Christmas Roast Leftover Chili

Simple recipe, guaranteed to make 3 day old leftovers delicious

1 container of Pomi brand diced tomatoes.
1 Can of Goya Pinto beans
1 red onion, medium sized
1 red pepper
6 garlic segments(think they're called cloves, but that requires research)
2 jalapeno peppers
1 tblspn ancho chili powder
1 tblspn chili powder
1 tblspn paprika
1 tspn cloves
1 tspn oregano
1 tspn cumin
1/4 cup olive oil(if needed)
1 healthy pour of bourbon, I use Beam or Jack..but to each their own

with the last ingredient being 'leftovers' the minimum is two 1 inch thick cuts of rib roast or 4 of filet, but if you're using filet, I'm gonna reach through my screen and smack you silly for being a douche. I mean seriosly, filet? for Chili...

-Recipe is simple, find a crock pot and combine the Pomi, beans and all the spices, turn it on low.
-Dice up the onion and red pepper, then add them to the crock pot as well, stir everything up nicely
-Slice the jalapeno's in half and add them to the mix in the pot.
-add the bourbon

-Slice the roast leftovers into small pieces, as small as you're able to do easily, and add them to the mix. By now it should be mostly solid. If the mix isn't more solid pieces(ie onion, pepper, meat) then cut up another 1 inch thick cut, or more. It usually takes me 2-4 depending on how well i sliced the roast.

-Once the mixture looks right( yes that's a scientific term) add the olive oil. I use less oil if there are fattier portions present, but more if the meat is leaner.

Leave the crock pot on low for at least 4 hours, i usually set it when i head to work and its done 8-9 later when i get home, but 4 seems to be the minimum. Then server

Top with cheddar, parm/reg or your favorite cheese and use sour cream to make it less hot. Enjoy..

-Note: If it comes out 'soupy' add more meat and/or vegi's next time around.

Where to Next

I need a trip, and I'm open to ideas. Right now I would like snow in order to get some skiing in, but other than Taos and Telluride is there snow anywhere in the continental US? East Coast is toast right now, and until the weather changes I don't see any skiing or boarding here, so what's good? Anyone out there know about Salt Lake? Montana?
Otherwise i guess its to somewhere warm..

Random Fact

The first helicopter flight trainer was constructed before the first Helicopter ever took flight. The reason is he wasn't sure he would be able to fly the contraption when it took off due to potential difficulties working with a collective and stick at the same time. The first helo is shown below the VS300...Goes to show you can make a simulator before ever making the real thing

Clean and Jerk mixed with a front squat

So this is one of my favorite exercises, and probably one any trainer would hate, but i like because it beats the crap outta me. The only other wise is the gym I work out in has the proper rubberized weights so i can get that extra one in without fear of cracking a plate when I drop it at the end.

The exercise itself is a hybrid of the Clean and Jerk, with a front squat in between the clean phase and the jerk motion....at speed, and by speed i mean as fast as i can move until i feel like booting. So great exercise. I think part of why I love this exercise is the muscles it hits, and adding in the front squat hits the hamstrings as well as the quads, for more burn and quick burnout, which is perfect when i have 15-20 minutes to work out. Mix this in with pull-ups and some rows for speed(500m fast as possible) and you'll be burned out quick.
 If not I'm a big wimp and need to hit the gym

Vibram Runs

Every Vibram Run is more painful than a non-vibram run

But not in a musculus-skelatal way, more in a sore muscles way. 8 runs in a row on the KSO's is making me sore, but starting to run better again. Need sprints in a week

Blinking

So the Builder blinked, we had already walked away and were about to sign a rental lease and they blinked. This wasn't unexpected, but the method of the endgame negotiation was definitely unorthodox. Usually in negotiating, the selling party will blink immediately after declination, or within hours. In this case it was multiple hours later, with an immediate we accept. Which is very odd to me.

