Online Escape: Poppin' fresh

Don't ask me why, but female poppers are hot.

Year of the Spears

It's been an interesting year for the Spears family.

Britney's been in a number of rehab and treatment facilities, shaved her head, lost custody of her children and had her, ahem, female region shown all over the tabloids.

And that was just the first half of the year.

Now it's baby sister's turn to shine. Trying to outdo her older sibling's exploits, Jamie Lynn, the 16-year-old star of “Zoey 101,” recently announced that she was pregnant.

Jamie and Lynne must be so proud of their children.

Coincidentally, Lynne's book about parenting has been delayed indefinitely.

Really? I'm surprised that she hasn't been nominated for mother of the year.

Who would've thought that Kevin Federline is the normal one in this entire situation.

Film fest leaves summer void

Say it ain’t so.

I know it’s been rumored for months, but don’t tell me that there’s not going to be a 2008 Aurora Asian Film Festival.

Alas, it’s true. It’s been confirmed by us and the Aurora Sentinel that the annual event has been suspended due to a variety of factors, which include a number of major sponsors leaving and the core group of volunteers simply burning out.

While I understand the reasons why it happened, I’m still bummed out about it.

The festival has been an annual staple of both Aurora and the Asian-American community. While there are other larger As-Am events that showcase Asian culture, such as the Boulder Asian Festival and the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the AAFF has always been my favorite.

Since I began attending in 2002, it’s been my way of kicking off the summer. It was three and a half days of doing nothing but sitting back and watching some movies. Some were good, some were bad and some I couldn’t decide, but it was fun taking it all in. And I loved debating the merits of the films after each showing with other patrons in front of the Aurora Fox Arts Center.

Other film festivals don’t have the same feel. There are too many films in each showing at the Boulder Asian Film Festival to remember them all. And the Starz Denver Film Festival is massive – once one movie lets out, another one begins. It’s hard to find time in between to chat. The AAFF was just right.

It’s going to be weird when May ends and there are no Asian movies showing at the Fox Arts Center.

Maybe I’ll just pick up a bunch of DVDs and spend that weekend on my couch. Who wants to join me?

Intestinal fortitude

The mark of a true competitor resides in the ability to continue through adversity. If it's fighting through an injury and willing your team to a victory, there are few who show this kind of intestinal fortitude.

And thankfully, I have a couple of these players on my team.

God, I love fantasy football.

I advanced to the championship game in my keeper league after taking down the defending champions yesterday. It was in the same fashion that I've enjoyed for most of the season: my opponent has an off week and my team takes full advantage. I won with Minnesota's defense and Adrian Peterson still to play.

Next week won't be so easy. I'm playing the one team who has rolled through its competition all year long with Tom Brady and Brian Westbrook leading the way. He averaged 181.42 points per game as compared to my 157.76.

I'm hoping my recent pick-ups in the past few weeks will help. I grabbed wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery of the waivers after it was speculated that his season was over. But he played through the pain and has been fairly consistant these past few weeks. He's a nice improvement over Amani Toomer as my third receiver, and a good complement player to Larry Fitzgerald and Greg Jennings.

My running back situation is my strength. With Steven Jackson, Adrian Peterson and Brandon Jacobs coming on strong, I seem to have three potential No. 1 backs starting. Quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Vince Young have good matchups next week, playing Cleveland and the Jets, respectively. Mason Crosby is averaging double digits as a kicker and TE Chris Cooley has been a nice grab from free agency.

I'm projected to score 189.45 points next week, but we'll see. I'm thinking I need at least 200-plus points to even compete. Let's see who's on the waivers this week.

Fighting fat: Week 15

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Dec. 11 weigh-in: 162 lbs. (BMI: 24.3 – overweight)
Days worked out in week 14: five

After gaining a pound last week, I dropped it this week. I've come to the conclusion that 162 is another wall, so I'm going to have to crank up my workouts in order to hit my goal of 160.

I'm hoping to do this by next Tuesday because many of my friends are coming into town and that's a recipe for disaster.

The nice thing is that my body fat percentage is down to 15.2 percent. A drop from 16.3 percent four weeks ago.

My dilemma right now is that focus is becoming harder as the weather gets colder. There are days when it seems easier to go home and sleep after my warmouts than continuing to lift. I need to find a goal to work toward, but I don't have one right now aside from dropping weight.

Maybe I can think of something next week.

Online Escape: Anonymous Korean Assassin

"I'd like to battle you to the death, if you don't mind."

Who wants another sham marriage?

I didn't think reality shows could sink any lower.

Now I've never been much of a fan of reality TV – although I admit “Kitchen Nightmares” and “The Biggest Loser” are guilty pleasures of mine – but there's a new one coming out from a Los Angeles-based company that makes me shake my head from the title alone: “Who wants to marry a U.S. citizen?”

From the teaser on its website, the show appears to be similar to “The Dating Game,” where a single U.S. citizen asks three available immigrants with temporary visas a variety of questions. At the end of the show, one is chosen for marriage. The show's creators say that it does not guarantee marriage or legal status, but it will pay for a wedding and honeymoon should it happens.

Oh, and this is the tagline: “One will win and get to stay in the country. Two will probably be deported.”

Why does this seem like it's a bomb waiting to explode?

In an interview with ABC News, Shawn Saucier, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, said that a legal immigrant meeting someone through a game show that focuses on marrying a U.S. citizen would raise flags on the legitimacy of the marriage.

Well, duh.

I suppose proponents of the show would argue that if two people love each other, who's to say where they meet makes a difference – especially with the rampant success of reality show hook-ups. Just look at Ryan and Trista Sutter from “The Bacholorette,” and, um ...

Aren't reality shows known more for ruining marriages than creating them? I mean, Nick and Jessica seemed like a nice couple before their show. Hulk Hogan was married for 20-plus years before “Hogan Knows Best” started airing.

Dating shows have always played on the basic human need of finding a soul mate. “Who wants to marry a U.S. citizen?” takes that and adds the hope of gaining legal status. If this show were to find its way onto a network, there will be plenty of broken hearts and broken dreams. I'm not saying that all of the marriages would end in shambles, but given reality TV's track record, the outlook's not a bright one.

For more information about “Who wants to marry a U.S. citizen?” visit its website at http://www.HookACitizen.com.

Mess in the BCS

Isn't it about time college football adopts a playoff system?

For years, critics of the BCS system have argued that the system is imperfect and that more often than not, the best teams don't end up in the championship game.

Back in 2002 Miami played Nebraska, despite Oregon being ranked No. 2 in both human polls and Colorado stomped them in the regular season finale.

In 2004 Oklahoma, LSU and USC all had one loss at the end of the regular season. But LSU and Oklahoma played for the national title, while USC was left out despite being ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.

This year, Ohio State (11-1) and LSU (11-2) will play for the national title, despite Kansas only having one loss and Hawaii going undefeated. There are another six teams in the BCS top 10 that have two losses.

Granted Hawaii vs. Ohio State would likely be a washout and there would be countless critics condemning the game, but that's where a playoff system would clean the mess up.

Since the bowl games make generate so much money, eliminating them would not be an option. Here is my solution:

Have a 16-team playoff. Take the top two from the BCS poll (Ohio State and LSU), the conference champions from the BCS conferences (Oklahoma, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and USC), any mid-major champions who finished in the top 10 of the BCS polls (Hawaii), and fill in the rest with at-large bids (Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Georgia, Arizona St., Florida, Boston College, Clemson and Tennessee.) There would be 15 games to be decided in four weeks.

The BCS National Championship game would remain for the final game, but there would be six bowls for the quarter- and semifinals leading up to the final game. The Fiesta, Rose, Sugar and Orange would remain, but the Cotton and the Gator would be added. The six bowls will rotate rounds every year.

