Here We Go Again

"Thank you for being a friend

Traveled down the road and back again

Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant.

And if you through a party

Invited everyone you ever knew

You would see the biggest gift would be from me

And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend."

Andrew Gold

Just a short little wrap up. I leave Sunday heading west. I'm happy the weather will be much nicer for this trip west, I am in much better shape, had a wonderful summer and am I excited to be heading back. We were first in two of our volleyball leagues and second :( in the other.

I will make every effort to update the blog much more frequently when I am back at the ridge. I should be in Vegas from Wednesday through Sunday and report to Utah on Sunday August 24th.

A couple of thanks I need to pass on. Thanks to my summer workout partner and friend Karen for the generous use of her facility and constant pushing me through circuit after seemingly unending circuit, and the recent addition to our workout team Tanya. Thanks to all my Volleyball teammates and friends at Club Tavern who made Monday and Wednesday nights my favorite times of the week. Thanks....Jenny, Jenn, Becca, Tanya, Lori, Karen, Luke, Zach, Tim, Alex, Rich, Dan, Tony, MBArk, Moose and Kay. Thanks to my wonderful staff who are constantly make us the friendliest store in town. Thanks to my old teacher and renewed friend Paul. Thanks to all the people that get a little joy out of reading this dribble :) and thanks to all the ridgers and future ridgers who have kept in touch or gotten in touch because they have read this blog. And of course Thanks to my wonderful, loving wife who once again will keep my life together while I am out dancing in the Utah desert. Her generosity with her time and heart and acceptance of my friends and non stop pursuit of volleyball and music this summer has been appreciated more than I could ever put into words.

I hope everyone has a fabulous remainder of their summer. Please do not hesitate to call me, email me, leave comments, ask questions, or come visit St George, Utah. I'll miss all you guys!! Peace and Love, Jim

August and Everything After

"this life is a beautiful one

and though I seen it comin' undone

well I know most definitely

that it all works out the way its meant to be

I'm laughing now

just because...love love love"

Tristan Prettyman

I really have no clue where the summer has gone but for me it is winding down very quickly. I leave for fitness ridge in less than two weeks. But let's make one thing very clear. It has been the "Summer of Jim." My goals were seeing a ton of live music, playing as much volleyball as possible and and continuing the workouts I had begun at Fitness Ridge. I am 3 for 3 on my goals and it is really hard for me to say which has been the most successful or the most satisfying. My 3 volleyball teams are all in first place or tied for first place on their individual nights, My weigh in last week was -6 lbs for a summer total of 43 lbs and an overall total since February of now in the triple digits, and just yesterday we vended at the Madison Roots Festival and got to see

another amazing show and got to meet an absolute sweetheart and fantastic singer songwriter Tristan Prettyman. I need to give a shout out to my new good friend and new volleyball team mate, and 4 time workout partner last week, and overall really nice person Tanya( pronounced like Tanya Tucker). She did three circuit trainings with me last week and helped me with my volleyball serves and sets, and for fun kicked my ass in darts.

Here is Jacky and my parents who recently retired to Venice Beach, Florida. Venice is on the west coast of Florida just south of Sarasota. Jacky got to visit this week but also got to partake in a 12 hour flight odyssey trying to return home on Thursday.

Here's Tristan on stage with her drummer. The Roots festival was an all day music festival in Madison. It probably had between 4 and 5,000 attendees. The line up included Tristan, Dar Williams, The John Butler Trio, and G Love and Special Sauce. Not all household names but all people that tour regularly, have played the Tonite Show and Letterman, and are well known in our store's target audience.

So after her set Tristan came out to where we were vending to say Hi and hung out and had a beer and met a few of her fans including one big dummy in a bright tie-dye and red hat.

I just thought I looked pretty good in this picture and had to throw it on here. Tristan picked up a Sunshine Daydream logo shirt and a tie-dye skirt from our booth and then went back on stage about an hour later to do an encore song with G Love wearing the skirt. And just cause she is extraordinarily cool she told the crowd that she just got this awesome skirt from her friends at Sunshine Daydream which was met with a smattering of cheers and applause.

Just a really nice thing for her to do. So you blog readers go buy a copy of or PAY to download one of her two cds. Her first cd is Twenty Three and includes the hit Love, Love, Love and her new cd is entitled Hello and has the hit Madly on it.

Again I leave for Utah in two short weeks with a slight stopover at the Las Vegas Hilton for their "Pick the Ponies" contest on the 21st to 23 rd of August. Then it's up the mountain, back in the pool and 6 more weeks of dont ask, dont tell 1200 calories a day of tofulicious goodness. Peace and happy summer, JIM

Maxwell Street Days

"So many will be the blessings and so short will the time,

I'll stay with you.

But I'll play for you, I love you yes I do.

You can say that I'm your friend,

You can see my life begin and end.