In this case, the builder gave one counter-offer on price of property, we gave 2 different counters on closing. The final bargain forced them to make a big change in closing and up on property cost...so overall a better deal for us, but a lot more upfront was given. To me this seemed weird, almost like a botched negotiation as it went the way they didn't want it to in the end, as they gave up 3k extra over their best offer. All upfront which saves a lot on our end, and totally changes the curves for payback(ie more into principle up front vs interest)

Interesting dynamic, definitely a strange negotiation, very different than business negotiations where there is a lot of back and forth, movement, offerings and understanding of what the end game is. Here, we came out ahead of what we initially wanted...and gave little. It was very strange.

We tried to buy a house

Unfortunately it's still TBD. But i did learn the entire process is fucked up, and that's putting it simply. You cannot just walk into a builders office and say i will pay you X dollars for this property. Instead, in Maryland, you need a realtor and ours was an idiot.

Ours couldn't do math, he spent half a day trying to convince us that a .5% interest rate increase was worth 4,000 in lender credit...really? Addition failed him later as well...


But more so, it looks like in America we have a system where people with no real understanding of economics, writing, math or even negotiating is responsible for your ability to find a place to live. Now wonder poorly built places, with incomplete and incorrect assembly are going for $350,000, because they can. Our realtor was more concerned with 'making the deal' but wouldn't budge on his commission which was the sticking point, nor was he any real use..but we had to use him.

On top of this are ~70 pages of documents that needed to be signed, before an offer could be made, to find out that the counter-offer sucked and wasn't worth my time at all. So can i get a place where i can walk in..with cash and buy it? I mean the loan and cash upfront aren't an issue, but stop trying to prop up a crappy home-market, it just screws people over and makes it all worse.

In summary, I hate real estate.

Altitude Change is a Biatch

So I'm enjoying the lovely Salt Lake City area this week, and belying and sarcasm i do love the area. Park city is great, Salt Lake has a surprisingly thriving nightlife with amazing food(just drive near S 300 West) and a new light rail going from the airport to downtown. But the problem is that the city is at 4,000ft above sea level. I haven't gone this high up in a while and damn do my runs suck. Struggled through both runs so far..and can't wait to get back to 50 ft above...then again I'll be back for some skiing

ps rankings(for skiing)
ALTA
Canyons
Park City

I'll get to the rest this year

Squats

Such a simple word squat, then repeated, becomes squats...but that repetitive action to pluralize the word squat brings ohh so much pain...and pleasure. So call me a masochist but damn i love squat and legs day. No other day whups me nearly as well in such a short period of time.
Today I meant to do bar squats but being that I'm in the dungeon gym, non were available...even though there was a girl doing a set of squats on one rack. While the form was good the guy on the bench behind her was grinning like a fox..so i doubt he was commenting on her form. I'd say the form was a 9...she was a 6, but hell she was the only girl so add 2.

But that's besides the point, i decided instead to do 50lb kb squat presses...each set until dropping the kb's..then into lighter weight swings. About midway through my hamstrings were screaming, my knees were aching and my heart was racing. LOVE IT...gutted out two more sets then onto leg extensions for a rest before lunges. But damn I love squats...

The Dude Room

It's been a while, I blame Homework...less travel and more school has reduced my posting recently. As a mathematical function it would relate as HW increases blog post decrease but as it approaches infinity blog posts increase b/c i need to procrastinate. I bet it would be a cool graph.

But instead of talking inanity about my inability to focus I wanted to make a commentary, or an ode to the dude roo, shower method. What is the Dude Room? It's the hallowed showering method used in my high school, most military base showers, football showers and unfortunately Penn State(too soon?). You know, that open room with no stalls, the decrepit shower heads and only 3 or 4 producing a controllable temperature. The room itself isn't bad, its just well, there are no stalls. The first time you come upon the room as a guy you're definitely looking and going..What the F- didn't we invent curtains?

