Columbus Writing Contest - Flash Fiction: Bland to Grand

Columbus Writing Contest - Flash Fiction: Bland to Grand

Reading the Paranormal: Review: The Sons of Apollyon by G.A. Colin

Reading the Paranormal: Review: The Sons of Apollyon by G.A. Colin

Vampires are real: Fiesta Mariachi Restaurant Review

Vampires are real: Fiesta Mariachi Restaurant Review: "I have been a long-time fan of El Vaquero restaurants. They always had great food at a great price and the Margarita's were potent. That b..."

Fiesta Mariachi Restaurant Review

I have been a long-time  fan of El Vaquero restaurants. They always had great food at a great price and the Margarita's were potent.  That being said, the last couple of times we were there, the Margarita's were more like a kid's version.  So we ventured out to discover other Mexican restaurants, and we came across a little place in Hilliard in a not so great-looking  strip center called Fiesta Mariachi.

As you enter the Hilliard location, your first impression is that it is a small time, one location only type of place. However, they have several locations and a web site where you can sign up for specials on your birthday and anniversary, as well as download a coupon.


As some of you may know, I like to drink and the quality of the Margarita weighs heavily on my opinion of an establishment.  Since this blog is vampire based, my rating system will not be stars. Instead, my rating will be on a scale of 1-5 wooden stakes. One of course as the worst and five being the best.



The ambiance of the place looks and feels like you are south of the border.  The high definition TV hanging on the wall played  a soccer game which I will not get into as the wrong team won.  However, the broadcast was in Spanish.

We were greeted promptly and we were seated in the back by the bar.  You would think, that would be a bad location.  However, it was cozy and romantic.  We had our chips and salsa seconds later and the waiter was attentive and quick to bring our frozen concoctions that help me hang on.

Then menu was extensive and covered every taste.  In fact, we struggled to pick what we wanted.  The chips were tasty and the salsa was just right as far as being hot, but not too hot.

The Margarita's were perfect, a thick layer of salt perfectly set on the lip of the glass and you had to use a spoon to guide the beverage into the glass.  As for the potency, well, lets just say we were both happily, in Magaritaville.

They lacked the quickness of delivery that Vaquero's has, but the extra few minutes we waited was worth it.  The plate was filled to the edges and rivaled if not beat the best Vaquero could offer.  We ordered the same entree and a small pitcher of the aforementioned beverage and our bill came to only $29, and we had a $5 dollar coupon.



So here are my ratings:

Ambiance: Four stakes

Margarita's: Five stakes

Service: Four stakes

Food: Five stakes

Value: Five stakes

So if you are looking for a new Mexican restaurant, I highly recommend Fiesta Mariachi  located at 3460 Main Street, Hilliard, Ohio 43026 and the phone number is 614-876-7870

Weight loss update

My quest to lose weight began after watching myself being interviewed on channel six about my book.  When I first watched it, my thought was, who is that fat guy?  My fist step was taking advantage of a Groupon for a boot camp with Body by Todd.  It was a great deal, every Tuesday and Saturday. I would submit my body to various forms of torture.  After the six week program ended, I had lost 12 pounds.  I also logged on to a web site called, My fitness Pal, that helped me track my food intake and calories burned with exercise.  Still, I wanted to find more deals for other workout programs.  With no new deals coming from Groupon, I found a free two week trial to Urban Active.  A very cool gym, every machine came with its own TV.  In the end, I found it too expensive to join. 

So, after eight weeks, I was on my own.  My wonderful wife purchased a couple of workout DVDs that I tried to use at least a couple of times of a week, and I started running again.  She also helped me immensely by cooking the most amazing low calorie dinners.

Finally, I broke the 200 pound barrier, and I am now at 194, only five pounds away from my goal.  Finally, a new Groupon came in the email that I decided to take advantage of.  Fitness Together, a personal trainer business that gives me three sessions for a fraction of the cost.  The first session, they did not work me that hard.  It was more of an evaluation, to see where I was physically.  Today was session number two, and the gloves came off.  The Forty-five minutes of weight training, ab work and leg work, pushed me like Brittany did at the Body by Todd's studio.  My arms are already screaming at me.

