So, because Tray would know where I am, I decided today to walk far away from the old Sam’s…

VERY SORE!!! This silly game is catching up with me… and I can’t type right now, because my fingers are numb from the cold. Oh — but lots of cute places to check out someday in downtown West Allis that I didn’t know existed until I walked down Greenfield today.

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Here’s (roughly) the route I took today.

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I say roughly because of two mishaps: first, I got turned around a bit in the VA Center grounds. Secondly, as a result of that mishap, I cut across a median to walk back up through Miller Park. So from Washington Dr. & General Mitchell Blvd. to where Mitchell joins up again with the service road to Miller Park… that all is an approximation on this Google map.

I’m going to start tracking my walking on here. My goal is to lose 40 lbs by basic lifestyle change. There are any number of reasons for this:

• I am at a very high risk for developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Already, my cholesterol count is at 210 — 10 higher than is considered OK.
• I am at moderate risk for developing diabetes; weight is a factor in this.
• I really don’t care for the way I look currently.

I’m not one to join and/or use a health club, but I do enjoy walking and biking, so I’m going to do them in a way that will be beneficial to my health and morale.

Some basic “rules” that I’ve set up for myself:

• Walk for at least 60 minutes six days a week. (I’ve created six different “walk mixes” on my iPod to help me measure the time.)
• When in doubt, refer to rule number one.

I’m combining this with an effort to eat healthier, but one step at a time.

I’m also going to track some of my routes on here, so I can refer to them later and see how much of the west side I discover through walking. This was my route today.

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I had to do a little backtracking on Washington — I thought the road would connect me back to Hawley, or even Greenfield at a minimum, but no dice. Oh well; it added on some mileage!

According to this recent survey, 22% of high-ranking military officers oppose lifting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to boost troop levels. The results are being downplayed by those who characterize the officers as disconnected from the rank-and-file.

That, however, isn’t my concern. Frankly it doesn’t surprise me — nor do I think it proves anything.

What is frightening is that in the same survey, a whole 38% believe the solution is reinstating the federal draft. Out of the survey pool of 3,400, that means roughly 1,290 — more than one-third — believe conscription is preferred to allowing LGBT people to serve openly in the military.

Ugh.

Now, I’m not condoning the actions of the cook here, but what do you expect to happen when you send food back in a restaurant for any reason?

I’m drinking wine while reading theology homework…
I’m listening to classical music while wearing sweatpants and a cut-off…

Not exactly the most “refined” moment in my life, but it works!

One of my co-workers had her car stolen from the parking lot at work yesterday. Its a bit unnerving — I’ve known, obviously, that this is not the safest area in the city since I interned here in 2005. But a couple things first ran into my mind when she came back in and called the police:

• Two of our pastors live within a 10-block radius of the office. One of them has two small children.
• The church building I work in has a number of social service agencies within it, and along with the church, serves countless people in the community. Where any of those people in danger in the parking lot yesterday?
• Only a block away is another congregation, with similar reach and mission in the neighborhood. Not far away are two others. What are their experiences?
• I leave stuff in my car all the time. It could have been me.

Just take this as a public service announcement: please, please lock your vehicles. Don’t leave things in plain sight — better yet, take them inside with you. (On that last part, don’t expect to find any of my regular myriad electronic gadgetry left in my car unattended for a while…)

But even with the best precautions, no one is immune. All that was in my co-workers car, essentially, was a big mess of sheet music. Wonder what that goes for on the street. Say Bubba, buck-twenty for that Handel?

Who would’ve thought someone could write an entire sermon on peeing. And then prove how much of a jackass he is in the process?

So Georgia wants to take land from Tennessee. You know its because of water…