More games equals more money, plus this would be a far more comprehensive way to decide the national champion.

Plus, viewers will flock to see a Selection Sunday like March Madness.

Soundbytes: Jake Shimabukuro shimmers

Like the holiday season, Jake Shimabukuro's CD releases have become an annual staple.

Since 2002, the ukulele virtuoso has produced an album a year. But 2007 brings double the fun as he comes out with the six-song EP In My Life and the soundtrack to the 2006 Japanese hit film, “Hula Girls.”

In My Life
In My Life is a collection of ukulele covers of some of Shimabukuro's favorites songs. Among the artists featured include The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Cyndi Lauper. His mellow arrangements produce an aurally pleasing compilation of these familiar classics.

The album opens with Shimabukuro's take on Lauper's “Time After Time.” His crystal-clear ukulele plucks are accompanied by bongos, which create a laid-back island sound. Jake's younger brother Bruce provides gentle guitar strums in the background.

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” features a solo performance by Shimabukuro. He alternates between soft, lucid plucks and heavy, rich strums to give the Judy Garland piece a lounge-esque quality.

The best song on the album is his cover of Sarah McLachlin's “Ice Cream.” Simplicity is the key as Shimabukuro plays without a band, producing a rich sound entirely from his four-octive instrument. His slow strums add depth as each string resonates.

Clocking in a just a little more than 22 minutes, In My Life provides a taste of Shimabukuro's skills. Its sweet and tranquil sounds are pleasant to listen to, but as soon it pulls one in, the music is over, leaving an unsatisfied aural palate craving more.

Hula Girls
Honolulu-native Jake Shimabukuro predominantly featured on the soundtrack to an award-winning film set in Hawaii? Makes sense.

The “Hula Girls” soundtrack sounds more like a “best of” compilation for Shimabukuro. Those familiar with the talented musician's past works will recognize tracks such as “Heartbeat,” “Walking Down Rainhill” and “Touch.” While the album carries sweet, carefree melodies, it fails to showcase the lightning-quick ukulele rips that are associated with the artist.

“Hula Girl” is a mellow tune that highlights Jennifer Perri's bright, rich voice as Shimabukuro's lucid plucks play harmony. Soft guitar strikes and sparsely placed bass hits are subdued to emphasis the vocals.

The movie version of “Heartbeat” is a piano arrangement of the Shimabukuro's piece from Walking Down Rainhill. The sustained notes echo, creating a heavy, haunting sound that resonates. It's a stark difference from the next track, “Heartbeat (reprise),” which carries a fluffier sound, focusing on Shimabukuro's ukulele play and a guitar that fills the background.

“Hawaiian Eyes” is one of the two songs not featuring Shimabukuro – both are by the all-female Hawaiian group, Na Leo. Warm guitar strums and shakers open the song as the vocals enter. The three women create intricate harmonies during the chorus, while layering the melody over harmonic backgrounds during the bridge.

Shimabukuro's signature sound is tuned down in the “Hula Girls” soundtrack. While it's an album that's worth adding to one's collection, it lacks the innovation that have been typical of the ukulele virtuoso's work.

Online Escape: OJ's Eleven

Remembering a pioneer

I remember the first time I went to the Denver Press Club and saw its wall of caracatures, I was surprised when I saw an Asian face on it. While my friends were trying to figure out the other faces, I just stared at the one of Bill Hosokawa.

The former Denver Post editorial page editor died on Nov. 9 in Sequim, Wash. He was 92.

In the interviews I've read, Bill said that he grew up in Seattle wanting to become a journalist. But at the time, “Asian American” and “journalist” didn't go together. While at the University of Washington, he said his professors told him to pursue a different career because no one was going to hire him.

It didn't deter him from getting his degree. But they were right about getting work – Bill had to travel abroad to find a job, working for various English-language Asian publications.

When he returned to the U.S. in 1941, it was five weeks before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In May 1942, he and about 120,000 other Japanese Americans were forced out of their homes and sent to internment camps.

When he was released, he found a job on the copy desk in Iowa. In 1946, he was hired by The Denver Post where he would spend 38 years working and rise to editorial page editor – the highest-ranked position for any Asian-American journalist in his time.

When he retired, he was the only person of color in the newsroom.

Bill was a pioneer. He challenged the notion that Asian Americans couldn't be journalists. He went through the pain and struggle of rejection so that it would be easier for subsequent generations to enter the industry.

All the while he held true to his Japanese-American identity, inspiring others to do the same. In his blog, Examiner.com Director of Content Gil Asakawa said “having a historical giant like Bill Hosokawa in the area was like having a lighthouse in a fog.”

I never had a chance to meet Bill Hosokawa, but I thank him for helping me be where I am today. Hopefully one day, I'll be able to join him on that wall.

Fighting fat: week 13

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Nov. 20 weigh-in: 164 (BMI: 24.6 – normal)
Days worked out in week 11: four

Ugh. This has not been a good week for exercise.

My right shoulder is slightly tweaked so I've been holding back from doing much with it. It doesn't feel like anything serious and it's almost back to normal, but I'm not taking any chances. I had a rotator cuff injury in August 2006 that put me out of commission for about six months – it was the worst injury I can remember having.

But with Thanksgiving coming up, and a four-day weekend, I'm planning on training like an Olympian.

And get some much needed sleep.

I'm a little surprised that I dropped some weight this week. My upper-body routines haven't been as rigorous with my shoulder.

Nov. 27 weigh-in: 162 (24.3 – normal)
Days worked out in week 12: four

I figured I should go against the flow over Thanksgiving weekend by losing three pounds. That's right, on Monday morning I weighed in at 161 pounds.

I gained a pound back yesterday, but that's a good thing. Three pounds a week at this point is a little much for me.

The extended weekend meant plenty of sleep and time to heal my shoulder. I held back from heavy upper-body routines such as the bench press, and worked on my auxiliary muscles instead.

I also tried yoga for the first time – good stuff, I may try it again sometime.

But with my goal of 160 within reach, I can't let up. I started doing heavier routines again and I'm back on my protein shakes. I know muscle is heavier than fat, but I still have some flab to take off.

Online Escape: I am Iron Man

Does anyone believe that Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man is an inspired casting choice?

(For you non-Comic-book folk, Tony Stark is an alcoholic. Downey Jr. was a drug addict)

Fighting fat: week 11

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Nov. 13 weigh-in: 165 (BMI:
Days worked out in week 10: four

Whoo! New milestone — I'm down to 16.3 percent body fat, which places me in the “fitness” range. That's down from 18.5 percent in week five and 21.5 percent from week two.

With the holiday season coming up, I should have more time to kick it into intense mode and become a gym hermit. I'm hoping to drop below 13 percent and into the “athletes” range by the end of the year. But this requires a lot of time and discipline.

I'm enjoying that I'm starting to look more balanced. My arms are getting thicker, my back's filling out, my butt's gaining muscle mass. It's pretty sweet.

But my chest is still growing considerably. It's interesting not being able to fit into some of my old shirts because of muscle and not flab.

I'm planning on dropping two pounds in this next week. I need to make up for the weight I wasn't able to lose last week. I'm only planning on taking either Wednesday or Thursday off. The rest of the time, I'll be at the gym.

(And yes, that's the "Mortal Kombat" movie soundtrack playing in the video clip)

Fleeting life

Life is fragile – we just don't notice it until it's gone.

Last Friday my niece's close friend, Jeff, committed suicide. He was 21.

When she text messaged me about it last night, I called her to see how she was doing. She sounded sullen and confused. I could tell that she was still trying to comprehend the situation.

I like to think that I usually give decent uncle-esque advice to my nieces and nephews, but I was at a loss for words. This was something new for me, too.