The question is, once I reach my goal of weighing less than 190 pounds.  Will I keep the weight off?  The journey continues...

Vampires are real: The weight loss journey

Vampires are real: The weight loss journey: "This journey began after I viewed myself on TV, when Channel Six interviewed me about my book. I looked at that fat guy on the television. ..."

The weight loss journey

This journey began after I viewed myself on TV, when Channel Six interviewed me about my book.  I looked at that fat guy on the television.  I kept asking myself, who is that?  Then in January, while moving my youngest back into  her dorm, I stepped onto a scale, and I was shocked when I kept pushing the counter weight to the right.  It couldn't be right. I could not possibly weigh 241 pounds.  It was then I decided I had to make some changes.

In March,  I started a boot camp offered by Body by Todd.  The first weigh in was overseen by a tiny little drill instructor by the name of Brittany. She weighed me in at 231 pounds.  With their recommended diet and workout  program, I now had a blue print to follow.  I have also used a web site, myfitnesspal.com. It has helped me keep track of what foods I eat and how many calories.

A two week free preview at Urban Active kept me working hard after my boot camp ended, but since then, I have been on my own.  Using only workout  tapes purchased by my wonderful wife and running several times a week.

It has been sixty days, since I made a concentrated effort to lose weight.  This week, I stepped on the scale.  For the first time since the late 1990's, I weighed in at 197 pounds.  I am only 10 pounds away from my goal.  I have not weighed 187 pounds since 1986.  The same year I was lucky enough to have a certain Welsh girl agree to marry me.  The journey continues...

Vampires are real: My views on Bin Laden's death and Obama.

Vampires are real: My views on Bin Laden's death and Obama.: "My eyes filled with tears at the news that the most evil man since Hitler was dead. We all lost something on that cloudless blue sky in Sep..."

My views on Bin Laden's death and Obama.

My eyes filled with tears at the news that the most evil man since Hitler was dead.  We all lost something on that cloudless blue sky in September.  Some lost family members, some lost friends or co-workers.  We all lost what little innocence we had left.  I was only four when Kennedy was taken from the world long before his time.  I liken the events of September 11th, 2001 to that dark day in November, 1963.  Where the 1950's where filled with hope and innocence, Kennedy's murder brought on an age of cynicism and what's in it for me.  Though the few months after 9/11 brought us all closer together, the years since have, in my opinion, pushed us apart.

I consider myself as a conservative, but not blindly so.  I did not vote for President Obama, but I feel, no matter who the President is, the office should be respected.  I am proud of his decision to send in the Seals.  A mission that is so amazing only Hollywood could have thought it up.  Imagine the public reaction had it failed.  Think Blackhawk down, times ten.  His political career would have been finished.  Granted, the policies put in place by Bush, enabled this mission to unfold.  Still, it was his call to listen to the advice of Generals.  Past "Leftest Presidents"  Would have deemed it too dangerous to their political careers or worse, would have consulted Pakistan before striking.  Let's face it;  Pakistan is either grossly inept or complicit in hiding Bin Laden.  Had the President consulted that country, Bin Laden would have disappeared like a ghost and gone down in History Like D.B. Cooper.

I know one thing, the death of Bin Laden is a victory for all of America and all free people of the world, be they left or right.

And yes, it is perfectly alright to celebrate the death of Bin Laden.  This was a being so narcissistic that he saw himself as the words of god and was responsible for deaths of thousands of innocent lives.  Even God himself would smile and say, "Good luck with that one Satan!"

Vampires are real: Weight loss update

Vampires are real: Weight loss update: "OK... Flash back in time to January, 2011. We are moving my youngest daughter into her dorm after the winter break. Outside the elevator o..."

