Coachella Day Three -- Rage Against the Machine

It finally came. I sat at the window this morning waiting for the sun to come up. A new dawn. A new day. And the day that Rage Against the Machine finally performs again!

Knowing Rage is one of my all time favorite bands, many of you will be shocked to learn I never got to see Rage perform live. The really crazy part is I was at Lollapalooza in 1992 and Rage played but I did not check them out. Sure I have the DVDs and such, but I've never been to a Rage concert before. For the Princess, she was introduced to Rage a little over five years ago by some guy she hooked up with. (OK, it was me!)

Anyway, because Rage broke up seven years ago, she really never had the chance to see them. I know the Princess pretty well and I bet if you would have asked her six months ago to tell you her top three wishes, a Rage Against the Machine Reunion would have been in that list (maybe even # 1). So, with that written, tonight is pretty damn important!

We arrived and got really great parking. Within 10 minutes, we were inside the Empire Polo Fields. I was sporting my brand new Mr. Bill t-shirt. (The kids didn't get it). After some photo opps, we waited a bit for Shawn, but we never found each other. So, we went to position ourselves for Rage.

We found a nice spot dead center, pretty far back but we wanted to enjoy the show and not have to worry about idiot skin heads ruining the show for us by involving us in unwanted moshing. (I hate those idiots). I mean, we are true fans after all but want to leave the show without being bruised up if at all possible. After finding the perfect position, we sat down on the ground and chatted a bit about how exciting it was going to be. I kept looking at my watch... time passing slowly... 20 minutes to go... 15 minutes to go... 10... 5... BAM!

Rage immediately jumped to life with Testify, rocking Indio like it has never been rocked before. I'm sure even the Polo horses that were left behind were jamming out! Princess' look on her face was that of pure satisfaction. She screamed and banged her head like the hard core rocker that she is. They went through one hit after another, each song getting better than the last. They fixed some sound issues and then things really started to take off.

I promised this blog will stay politically neutral so I can't get into how I feel about it, but Rage is a very political charged band. Zack did go into one verbal assault on the current US administration that was brutal enough to get some folks to push their way out and leave. All I have to say is: Screw those people. This is Rage Against the Machine. Let's ROCK!

After a brief break, Rage finished up their set with Killing in the Name Of.

Ahhhh... now we feel complete! 10 minute walk back to the car, followed by sitting there in traffic for over two hours until we actually moved! Bring on Rock the Bells!

Peace out... :)

JH

Photograph from M-TV.com

Coachella Night Two ... Red Hot Chili Peppers

Tonight Coachella has that whole "Coachella" spirit. Sunburned chicks running around with hardly anything on... people dancing to the sounds of a mixture of music that they can hardly hear... and the 45 minute walk from the parking. (Some things I can do without!)

We managed to arrive before the Chili Peppers took the stage. I've seen them many times before and think they always do an awesome job. At 44, Anthony Kiedis was much more restrained than he used to be, with wild braids in his hair and jumping around half naked on stage being things of the past. Flea (the same age as Kiedis) was as silly as usual and performed like the best damn bassist ever (in my humble opinion) should! However, he did tell a really stupid joke:

"What do you call a lamb with no legs? A cloud." I didn't laugh.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been doing their thing for about 24 years now. I hope they continue to do it for much longer!

The Aftermath... Coachella Weekend Continues

Well, we found some time to chill out by the pool. Tonight we've got the Chili Peppers to look forward to. Princess takes her official Coachella rock-nap!

Coachella Weekend! Interpol

Tonight we arrived to Coachella and completely rocked out to Interpol. Princess and I try to pace ourselves during a three day event like this so as not to get burned out by the time the bands we really want to see come on stage. Interpol was one of those bands.

We caught the first song from a distance, as we were still hiking in from the parking. We were drawn into the crowd by the steady hum of Paul Banks' vocals and that steady sound that has everyone talking. (Although many people don't make the connection, I always remember Echo and the Bunnymen when I listen to Interpol).

