Sixteen Candles

Goodbye
Should be sayin' that to you by now, shouldn't I?
Layin' down the law that I live by,
Though maybe next time

I've got a thick tongue,
Brimming with the words that go unsung
Simmer then the burn for a someone,
A wrong one

And I tell myself to let the story end,
My heart will rest in someone else's hand
My 'why not me?' philosophy began,
And I say

Ooh, how'm I gonna get over you?
I'll be alright, just not tonight
Someday, oh I wish you'd want me to stay
I'll be alright, just not tonight,
Someday
SARA BAREILLES

Well, Let's start this week with easily the best news and best thing to happen this birthday week. The new Sara Bareilles cd was released on Tuesday. Go buy it, it's fabulous. And the song I really, really love is the one above. She's just such a talented songwriter, piano player and singer. Fun, happy and a real pleasure to listen to. I have been singing her praises as long as this blog has been in existence...not going to stop now.





My knee is getting better. I hope. I miss sweating that's for sure. This picture is from the last really good sweat I had on the treadmill at my swim club. I have started doing rehab at the UW health and fitness center pool. Took a deep water class, that was well, interesting. And even though I am turning older this week it's really hard not to feel really young in a pool class. It looked like the pool in the movie Cocoon. And the fellow classmates sure enjoyed talking during the class. One thing about pool classes is you get out of them what you put into them, and I wasn't in the mood to mess around. Thankfully I didn't run over any of the participants like a killer whale landing on a kayak, but no promises next week. I have a meeting with the nutritionist there as well, because I need a new plan, my current plan that worked fairly well for two years just isn't working anymore.

Which leads me to my birthday. First off I can't have a birthday without thanking the person that should be celebrated on my birthday, my MOM. She did all the work, and still gets all the credit for making me who I am. Thanks Mom. I am having a small celebration at the bar that hosts our volleyball matches. We have been picking up gift cards this summer for winning and figured it would be a good night to burn through them all. So hurry come to Madison and I'll get you some shots :)


Which leads me to the contest winner.... Goes by the initials JB, had the biggest spread to land on, guessed lower than most of you. By my count I lost 127 lbs this year....... but gained 95..... :) to finish with a total loss of 32. I am disappointed that I came in way under most guesses and that I can't reward one of you that had the most faith in me. I am a little embarrassed that I didn't hang a bigger number. I'm sorry. But at the same time, I weigh less than I have in a really long time, and I'd take a few more years of -32 to get to where I want to be. I can't lose eating what I used to. I bow to peer pressure and parties like wicker furniture under my butt. I'm not perfect and I couldn't find perfect with a search warrant and a pit helmet. But I did do a triathlon, did appear on national TV and in the New York Times, I hiked slots, the vortex and camelback. Won a bunch of volleyball, looked in the mirror a few times and said "not too bad", and rode a a bike again for the first time since Reagan was President. I played basketball, wore clothes I had never worn before, and sweated like a faucet while marrying a couple. I saw so many concerts, my parents in Florida, the Terps in Indiana, great friends in Vegas, and so many new and old friends in Kayenta/St George/Ivins, Utah, where once was Fitness Ridge became the Biggest Loser. It was a good year. One I will never forget. Thanks to all of you for being along for the ride. Here's to an even better next year. It's going to start awfully well, with a Jackson Browne show, a Rams-Redskins game, a Packers-Bears game, Wicked, and Farm Aid. And that's all in the last week of this month. Can't wait. I hope our paths cross. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to comment, sent me emails, added me on facebook. More than once I have felt like I didn't want to continue but I have read what you guys have written and chosen to continue. I can't thank you enough. All of you inspire me to just be better, to embrace life, and keep trying....so many fabulous memories of year 46. Peace and Love, Jimmy Trudeau