Weight loss update

OK... Flash back in time to January, 2011.  We are moving my youngest daughter into her dorm after the winter break.  Outside the elevator of her floor is a scale.  If you are over the age of 40, you know the kind.  The one from gym glass with counter weights, to measure your exact weight.  So, I climb on the scale, and the damn thing says, 241 pounds.  Now, granted, I am wearing a winter coat and boots.  But, what the hell? Two hundred and forty-one pounds?  There is no way I could weigh that much!

Still, I was in denial.  Then there was the TV interview on Channel Six.  As I watched myself  on TV, I kept wondering who the hell  is the fat guy?  Had I really consumed so much booze and food that I now looked like Roseanne's husband?

So, I began a quest.  I wanted to  get back to the weight I had when I met my wonderful wife.  I weighed 185 pounds and could fit comfortably in 32" waist jeans.  I could run three miles in about 25 minutes and play some street football afterwards.  So, street football is way behind me. However; this morning I ran 3.29 miles in 40 minutes.

Today, I weighed in at 205. My target weight is no longer an impossible dream.  I still have a long way to go, but I feel the next 20 pounds will not be as hard as the first twenty.  The quest continues...

Vampires are real: My views on workers rights.

Vampires are real: My views on workers rights.: "I am 52 years old. When I was 19, I was a liberal. I know that shocks a lot of my liberal friends. I once told my dad that..."

My views on workers rights.

I am 52 years old.  When I was 19, I was a liberal.  I know that shocks a lot of my liberal friends.  I once told my dad that the only thing separating us from the U.S.S.R. was our greed; then I learned about life.  I have both friends and family that are teachers and love them all.  Personally, I think teachers should be paid more than football players; however, sadly, this is not our economy.

In the 1940's, our parents stood in line for what we now take for granted.  There is a reason they were called the greatest generation.  They already lived by the quote that John F. Kennedy made famous, nearly two decades later.  And so, my fellow American's, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country!

In Europe, almost every country is near or completely bankrupt; largely, due to the same social programs our Government wants to embrace.  We have been living large since the roaring 80's, and it is now time to pay the band.

In this day and age, it is time to put all our self-interest in the closet.  If we want America to be the America we grew up in; it is time we all sacrificed something.  The fact is, we spend more than we make. If we do not stop our current path, we will share the fate of Rome.  Example; $550 million spent on the first 10 days of conflict in Libya.  A country that voluntarily gave up its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and basically was allied against al-qaeda.  Granted, Gaddafi is a brutal dictator. However, he was no clear and present danger to the United States of America.  If Bush was still President, the left would be screaming bloody murder.


So I am asking for you all, whether you are left or right.  Think of America first.

The Mayan Calendar

Will the world end on December 21, 2012?  There are some interesting events that happen on that day, the most notable; the great alignment.  According to the website 2012rising.com, The winter solstice of 2012 will occur at 11:11 Greenwich Meantime,  of course on 12/21/12.  On that morning, the sun will rise into a patch of sky that is referred to as the galactic center.  It is the location of a super massive black hole at the center of rotation for the Milky Way galaxy.  Now this event has happened before and really is not that unique.  However, there is a third event that will coincide at the same time.  When the sun reaches that part of the sky, it will also be in alignment with the Dark Rift.  The Dark Rift is a series of overlapping, non-luminous molecular dust clouds.  To the naked eye, the Great Rift appears as a dark lane that divides the bright band of the Milky Way length wise.

To me, the third event is what makes this Galactic Conjunction so interesting.  No, not because the Mayan Calendar stops on that date.  The last time the sun aligned with the Galactic center and the Dark Rift was 26,000 years ago.  You may ask, what happened twenty-six thousand years ago?  It marked the end of the last ice age.  Coincidence?  I guess that is for you to decide.

Please tell me why Libya is different than Iraq?