For me, Interpol represents one of the few bands that I can just listen to an Album from start to finish and be perfectly content. My iPod has played Turn on the Bright Lights more times than I can count! I absolutely love it. Also, when Antics came out I was pleased to learn it fits in the same category.

Nothing but quality from these guys!

Peace out... JH

Week Eight, Day Two! Loving Life!

Well, my transformation is well under way and I've reached the half way point of Phase 1. For the second time I broke in my new Nike Impact 360 II shoes by running on the treadmill. I found that my impact injury / pain issue that I had with my old shoes is pretty much become a non issue. Definitely worth the money!

I can't help but to chuckle as people are walking by. I imagine them laughing to themselves saying "look at the big guy run"! I've now improved my physical coordination quite a bit and am pretty damn steady on the treadmill. (I rarely hold on now)I'm now able to run for nearly half of my original Cardio time of 20 minutes.

Tonight I did 35 minutes of Cardio - 25 minutes on the treadmill (running for a total of 10 minutes) and then did 10 minutes on the Elliptical. Then, I worked abs (love handle concentration). I have not cheated on my diet and don't plan to. Still eating six meals with an average of 1,850 calories per day and taking in a lot of protein.

Next week I'm going to have to shake up the food choice a bit to give Esby some variety. He's announced that he is off the Fish Market (which is now Monday and Tuesday lunch). So, I'll either have to eat alone or try to work on a new routine.

However, I do fear change more than loneliness. :)

Peace... JH

The Saga of the Hutch

Well, for about three years now Princess has been looking for the perfect place to store her china. Like so many of the young girls keeping hope chests in anticipation of finally finding the right man to marry, Princess has had her collection of china for quite some time. So, the hunt for a Hutch ensued.

About two weeks ago, in one of our countless trips to different furniture stores, we finally found a Hutch and a Server that match (both each other, and the demands of the Princess!). Once I knew she liked the pair, we pulled the trigger on the purchase.

The store charged us $65 for a 2nd floor delivery and scheduled the delivery for Friday the 13th. When the delivery guys got to the house, they immediately started saying how the Hutch would not fit up the stairs. Now, we've had this problem before because our staircase is very narrow and not that tall. So, after a only a few minutes of trying, they left the Hutch downstairs.

That night we went back to the furniture store and complained. Because we paid for special delivery for the 2nd floor, we thought that meant they would actually do what other delivery guys have done... bring the Hutch in through our upstairs balcony. So, the snippity chick at the furniture store told us that that would require another charge of $145 for "special handling". I just paid the money and re-scheduled the delivery for today.

I got two delivery confirmation calls this time. First, the store called with the typical "guys are coming to your house between 1 PM and 5 PM" thing. Second, the actual driver called me and asked me how I think the Hutch should be brought in the house. I explained the 250+ pound monster must be lifted about 14 feet and go through an upstairs doorwall that is over the garage. He said he was looking forward to hoisting it up there. (Hey, furniture delivery is his thing!)

When the delivery guys arrived, they immediately went to work. First they completely blocked traffic off to our street with their truck pulled up to the house, right under the balcony. They tied up the hutch and with two guys on the balcony, one guy working the lift gate on the truck, and one (very brave) guy lifting the Hutch up above his head (found out later this is the guy from the phone call). Although I really wanted to capture the whole event with my camera, it was about here in the process when I was urgently asked to assist:
So, I sprinted up the stairs and took control of the Hutch, helping them pull it up onto the rail of the balcony. PHEW! OK, back to shooting. The hutch is safe:


With the Saga of the Hutch finally over and it safely placed in the dining room, we'll have to move on to the next adventure with wide-eyed child-like enthusiasm! :)

Peace... JH

Week Six, Day Seven! Bring on Week 7!

