled the company, it was for some kind of gaming system. We don't play computer games. Yesterday I called the company and they told me what to do. They figured someone hacked into our network.
Last night, I got online to see how to do what they instructed. Didn't work. As a last resort, I called tech support. I was on hold for about 45 minutes. Same muzak, over and over and over. (Did I say over?) And nothing interesting either, like "Wind Beneath My Wings" or "Old-Fashioned Love Song."
Finally. Techie comes on the phone and he thanks me for staying on hold and we start working through the problem. He suggests a couple of things, which don't work. All the while, there's a language barrier (and probably on my end, too. I have a pretty thick Southern accent). I am also not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to the inner workings of technology. So I kept asking him to repeat things. "What? Where is that? I don't understand," etc.
We're on the phone so long, my computer battery signal starts to blink. Michael runs to get an extension cord. It's like the Keystone cops. Techie has me try the fix on the other computer, which works. Thank God! But then after I hang up (after TWO HOURS) I realize I have to do the re-set on the first laptop.
All for some (probable) pimply-faced kid who knows a thing or two about hacking and could get us fined a sum containing too many zeroes.
I don't know about you but many days, I daydream of playing in a cave with sticks and mud.

Hallelujah: Jeff Buckley

This is my new favorite song.
What does it have to do with health and fitness? Not much, unless you need something to soothe you mentally. Which I do.
Enjoy.

Weigh Down Workshop

This Arizona woman shares her success with the Weigh Down Workshop.
She has quite a story.
After putting on weight from other diets, she went searching. She found a way to THINK about food, and mastering it, rather than the other way around. I like how she says food isn't good or bad; and that she pays attention to what she might need to eat, instead of want or seek out for emotional reasons.
Cheers to Leslee O.

British Open: Oosthuizen

Never heard of the leader going into today? I hadn't either.
Louis Oosthuizen, from South Africa, is -11 going into today's round.
Meanwhile, Tiger's changing back to his old putter.
And the great Tom Watson says goodbye to the Old Course.
Unless you're lucky enough to be there, happy watching.