The Landslide Will Bring You Down

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too
Oh, I'm getting older too

Stevie Nicks

As August slowly churns to an earthquaking halt it's time to wrap up summer volleyball and get ready for the next big adventure in my life. A few times this summer we struggled to play up to our capabilities, we got pushed around on Wednesday by one team that was bigger, stronger and younger, but when all was said and done we ended up taking home the Monday championship. We finished second on Wednesday nights and are currently in a 3 way tie for first on Thursdays with 3 weeks remaining. As always Sunday's have been a whole lot of fun. Onward to fall volleyball which starts in the warmth and ends in the chill of the oncoming winter. I will miss the first week of the season, but should get most of the rest of the season in.

I have to say a really hardy thank you to this group of volleyball players that adopted me halfway through the season. I had been helping out their team rather unsuccessfully for a few weeks because they were playing short handed. They were fun, enthusiastic and appreciative. I'm not sure why they changed up their attire the last couple weeks, but it sure surprised me and was extremely sweet. I am so very humbled by the wonderful people around me. And just for kicks Team Jim picked up their first match victory ever this week...Very sweet









I'm almost 4 week into to my new eating plan and pretty happy with the results. It all started with a nutrition evaluation from Leif Anderson and we were on our way. A whole bunch of foods that look like these chicken avocado lettuce wraps. Weekly weigh ins, nutrition and exercise evaluations, give me the accountability I need to succeed. And I know he is always available for consultations if you are are interested.

Should be an interesting week ahead for me. I leave Friday for Minnesota. I get to make a stop at Canterbury Park one of my favorite mid-west racetracks and then report to Fitness North on Sunday. Hoping for this cool room with the awesome view but really they all look awesome. Weather looks just amazing for the week. 105 degree highs in St George vs 70 degree highs in Duluth :) just sayin' I have been getting a little more nervous each day as new things really tend to scare me, but I also am genuinely excited for this new chapter of my life. Be sure to check in all next week to read all about it.





Went and saw Stevie Nicks in concert last night. She looked amazing and sounded wonderful. She had a very energetic and receptive crowd. Loved her music I knew, just would have loved to hear a whole lot more of it... A 14 song setlist is underwhelming compared to what I have been seeing recently... But Dreams, Rhiannon and Landslide were worth the ticket price by themselves.








Wanted to give a very hearty congratulations to two friends who did something amazing last week. Bernadine and Karen were part of the 3 day Komen Michigan walk. 60 miles walked in 3 days is simply amazing to me. I am very proud of you girls and all the walkers. And the pink tu-tu's were a very nice touch. Hope everyone had a wonderful week. My old hometown got shaken by an earthquake this week and by looks of my D.C. friends postings on facebook, it was quite the shocking event... I think it was just a warning shot to our elected officials. Peace, Love and Landslides, Jim

It's all love, all love

when i say

you take away the most important parts of me with you

and when i've had the greyest day,

you add more grey,

that's just your way, it's true.

INGRID MICHAELSON

Happy July 13th. Let's start with volleyball this week and a happy Wednesday it was for the Sunshine Daydream team as we took down the Wednesday night championship double elimination tournament. We got past a match point against us in the winner's bracket championship and than pummeled the team that came out of the loser's bracket in the championship 15-8, 15-6. We picked up a $75 dollar gift card and I, of course, got to talk a little crap to the youngsters that were on the other end of our matches. I'd post the standings but they look a lot like the last time I posted so I will just pass. I am sure I have said this before but I never played competitive volleyball growing up and I would love to get back on the court and run 5 0n 5 basketball again which has always been my first sport love, but I feel like I am still 50 lbs. and some better health insurance away from making that happen. As for the sand it has certainly rekindled my competitive spirit that lay dormant on the couch next to me and a bag of Fritos.








Spent Saturday afternoon at a beach party/8 band concert that included the Tom Petty cover band Petty Things. Just figured I would throw this picture up of the lead singer so you guys could get a look at the Petty look-a-like. I'd like to tell you about all 8 bands, but as has been apt to happen to me this summer way, way too much summer shandy in the afternoon and only made it through 5 of the bands before wrapping it up for the day. Still a real fun time and I got to play bag toss and ping pong with people drunker than I.





Which leads me to my next picture. First off wanted to show Paige the red Nikes that she
fondly remembers from her youth, and my goofy new anklet. I strung this together and threw it on to remind myself that I need to focus on 5 things that I have either not focused on enough, focused on but come up way short in my desired effort, or sadly missed focusing on all together. I know it is gimmicky but I figured it can't hurt and I really need to remind myself more often that the big picture is more important than the little things that tend to push me off track. And that I need to be more like Sisyphus pushing his rock up the hill and less like Homer Simpson rolling down the ski slope in a giant growing snowball.






Sarah from Minnesota was the third ridger to come to town and visit. She, of course, got to see the number one tourist attraction in town. Speaking of Sunshine Daydream and visitors, I will break this really exciting store news here. Ingrid Michaelson, who is one of my favorite singer-songwriters, will be doing an in-store appearance in late October prior to her show in Madison. I know most of you may not know her name yet but she has been on all the late night talk shows, had songs on Grey's Anatomy, and is going nowhere but up. Not often we get someone who has played Leno to play Sunshine Daydream and she will in fact be our first in store concert. So if you're picking a time to visit circle October 24th cause it will be a really cool weekend in Madison. I hope everyone is having an awesome summer. I'll be at the Ridge in less than 7 weeks. Time sure flies. Peace, Jim

Honey you really tempt me you know the way you look so kind.

