Friday, October 31, 2008


Happy Halloween: YouTube Style



The Empire Strikes Barack



Looking Back, Hoping Forward:
Cleaning Up Post-Bush




If Obama Was Killed,
Fox News Would be Super-Happy...
Surprised? Not really. VOTE!



Thursday, October 30, 2008



Round 4 Week 1
Tue.: One on One w/Tony Road Warrior
Wed.: One on One Killer Abs & Plyometrics
Thu.: P90X Yoga X & Fly Home
Fri., Sat., Sun.: Rest


Tue.: Nice long sleep -- well, lots of laying down, and up and down's, awake and not. Busted out of bed at 6:30 a.m. PT and just finished Road Warrior. Woah -- leave it to Tony to use a single weight band to rip me apart. Nice, sweaty way to start a new day here in Seattle. Shower, breakfast, then off to T+L a block away the convention center. Cell while here -- 919.800.9893.

Wed.: Great start to the show, interviews going well. Smaller show than NECC in San Antonio, the hall seems a bit empty. Makes for easier interviews and better audio, that's for sure. Final interviews today, then a final client dinner tonight.

Thu.: Sea-Tac to RDU flights, up early to do some work, off to the airport. Made it home on time. Back to work!

Fri., Sat., Sun.: Rest and turn back the clocks...

Monday, October 27, 2008


Round 4 Week 1
Mon.: One on One KillerAbs & All-Day Flight(s)

Made it out to Seattle -- left NC at 8 a.m. ET and landed at approx. 2 p.m. PT. Internal clock is pretty confused, got checked in, got my badge at T+L, did Killer Abs, and an hour from our 5 p.m. ProQuest booth meeting.

Interesting that the weather out here will be solid 60's all week, and less in NC... all week. Add to that much more Fall color out here AND two really cool, new stadiums downtown that weren't here the last time I was there -- and, well, I'm... here.

Cell whilst I'm here = 919.800.9893 -- here's to trying to do it all for the next few days. Working out in a hotel room is... fun. ;)

Friday, October 24, 2008


Round 3 Final Recovery Week (W13)
Wed.: KillerAbs & P90X Core Synergistics
Thu.: Rest
Fri.: Killer Abs & P90X+ Kenpo Plus


And the recovery week rolls on... lots of ab work, some lighter routines to match the much colder weather that's finally set in, and lots going on at work/getting ready for my trip next week to Seattle for T+L. Fun, fun, fun!

Anxious to spend some time with my father-in-law this weekend. He's decidedly Mr. Republican, but there's none better to share a drink and some conversation...



Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Grandma's & The Digital TV Conversion



McCain: 3 a.m. Phone Call

North Carolina State Fair 2008

Round 3 Final Recovery Week (W13)
Mon.: KillerAbs & Bike Ride
Tue.: Plyometrics

The end of round three is upon me -- a total of nine months of working out with Mr. Tony Horton using his crazy-good P90X and P90X+ routines. The results are very visible -- the thinnest face/body I've ever had. A weight that stays between 180 and 184 week in and week out. Showing muscles I never knew I had, and some excellent endurance/strength all around. I also added some pretty hardcore biking near the end of round two (?) -- so my overall activity has never been higher.

If I'm honest, there's still one territory I'm not all that thrilled about -- my belly. Still a pretty visible flabby, squishy ring around my center. I'm chalking it up to not 100% following the diet -- pretty close though, and my food choices are 180 degrees different from when I started -- AND using Tony's new KillerAbs routine. I'm guessing I have a pretty nice looking six pack buried under there, and the more I work those muscles, the more the flab is being pushed out and made more visible.

As I enter the final rest and recovery week, I'm thinking had about what to do next. It's been P90X - P90X+ - P90X -- next? P90X+ just to make that equation look good? Or? Maybe moving to 90 days of crazy cardio with Turbo Jams or Hip Hop Abs -- two other Beachbody workouts? Or try a combo P90X/P90X+ just like FaceBook pal Jimmy Hays Nelson has suggested?

What to do... first, to stay on course through this recovery, then tie on some basic routines next week whilst in Seattle for the T+L conference/our ProQuest booth, then back the first week of November with a solid Week 2 of Round 4... wow. Been a great road, time to carefully think of the next mile.

Headed out to the NC State Fair this weekend (photos) -- woah. Cool temps, great rides, good food -- my once-per-year friend indulgence = deep fried pecan PIE -- and all the usual goodness that is North Carolina. Too many people wearing McCain Palin stickers for my taste -- never did find the superior Obama sticker givers.


Superman Tim doing his thang...

Sunday, October 19, 2008


Explained: What's Going On @ Our Ecomomy

Well worth a listen -- unbiased, complete overview in plain English of what's happening to our economy, and how we got to this point.

Click here to listen!

Friday, October 17, 2008



Round 3 Week 12
Fri.: KillerAbs & P90X Yoga X

Ok, ok... Moving seven total yards of landscape soil about my lawn = a pretty good extra workout this week. Upper body coupled with lots of leg squats -- right? Then ended with a full-on fertilizer run with my underutilized spreader, followed by crazy seeding all around -- and I'm spent.