This room is an ode to the old school method of going to shower at the gym and getting to stare at some old guys ass or junk as he's standing there spread legged, scrubbing altogether way to hard for it to be really cleaning. Or the big fat dude who's trying to find his junk under that third or forth fold of skin and you're showering wondering why eye bleach doesn't exist. Even though those two are classic, the best is still the guy who is new to the gym, and never been in the dude room shower, the wide eyed nervous look...crap thats me..

Either way, cheers to the dude room bc the Drill Hall on base i work out at now has one..and damn it's a classic

Summer Dayz

Summer is upon us, the heat, the humidity, the salty sea breeze that's warmer than the standing air, ahh summer on the Chesapeake. Last week was the first time that it really was summer and this week is going to be the second. Looking forward to a nice run in the mid 90's on Wed and Thurs, might push it thursday for speed just to tax my heart on the 3.6 mile run i hit during lunch.

But who knows, some feedback will be coming, maybe a commentary on the other runners i see at lunch. There's eye candy, non-candy, dear lord and then the pseudo-runner, jogger and the guy who runs when he thinks someone's watching(really funny)

An indoor Run Worth itI

To any, of the few loyal readers, I have a love hate affair with treadmills. They're handy when you're stuck in Wyoming in January, a bad part of Philly or really need a workout but you want to watch the game, so you suck it up. But sometimes its gorgeous out, sunny, warm and beautiful but yet you take the treadmill route....why? Because the view is amazing.

To your right you see what i got to run to Saturday, before the Yankees game at Camden Yard; the Yankees won with an A-Rod A-Bomb Grand Slam in the 8th to seal it 13-3. So while running at 3 in the afternoon for a 7:05 start i got to look out on the field from the 5th story of the Hilton Hotel.

So for once I can't really complain about my indoor run, I got to watch warm ups, a little BP and all before the Gates were open to the general public. After your run I recommend Pickles Pub right next door because the beer is cheap($3) and there is meat roasting on charcoal at the exit. So here's a stay for you random athletes who like baseball, and beer.

Treadmills were quality as well, but who cares about them on this post

Running Ramblings

So I need to write more. The current problem is my travel has been greatly reduced so now I spend more time running around base. So I need to revamp this entire blog to my ramblings. In other words I am still a traveling runner, but now you're getting my thoughts, ramblings, which will probably allow me to actually post more because it's not just route's or reviews, so just a heads up to my single follower, this may actually get interesting.

be aware, be scared.

Future topics:
finance, silver, apartment gardening, arduino, analytics, cycling, brewing, random thoughts and ramblings.

who knowsss what the future will hold

Starting the migration outdoors

It's that great time of the year, the grass is blooming, my allergies knocked me out for a few days, and its warm enough to get some decent runs outside. There's only one real negative, outside of the extra pain, and that's the strong march winds. Most of my base routes are loops which means if one way has the wind at my back...the other is in my face. I mean it looked like i was wearing spandex the other day because the wind was blowing so hard, and I'm a firm believer that I'm too big for spandex. But good times about, love the migration, hopefully taking the bike out soon.

Allergies!!!!!

Have struck, so I've been out of commission the last few days. The worst part is it always happens when the weather gets nice, everyone's outside running. I mean I'm struggling to keep my head up and heading outside to just get some soup and everyone and their uncle is running. Pretty sure i even saw someone and their uncle running together...

So not sure if there's a more miserable feeling for a runner. I mean the broken ankle or bone sucks, but you know you're down for a bit so you've accepted your fate. The muscle pull you just get the frustration of not being where you were last week, but can still move. Allergies or a sudden cold, always strike right when the weather turns, spirits go up and you're sunk. I was getting ready the day before for a nice 9-10 miler but bam, nothing happened because i was laid up. Hoping for health in the next two to three so i can catch the 50's in the middle of this week

Treadmill review LifeFitness 95T

Since I've conquered most of what winter has thrown at me on a treadmill, I figured it's time to post a review of my good buddy since I'll be abandoning him/her in the next few weeks (60's!!!). To start, is a treadmill a masculine or feminine? I mean a ship is a she, vehicle's can be both, is a treadmill a she or a he? I use he, but mostly because I'm lazy.