I've been fortunate in that I have only lost a few people in my life. The closest was my maternal grandfather who died of lung cancer when I was 8 years old, but I was too young to fully understand what was happening at the time. I was sad because I knew he was gone, but it wasn't until years later that I realized how important he was in my life.

But that was a different situation. Although preparing for someone to die lies somewhere between difficult to impossible, we at least knew it was coming.

No one expected the events that transpired Friday.

Everyone described Jeff as a happy, energetic individual who was down-to-earth. There didn't appear to be any warning signs. He was someone who brought a smile to people's faces and enjoyed skiing and talking about his plans for the future – a future that will never be.

On Facebook and MySpace his friends have made online memorials, posting pictures and sharing their favorite memories about him. It's a start to mending the emotional wounds.

Though it's a cliché to say we have to go out and live life to the fullest, it's because of events like this that we realize that it cannot be taken for granted.

Perhaps that's the one good thing that comes out of this horrible mess.

Fighting fat: Week 10

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Nov. 6 weigh-in: 165 lbs. (BMI: 24.7 – normal)

It took a few weeks, but I finally dropped some more weight.

It was only a pound, but that's a pound less than I was last week. I believe the key ingredient has been more sleep.

The more impressive fact – impressive to me, at least – is that I'm becoming much stronger and agile than I have been in the past. The speed of my lateral twist running speed is increasing. My burst speed is improving somewhat – I haven't been working on that as much yet.

The only thing is – my right arm is noticably larger than my left. I don't think there's that much of strength difference between the two, though I could be wrong. One of my major focuses during the past two weeks has been building my arms and shoulders. Between every shoulder exercise, I do a bicep or tricep exercise.

Needless to say, my arms have been a little fatigued. This asymmetry worries me a little, but I'm going to try and fix it in the coming weeks.

It's been a while since I've checked my body fat percentage. I figure I'll go in either tomorrow or Thursday and check it out.

Meanwhile, my Chipotle diet has been working well. Perhaps I should go offer my story to the company for some free food.

Goal for week 11: Going to try and drop down to 163. If I work at it, 160 by Thanksgiving isn't out of the question.

Online Escape: 'U Really Got a Hold on Me'

This is one of my favorite "Sesame Street" skits of all time.

Missed opportunity

To my Asian-American brothers and sisters:

Where you at?

This past weekend, U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, D-Ca. came to Denver to speak with the community. It was an opportunity for us to discuss issues that concern us with someone on the national level.

Unfortunately, the turnout was less than overwhelming.

Let me put it this way – there was only one person less than the age of 30 at the emerging leaders meeting on Friday: Me.

And at the town meeting on Saturday, there were four of us – two of which were from AsiaXpress.com.

As great as it was to have a solo meeting with Honda and many of our community's experienced leaders, including former Colorado State Senate President Stan Matsunaka, it was disheartening being the lone voice for Asian Americans of my generation.

And as a journalist I'm supposed to observe and record the news, not be the one who's making it.

It's a stereotype that Asian Americans prefer to stay quiet and avoid rocking the boat when it comes to politics. It's another one that many in Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 1994) are apathetic to governmental affairs. Friday did nothing except perpetuate those claims.

The Asian-American voice is small on the national scale. Of the 100 U.S. senators, two are of Asian descent. Of the 535 voting members in congress, there are only six Asian Americans. That's 2 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively – far lower than the 4 percent of us who make up the U.S. population. It doesn't help that only 30.7 percent of Asian Americans who are eligible to vote actually did in the 2004 election.

If we want to have a voice, we have to become involved. Whether it's running for public office, volunteering for someone's campaign or just getting out there and voting, we have to make our presence known. If we don't, we'll forever remain known as the “silent minority.”

Congressman Honda's visit to Denver was a missed opportunity for the community. We can't let that happen again.

Nothing says Halloween like a free burrito

I have my costume. What about you?

I miss the days when I used to get dressed up and go trick-or-treating, returning home with a pillow case full of candy treasures.

Ah, 2003. I wish I were there again.

But the advent of Chipotle's Boo-rito, I can relive my childhood experiences. Wrapping myself in aluminum foil and pretending to be a burrito brings me a free burrito of my own tomorrow from 5-10 p.m.

I'm planning to stock up for the week.

Fighting fat: Week nine

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Oct. 30 weigh-in: 166 lbs. (BMI: 24.9 – normal)
Days worked out during week eight: 4

Hmm.

It seems as if 166 is my wall. I can't seem to drop below this weight for a sustained period of time.

Part of the problem may be due to my minor indulgences this past week. I went out to Old Chicago to grab some pizza and beers with my friends for the Rockies game on Thursday. Then I went to a Halloween party to indulge in some, um, spirits on Friday.

Although these extra days off aren't helping me lose weight, they may be helping me gain more strength. I've been steadily increasing my workout load for the past two weeks and my muscles haven't been as sore. Rather it's been the good “I need to keep lifting” soreness. As I predicted last week, my chest is in its growth phase. It feels more solid than I can ever remember. My legs are about to enter the growth phase. I went through my normal leg routine last night and felt nothing afterward. Perhaps it's time to increase the weights.

As this new week begins, my plan is the same as last week's: drop down to 165 pounds. It should be much easier to do as there is nothing (so far) that should tempt me from sticking to my diet and workout regiment.

I'm worried that I'll begin to lose motivation as the holidays approach. I need to find a goal to work toward so that doesn't happen. It's too early to go into heavy training for the dragon boat festival. Getting too cold to start training for tennis.

Any suggestions?

Online Escape: '1776'

THIS IS AMERICA!

Jin is going to die

There have been many theories about how the ABC series “Lost” is going to end. I'm not sure which one will come true, but I do know one thing: Jin is going to die.

It's not because there's some clue I picked up from last season's finale, or that I have a special source who's leaking the information from within. Rather it's because of a consistent trend I've seen the past few years — a real-life DUI equals the killing of that actor's character.

In the early morning of Oct. 25, actor Daniel Dae Kim was arrested on the suspicion of drunken driving in Honolulu.

Add Kim to Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros who were arrested for driving under the influence. Not soon after the news hit that their characters were eliminated from the show.

Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje was also arrested in Honolulu for disobeying an officer and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Agbaje's Mr. Eko was killed off soon after.

Jin's eventual demise will create yet another void in the Asian-American presence on mainstream television. Although Jin speaks very little English (and subpar Korean) on the show, his presence as a strong Asian male who's considered to be a sex symbol is leaps and bounds above the stereotypical roles that are common for Asian actors. It meant that Asian males were open to roles beyond doctors or lawyers or computer experts. And, the most important part, they were no longer seen as assexual beings.

Yeah, the perpetual foreigner thing is still there, but it's one step at a time. Just ask “Heroes” actors Masi Oka and James Kyson Lee.

It ain't over till it's over

My boys lost last night. They're down 0-3 in the series now.

But I still have faith. Sure, no one has ever come back from this deficit to win the World Series, but it's still possible.

I joked with my co-workers that The Rockies already signed a contract with Disney for a movie:

Nine games back of the wild card in September, the team goes on a torrid run, makes it to the playoffs, and fights its way into the World Series. Their opponents are the powerhouse Boston Red Sox, a ridiculously strong team from top to bottom.

The Rocks get rocked in the first three games. When all seems lost, Aaron Cook – the opening-day starter who was injured in the middle of season – returns with an inspiring performance, leading the team to a win.

Flash forward a couple more games, and the Rockies tie the series 3-3. Down a run in the ninth inning of game seven, veteran first baseman Todd Helton sends a two-run shot over the Green Monster and the Rocks take the lead. The game ends with Manny Corpas getting the save, knocking out Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

The film ends with the obligatory freeze frame with the team cheering in the middle of the field. And then it goes to the "This person ended up doing this" screens.