So today, as the rain comes in right on schedule, I was happy to sleep to my normal waking time -- the 5 a.m. alarm going off just long enough for me to do the usual cat feeding (there IS no snooze button on a hungry cat @ 5 a.m., trust me on this) and CRASH right back to the pillow.

Will rock the routine over lunch today... yep. My first true afternoon workout (with the exception of my copious biking to date) and with my back feeling like it does, I'm thinking either Yoga X or Legs and Back. We shall see.

Enjoy your Friday and weekend folks...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Coming Martial Law & Inflation Nation



Predicting Collapse: Peter Schiff (Uncanny)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Shower + Jammies + Pink Milk =
William First Grade Homework Win Pre-Bed Last Eve

Round 3 Week 12
Wed.: KillerAbs & P90X Back and Biceps + Lawn Fill-in Day Three
Thu.: Lawn Fill-in Day Four


My dirt arrived late yesterday (Tue.) -- so, not much accomplished. Will hit it hard later today (Wed. and Thu.). Rocked KillerAbs then on to Back and Biceps, loving the pull-ups and the crazy reps on the ol' forearms and biceps. Week 12, solid.

Got this in my inbox from my sister-in-law Julie -- first one in the history of this blog that I thought was good enough to share. Lucky you!

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because itwas time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MCCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the roadbecause he recognized the need to engage in bipartisan cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personallyhelped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to lead right from Day One! And ensure that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chickencrossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you canclearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chick. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken crossthe road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for itnow, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white?We need some black chickens.

DR.PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this sideof the road before it goes after the problem on the other sideof the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.



OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworkingAmerican is what that chicken did.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told. (My favorite!)

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken 2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents,and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken 2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never crash or need to be rebooted.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

Tuesday, October 14, 2008


"Sure hun, I'll put your McCain Palin sticker on the van..."
ROFLMAO @ Republicans for Voldemort

Round 3 Week 12
Tue.: P90X Plyometrics

I've had the above license plate for, oh, a year now? Best moments -- parked at Home Depot over the summer, came out, and noticed a small Toyota parked to my right (with too-tall spoiler, rotating rims, shuttered back window, all blinged out gamer-badass-style)... His plate, next to mine?

ROFLMAO @ ----> WTFPWND

Epic parking config.

I've had crazy Triangle soccer moms with car rears loaded with anti-Bush stickers pull up to me, pointing to the van, *truly* laughing out loud at the Voldemort reference. Too much fun for one Odyssey to have, true.

Epic workout this morning, taking Plyometrics to the max, mixed up an apple-banana-orange-Spinach shake for breakfast, with a cup or two of Apple Cider thrown in. Looks pretty crazy, but tastes pretty darn good.

Onward this p.m./lunch break to spreading more soil over the patchy lawn. Finally paying some attention to this burned out landscape, and its looking great...


Monday, October 13, 2008


Round 3 Week 12
Mon.: KillerAbs + Chest/Shoulders/Tris & Lawn Fill-in Day One

What a weekend -- lawn-city. Borrowed my neighbors truck and trailer to haul in 2.5 yards of mulch to pretty up the trees, beds, and back yard areas. Even filled in the box under Will's little picnic bench on his uber playset.

Once that was done, spent most of Sunday mowing, trimming like a crazy man, then working with my neighbors on aerating our lawns. Kyle rented the heavy, mani-tined beast, and we took turns gouging tons of holes in our yards. I really tore up my backyard, with its many, many bare spots, to prepare for... today.

Just before lunch a very large, smelly dump truck should rumble down my street and deposit a full five yards of landscaping soil into a space between my yard and my new neighbor -- then its time to spend lunches/nights this week moving my pair of yards over to the barespots. Then it's seeding, fertilizing, and PRAYING time.



Rocked the workouts early this morning, KillerAbs for the middle-burny-burn-win, and all that. End of round three this week, then into a modified recovery week, then on to round four -- thinking P90X+. Have to shake things up!


Saturday, October 11, 2008



Round 3 Week 11 Take Two
Fri.: KillerAbs & Chest/Shoulders/Tris + Bike
Sat.: 6 Hours @ Installing Mulch (upper body & back?!)


Finally... I feel re-energized and rocking the workout like I should. Took a week to battle the flu, then a second to regain my footing. Feels like some time lost, but -- the weight is in line, the reps are coming up, and I feel strong. Onward into the final week of Round 3 starting on Monday!

TGIF -- sort of. Busy, busy Fall in the McLain household. Will is still finishing up soccer, we have Scouts to plan for/attend, I still need to get to the lawn/mulch/plant grass, we're miles away from finishing up our paperwork to start our second adoption process, I have mounds of new videos/podcasts to produce, a tradeshow in Seattle the final week of the month, then a Web 2.0 2-hour class to give in Ann Arbor in early November... phew. I'm spent just thinking about it all.