And I guess that's why

They call it the blues

Time on my hands

Could be time spent with you

Elton John

Greetings:

We spent most of the past week celebrating the 40th anniversary of my lovely wife, Jacky, entering this world. I am pretty proud that I was able to pull off a surprise party without her having a clue, well at least no clue until she started seeing her friends cars in the parking lot as we were heading into the High Noon Saloon. A lot of Jacky's friends made the effort on a work night( for them not me) to come out and party even though we didn't get the party started til around 9 pm and didn't wrap it up until they were turning on the lights and stacking the chairs on the tables. And just for the record even though I was pulling back the covers at 3 am I was in the gym at 8:30 the following morning.

We had 40 red velvet cupcakes for the occasion. Well I guess the actual number that made it in the door was 39 as it was a fairly sizable 2 mile drive from the bakery to the bar and I thought it was only right that I taste the cupcakes to insure that my guests were getting something tasty. :)

Here was my chance to be a rock star and the bar featured live band karaoke by the band The Gomers. These guys are ridiculously talented and have well over a 1000 songs at their disposal for you to sing. And they can make even a clown like me sound okay because I'm fairly certain I didn't see anyone running from the building like their ears were on fire during my song.

Hard to imagine me looking goofier than this. So I can imagine you want to know what song I sang. It was a little Jackson Browne 'Running on Empty'. Can be much of shock to anyone that reads this. I believe there is a video copy of it running around which I promise to share with you guys if I get a copy of it.

It was really hot in Madison last week. Creeping into the 90's with a ton of humidity. Now I can sweat in just about any temperature but I can really sweat in warm and humid. I was having to switch shirts and hats midway through volleyball matches, and then sweating through a third shirt just sitting around after the games. It was a little disgusting for sure, and the locals were happy to bitch about the heat. But not me I remember winter all too well and I don't care how hot it is give scorching over snow and cold 8 days a week.

My scale at home has not been happy with my cupcake eating, summer shandy drinking, the last week so I am putting off an official weigh-in as long as possible. I am hoping to avoid the little "hey we miss you, get your fat ass back into a meeting" card I get from weight watchers when I have been delinquent in my weekly weigh in. I have had a really awesome summer as far as working out goes. I was in the gym every morning last week, on the path multiple times as well. I'm lifting weights, doing 100's of sit ups a week, and jogging further and further both on the treadmill and on the path. It doesn't mean I don't sweat walking from the car into the movie theater but at least I don't pant as well. :) I saw Transformers last week and it is a steaming pile of crap. Perhaps the worst movie I have seen this year. I also saw a really cute movie with n excellent soundtrack called Away We Go. Not spectacular but easily more than a handful of laughs. I, like most everyone else, was shocked by the passing of Michael Jackson last week. Flawed in many ways, and the product of an extremely tainted childhood, he still brought joy to millions and his musical talent is unquestioned. Rest in peace MJ Peace and ABC,123,DoReMi, jim

Memorial Day

"Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking

when I hear the silly things that you say."

Elvis Costello

It has just been picture perfect weather this weekend here in Madison, great for the store, great for the marathoners running today, great for the people at bratfest who have consumed over 100,000 brats in the first two days, and of course, great for me :)


I had a wonderful time at the Meiko concert on Monday night. She was, as always, very grateful and appreciative of her audience and nice enough to take a picture with us. She has great taste in drummers as well, as she signed on Sara Bareilles' drummer for her tour. Now that guy has a sweet life traveling the globe with these girls and hearing their music each night. Although he joked that the tour bus for Sara beat the hell out of the tour van for Meiko.





I spent yesterday at Arlington doing my part to reinvigorate the economy by dumping my Rachel Alexandra money back into betting pools. But while the big filly was kind to me last week at the Preakness, I'm afraid that the midwest horses had me baffled. Still a fun, beautiful day in the box, even if the newcomer I dragged along had no idea what beginners luck was supposed to entail.

There's a new icon on the front page of the fitness ridge website. Look like anybody you know? Thanks to Natalie for working this up and thanks to Eric for implementing it. When I see it, I think I may be Homer Simpson's lost brother, smarter and cuter for sure but we share that food obsession gene....DOH! It's a click through from their homepage to the blog and I guess there's a chance if you're reading this you used it to find me. If so, go back to the beginning and you'll get a picture of why, and how the ridge became such a part of my life.

Here's a wrap up of last week. Ridger Richard Bath made a stop in Madison and got to watch a volleyball win Tuesday and enjoy some healthy PF Changs with us, well healthier than brats that's for sure. Speaking of volleyball a nice 4-0 week for me although we lost the second game of our match Wednesday. Mild mannered, non competitive Jim remarked to his team in between game 2 and 3 that he had "no intention of fucking losing this match" When they stopped laughing at me they proceeded to hang a 15-0 shutout on our opponent. Apparently I need to cuss at my teammates a little more often :) I love warm weather and I got out on the path this week, got into the gym, and of course out on the sand. It paid off as I dropped 3.2 lbs at my WW weigh in. Now if I can just combine a little more sensible eating, and no nights calling home for a designated driver, I just might get this figured out. I hope everyone has a fun, safe holiday weekend. Sorry Canadians reading this, you guys work hard Monday. Peace, Jim