It even has all the things you need for a sports film: the stoic veteran leader (Helton), the superstar (Matt Holliday) and the surprising rookie (Troy Tulowitzki). All it needs is a cast with a couple of moderately recognizable actors – Shia LaBoeuf as Tulowitzki, Dennis Quaid as Helton – and you got a movie.

Online Escape: Cop Rock

Sometimes I wish we could break out into random songs in the newsroom.

I suppose we need an organ in here first.

Inferno

My brother Tony shot this picture of the wildfire near my sister Huong's house in San Diego.

It's one thing to see a disaster strike, but it's another when there's family in the middle of it.

Of my five siblings who live in San Diego, three have been faced with mandatory evacuation. It's scary to see these images shown on the news.

I'd be much more at ease if they were in Colorado, but picking everything up and coming here for an indefinite amount of time isn't feasible.

Let's hope this ends soon.

Fighting fat: Week eight

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Oct. 23 weigh-in: 166 lbs. (BMI: 24.9 – normal)
Days worked out during week seven: 3

I am shocked.

After three days of nonstop eating and drinking in Boston, I somehow am back to the weight before I left.

When I came back from my trip on Sunday, I stepped on the scale to find out that I had gained nine pounds over the course of three days. Flash forward 36 hours and I've lost those extra pounds.

It's a little concerning to me that I fluctuated nine pound in the course of a day and a half — I don't think that's healthy. But I found some interesting side effects that occurred.

The Good:
The thousands upon thousands of calories I ingested along with the rest I had over the weekend seems to have helped me replenish my physical strength. My chest feels like it's about to enter its growth phase.
My legs feel much stronger with the countless miles I walked through Boston.

The bad:
My small meals don't satisfy me as much — granted this may be from my increased metabolism from before.
Some of my temptations have returned. I ate a ton of things that weren't good for me, and I have cravings for fried foods now.

Hopefully those cravings will subside soon. I am liking my sturdier legs. They feel like tree trunks right now. But there's always room to improve and if I don't get these Rockies tickets, I have further motivation.

My goal for this week is to drop a pound and be down to 165, and I plan on checking my body fat either Thursday or Friday. With the Rox playing in town this weekend, I figure I'll indulge in the celebration. Just a lil'.

Why?

I hate you evenue servers.

I was about to get my tickets and now it's frozen.

A dose of reality

My trip to Boston this weekend was filled with fun memories, good food and plenty of drinks, many of which would be fun to blog about. But the one thing that will resonate with me is being a witness to a domestic attack.

It was about 4 p.m. Boston time when my friend Sam and I were wandering through downtown, trying to find a restaurant called Dick's Last Resort. We stumble upon a couple who are having a livid argument. Since it wasn't any of our business, we walk past them. Then I hear a disturbing sound.

*SMACK*

We stop in our tracks. A woman down the street comes running, yelling “Stop!” while her mother follows. I turn around and see the couple in a struggle. Apparently the boyfriend hit his girlfriend.

“Oh, boy,” Sam said quietly under his breath.

Unsure of what to do, I open up my cell phone and approach the couple. The boyfriend sees me and backs away from her. The other woman comes running in with her cell phone out, saying, “I'm going to call the cops!”

The girlfriend runs in front of her boyfriend, desperately trying to convince her to not call the police. As Sam and I walk in closer, the boyfriend takes off running. The girl tries to chase after him, but the woman grabs her hand.

All of a sudden, we were in an impromptu intervention session.

But whatever we try to tell her, she wouldn't listen. It was the first time he's ever hit her, she says. He's the father of her baby, she says.

She loves him, she says.

I'm sure it wasn't the first time he's ever hit her, and it won't be the last. But convincing someone who doesn't want to be convinced, especially when it's a stranger, is near impossible.

The girl bolts across the street to search for her boyfriend. The four of us stand in silence, disappointed and sad.

It's a day later and I've had a night to sleep on it. I wonder if I should have done more to help her. I wonder if I could've done more to help her.

The boyfriend was smaller than me, and I'm pretty sure I could have overpowered him and held him down before the police arrived. But what if he pulled a knife on me, what would I do then?

I've run through dozens of scenarios in my head, but nothing makes much sense to me.

Pop goes my jaw

Since I was young, I've had the ability to crack various joints on my body. It started with the big knuckles on my hands in fifth grade.

Now I can pop:
— All five big knuckles on each hand (10)
— The four medium knuckles on my fingers on each hand (8)
— Both wrists (2)
— Both elbows at times (2)
— All 10 toes (10)
— My neck (2)
— My back (2)
— My chest (1) — this started a couple years back when I was doing heavier bench pressing

And now the left side of my jaw. It's the weirdest sensation. I'm not sure if anyone else can hear it, but because it's right next to my ear, it's loud to me.

Needless to say, I don't think this is a good thing. When my chest started popping, I went to several doctors and they told me it was normal. I don't think my jaw's supposed to pop, however.

The Internet certainly doesn't help calm me down with all the scary information out there.

But I'm going to schedule a physical after I get back from Boston. Hopefully it's something minor and can be corrected.

Fighting fat: weeks six and seven

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Oct. 9 weigh-in: 166 lbs. (BMI: 24.9 – normal)
Oct. 16 weigh-in: 166 lbs. (BMI: 24.9 – normal)
Days worked out during week five and six: 10

Nothing like an election guide to slow down my blogging.

But it did nothing to prevent me from hitting the gym.

I hit my goal of 166 by Oct. 11 last week. I've been down to 165 on several occasions – maybe 164 here and there – but it was 166 on the official date.

It's nice to be of normal weight. The only bad thing is that greasy food makes me kind of sick now. My body's not used to it anymore. I had a slice of pizza today and it was good going down, but right now it's making me feel a little queasy.

I'm taking a little mini-vacation to Boston this weekend and I'm expecting to gain some weight. No exercise plus tons of food and spirits equals weight gain.

Until then, I'm working out hardcore. I am altering my routine once again. I'm testing out this speed lifting where I lift at a slightly faster than average rate, but where I'm still in full control of the weights.

Supposedly this will train my muscles to regenerate quicker and allow me to do more exercises during my routine. We'll see if there's an improvement in a couple of weeks.

The other thing is that I'm taking a protein shake within 30 minutes after my workout. I read that this helps my muscles repair themselves right away and should help prevent soreness in the days following. It feels like it's working so far, but it could also just be a placebo effect.

Since I've hit my goal for my birthday, it's time to move onto the next goal. Drop down to 160 pounds by Christmas (I'm really aiming for Thanksgiving).

Online Escape: I am the lawgiver!

Huh. Leeroy Jenkins drives a Tacoma, eh?

Sticks and stones

What possesses people to say what they say?

This past week in Chicago, Filipino-American Frannie Richards is suing H&M – a clothing chain – because she said she was harassed because of her ethnicity. According to the CBS affiliate in Chicago, she said that an employee called her a “mail-order bride” and made fun of her ability to understand English. She said when she went to the manager, he didn't seem to care about her complaint.

And if this is because Richards has an accent, it's because she does – it's American.

Sadly, there was an incident like that here in our state not too long ago.

Last month, my niece and her sorority sisters were at a party in Boulder when one tried to introduce herself to some guys. The guys turned their backs.

“These girls don't belong here,” one said.

“At the party?” the other one asked.

“No, in America,” he answered.

I don't know what my reaction would have been, but it may have involved my fist connecting with the the base of his skull. However, I doubt he would've said it to my face – or most any other guy for that matter. Instead, he decided to pick on some “defenseless” girls.

Well, perhaps defenseless is a poor word choice.

“Are they still there?” the first guy asked.

Not to take this lightly, my niece answered: “Yeah, to be a pain is your ... ” Well, let's say the last word rhymes with “mass.” The women and the guy shouted back at one another before they all decided to leave.

I'm dang proud of my Asian sisters for standing up to the harassment. The easy route would have been to walk away and pretend not to hear it, but they took the fight right back to him.