Well, my progress is quite noticeable thus far. When I started this process six weeks ago, I made a promise to myself I wouldn't live tied to a scale or constantly pulling out a measuring tape to measure progress. Instead, I just wanted to be able to see real differences in my body. I also wanted to use the Princess test - If she says I'm looking better, then I'm just that much closer to my ultimate goal.

At this point, my stomach is getting pretty flat. I've lost most of my love handles. My current area of concentration has been my lower back to get rid of the "back fat". So, I've really been killing the lower back extensions and lower back crunches. I also do my core (abs & lower back) every strength training day (alternating legs and arms). I have a few exercises that have really helped me re-shape my core.

#1 - I hold a medicine ball over my head with my arms fully extended. Contracting my abs, I lean to one side and the use my abs to straighten. I do 30 of those on both sides every day.

# 2 - I put one arm straight in the air and hold a 30 pound dumbbell in the other at my side. I then contract my abs, lean over to one side, and straighten my body using my abs. This one is a real killer on my love handles! I do 15 of those on each side every day.

#3 - I use the crunch machine regularly.

Today, Princess and I did Cardio because I took Friday as my day off instead of today. The Cardio is really working, as it takes me longer each time to get my heart rate up and I have to work harder to do it. The purpose of Cardio is just that... working your body to make it capable of longer and more strenuous exercise. When I first started, I was lucky to burn 180 calories in a 20 minute Cardio session. Now, burning 350 is normal for me. Although I do extend my Cardio on the day after arms to 30 minutes, I become too fatigued to do that after working legs (which I did yesterday).

As far as other updates: Yes. She arrived. Those of you who know me, you know exactly who I'm talking about! She's beautiful and has met all my expectations. Princess and I spent quality time with her this weekend. Definitely worth the wait!

The other delivery was the furniture for the dining room. (See future blog entry coming soon entitled "The Saga of the Hutch").

I also got wood. No, this is not that type of blog. I picked up our 54" x 18" solid mahogany that we will use as our bar table. We also finally got delivery of the table legs, which are chrome and match my bar stools perfectly. So, last night after dusk, our neighbor laughed at us while we were outside sanding the wood and installing the leg bases. I told him, "Hey, we're on a schedule over here!"

Here's the new bar table the next afternoon (day two!):


Peace. :D

JH

Flower Dead at 7

Flower the Meerkat, the main character of the television show Meerkat Manor, was bitten by a snake during filming of season 3 and did not survive. She was 7 years old.

Flower was the leader and dominant female of the Meerkat tribe known as the Whiskers. Flower was survived by over 20 of her pups. She was fitted with a radio collar that allowed scientist and film crews to track the group's every move. Despite her toughness, Flower was nurturing to her pups and the other gang members, but was equally capable of ruthlessness, in all of the name of "survival of the fittest".

Now, its not wrong for me to mourn the loss of Flower. She has provided hours of very captivating television drama. I hope the show continues.

Goodbye Flower. :(

Muse Rocks but People are Idiots!

I have to say I've been looking forward to seeing Muse for quite a while. Tonight we finally got to! As the title of this blog entry indicates, I loved Muse but can do without the seemingly idiotic behavior of the people around me. At this concert, Princess and I had the best seats in the house. I enjoy going to a venue I know because it is easy to point our ticket broker in the right direction to acquire the very best seats. Unfortunately, we can't control the people we get seated around that really take away from the experience.

I had every example of people around me tonight. I had the pole dancing diva who is missing a pole but thinks its cute to shake her ass all around, and of course smashing into me countless times. My rule is simple: You've paid to do whatever you want as long as it is in the confines of your pre-determined / ticketed seating area. Not in my face, or on my knee, or especially breaching the sacred hula hoop of my area.

Next, I had the "American Idol Wannabe". She thinks she knows the words, and even thinks she can sing as good as Matt Bellamy. Well, hate to sound Cowell-like but, "You Suck". You wanna sing? Do it at home in the shower, not in my ear at a concert. I did not pay what I paid to hear you sing. I also didn't pay to have you smack my head with your ridiculous dance moves.