In the paper yesterday, a woman wrote in saying how impressed she was with the President's explanation of our intervention in Libya.  How we are attacking at the right time, with the backing of our allies, including Arab states.  How we are preventing a massacre of the Libyan people.

I'm sorry, but somehow I do not believe that when Saddam Hussein  was killing 80,000 Iraqi Kurd's, with nerve gas, that she was equally behind the sitting President when he invaded Iraq.  The only difference I see is, at the time, there was credible, although wrong, evidence that Iraq could be a threat to the United States.

Am I asking too much for people to be consistent in their beliefs?  If the Iraq war caused people to post signs of stop the war now and impeach Bush.  Why are there no signs of protest when the sitting President attacks a foreign land without consent of congress?  Are we so devoted to the left or the right that we can no longer see right from wrong?

Boot camp over, yet the quest continues.

So with the boot camp over, what is a fat boy to do?  Well, it just so happens that we got a flyer in the mail for a two week trial to Urban Active.  Happily, one is like just over a mile away from home.  So Sunday, I sampled the cardio machines, each one with it's own TV.  Today, I tried out my first ever Spinning class, and it was tougher than I had imagined.  I am now, just 35 pounds away from goal.

New cover for the paperback

This is the new cover for the paper back, signed copies available at The Book Loft in German Village

Last boot camp today.

Well the last class with Brittany was bitter sweet.  She again had a completely different work out for us today.  I have discovered new muscles today.  How did I discover them?  They hurt very much, thanks to Brittany.  I have  to give kudos to Brittany and the Body by Todd staff, they know what they are doing.  So if you need a kick start to get you to start working out; I highly recommend them.

Now back to my bitter sweet comment, I use that term as I will miss the class and Brittany's energy.  The sweet part; I started the class at 231 pounds and today's way in, I was 216.  My boot camp maybe be over, but my quest for 180 pounds continues.  My wonderful wife bought me a work out video an hour and half in length which I plan to do a couple times a week.  I also have a two week trial at Urban Active, which I plan to check out on Monday morning.  I also have logged onto a website that helps you track exercise and calories.  The website is http://www.myfitnesspal.com It is free to use and no spam, so if you want to join me in my quest to lose weight log, on and friend me.

Well, I have a full day today so I better get moving.  And as always... The quest continues!

My thoughts on Libya

To let you know a little about me, I am fiscally conservative and feel I am morally liberal.  What angers me most about the Libya situation is one, there is no direct threat to the security of the United States.  I was for the attack on Iraq because, at the time, there was evidence of a threat to our security.  In hind sight, that intelligence was flawed and Saddam was no threat at all.

Where once we debated, and voted on if we should attack another nation.  Today, we spent over 100 million dollars last weekend, lobbing cruise missiles at a country that just a few years ago came to us pledging to give up it's pursuit of WMD and actively acted against Al Qaeda.

The excuse this time is the humanitarian reasons to protect the civilians of Libya.  When we attacked Iraq, many called the sitting president a war criminal, even though Saddam had used nerve gas on the civilians of Iraq and killed thousands.   

We are Americans... if the sitting president during the Iraq war made you want to impeach him.Now the guy you voted for, because he represented change is doing the same thing.  Then all I am asking is for you is to be consistent in your beliefs.  If Iraq is wrong, the Libya is more than wrong, it is a travesty.

My last Tuesday Boot Camp

I did not realize that today was my last Tuesday boot camp.  Has it really been six weeks since I began this journey to 180 pounds?  They must have run another Groupon, because today's class was as large as I have seen.  I also had a new workout partner.  If you remember me talking about the small bald man that used weights lighter than the girls; today's partner, was the exact opposite.