Stealing a line from Laila Ali's Adidas commercial, “Rumble young girl, rumble.”

To Bert and Ernie: Don't ask, don't tell

In a recent Associated Press story, "Sesame Street" is working on a DVD that will be distributed to military families to help young children cope with parents who return from the war with injuries.

As interesting a concept as it is, I can't help but wonder if there be flashback scenes of the action in Iraq with muppets battling other muppets?

I admit, I want to see Cookie Monster in the camps eating everyone's rations.

Online Escape: And Iran

Andy Samberg may very well be the most talented member of SNL.

Greatest moments in Colorado sports

Matt Holliday's dive into home plate in the bottom of the 13th inning to propel the Rockies into the playoffs last night instantly became one of the most memorable moments in Colorado sports history.

Here are some of the other memorable moments:

The eighth-seeded Nuggets knocking off top-seeded Seattle in the 1994 playoffs
Who can forget Dikembe Mutombo holding onto the basketball, crying out with joy? The Nuggets had been near the bottom of the league for several years and in their first appearance in the playoffs, they knock out the Supersonics.

Elway's "Helicopter" in Super Bowl XXXII
With the score tied at 17 apiece, Elway breaks for an eight-yard run in which he was hit so hard he spun in the air. The Broncos scored two plays later and went on to win the game 31-24 over Green Bay.

The Miracle at Michigan
With six seconds left in the game, the Colorado Buffaloes were behind Michigan, 26-21. Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart heaves a 64-yard pass into the end zone, it deflects off of a defender and lands in receiver Michael Westbrook's hands for the win.

Claude Lemieux smashing Kris Draper's face
During the 1996 playoffs, Avs right wing Lemieux violently checked Detroit's Kris Draper into the boards, leaving the center with a broken jaw, broken nose and a broken cheekbone. This is the moment that sparked the rivalry between the Red Wings and the Avs.

Fighting fat: Week five

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Oct. 2 weigh-in: 167 lbs. (BMI: 25 – overweight)
Days worked out during week four: five

This was an interesting week. There's been things that have gone well and things that have not.

Let's start with the good: We had a family gather on Saturday and there's always way too much food at these functions. But I was able to limit myself to one plate and a beer.

The bad: My brother invited me up to Central City for a buffet on Friday. Buffets aren't good for diets and I had seven plates.

The confusing: I still lost weight – I was expecting to gain a pound or two after the buffet visit. It wasn't the three pounds I planned on losing last week, but it still came off.

My metabolism must be on high gear.

Right now my body mass index is at 25 – the absolute bottom of overweight. If I drop half a pound, I become normal weight.

But the more important number I found was my body fat percent, which dropped from 21.5 percent to 18.2 percent in three weeks. The acceptable range is 18-25 percent, which is where I am at, but it means I am on the verge of reaching the fitness level (14-17 percent).

I'm loving the fact that my clothes fit much better now and the sixth notch on the belt is normal.

My plan for this week is to continue my workout routine, but increase my warm-up cardio to 45 minutes and add more exercises to my weight training. I should reach my goal of 166 by next week as long as I don't deviate from my diet – meaning no buffets. But my side goal is to drop to 17 percent body fat. I don't know if that's feasible because I don't know how quickly my body fat level is supposed to drop, but it's worth a shot.

Online Escape: Kanye blows up

At least Mr. West can make fun of himself.

Online Escape: Xtreme skeet shooting

"I want more bigger stuff."

Pavlik vs. Taylor

Jermain Taylor has never seemed like a middleweight champion to me.

Looking at the 29-year-old's résumé – which includes two victories over Bernard Hopkins and a draw against Winky Wright – I sound like a crazy man for saying this. But I watched all three of those fights and Taylor didn't do all that well.

Hopkins should have won both fights – I'm not sure what the judges were saying. Hopkins outboxed Taylor and showed much less damage after the fights. The Wright fight was much closer, but Winky had the fight except for that last round.

Taylor's a tall, strong fighter with a long reach. But his opponent on Saturday, Kelly Pavlik, is even taller and has seems like he has more power – 31 wins, 28 KOs. In May, he had a decisive victory over up-and-comer Edison Miranda in one of the most entertaining fights of the year. Seven rounds of nonstop action before getting a TKO in the seventh round.

That same night Taylor scored a dull split-decision victory over the smaller Cory Spinks.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens on Saturday. Can Taylor's suspect chin handle Pavlik's power, or will he prevail and live up to his potential?

I think Pavlik's going to run the tables on Taylor. He is too big, too strong. Pavlik via KO in 8.

Lazy journalism

“Taser this... F--- Bush.”

Wow.

Creative.

When I read about how The Rocky Mountain Collegian decided to publish this four-letter piece in its opinions section, I couldn't help but think to myself that someone was too lazy to write an actual column and this was a last-second decision.

No, I don't think the content was as offensive as many are making it out to be – it is a college newspaper after all, and they are allowed some editorial liberties. Granted I didn't use swear words in big, bold letters in my time at The Metropolitan.

I'm offended by the lack of effort that was applied. It wasn't a provocative and insightful look at, well, anything. The Rocky Mountain Collegian Editor-in-Chief J. David McSwane said CSU students are apathetic about free speech and other freedoms and that the “best way to illustrate that point was to use our freedoms.”

The best way? I don't think most people got the point. A well-written, profanity-laced piece about that subject would have been much more interesting.

And McSwain has shown plenty of effort in the past. Two years ago, the then 17-year-old wrote a piece titled “An Army of Anyone” in Westword. He went undercover and exposed army recruiters bending the rules to sign new recruits.

If he spent an hour to bang out something with more substance, no one outside of Fort Collins would have heard about it.

Then again, maybe that's what he wanted.

Oh, and if you're going to do a four-word piece, please edit it. There's a space before the ellipses according to AP style.

What's in a name?

Gardens on Havana, huh?

Then my name is Master King Emperor Josephus, Ph.D.

Just because you give something a different name, doesn't mean it's going to stick. Ask the Aurora Mall – wait, I mean “Town Center.”

I grew up knowing that area as Buckingham Square and it's going to continue to be Buckingham after the redevelopment. Plus “Gardens” sounds too flowery.

“Hey, let's head over to the Gardens!”

“Hey, let's not.”

Why not give it an awesome name like “The Fort” or “Thundera.”

Actually, calling it “Thundera” would be pretty sweet, especially with a giant statue of Lion-O at the entrance and some guy in a Snarf outfit giving balloons to kids.

Fighting fat: Week four

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Sept. 25 morning weigh in: 169 lbs. (BMI 25.3 – overweight)
Days worked out during week three: five

How the heck this this happen?

It's a pleasant surprise to lose two pounds this week – I was expecting to be heavier than I am right now. My nephew graduated from the Art Institute on Friday so we had a family party on Saturday. The thing about our family parties is that there's tons of food and it's all delicious. I ate way more than I should have that night. Then we hit up the club and partook in some alcoholic beverages. How many? Lets say it was slightly less than the number of fingers I have. Add in some late-night burgers and ribs and it was a fitting end to a night of gluttony.

I probably took in 3,000-4,000 calories from dinner to when I came home. Yeah. Not doing that again anytime soon.

Add that to my recent acquisition of NCAA Football '08 and it's a double-edged sword against me – Speaking of which, I created my alma mater Metro State. It's year six and the 'Runners are the three-time defending Sun Belt conference champs and are currently ranked No. 15 in the AP, ahem, “Media” polls.

I suppose I compensated by increasing my workout warm-up cardio to 30-45 minutes. But it leaves me wondering, how light would I be if I didn't give into my indulgences?

There's more temptation this weekend with another family gathering. I just need to stick to my guns and stay with moderate portions.