Lastly, the row crammers. We had good seats. The security at the Forum was not very tight and we had three people trying to occupy the area of one seat next to my wife. She was bumped into, stepped on, sweat on, spit on, and she had a man's ass in her face that smelled like he shit himself. Not a pleasant experience.

Back to the real subject: Muse at the Forum. They are awesome. They sound even better live than on the studio tracks. They rocked out a cover of the Nina Simone classic "Feeling Good" (made famous by Simone but originally from the Broadway Musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd"), where Matt even pulled a little Keenan move and belted out a few verses through a mega phone. Very nice! The original Muse version of Feeling Good appears on their 2001 'Origin of Symmetry'. For me, the highlight of the night was Stockholm Syndrome, my very favorite Muse track.

Back to Phoenix tomorrow morning!

Egg White Pancakes?

By popular demand I've decided to finally post my rave review and recipe for Egg White Pancakes. I thought not eating yolks would be depressing. I mean, who doesn't love a good yolk? But, once I got into eating nothing but egg whites, I now realize these little buddies can be quite tasty! I'm not very good at separating and scrambling them, so I started to have Princess get the egg whites that come in the carton fully pasteurized so that I could mix them with my shakes in the morning. Also, when I'm on the road, I also pick up a carton.

I've been experimenting with making different egg white dishes and finally think I've got the whole egg white pancake thing down! I start with 1 1/2 cups of egg white, add three heaping tablespoons of dry Quaker oats, one heaping tablespoon of instant pancake mix, and then whip it all in the blender for about 30 seconds. What I get out is a very thin batter like substance. Grab the Butter Buds and get started!

I coat a non-stick skillet with Pam and pour the batter in on medium-high heat. Once the bottom becomes golden brown and the top to starts to get a little dry, I shake Butter Buds on it and then carefully flip it (these have more of a crepe thickness than a pancake). Once golden brown on both sides, it is time to throw it on the plate and make the next one. The recipe above should easily make three medium-large pancakes.


Once completed, I use another shake of Butter Buds and some Carey's sugar free maple flavored syrup. Yummy! I reserve this high protein, low fat, low calorie, and delicious treat for my Sunday 10 AM snack (Sunday is my free day) even though it could be part of my normal weekly diet.


Enjoy!

Super Cardio

So, today I tried a very organized method of escalation cardio on the treadmill. It is really easy: I start by walking at a nice pace of 3.5, with an incline of 3.5 and then I run for one minute every three minutes. In a 20 minute test session this morning, I was able to burn over 450 calories with this method.

Cardio is extremely important and has many benefits. It increases metabolic rate, increases growth hormone secretion, reduces stress levels, increases blood flow to the brain increasing alertness, improves cholesterol levels, improves digestion, and boosts immune-system function. Those are all very good things!

I jam out to a Tool playlist when I'm doing my cardio, as it is also very important to be as entertained as possible so that I don't get bored!!

Week Five, Day Five... She thinks I'm cute!

Last night when I arrived home the Princess said my face is much thinner and that I look cute and younger. Getting closer to my goal every day! I was rewarded for my new found cuteness with a delicious and healthy Princess made dinner of french beans, red snapper, and saffron rice. The snapper was wrapped in foil with mushrooms and a little white wine and then put in the convection oven. So, our new fancy fish cooker got a rest last night! The beans were off the hook and even more delicious than Outback's beans. She used chicken broth, Hawaiian salt, butter buds, and fresh roasted almonds sliced very thin. Of course, the saffron rice is always a real winner and a delicious side.






Yesterday Esby and I went for an early morning Cardio workout. Being travel day and all, this left me a little drowsy all day long. Plus, I had just worked legs the night before and they revolted against the treadmill in the morning. So, any AM workouts in the future will be reserved for swimming only... a wonderfully low impact activity that burns more calories than anything else I can do. The fact that I am an accomplished swimmer only works in my favor. :)

Bring on WEEK 6!!