My workout friend, was a large man by any measure. He was at least six feet tall and as wide, proudly saying he weighed in at 420 pounds.  He immediately put me on the defensive, saying he liked heavier weights.  I mentally said, Bring it!  Where I had been working with a 60 lb barbell, he added on another 60.  It does not sound like a lot, but when you're doing multiple sets, intermixed with Calisthenics, like jumping jacks with a 10 lb medicine ball; let just say that 120 lbs feel like 200 lbs. I managed to go weight for weight the big man for the first half of the class.  But when he went up to 200 lbs, I raised the white flag and we agreed he would use the barbell and I would go with the dumbbells so we would not waste time switching back and forth. 

The class was tougher than her normal class, however, not as tough as Brittany's.  Even so, by the end I was spent.  At first, I thought she had read my blog and wanted to show me she was as tough as Brittany.  Then I realized, it was my partner, unknowingly pushing me harder.  Still, with Brittany, there is no need for anyone to push me... just surviving her class without puking is the goal.  

I only have two more boot classes left... both Saturday mornings with aforementioned Brittany.  I am still a long way from my goal and though I may not be going to Body by Todd anymore; the journey will continue. 

Vampires are real: Today's bootcamp

Vampires are real: Today's bootcamp: "The beep, beep sound coming from my alarm intruded upon a dream from my youth. I sat up in bed dreading the thought of the 9:25AM work..."

Today's bootcamp

The beep, beep sound coming from my alarm intruded upon a dream from my youth.  I sat up in bed dreading the thought of the 9:25AM workout.  When you are 52, before you get out of bed you have to make sure everything is working right.  Feeling reasonably comfortable that I could make to the bathroom without falling down, I hobbled to the bathroom to change.  My ankles cracked with every step, and I was sure I would wake the entire household.  Our home was filled this morning with my youngest, studying for finals before Spring Break, and we were keeping my oldest daughter's two dogs while she interviewed with the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine.  

After letting out my two dogs out, along with the two we were babysitting, I was already behind schedule.  It is a  half hour drive just to get to the Body by Todd's facility.  Finally, with the dogs put away I looked for my gator-aid and was crushed when I realized I had none.  The only refreshment I could find to make it through the Boot Camp was a caffeine drink called, Avitae. The label says that it is tasteless. However, to me, it was like drinking mercury.  

The 30 minute drive was helped with my free preview of XM radio.  I jammed to the sounds of Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe and The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. After surviving the drive and Columbus drivers, I Walked into the Studio of Pain, as I have fondly begun to name it.  I was pleased to see the little bald man was not present.  In fact, it was the smallest class yet, and I beamed with pride thinking that the others had been defeated by the workouts.

The Tuesday workouts are no match for what Brittany puts us through.  And sadly I cannot remember the name of our instructor, though like Brittany, she is in fabulous shape.  The one thing I can proudly say, is that I can stay ahead of the rest of the class. While they wait for the instructor to say go, I complete the exercise.  Especially since the little bald man is not here to slow me down.  To learn more about the bald man you will have to go back to earlier post.

I do give props to our Tuesday instructor, as I right before the ab workout. She had us do mountain climbers. A very evil workout and I was spent by the time we worked the abs.

I have to tell you until today, I was somewhat disappointed in my results.  That all changed when I walked into work.  Several people commented that they could see the results and asked me details about the camp.

The quest for 180 pounds continues...

Vampires are real: One month of boot camp in the books.

Vampires are real: One month of boot camp in the books.: "With just two weeks to go, I am nowhere close to reaching my weight goal. It was probably an unrealistic goal, considering the short t..."

One month of boot camp in the books.

With just two weeks to go, I am nowhere close to reaching my weight goal.  It was probably an unrealistic goal, considering the short time frame.  The good news, I can feel some results.  When camp opened, I could barely do a sit up.  Now I am doing accordion crunches, and crunches with my legs in the air, in a v-shape.  I feel stronger and I think I have a bit more energy.

At today's camp, I was pleased to find it was a smaller class. I did not have to share my 8" step of torture.  At every Saturday class, Brittany would do something different.  The pattern continued today as she started us out with simple side steps and leg kicks.  I foolishly flirted with the thought she was going to go easy on us.