I'll always play for you. "

Seals and Crofts

Maxwell St Days was a big success for us. Thw weather forecasts were for nothing but rain all weekend and we got not a drop. We sold all sorts of stuff but just a ton of sunglasses. We had 3 outdoor booths as well as the store and all and all no complaints.

Some of my employees working hard for the money :)

Here's the mighty Sunshine Daydream volleyball team. I know we don't look like much, colorful sure, but we have kicked ass all year. And I am a different player than I have been the past few years.

I am scheduled to report to Fitness Ridge on Sunday, August 24th. I am looking forward to it. It should be a much different experience this trip without the trepidation that accompanies anything new. Very excited to meet new people and catch up with the wonderful staff there. Damn ready to attack the mountain better. I had another successful weigh in last week bu

t only -1.8 bringing the summer total to 38 lbs. It's gotten a little tougher these last couple weeks, not the exercise part I'm happy with what I am doing there, but a few old friends have snuck in briefly and I really find myself enjoying the taste of these. It's a summer beer that combines beer and lemonade. I certainly wont see any of those in Utah.

I have seen plenty of local music the last couple weeks, we are vending next week at the Madison Roots festival which feature GLove and Tristan Prettyman, which should be fun and hopefully profitable. Jacky is headed to Florida for 4 days on monday to see my parents and their new house in Venice Beach. I'll be home doing what I do, playing volleyball. Enjoy the last couple days of July. Football starts August 3rd!!!!!!! Peace and Love, Jim

mid-july in Madison

"Weve been through some things together

With trunks of memories still to come

We found things to do in stormy weather

Long may you run."

Neil Young

We are getting ready this week for our busiest weekend of the year here in Madison. It's a street festival that takes place on our street called "Maxwell Street Days" named after the famous bazaar in Chicago. We have been very fortunate to have great weather the last few years. The forecast for this weekend is dicey at best so if you're bored please do a "no rain" dance for us.

Volleyball is still going well. 1st place in two of the three leagues and second place in the other.

Speaking of volleyball, we had a little summer cookout drinking party and one sure way to tell that Jim has been drinking is you see him on a dance floor.

Same night, different bar; my good friend Alex poses with some unknown girl in the parking lot who didn't want to take the ten steps into the bar to use the bathroom.

One really cool thing I have been able to do a couple times this summer is use the box at Arlington Racetrack in western Chicago that belongs to Paul's Neighborhood Bar in Madison. I got to spend last friday and saturday enjoying the horses and even made a few dollers for my time.

420 anyone?

"I can change the world

With my own two hands

Make it a better place

With my own two hands

Make it a kinder place

With my own two hands"

Ben Harper

Hi People~

So I got on the scale today and it was a good number down 4.4 pounds, 36.2 for the summer and no I weigh less than 420 thats not why it's up there :) I just wanted to share my pre-weigh in ritual with you guys. I work out hard before I get on the scale, usually wednesday mornings. This was succesful in pushing the scale the first week but now obviously I have to repeat those seriously excrutiating workouts to have confidence on the scales. So I had my last meal yesterday around four pm( one four oz. hamburger patty, one sliced tomatoe, 2 ozs. of roasted new potatoes, 20 baby carrots and a few dill pickles.) Walked a couple miles last night at 9pm, swatted a few dozen mosquitoes, had a 10:10pm volleyball match that lasted around an hour. Woke up this morning at 6:45 am, did another 2 mile hike, drove to swimwest for an hour of circuit training. I had lifted weights the day before so during the weight section of the circuit I grabbed a 10lb medicine ball and did situps. 20 sets of 25 sit-ups and one set of 20 for a grand total of 420. I may have ab's of steel they are just hiding under a stomach of jello. Got on the scale at 10 am and then, of course, raced home to eat some food :)

Happy Independance Day to everyone, enjoys some fireworks, grilling and what not. And
of course a Happy 420 to everyone in every conceivable manner. Peace, Jim

No political commentary, just a picture of the best selling sticker from June :)

A picture of the UW union terrace. It wins the award for the favorite place in the city every year. Probably because you can buy cheap beer and brats, hang out and watch different music every night, and people watch on the lake to your heart's content.

Happy July

"Music is a world within itself

With a language we all understand

With an equal opportunity

For all to sing, dance and clap their hands"

Stevie Wonder

Here's the Wisconsin state capitol building as pictured from directly in front of our store. It's three blocks up the street to the capitol and three blocks down the street to the University of Wisconsin. And although we are right on State St. it not really a street because it is closed to general traffic. The six blocks have a vast array of shops, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues. It is as cool a street is there is in the country. However not as cool as it used to be before the national chains like The Gap, Starbucks, Taco Bell etc. arrived. Now the street is probably close to 50% chains, but the heart of the street is still the locally owned stores you can't find anywhere else.