To recap, I have two weeks and two days to drop three pounds. My goal for next Tuesday is to reach my goal and be at 166 pounds. It's nice being able to reach notch six on my belt again.

Online Escape: Western ukelele

A classic Western song with a bevy of ukeleles.

Lookalikes

Separated at birth? Oscar-nominated actor David Strathairn, left, and Aurora city council Ward IV candidate Gary Zimmerman.

Fighting fat, week three

Starting weight: 176 lbs. (BMI: 26.4 – overweight)
Sept. 18 morning weigh-in: 171 lbs. (BMI: 25.6 – overweight)
Days worked out during week two: four

I've hit the halfway point to my goal of 166 by Oct. 11, but I'm a little heavier than I planned on being. I only lost a pound in the last week, but that's due to my minor food gorging and lack of exercise this past weekend. I'm a little surprised that I actually lost weight this week, but I'm not complaining.

My cardio stamina is returning. I had to do an abbreviated 15-minute warm-up last night and it felt easy. I didn't feel any strain, but I do know I have a ways to go. My leg strength is coming back quickly – I'm pushing as much as I could before in everything with the exception of leg lifts. But in time, my quads will return. Upper-body-wise my arms, back and shoulders are getting stronger. My chest has hit a wall, but it usually does every so often. I'm not worried.

I've tweaked my diet. Before, I was eating a burrito for breakfast, a moderate lunch and then a protein shake for dinner. To increase my body's metabolism, I've broken the burrito into two meals. Half at 10:30 a.m., half at 2 p.m. and then a moderate dinner at 5 p.m. Then I have a protein shake before hitting the gym. It feels much better when I'm just content at work than full.

When I dropped down to 153 pounds four years ago, I was eating 6-10 meals a day – with each meal being about 200 to 300 calories. Ideally this is what I should do to lose weight. Think of it as compounding interest – getting one interest period for a year gets you an additional amount of money, but the more periods that are added, the more money you'll make. (Trust me, I was almost a math minor). Maybe I'll turn my burrito into three meals, and have two small dinners next week before a protein shake before the gym. Six meals of about 300 calories each.

Hmm – 1,800 calories. I may have to increase my food intake. We'll see.

In recap, I have three weeks and two days to drop five pounds. My goal for next Tuesday is to be about 168 pounds.

Last second: the sequel

I love the Broncos and nothing is sweeter than a close victory, but just once this season I want to see them beat the living snot out of someone. My heart can't handle these last-second heroics by Jason Elam anymore.

Two weeks, two late game-winning field goals by Elam.

Excuse me while I check my pulse.

Denver held a 17-3 lead at halftime before the Raiders scored 17 unanswered points to take the lead. The Broncos drove the ball down the field to set up an Elam field goal to tie the game, forcing it into overtime.

That's when my heart stop.

The Raiders lined up for a field goal and it looked as if they were going to win. But Mike Shanahan called a timeout, killing Sebastian Janikowski's kick. When he tried again, it bounced off the uprights.

The Broncos marched down the field and gave Elam an easy chip shot for the victory.

I love close football games – except when it involves my team. I want them to demolish anyone and everyone in their path. They face Jacksonville next week – lets hope for a good ol' fashion 42-7 butt-whoopin'.

Online Escape: Minute masters of the turntables

When I was eight, scratching meant relieving an itch.

Hidden Gems: Misha

Misha Teardrop Sweetheart (Tomlab, 2007) Three and a half out of four stars

Some people are just meant to be together.

Misha's John Chao and Ashley Yao grew up knowing each other in Taipei, Taiwan before events moved them around the world, according to their record label's website. But after college, they found each other again in New York, began dating and made beautiful music together.

Perhaps that’s why the duo's LP, Teardrop Sweetheart, is a collection of lighthearted love songs that elicit a spectrum of emotions. The group’s unique blend of mellow melodies and charming lyrics carry listeners through the ups and downs of a love.

The album opens with “Scars,” which features Chao's subdued vocals accompanied by steady claps and a simple bassline. Piano lines, horns and bright bell strikes are layered to create a rich sound.

The best song on the album is “Summersend,” a throwback to the 80s new-wave sound. Layered guitar riffs set the melody while the rhythmic bassline plays. Yao's vocals run parallel to Chao's lyrics, producing aurally pleasing harmonies as the muddled lyrics lend richness to the airy sound.

“Delovedly” opens with a bright music box melody, rattling clicks and a muffled drum bass before Chao's voice enters. Rich, high-pitched strings accompany Yao's voice. The electric piano and the bassline become more prominent as a steady hi-hat rhythm begin, giving the song a lounge-esque sound.

Love is a fickle subject that has been trotted on by everyone in every genre. What sets Teardrop Sweetheart apart is Misha’s avoidance of a cookie-cutter sound. Rather, they tackle the theme while producing sounds that are solely their own.

For more information about Misha, visit their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/Mishatheband.

Gym etiquette

I've learned that there are certain gym etiquettes that I have to abide by:

There are the ones that are courteous:

• Put away the weights when you're done with them
• Wipe down machines after you use them – no one wants to work out in your sweat
• If someone's on a machine you'd like to use, ask if you could “work in” with them
• Help spot people if they ask
• Go in the right direction on the track
  

After years of working out, I have a number of rules that I'd like to add.

Don't spit on the ground
This seems like common sense to me, but every so often I catch someone doing it. I don't care if you spit in a corner – that's where I stretch. I don't want to stretch my quads while standing in a pile of your mucus.

Don't sit at benches or machines doing nothing
Since I work out late at night, I don't know how often I find some person sitting at a machine waiting for their friend or spouse to finish changing. I want to lift and I shouldn't have to ask you to move.

No groupies
This interesting phenomenon occurs during the spring. There's usually two teenage guys who work out and a flock of teenage girls who hang around them taking up space. The girls are ridiculously annoying. They giggle and laugh and take up all the benches. Why? Because they need a place to sit and chat.

Don't wander naked into the pool area
OK, this only happened once – I went for a swim when an older woman walked out topless. It wasn't something that I wanted to see at 8 a.m. (Granted I may have not minded as much if she were attractive, but that's beside the point)

Don't walk on the treadmills
This is just an annoying observation. Why walk on a treadmill when you could walk in the park or around the track upstairs?

There are more and I'll remember them when I go to the gym tonight.

Online Escape: Bringing back the robot

Those who say the robot's dead don't know what they're talking about. It rocks if you do it right.

Remembering 9/11

Sept. 11, 2001 – it's a date that will remain etched in the minds of Americans for years to come.

I was a freshman art major at CU-Boulder when it happened. It was the third week of school and I was beginning to get used to my daily routine in the dorms.

I woke up early that morning to grab some breakfast with my friend Bryant. I messaged him via AOL Instant Messenger and he told me he would meet me in a few minutes. After 10 minutes, he didn't show up, so I walked up to his room. I saw him mesmorized by something on TV. The second plane had hit the south tower of the World Trade Center.

Thoughts of breakfast dissapated as we watched these surreal events unravel on his television. This wasn't supposed to happen in the U.S. This wasn't supposed to happen to us.

When a third plane crashed into the Pentagon, my thoughts shifted to my family in nearby Virginia. It was a scary time and the only emotion that hit me was confusion.

For the next few days, there was a solemn mood on campus. Everyone was coping in their own ways. Some with anger, some with sadness, some with humor, some with occupying their time by keeping busy.

I went to a candlelight vigil that Thursday night at the fountains of the UMC. Students told stories and expressed sorrow, but the one thing that was etched in my mind was the guy who carried a large U.S. flag across his shoulder. He didn't have anything to say, but his image said it all.

We were still here.

Fighting fat, part two

Today is the start of week two of my diet.

