So this is what it is like....

...hmmmmm...being unemployed. I haven't enjoyed my "week off" like I thought I would. The whole getting laid off was weird to begin with, but I haven't gotten settled being at home all week. Mostly because I have been a bit busy with other things.

...Monday was a little surreal. The day was spent waiting for emails and phone calls. Tuesday was the day off with Ruby and the Girls. Wednesday was Raymond's early dismissal and some things with Momma. Thursday was morning with the Girls and then off to school to have some Daddy duties at Raymond's school. Fun, but not like I had wished. I wish I have a bit more time to myself and to have actually gotten some house work done.

...I don't know how much longer I will have time to do things, and by that I mean being unemployed. I wasn't too concerned about it at first, but today was kind of like I will need some money rolling in soon? Maybe, maybe not....

...one thing is for sure, you do have a lot of thoughts running through your head all day. Some of them aren't valid though, but some are. In the end, I think your mind can make things over dramatic. All kinds of thoughts...about work, former that is. In the end, my family life helps keep me focused on other things. Now I can get into all of the shit that runs though your mind, but I don't know if I would want them out that like this. I will pass....

As I have said all along, and others have told me as well...my former employer probably did me a huge favor (and made a huge mistake, at least I like to think). I will land on my feet and will be fine....still it is only human to wanna question things and try to make sense of it all...even if that becomes a huge waste of time...

...another thing that sucks is being laid off just in time for Houston Beer Week, and not getting to do a damn thing with it!!! Man a lot of great events going on all throughout the city...and I am tied up...that really sucks...

...that's just the life of a "G" I guess...

...

...

..

..

.

.

It's time to get back on the horse...

...Well, I went and did it. I went a few weeks without consistently running. I was hoping to not let that happen, but it did....and it wasn't hard either. My fear is that it is going to be tough to get "my running legs and lungs" back. Ultimately, it is my own doing.

I will get back on schedule tomorrow. Monday was a running day for me, so its a good starting point.

I also feel as if I gained some, if not all, of that weight back. Damn it. It is so easy to "relapse", although I don't know if that is the right word. Seems a bit over dramatic, doesn't it?

I will hope to continue to run on a consistent basis through the end of the year. Yes, through the time change and all. I might have to adjust to somethings, but I will do my very best.

Today will be my last "bad day" for a while, hoping that I do better, or as well I was doing through my initial running.


Wish me luck.

I never thought....

...I never thought that I would be proud and excited that Raymond is a Tiger Cub Scout. I mean, really...I didn't...well, it happened.

On the first week of school, Raymond caught wind of the boy scouts and all that they do. I think that camping part is what sold him. He is pumped and ready for camping.

After a couple of weeks, we kind of forgot about it, until Ruby remembered and sought out the info. She got it, and he still wanted in. I thought to myself, "you really don't want to be a boy scout, do you?!?!", but naturally, I didn't mention it, or didn't trying to talk him out if it. I mean, really?!? A boy scout?!

He was, and is now, in! We went to our first Den Meeting, and he even received his first badge, the bobcat badge for memorizing (sort of) the pledge, the salute, handshake, motto, and law of the pack. (He had a little assistance from the Tiger Cub Mother, who is Mom of one of Raymond's Kindergarten friends)...I'll never tell!

We unfortunately missed the camping trip by a weekend, but there surely will be other times. I wasn't in the scouts, and pretty much know nothing about it. I am fairly excited to learn together about all of the things that they do. I know that it will only benefit him.

It's yet another page in Raymond ongoing book. Another thing that I have never imagined that we will be doing. It's been a fun ride, and it is only getting better as time continues on. I hope to be apart of as much as I can. So far, I think that I am batting for a very high average in that department. As the girls get older, there will be more things to learn for me and to be apart of as well. I just hope that there is enough time in the day for me and Ruby to keep up.

We surely are trying....

Vinyl...

Ok, I am thinking about making the switch. Giving up on cd's and moving to vinyl. Why? It's always tough to switch mediums. In the end, the change in inevitable. I have heard/read plenty that points to the fact that cd's are going to be obsolete in then next couple of years. It's kind of took me by surprise, but it really shouldn't have.

Change is inevitable, isn't it? One of my fears, was that it was all going to go the way of MP3's. You know, like strictly iTunes only. That isn't really for me. I have to have something concrete, you know?! I don't know why, I just do.

The next thing that struck me a little odd was the fact that vinyl, or analog, actually sounds better than digital. Why didn't I think of this? I mean, of course it does. Way back when I actually used to play, we used to say "oh, I want to be strictly analog," as just a purist type of thing...kind of snobby, you know?! I didn't think about this in terms of records....duh...

At various shows, I would see a band selling records at the merch booth, and I always thought it would be cool to buy one, from a collectors standpoint. I acted on it only once. The collector in me may end up getting the better of me, you know?!

Alisson is the next factor. She bought me the Nirvana Unplugged record that may ultimately open pandora's box on the whole thing. That and the fact that we went vinyl "window shopping" earlier in the week....damn, I saw a few that I would have loved to purchase. I may go back....

Here is my lonely records now...





...now I guess I will have to research a record player eventually...this hobby (as with any other) could get expensive for me....