When you are doing step aerobics, time seems to come to a stop.  After going through a period of unrelenting sets of accordion crunches, rows with a 15 pound weight and back to the crunches; I thought for sure we were half way home.  I looked at my watch.  It shocked and disappointed me. We had only completed 15 minutes of the hour long class. Next, she instructed us to sit on the floor. One knee brought up to our chest, the other leg straight out.  We then had to lift our big butts off the floor, doing leg lifts with the extended leg.  I swear, that Apollyon himself, gave her the idea for this exercise.

Brittany did say she enjoyed my blog, and she did like my description of her, although I had her 3" taller than she really is.  I pointed out to her that when you're lying in a pool of your own sweat and trying not to puke, the instructor can appear larger than life.

Like I mentioned earlier, I only have two more weeks.  Sadly, I only have one with Brittany.  Next Saturday I will be in Chicago, so my make up class will be with someone else.  This Thursday, at 7:45AM I will be tortured by someone other than Brittany.  Did I say 7:45AM?

When my six weeks are up I hope to find another Groupon deal.  As much as I respect the Body by Todd staff.  The location is not ideal for me.  The Quest for 180 continues...

Vampires are real: The daily dozen

Vampires are real: The daily dozen: "So my wonderful wife bought me a DVD called the daily dozen. Daily workouts that last only 12 minutes. So I think to myself, twe..."

The daily dozen

So my wonderful wife bought me a DVD called the daily dozen.  Daily workouts that last only 12 minutes.  So I think to myself, twelve minutes that should be easy.  Let me tell you, they are the longest twelve minutes ever.  The quest for 180 pounds continues.

Tuesday bootcamp

I loved boot camp today!  OK, part of me loving it was that I did not have to share the workout space with Mr. Needy.  My workout felt exhausting like the first one, where again I worked alone.  I felt stronger today. I used heavier weights and without having to wait to do the next exercise.  So I had a solid hour of work, to melt off the pounds.

The most interesting thing about the workouts is that, even though the Tuesday is always using free weights throughout and the Saturday is always aerobic based. Every workout is different.

My wonderful wife, ordered me a daily workout video that is only 12 minutes long.  Let me tell you, they are the longest 12 minutes you will ever do.

Anyway, once my six weeks are up. I plan to continue my weight loss plan so should I ever be on TV again. I will not look like the Goodyear Blimp.  My super cool smart phone as a running app that shows how far I run and how many calories burned.  So, like I said.  It's 180 lbs or bust!

The first royalty check for my book.

When I opened the mail today I was pleasantly surprised to find my first royalty check from the sales of my book for the Amazon Kindle.  Yesterday I had my first wire transfer of royalties from Barnes and Noble.  Who knows, maybe this thing will really take off?  If you would like to buy my book, the link is http://offthebookshelf.com/authors/444-g-a-colin#281

End of week three

The room that we work out in is called the QVR room.  The meaning, is Quick Visible Results.  It is maybe a 20x20 room, no window, and only one door that is always closed. The class is always at least 20 people, may be more.  I have no proof of this, but I swear they have the thermostat set at 90 degrees.

Let me tell you about our Saturday instructor; or should I say drill Sargent.  Her name is Brittany and she's about 5'6" has blond hair pulled into a tight pony tail that reaches the small of her back.  Her attire today was an army ball cap, green t-shirt and fatigue pants. She came in today with a big smile, but I knew what was coming, and I still was not ready for the onslaught of torture.

She started us off with a mild set of half jumping jacks and then relentlessly; she pushed us harder and harder for 20 minutes.  Last nights wine, began to pour out of me in buckets; as we switched back and forth from stepping on 8" step to down on the floor doing inverted crunches. A brief respite came when she told us to grab a twenty pound weight, gulping my Gator-aid and trying to pull air into my lungs; I grabbed the weight before returning to the black 8" high step of torture. Another 20 minutes using the weight to inflict pain on various parts of my anatomy.  Thinking I would have another break to return the weights to the racks were dashed when we went into 10 minutes of ab work.