I am down to 172 pounds – a drop of four pounds in one week. Most of the research I have read suggests that two to three pounds per week is a safe number. I believe the extra pound is due to my gorgefest of ice cream and chicken wings on Labor Day.

My BMI is down to 25.8 – still in the “overweight” region, but closer to “normal” at 18-24.9. I had my body fat percentage measured yesterday and I was at 21.5 percent. The American Council on Exercise puts me at “acceptable” for men – 18-25 percent. I suppose a new goal I have to add is getting down to 17 percent, or the “fitness” level.

So far I've been able to maintain my “Chipotle diet.” With a burrito for breakfast, a moderate lunch and a protein shake for dinner, my daily calorie intake has become consistant. But I am finding it a little difficult to keep up with on the weekend. I've also decreased my alcoholic intake – each bottle of beer is roughly 120 calories – and my unhealthy snacking, though I do have an occasional cookie during work.

After a month-long bout with flus, colds and coughs, I was astonished how much my cardio stamina had diminished. During my warm-up last Tuesday, I got tired after five minutes. It was a bizarre feeling – I'm not supposed to hit a wall on the machines. Thankfully, I shook off the cobwebs and am back to 25 minutes now.

I'm back on a five to six day a week workout regiment. My upper body maintained most of its strength – probably due to me continuing my lifting routine during my sickness. My lower body lost a little power, but it's rapidly returning. The best part is that I'm getting the good tired feeling again – when my muscles are sore, but it's a good sore.

My goal this week is to drop another two to three pounds and increase my cardio warm-up to 30-35 minutes. Getting to 165 pounds is right around the corner, but I'm going to have to work a lot harder after this week.

Broncos need to march into red zone

The Broncos eeked out a last-second 15-14 victory over Buffalo Sept. 9.

And what a way to kick off the season. Jason Elam running out to the field to kick a field goal with time running out on the clock. It's going to be a classic moment in Broncos history.

15-14.

It's a little close considering Denver dominated the Bills in total yardage 470-184, and had a 23-13 first-down edge.

I know “a win's a win” and “football's unpredictable,” but with all those yards, the Denver offense only reached the red zone twice – capitalizing once on a five-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall in the third quarter.

I was pleased with the defense holding the Bills to minimal success. Their only mistake was allowing a 23-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch.

Fighting fat

Obesity is a problem in the United States. People spend millions every year, trying new dietery fads in order to lose weight.

And I'm joining the fray.

For the next few months, I will be documenting my journey to getting fit.

I officially began my diet yesterday after months of working out, but gorging on anything and everything that was in my reach. At 5-feet-8 ½ and 176 pounds (as of the morning of Sept. 4), I have a Body Mass Index of 26.4, which is considered overweight according to the scale. To be considered “normal,” I have to drop down to 166 so that my BMI is 24.9.

I was 173 pounds when I woke up this morning. I credit a good deal of that to my Labor Day weekend gluttony passing.

Funny. I was 167 when I started this job in May. Perhaps it's all the cookies and not moving that's helped increase my weight.

Instead of going on Atkins or South Beach or whatever the current tready diet is, I'm doing what's worked for me in the past: consistent workouts and healthy meals. From Monday through Friday, I come to work at 10:30 a.m. with a Chipotle burrito or bol sans sour cream, depending on what my workout is for the night. At about 4 p.m., I go home for a light to moderate lunch. Then it's a small snack – such as a protein bar – for dinner. After work I hit the gym for an hour and a half to two, and then a protein shake before going to bed.

I kind of feel like Jared Fogel, except with better tasting food.

My workout routine is simple. Five to six days a week, alternating between lower- and upper-body lifting. I start with 15-30 minutes of cardio, which I'm hoping to increase to 45 once this month-long sickness clears up, stretches and then weights.

Ah, I miss that one stretch when I was was 19 and had dropped down to my middle-school weight of 153 pounds. I could run like a gazelle, but was as weak as a mouse.

And then I found beer and a love of weights.

So here's the goal: Drop down to 165 pounds by Oct. 11, my 24th birthday. But also returning to repping my weight on the bench just like I did last year before my rotator cuff injury. It's nice to have a chest that pops out, but it's not fun when your gut hides it.

Defending the crown

It's good to be the king.

At last year's Taste of Colorado ice cream eating contest, I was the new kid. With a rag-tag team that consisted of myself, my 23-year-old nephew John, and a father and his 7-year-old son, we took home the title with a Kobayashi-esque performance. With the father and his son suffering brain freezes in the first 20 seconds, John and I took over, devouring the half gallon of ice cream in 67 seconds.

Flash forward to Sept. 3, 2007 – It's a year later, John and me have a new team. It's a team we trust because it's family.

Enter Nick, my 14-year-old nephew who shares his uncle's competitive spirit, and Dom, John's younger brother and part of the 2005 championship team who won in 53 seconds. It was only appropriate that our team name was the Minutemen.

We arrived at the Taste with a bit of a swagger, marching through the crowd exuding confidence. We didn't need to go through the qualifying rounds – we were the defending champions.

As we waited with the half-gallon of ice cream sitting on our table, my adrenaline was pumping. Like a caged tiger, I marched around, staring at the cold, sweet obstacle that was presented in front of me. The other teams slowly disappeared from my vision, as my only goal was to reach the bottom of the plate.

The countdown began.

Five.

I could hear my heart beating as I stood less than an inch away from the ice cream.

Four.

I could hear the cheers from my other family members who sat just to the right of me.

Three.

I could see the texture on the surface of the ice cream. Bumpy and filled with ridges, like a picture of mountains from space.

Two.

The sounds slowly dissipate. I could see Dom's eyes on the opposite side of the ice cream. Focused, fierce – I knew he was on his game.

One.

Absolute silence.

Go!

I dug into the chilly mound with my mouth, taking in as much as I possibly could. The cold reminded me of my qualifying round the year before. I got up and switched with Nick and watched him take down a couple of bites. Still inexperienced and wearing braces, he ate as much as he could.

I went back down and broke toward the center. The ice cream was much harder than I had remembered. Was this really the same substance I had eaten the year before?

A minute passed and I knew that this ice cream proved to be a far more difficult challenge than last year. I took out more chunks and got back up. None of my teammates were going back for more. In a second that seemed like an eternity, I swallowed the vanilla dessert in my mouth and attacked it once again. Dom sensing the same urgency, followed suit.

I raised my head and looked down the table. The other teams were doing a good job with their ice cream, staying close with us.

“Oh no, the Minutemen are falling behind,” the announcer said.

Suddenly my competitive nature kicked in and my mind went blank. For the next 10-15 seconds, I went after the one-fifth of the half-gallon or so that remained. When I stood back up, most of the bottom of the plate was visable. That's when John and Dom went in for the kill.

Covered in vanilla ice cream, we were victorious. It is said that nothing is sweeter than the first championship.

Perhaps that's by someone who's only won one. This is the start of a dynasty.

Fantasy football: the aftermath

Last time on “A Cup of Joe”:
Joe enters his third year of “Trouble,” a 12-team fantasy football league. This year, the commissioner decides to allow keepers as long as they were drafted past the eighth round last year.

Joe decides to keep undrafted WR Reggie Brown (PHI), RB Brandon Jacobs (NYG) and QB Vince Young (TEN), thus losing his 12th to 14th picks. And he has the No. 2 pick in the draft.

-----

Round 1, 2nd pick: RB Steven Jackson (STL) – (No. 2 overall according to fanball.com's 2006 stats, No. 2 RB)
2006: 1,528 rushing yds, 13 rushing TDs, 806 receiving yds, 3 TDs, 28.36 points per game (3rd overall, 2nd RB)

This was a no-brain pick on my part. If I couldn't get Tomlinson, Jackson was my only other option. With our league's slightly higher points per reception, Jackson should get ridiculous points this year. He also mentioned that he had a lofty goal: 2,500 yards of total offense.