Oh well...

38:34.9

...well, there it is...that is my official time of my first 5K...although I made it through and completed it, it was a bit more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I know, I know...it is my first one. It should be the worse one that I ever do, right!? I hope so. I mean, I really hope that I continue to train and just get better.

The worse part is, that out of my age group (35-39 years old, Males) I place 153rd out of 194...doesn't sound good to me at all. In fact, it makes be cringe a little...damn it!! Got to get better!! HAVE TO!!!!

In any event, I was very excited. I couldn't wait for it to finally get here. I know that the main goal was to complete it, and I did, but it was difficult. Where I am at right now, I can do 2 miles fairly easy...it's after that in which I struggle. Well, I just want to improve. I do want to become a full fledged runner. I pick it back up tomorrow with a light jog, and I continue on a new training...I am nervous about it...it starts into the more advanced running. I shouldn't train as a novice anymore. It is going to be challenging, but I think it will be good for me in the end....

It was fantastic to have the family show up and share the experience with me. Laura got a few good shots of me and the kiddos, which I love!! I guess to my credit I went through the finish with such speed that Laura's camera just could not keep up with me and I was a blur!! LOL! Well, that is what I am saying any how....

It's Official!!!!

Ok...

_____ Transaction Details_____
Amount: $30.00
Online Fee: $3.40
Registration: Running of the Bulls presented by H-E-B : 5K Run (timed)
Registrant: Raymond Gamboa (email: nickgamboa@gmail.com)
Gender: M
Age on day of event: 36
Address: *************
Houston, TX ***** US
T-shirt size?: Adult X-Large


I must say, that I am pretty fucking nervous about this...

So, I've been running lately....

Yeah, it's true. I have started to run. For quite some time now I have been on that "I need to get healthy" kick, but never really did anything at all. In fact, I have probably gone through the longest inactive streak that I have ever known. It's sad to think about really. The last two or three years have been strange for me. Happy in the sense of my family, sad in the sense that we have let a lot of things get out of our control.

About five weeks ago, I decided to give running a shot. I found a beginners program online that works on an interval based time. It's been fairly smooth for me. I mean, it is definitely easing me into the running. So much so, that I have actually kept it up for...well five weeks. I am at a point now that I don't want to stop. I don't.

Over the last couple of years, I have always had a secret plan/goal, to do like a 5k run. Well, to be honest, I wanted to do all of the 5k's that the major sport teams in Houston have. Astros, Dynamo, Rockets, and Texans if they all have them, which I believe that they do. You get to do a cool 5k and usually tickets for that weekends game. Oh yeah! That and they usually end up somewhere cool...like center court, 50 yard line, what have you. Sounds cool! Right?! Of course. As with everything else, of course, I never did anything about it. Until now...sort of...

The goal for me, seems to be in complete reach. I started a running program on 7/30/12, and guess what?!? The Houston Texans host "The Running of the Bulls" 5k on 9/23/12. Seems to be in reach. It's a realistic goal to set for yourself. Hold up...nothing can be easy....

Moving right along...into the third week of running...my shins start feeling a bit tender. Great. Shin splints?! Quite possible. I developed them the last time I attempted running. It's a blessing of having extremely flat feet. Great. Three weeks in, I don't want to stop. I read a little, and see that you can continue to train through them, but you do have to be careful. I read diligently. I began stretching as much as I can, and iced my shins down as much as I could. They remained tender, but didn't seem to be getting any worse. Still, I pay close attention and continue on.

Feeling great about my running and completing my fourth week with as much confidence as one could have, another set back. On a day that I don't run (Sunday), I start feeling a slight pain in my right foot in the afternoon. Nothing too major, just a nagging pain. It was with me all day, slightly getting to be a bit more painful. At the end of the day, about to get into bed, the pain was severe. I was beginning to wonder if I had a broken bone.

ARE THE RUNNING GODS NOT PLEASED WITH ME?! WHAT HAVE I DONE? I called into work the next day and decide to get it checked out. After four different attempts to schedule an appointment, finally...an opening!!! 3:30 p.m. It was a looong day for me. The thoughts that something was broken and that I was going to have to stop kept running through my mind (No pun intended). Already I was thinking to myself that it would be the most crushing news that I have received in quite some time. I mean, I wondered to myself if I would potentially cry upon getting the grim news. On the other hand, I was also worried that I would go to the doctor and they say that they don't see anything wrong. This usually happens to me. But, hey!! The pain is there, and I can assure you that I am not making it up.

Well, after an X-Ray...they found something. Tendonitis of the fifth metatarsal. Wow! That actually sounds cool! Ok, maybe not. It's basically just an inflamed tendon, it hurts like hell, but it is just inflamed. Doc said that it shouldn't stop me from running. Ice, Ice, Ice and I should be in good shape. What's better is that he praised me for what I was doing and that I should continue. He said that I should have no problem doing a 5k. It was encouraging! It actually made me feel good. Simple, but it made me feel like going on.

It is a major relief for me to get this news. I decided, reluctantly, to take a week off from running. Hopefully with icing down and a week's rest, I should be able to start up on Labor Day. That's the plan at least.

Hope that it is good enough so that I can get back on the track.