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January 7, 2007
Sixty-three
There are certain things I like to keep track of for reasons that escape me. Other things I track for very good reasons.
I track my blood work. Because I think the data may help someone else. I'd hoped to be able to draw some sort of conclusion that showed when my prolactin dropped x % that my testosterone rose y %. But that didn't happen; sometimes the more modest dips in prolactin led to the largest gains in testosterone levels. A blood draw is simply a snapshot in time and there may be other things, aside from the prolactin, that affects testosterone levels.
I track my weight. I know it has dropped steadily since my hormones have come around to a better way of thinking.
I don't track my cholesterol. It's always been good. I'm genetically blessed.
I track the amount of miles I put on The Mighty Schwinn. Last year, between May and December I rode over 1,400 miles. My riding dropped significantly in October, almost to nothing in November (due to surgery) and to not a big gob in December. I will do nothing with this info until next January when I look back and compare what I do this year to last year.
I track each ride. I download them into Topofusion and the Garmin software. I watch the little line form across the map of Central Ohio as my route is traced and I think to myself, "I remember that ... I remember that turn ... that's where the old lady almost hit me ... that's where I got lost" and then I never look at the data again. At least nothing except the total mileage. Maybe this summer I'll look back on the older rides and see if I'm doing any better time wise; now that I've got the new bottom bracket.
When I was doing my Enzyte experimentation I'd keep weekly records of my progress using a ruler I kept on my dresser. The ruler was sort of hard to explain to my kids and why I never wanted them to touch it was even harder. Two months into the trial I discovered that explaining the need for two rulers was even more difficult. Finally, when I found myself at Home Depot pricing yard sticks and calipers I decided I'd just start recording almost there.
I track lifting workouts. Mostly because I can't remember what I lift from day to day. I take this as a good sign as, if you've know any, all of your really big muscle-head types seem to be really stupid. I like to think their stupidity started with simple things like wondering what they lifted last time they were in the gym. (I don't know that the two go hand-in-hand, but the really big guys appear to be stupid and have balance problems; they seem to always be in a perpetual state of leaning forward into your personal space, almost like they're just a half-second away from toppling over onto you.)
Haydn has started working out and to encourage him to keep lifting I ordered us each a workout journal. I may check my old data at some point down the road and I know we'll refer to his as a means of encouragement.
I track how far and how often I run. These days, not far and not often. When I ran farther and daily I tracked every run. Aside from comparing races I never consulted the historical data.
Most days I track everything I eat using a program I have on my PDA. This is how I know I'm not getting all of the protein I need. Lately I've upped the amount of whey protein I take; the increase of noxious gaseous discharge suggests I am, indeed, getting more protein. The PDA still says I've got a short way to go before I get every gram I need. I never look back on this data past one day. I don't care what I ate two Mondays ago. I check the summary info each week and each month to see if the PDA and scale agree with respect to weight loss/gain. (They never agree totally, but I don't expect them to.)
This past year I read 63 books. Sixty-three that I've recorded anyway. I can't imagine I'll ever need to know that again.
I keep track of the women I've slept with. Just a list, it isn't like I spend a little time each month stalking each and every one. [There aren't enough days in the month to make the rounds (Ha ha ha! I kill me sometimes)]. The list used to pop up every once in a while and surprise me by still existing (much like Mickey Rooney did the other day in Night at the Museum). I think I finally got rid of the paper list and made an electronic copy. I also don't think I ever added The Wife at the Time to the list ... so I can nudge it up one. I review this historical data probably more often than any other thing I've tracked.
Sometimes twice a day if I'm feeling spunky and was going to be in the shower anyway.
Posted by delmer at January 7, 2007 12:37 AM
Comments
*Sometimes twice a day if I'm feeling spunky and was going to be in the shower anyway.*....there goes another perfectly good gulp of tea all over the keyboard again! Too funny Delmer!
Posted by: Pen at January 7, 2007 2:41 AM
Sorry about that.
I'm still waiting to hear what it is that I caused my mother to spit up.
Posted by: delmer at January 7, 2007 9:32 PM
Hmmm you know, I used to have that running list of men, myself. I tried to go over it mentally a few weeks back and realized I had forgotten a lot over the passage of time (or they were really that UNmemorable.) Funny how that works. You know, if I keep this up, by the time I'm 80 I can declare myself a virgin bride!
Posted by: Kyra at January 8, 2007 3:42 PM
Wait, you actually put The List to paper??
Eek. I have done the mental recollection on occasion, but frankly, there's a handful I tend to forget, and I'm happy to keep it that way. :)
Posted by: diane at January 8, 2007 5:06 PM
Gals,
(And referring to women as 'gals' may explain why the list isn't longer.)
I've gotta say, there are instances I can think of in which I hope I've fallen into the category of 'forgotten.'
Without the list there are a couple I lose track of. Recently a buddy asked me if I remembered a particular friend of a friend, and I did. He then pointed out that she and I had slept together; my first thought was "good for me" ... my second thought was, "I don't recall that part at all."
(I did remember she was a nurse, the name of the hospital she worked at, that her favorite color was blue and that she had a dog named Brighton.
OK, I remembered she was a nurse and she was blond.)
Posted by: delmer at January 9, 2007 9:14 AM