Finally, the command to stretch came.  Gasping for breath and my workout outfit drenched with sweat, Brittany opened the door behind us, and air came into the room for the first time.  Let me tell you, Brittany may have an evil streak, but she is great.  When I weighed in today, I was down another 3 lbs.  So far, I have lost 11 lbs.  Three weeks to go and still a long way from my goal.

Today's bootcamp

The Tuesday class is primarily free weights mixed in with crunches, squat jumps and leg lifts.  Today I felt I was ahead of the class. I found myself doing exercises while the rest of the class fumbled with changing the weights.  Speaking of the rest of the class, and I hate to complain.  However, there is only one other guy in the class and for some reason, the instructor always makes me partner with him.

Now don't get me wrong, he seems like a nice guy, and maybe he has some physical limitation I don't know about. Nevertheless, I had to help him with his bench press and tell him how to hold the weights.  He constantly needed the instructor to show him examples, of how she wanted us to work out.  He is a little guy, maybe 5' 7" at best, bald and very thin.  Still I am tempted to ask the instructor if I could work out with one of the gals.  Several of them looked like they were using the same weights as me or at least closer.

Saturday's class will be back to aerobics with a 6" step.  I am hoping I will feel stronger than I did last week.  Saturday will also mark the end of the 3rd week, half way through the camp.  I am hoping for a similar weigh in results, as my hope is to shed 30 lbs by the end of the  camp.  I will be pretty disappointed if I don't lose at least 20 pounds.  Should I not reach my goal. It will be another boot camp.  It's 180 pounds or bust!

Finished second week of boot camp

Well, after getting through the last two workouts without a problem, I entered today's camp feeling a little cocky.  I felt so confident that I even told a new arrival that this work out was not as tough as the other class, which used free weights throughout.  Little did I know that today's instructor was standing behind me.  She may have taken my words personally.

The session began much like last weeks, though it had more intensity.  She basically went full throttle for 30 minutes before she finally gave a small break.  Gasping for air, and the Gator-aid, I was hoping the worst was over.   My hopes were shattered when I heard her amplified voice cackle above the beat of  the music, "Every one grab a free weight, let's go!"

Twenty minutes later, dripping with sweat and concentrating on not passing out, she finally gave the word it was time to stretch it out.

Normally, I like the stretching as it signals the end of the torture.  However, even the stretching was hard.  Finally, she said to line up for the weigh in.

Well, the torture was worth it when she gave me a  high five for losing the most weight of anyone in the class; down five pounds from last week.

Vampires are real: Finished the first week of boot camp

Vampires are real: Finished the first week of boot camp: "Well, since the first experience, I have rebounded to complete the next two sessions with no problem. I am a little disappointed..."

Finished the first week of boot camp

Well, since the first experience,  I have rebounded to complete the next two sessions with no problem.  I am a little disappointed in the results, maybe I expected too much but my weight has barely moved.  Along with the two sessions a week, I have been walking at work on nice days and on Monday when it was raining, I decided to walk up and down the steps of our five story building for 30 minutes.  My calf muscles are still screaming at me.

As I said, I am disappointed but not defeated.  My goal is 180 lbs, a weight I have not visited since 1995.  If I reach my goal... I am thinking of doing something crazy.  Like letting my hair grow to a length it has not been since 1979; my Robert Plant phase.

First boot camp session

The cool thing about the boot camp is they give you a guide on what types of food to eat.  With the help of my wonderful wife, I am now watching what I eat.  The bad part is I have sworn off my most favorite beverage, beer.  The night before was a mostly sleepless affair, with our little dog Niko constantly changing who he wanted to curl up to.  Undaunted, I awoke on time to make the thirty minute trip to the gym.  I was pleased to see that the instructor was different than the woman who promised I would hate her after the first 20 minutes of the workout.

