Elephant Squeezin's

I just read that Travis Lutter didn't make weight, so tomorrow night's fight against Anderson Silva won't be a title fight--damn! Lutter was 1.5 pounds over. I can't believe there's no wiggle room.

***

Lots of changes at work this week, and a real break in the routine. We got to visit Austin, as I mentioned, and that was a good trip. I'd like to do more of that.

Soon I'll be the only person in the office, the only person reporting to my boss. I find it a bit scary, but a bit energizing as well.

***

I heard George Burns say once that he never asked senior citizens "how ya doing?" when he met them, because he learned the hard way that they'd tell him, and in great detail. He decided he'd just say, "It's good to see you."

So bearing that in mind, I'm sorry that you don't have the latter option as, again, I go into health-related blather. Eh, I'll have the usual nonsense about nutria and burrito stuffings (the same? different? debate amongst yourselves...) soon.

*

Saw the podiatrist this afternoon, and the news was better than was expected. The new MRI showed that yeah, I've got all these tiny fractures in my left tibia. I'm not getting a boot/cast as he'd once ventured to guess, and certainly no steroids.

The treatment:

1. Rest. That is, no jogging. Fine, I haven't managed to jog in many months.

2. Physical therapy (again--ugh). The good thing, though, is that the extremely effective treatment I received from my great chiropractor, Dr. Randy Wonderlich, may actually suffice as therapy. The podiatrist and I discussed this briefly, and he brought up the idea. Gotta hammer out the details with all concerned parties, if possible.

3. Corrective shoes. Yes, one of the great hallmarks of a nerd! Eh, the left leg is 12mm longer than the right. He feels that the tibia problem is due to this length discrepancy, so I'll have some shoes modified with lifts to even me out. It's built into the shoe, so I'm really hoping like hell it's not awfully visible.

I'll go back and see the podiatrist in a month, and from there we'll determine whether we're on the right track, and whether I have a realistic shot of ever being a jogger again.

(Regarding Krav Maga, the doc says it's fine, and to "keep kicking ass." I like this guy.)

There is the matter of the bone spur in my ankle, which has now been confirmed on two MRIs. It's something we'll consider after getting the calf/tibia healed up. He assures me he's not knife happy, though there is a possibility that this thing is damaging a ligament.

There you go. More than you or I wanted to know.

***

Watched Man vs. Wild with THEBOY tonight. He was going to bed, saw me watching it, and was hooked. In this episode he was in Kenya, and successfully cheesed off lions, hippos, rhinos, and a puff adder. It was pretty gripping stuff. He also ate raw meat from a zebra carcass and drank some elephant dung squeezin's (again, I'd rather die). I knew that last bit had a profound effect on THEBOY, as he was rendered speechless. He put his hand over his mouth and stared at the TV like... like... well, like some crazy Englishman was drinking elephant dung squeezin's.

And as the Englishman used a rope to climb out of a ravine, THEBOY turned to me and said, "This is GREAT!"

He's all boy, that one.

***

And THEGIRL is all girl. She's in a new, super daycare, doing well. I'm told that a couple days ago she took her "high heels" to school and wore them all day, even when offered the sneakers we put in her backpack.

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OH, and... sigh.

The podiatrist suggested I throw away my favorite lace-up boots, the black Rugged ones I got at a clearance sale for $12.50 in 1997. I love these boots, but I've gotta say that they're probably long past their pitch-by date, and in fact, they smell like elephant squeezin's. Well, I'm just making an educated guess there, as I've not often smelled elephant squeezin's (we have an entry title, eh?).

Perhaps they smell more like yak entrails.

Rancid popcorn?

David Wells' jock strap?

Beer farts?

Troll detritus?

(I crack me up)

***

11pm and I'm getting sleepy... I'm such a damn light weight.