Round 2, 23rd pick: QB Carson Palmer (CIN) – (No. 10, No. 5 QB)
2006: 4,036 yards passing, 28 TDs, 22.84 ppg (12th, 6th QB)

I was going to take a super top-tier wide receiver with my second pick, but with my top three choices – Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith and Chad Johnson – gone from the board, I went with my second QB choice, behind Peyton. Palmer has Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh as targets and getting 4,000-plus yards and 30-plus TDs should be a given this season. Plus QB points are slightly increased this year.

Round 3, 26th pick: WR Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) – (No. 103, No. 25 WR)
2006: 941 receiving yds, 6 TDs, 14.53 ppg

Fitz suffered through injuries last year, but he's big (6-4/220) and has immense talent. Add QB Matt Leinart, who will pass the ball around enough to keep him, RB Edgerrin James and WR Anquan Boldin happy. I'm expecting a solid 1,000-plus yards, 10-plus TDs for him this year.

Round 4, 47th pick: RB Adrian Peterson (MIN)
2006: N/A

I know he's sharing time with Chester Taylor for Minnesota, but he will make some huge runs. It was a fair gamble to take him here, but I think he's going to take over the full-time starting slot fairly early into the season. He should end up with 1,000-plus yards on the ground and six TDs.

Round 5, 50th pick: TE Vernon Davis (SF) – (No. 286, No. 26 TE)
2006: 265 receiving yds, 3 TDs, 5.99 ppg

At the end of the fourth round, tight ends were going fast. The top TEs – Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Alge Crumpler – were gone. Davis showed flashes of brilliance before he broke his leg last year. He's big (6-3, 253) and fast (4.40 40). In retrospect, I probably chose him higher than I should have, but he was the top TE on my list behind Gates.

Round 6, 71st pick: WR Darrell Jackson (SF) – (No. 73, No. 13 WR)
2006: 956 receiving yds, 10 TDs, 17.13 ppg (4th WR)

I was not expecting Jackson to be available this late into the draft. Last year he averaged the fourth highest ppg for a WR with Seattle. If Alex Smith can live up to his potential and get him the ball, Jackson should be in for another quality season. I'm expect 1,000-plus yards and 8 TDs.

Round 7, 74th pick: Minnesota Vikings defense – (No. 25, No. 4 DEF)
2006: 17.76 ppg (4th DEF)

With Chicago gone in the third round, and San Diego, Pittsburgh, Miami, Baltimore and Denver gone soon after, I went for the best of the rest. Minnesota's no slouch, though: Best rushing defense last year at 61.6 yards per game and they forced 36 turnovers.

Round 8, 95th pick: WR Greg Jennings (GB) – (No. 175, No. 50 WR)
2006: 632 receiving yds, 3 TDs, 8.86 ppg

With three receivers on my team already, I went for a solid backup. Jennings will be the No. 2 receiver in Green Bay behind Donald Driver. With a year under his belt, he should get higher numbers. Many fantasy sites predict that he could approach 1,000 yards receiving this year.

Round 9, 98th pick: TE Randy McMichael (StL) – (No. 170, No. 11 TE)
2006: 640 receiving yds, 3 TDs, 7.89 ppg

A backup tight end, this early? At this point, I felt my team was fairly solid. Plus I needed someone who could slip into the TE role if Davis doesn't live up to my expectations. In St. Louis, McMichael should get a lot more looks than he did in Miami.

Round 10, 119th pick: RB Kevin Jones (DET) – (No. 66, No. 21 RB)
2006: 689 rushing yds, 6 TDs, 520 receiving yds, 2 TDs, 19.16 ppg

Even with the addition of Tatum Bell, Jones should get a fair share of time running the ball. Plus with Detroit's fondness of throwing the ball, Jones could get quite a few catches.

Round 11, 122nd pick: WR Amani Toomer (NYG) – (No. 250, No. 77 WR)
2006: 360 receiving yds, 3 TDs, 9.76 ppg

I wasn't sold on this pick, but my other options for a fifth receiver weren't so good. Toomer went down with a season-ending injury last year, but had a couple of big games in between. I had him a couple years ago. It's a love-hate relationship with him.

Round 12, 143rd pick: [KEEPER] WR Reggie Brown (PHI) – (No. 100, No. 24 WR)
2006: 836 receiving yds, 8 TDs, 11.90 ppg

With Donte' Stallworth out of the picture, Brown becomes the Eagles' No. 1 option. And with McNabb's affinity to throwing the ball, Brown should get plenty of looks. I'm expecting him to have a breakout season with 1,100-plus yds and 10-plus TDs.

Round 13, 146th pick: [KEEPER] RB Brandon Jacobs (NYG) – (No. 157, No. 40 RB)
2006: 423 rushing yds, 9 TDs, 149 receiving yds, 9.10 ppg

Tiki Barber's retirement meant that Jacobs would move into the role as No. 1 RB. Jacobs is likely to start despite the team's addition of Reuben Droughns. Jacobs should have 1,000-plus yards and 10-plus TDs in his new role.

Round 14, 167th pick: [KEEPER] QB Vince Young (TEN) – (No. 25, No. 13 QB)
2006: 2,199 passing yds, 12 TDs, 553 rushing yds, 7 TDs, 18.99 ppg

As long as the Madden curse doesn't get him – knock on wood – Young should post up solid numbers this season. If he can get me 2,500 passing yds and 20 TDs, I'll be happy. It's his rushing yards I'm salivating over.

Round 15, 170th pick: QB Brady Quinn (CLE)
2006: N/A

Even if he's not a starter this year, he's bound to be one next year. I took this pick in order to keep him for next year. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow should provide plenty of throwing opportunities.

Round 16, 191st pick: K Martin Grammatica (DAL)
2006: Who cares?

This wasn't my choice. I wasn't going to choose a kicker anyway.

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Best bargain: Darrell Jackson in the sixth round
I was not expecting him to be available that far down.

Worst pick-up: Randy McMichael in the ninth round
I should have picked up Green Bay RB Vernand Morency there. He was still available and I'm sure McMichael would have been there in the 10th.

Should've waited: Vernon Davis in the fifth round
This was a panic pick. I think he would've stayed on the board until the sixth round. I could have picked up a better defense here.

Should've grabbed when I could: Ten Ginn Jr. in the 15th round
No one would've picked up Quinn, but I thought no one was going to grab Ginn Jr. But with the pick before mine, he was selected.

Evaluation

QB: Palmer (2nd), Young (14th) and Quinn (15th): I learned from my mistake last year when I had Matt Hasselbach and Jake Plummer as my QBs. Palmer should be gold and Young should give me solid flex points this year.

RB: Jackson (1st), Peterson (4th), Jones (10th) and Jacobs (13th): Jackson will get me tons of points. Jacobs will be a solid No. 2 back and Peterson should emerge as an offensive rookie of the year candidate. Who knows, Jones could have a big season.

WR: Fitzgerald (3rd), Jackson (6th), Jennings (8th), Toomer (11th) and Brown (12th): Fitzgerald had 1,409 yds in 2005 and if he's healthy, he should approach that this year. Jackson is capable of 1,200-plus yards if he remains healthy. Brown is a solid No. 2 WR and has improved every season. Jennings will give me a good backup/flex option. Toomer could be good.

TE: Davis (5th) and McMichael (9th): This could be my weakest position or one of my strongest. It depends on how Davis performs. He has the potential to be a 1,000-plus, 10 TD TE. If not, McMichael will provide solid numbers.

DEF: Minnesota (7th): Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin left in the offseason, but many of the team's key players remain. I need to pick up a backup for their bye week, but I'll get there when it comes.

K: Grammatica (16th): I randomly chose him. I think I'm going to pick up Green Bay's Mason Crosby just because I need a Colorado connection on the team.