I arrived on time but found most of the class had already stretched and were ready to go. All but myself and one other older man represented the male species.  The women were of all shapes and sizes and seemed generally excited to be there.

The first exorcise resembled a center hiking a football. I foolishly picked a 15 pound weight as my football.  I started strongly, lifting the weight out and up in front of me, then swinging it back as if I were handing it to the imaginary quarterback. In between doing each set of the center drills, we dropped to what is called mountain climbing.

Smiling I thought, I show everyone how to workout.  However, after the third set I was winded.  The next torture consisted of legs spread, weight in each hand and pulling to the chin.  Again in between the sets we would do a more of cardiovascular effort.

After twenty minutes of abuse, I know longer felt confident and was quite sure I hated the instructor. On top of that, I wondered what I would do first, throw up or pass out.

Though I did have to take a breather, after regaining my senses, I finished the hour long workout.

Tomorrow is Day three of the program and happily the next torture session is not until Saturday.  Stay tuned!

Author going to boot camp

Well, after seeing myself on the six o'clock news, I have decided I need to lose some weight.  So this week I begin a six week training program.  It calls for some change in habits that will be hard to break and of course the hour long workouts that are scheduled for Tuesdays and Saturdays.  I weighed in today at a hefty 232 lbs my ultimate goal is to be under 190.  So for the next six weeks, I will put the vampire talk on the shelf.  Check back after the 9/15/11 and I will let you know how the first work out went.

Vampires are real: Marta Acosta

Vampires are real: Marta Acosta: "Marta Acosta is the author of the Casa Dracula series, and she also has a blog carried by yahoo called the Vampire Wire. Not only is s..."

Marta Acosta

Marta Acosta is the author of the Casa Dracula series, and she also has a blog carried by yahoo called the Vampire Wire.  Not only is she a gifted writer, she shares her thoughts and ideas to people like me who strive to have success like she as attained.  She took time to answer my email a year ago, giving me sound advice about the publishing world.   I recently emailed her with my thanks and telling her of my self-published book.  Amazingly, she posted to her followers a link to my book site.  The world needs a lot more people like Marta Acosta.  I will forever be in her debt.  Here is the link to her newest book, Haunted Honeymoon.
http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Honeymoon-Marta-Acosta/dp/1416598871?ie=UTF8&tag=vampwire-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969

Vampire movies generally suck.

Ask yourself, when was the last time you watched a good vampire movie?  Twilight?  Please, no offense to Stephenie Meyer, but a vampire that glitters in the sun?  Oh I am sure that if I were a twelve year old girl who has never been kissed, I would probably think it was the greatest story ever told.  What prompted this rant, was last nights futile attempt to watch a movie.  I have all the movie channels, HBO, Starz, Showtime. I even have Encore.  As I scrolled through the list of movies, I couldn't find one that could  keep my attention past the ten minute mark.

So I started thinking about the question I started this blog with. When was the last time I watched a good vampire move?  I had to go all the way back to 1987's The Lost Boys.  Now there have been some good movies, like 30 days of Night, and I am Legend.  However, I rank them in a different category, more of Sci-fy Zombie area. I do want to acknowledge a vampire movie that I liked, but should have it's own category as well; Let the Right one In. Now what category to place it in, I will leave that up to you.

For me, a good vampire movie has to have, what has made the genre so popular since Bram Stoker took a pen to paper. I of course am talking about sex.  If you think about the vampire kiss, it has an embrace, penetration and an exchange of bodily fluids.

True Blood or the novels on which it is based comes the closest to what I consider vampires to be like.  Even that series, falls into the same old tired vampire clichés. The stake through the heart and vampire turns to ash; It's tired and so over done. A bite can turn you into a vampire. The whole world would be vampires by now. The one I think I hate most is sleeping in a coffin or underground.   In the world I would create, the vampire would be nearly god like, walk in the sun, sleep in a bed and off course, they would enjoy sex very much; just like us.