One day at a time... Pushing play.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Wednesday, October 08, 2008


Round 3 Week 11 Take Two
Wed.: P90X Plyometrics + 19 mi. Bike

Getting back into the swing of things -- even readjusting to the 5 a.m. alarm has been interesting. Crashed hard at 9:30 last night, and got up ready to workout. The KillerAbs routine has my stomach feeling pretty abused, and the uber-cardio-burn was in full force. Managed about 42 minutes of the workout before I called it a day -- this post-flu tight chest and labored breathing wasn't making for good form. Nice sweat, solid 40 minutes, did my best, pushed play, onward.

Will got up extra early -- Mr. Bright Eyes @ 6:25 a.m. or so -- and we made scratch pancakes, his fav.

Nothing like making homemade breakfast to make me feel like a Dad -- breaking the eggs, adding the powders and flour, mixing... helping him flip 'em, then gobbling them up with some fruit and orange juice.

I don't think there's a better way to start a day.

Working on a new newsletter for ProQuest -- Retroview -- looking pretty classy, with solid content. Will post a link once it's complete.


Tuesday, October 07, 2008


Round 3 Week 11 Take Two
Tues.: P90X Back & Chest + KillerAbs & Bike

Having the flu stinks. Having a flu that likes to nest in your head then drop deep into your chest -- even worse. Dragged me down for an entire week, still getting my energy back -- and this morning was no picnic. Rocked KillerAbs up front (love it), then got a little over 1/2 way through Back and Chest before I was feeling seriously ill. Could only push myself through so many reps and crazy pull ups -- but, I pushed play and brought it. A good re-start.

The weekend -- wow! I'm guessing my 20th class reunion experience was pretty similar to most folks out there. Recognized a few folks, many more once I read the name tags, and *really* was thrown back in time once people started talking and showing their little personal traits. Some in the way they talked, others in their smiles, others still in how they unconsciously stroked their chins while they talked.

A little embarassed as well -- Beth Hartman (Kline), the girl down the street my friend Jeff and I fought over in elementary school? Well, after saying hello, took her .02 seconds to lift up her bangs and show me a small scar -- "thanks for this, TIM!" Huh? Todd backed her up last night -- apparently she was over at my house and Todd, Beth and I were throwing around some rocks (?) when I konked her square on the head, blood flowing. So now... daily reminders of me being stupid. Yikes! Sounds a little caveman to me... LOL!

Jen Simon hasn't changed at all, Melanie Eng -- another Lorane Orchards brat -- was there, fresh out of the time machine, frozen at age 18 from head to tow. Wow! And speaking of cute -- check out Deb above in her slinky black thing. Very, very nice... Making me proud!

Some spread out a little, some got skinny, others were somewhere in between. But, I can honestly say -- 20 years has a way of wearing away barriers. Everyone was friendly and happy to see each other, and we talked about the very few folks who weren't with us. Looks like everyone turned out pretty darn good, Exeter Schools be proud.

And now... wow. 50% of my motivation for getting in shape, now in the past. Know what? It doesn't matter one bit... I'm in this for the long haul. Now to get to work on my six pack for next July's pool party at Chez Kinyon. Sounds good.


Saturday, October 04, 2008

20th Class Reunion
Exeter Senior High School
Reading, PA
October 2008



Public Images @ FaceBook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61569&l=317fb&id=735581263

...and a good time was had by all!

-- Tim

Thursday, October 02, 2008


Round 3 Week 11 Take Two
Week: Sick

It's a washout... which is OK. This flu thing has dropped from a crazy head cold/fever, into my chest -- not a good thing for trying to keep up with the rigors of P90X and biking. Soooo, with some measure of relief, it's great to say that I've been resting and staying away from physical activity this week. One side effect -- a quick drop to sub-180 pounds.

With Thursday here, I'm anxious to start packing and getting on the road. One of the pair of original reasons for starting this workout habit is Saturday night -- the ye ol' 20th high school class reunion for Exeter Senior High School, Reading, PA, 19606. It's been a blast finding old friends on FaceBook and gearing up for the event -- and I'm set to have a flat out great time. (Deb even bought a little black dress number to light things up -- nice!)

So, as I thump my wheezy chest coughing again, here's to a quiet Thursday, then an easy trip up to PA...


Little Bill O'Reilly Tells It Like It Is - Watch more free videos



Wednesday, October 01, 2008

NYC Financial Bailout Protest



"You break it, you bought it?"

Round 3 Week 11
Sat./Sun./Mon./Tue./Wed.: Sick

Remember how I said Will had a barking cough/fever late last week? Well, now it's my turn. Still battling through this crazy flu -- it's in my head and chest, lots of coughing/hacking/blowing/moaning ;( -- had a fever most of the weekend.

Bought myself some crazy-strong liquid meds to get me through an hour of working with my Tiger Cubs at Kroger to kick off our popcorn sales, then did the same to help me look semi-normal for our Den meeting yesterday afternoon.

Everything went well, but I'm still working my way out from underneath this thing -- exercise, not... Hoping it'll only be another 24 hours...

So Week 11 will begin again/continue this week. Who needs a time machine? ;)