Well it is now onto July and a mere seven weeks until I step foot on the grounds of Fitness Ridge again for six more weeks. I remember easily the fun I had there, the great people I met, and the success I felt leaving. Its a little tougher for me to remember the pain, the hunger, the nighttime boredom, and that damn stop sign hike but I'm sure as I get closer to the day all those feelings will come back.

I was able to keep my one streak going of seeing lots and lots of live music this past week. My weight loss streak now has an asterisk, much like the tainted home run record of the cheating Barry Bonds. I could not get the home scale to budge under the needed number for me to get on the scale last week so I did what any weight watcher long time vet would do. Skipped the meeting :) I will be back on the scale tomorrow unlike in years past where one missed week would turn into never going back. It should be an okay, but not stellar number. I have two workouts and a volleyball game before the ten am weigh in tomorrow so that'll help as well.

I'd like to lay much of the blame on the birthday dinner pictured here but truth is there was a couple other detours on the road to negative numbers. I have really not seen many movies this summer because I am powerless against popcorn. I'd like to think I could conquer this but there is no way. It's hard to explain but it goes something like this. I try to go without it I think about it all the time in the movie. I get some, I aimlessly pound away at the bucket until its gone and then I am sad cause it's gone.



I saw three great acoustic female songwriters Friday night. It is really a genre I love. The opener, who wasn't on the bill actually stole the show. An Amazing voice and great lyrics. She is from Prince Edward Island, Canada and is named Rose Cousins. Also saw Pete Francis from a band named Dispatch. They played a sold out show at Madison Square Garden not too long ago. Probably more exciting to him then the 40 people that showed up at the local bar to see him solo. Also saw two bands at the UW Union terrace. The terrace is an outdoor area that backs up to the lake. It is full every night because there is no better place in the city to hang out. It also sells a ton of draft beer and has a perpetual cookout going on. Last night was a Beatle cover band followed by a screening of the movie Hard Day's Night. Didn't stay for the flick because I had to kick some Volleyball butt. Tonite's volleyball is at 10:10pm :(

I am heading to St Louis on Sunday for two days. I get to see my brother Jay, hang out in his pool and pick up some merchandise for our big summer street festival coming up in two weeks. Also hope to get down to Arlington Park for a day or two of races. I have a couple 4th of July parties coming up this week as well. Should be fun times. Peace, Jim

Hard to waterski on dry land.

"The summer wind, came blowin in - from across the sea

It lingered there, so warm and fair - to walk with me

All summer long, we sang a song - and strolled on golden sand

Two sweethearts, and the summer wind"

Frank Sinatra

It rained an awful lot here a couple weeks ago. I mean like Noah's Ark kinda rain flooding a lot of the Midwest. However, the Wisconsin Dells which is a huge summer tourist are in central Wisconsin has a problem with no water. One of the biggest lakes in the area, Lake Delton, overflowed its banks and cause a retaining wall to collapse, a road to wash away and finally the entire lake to empty into the Wisconsin River. We went up to look at it this week and take a few pictures.

Here is the bleachers from the dells water show that is going to have a very long summer.

Finally, the marina dry docks. The do hope to get the lake refilled by next spring. They were able to recover four guns from the lake bed so I guess there are some anxious criminals out there.

Let's get a fitness update since I think this is going to get linked to the fitness ridge blog. I am working out a lot. 5 or 6 mornings a week with my workout partner doing cardio/ circuit training/ intervals/weight lifting/ medicine ball sit ups. I would have thought the soreness that was in my body in Utah would have eased up but alas I was mistaken. I'm sore in the morning, I'm sore at night and I'm sore every time of move, other than that I'm good. Actually the only time I'm not sore is when i am actually exercising. I have been hoofing it a couple miles in the morning on the paths through my city. I have some new friends that like to follow me around. With all the rain the mosquitoes are taking over. A little OFF, a few swats and I'm on my way. However I do feel like an insect buffet line at times and a good buffet like the Bellagio not the crapfest like chuck'o'rama. Lastly still pounding out 3 nights a week of volleyball. If there is really one place I can feel the weight loss it is in the sand of the volleyball court. I move better, dive a lot, and throw a spike in every once in awhile.

I am now only a little over 8 weeks away from second trip to Utah. I am looking forward to actually being in better shape when I arrive, not having as many people with terrified looks on their face passing me in the dessert, and of course a good solid 1200 calories. Speaking of calories tonite I am going to Samba Brazilian Steakhouse in Madison with a dozen friends to celebrate my wife's birthday. These restaurants feature the happy gauchos walking around with spits of meat. I believe a couple dozen different kinds of meat. I'll let you know how many next time :) Should be fun. No booze, no potatoes so I think I start my meal at negative 500 calories right off the bat.

I hope everyone has a happy weekend. Let's go Spain in the Euro 2008 championship match. I'm seeing Steve Miller Band and Joe Cocker this weekend at Summerfest. Peace, Jim