So the treadmill today is the LifeFitness 95T. I think its the engage but w/e they're all pretty close, so I'll take the base model because again its the apartment complex treadmill. First glance it looks like any other treadmill, a deck, armresters and a big screen. This one has the added bonus of being able to show TV(whenever the cables are plugged in) and you can plug and iPod in and/or a USB stick to record the workout, both of which are pretty slick. I personally have used the iPod dock more than once when I forgot to charge it before hitting the gym, so it's definitely functional. More importantly the ride, or run. The features are nice, but the run is what matters.
Pro's: It "rides" smooth, easy to change speed, easy to raise and lower deck, two cupholders, screen deck and little table, speed change is smooth as well. Important to me also is the belt stays tight during the runs so my knee takes it pretty well.

Con's: Speed change can be a little slow at times, the handle bars get slick when sweat gets on them, and the real gripe is the standing area on the side of the deck is incredibly slick when a little wet w/sweat.

All in all I'd recommend this one if you have an option at the gym or one at a hotel, giving it a solid B+, the only thing holding it back from an A is the slippery side rails which could be easily fixed by the manufacturer in the future, add some sandpaper

On the road againn, on the road again

Unfortunately I didn't get out for any good runs the last time I was traveling a week ago. It's a great trip to the Adirondacks to visit, great in the summer, but being the genius I am, I went in the winter. Ok it was for pre-marital counseling, and really was the only time to go but I still hoped to get a good run in. One of my favorite runs is this one here.
The Run isn't too bad minus the hill as shown by the elevation map below
You start on a ridge with a great view of the Valley below and then you can either go down the easy hill to start with the epic steep climb at the end. Or you can do the Epic drop to start, and then a nice slow rising climb for the last mile of the 8...it's your choice, but 200 feet of elevation change makes it interesting.

I'll call this one Decisions

Vibram Five Fingers

So i caved in to my primal Caveman instincts and got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers of AWESOME! OK the awesome was a blatant rip off of Jack Black but it fits because they are awesome.

My friend rob, otherwise known as @rvetere on the Twitter, yes it deserves a preceding "The", introduced me to them about a year ago, and I was hesitant. He raved about them for working out, walking and just relaxing on the weekend. He also mentioned that one of his friends who did iron man's swore by them as well. I was hesitant. I mean I'm a big boy and these shoes had zero extra padding so my knees instantly cried out Nooooooo....


So I waited, and waited until this year over the Holiday the soon to be inlaws surprised me with a pair, surprisingly looking just like the ones to the right. Since it was a gift i figured what the hell so went for a run, my first run, last night. It was great, I mean awesome, and amazing. My legs were jelly today, no knee pain, just a little in my left ankle from when i busted it up last year but wow. I loved it. I'll rave more as I add the distance and might move on from the KSO's, but right now, they rock

The winter blues

Winter is back again, with a vengeance. Thankfully I'm not kicking it in Atlanta because this would be me...
I don't know who made it but I'll pass credit to my friend Katie here on facebook for posting. I wouldn't be the drive,r, but rather the dude with the gym bag laughing at the driver and stopping to help, or maybe just standing around and taking the picture then walking off laughing. Depends on the day

But really, it's winter, I love snow, skiing but hate the early sundowns. Being that I work 8 to 6 or somewhere in there, its tough to get some of the Vitamin D needed, or even seeing the sun enough to not get all blah, for lack of a better word. Blaaah really is the word, I'm lethargic, cranky, ornery and just damn lazy. Drinking only sometimes work....might need to drink more, makes me go hmmm.
But really I'll be trying to break my funk, starting with the lunchtime runs moving outside. Ok, let's cage that "outside" running by saying I'll run outside at lunch when we don't have a North wind coming across the runway at 15 knots, because damn that's cold.