penny for a thought | Patrick on every & anything

Cincinnati, OH is home to many great things (e.g. consumer goods warlord Proctor & Gamble, Kings Island, two professional athletic teams, a zoo known for breeding more animals than the continent of Africa and, NOW, Frank’s Garden.

Who is Frank and what’s so great about his garden? Good question…I’ll tell ya!

Frank Marzullo is a morning Weather Man, as well as my big brother, not to mention the most popular face to wake up to in Cincinnati, OH (pun intended). Frank’s Garden is his new weekly gardening tips & tricks segment. I hate calling-out my own blood, but this is, without question, Frank’s first time in a garden and rightfully so, as there’s no sense in dirtying such a pretty face. Keep up the good work Frank, I’m proud of you, but not of your hair loss

Following up from yesterday’s entry, I haven’t been bed ridden; in fact, I didn’t miss a day of work and still managed to force in some painful training rides (though I’m sure the exercise was counterintuitive.) Between work, cycling and the lady friend, I had zero energy to do much else. That said, life has been good, I won’t detail the past 6-weeks verbatim, but here’s a few happenings worth mentioning:

• The Cleveland Cavs are absolutely killing round 1 of the NBA Playoffs… Whoop! Whoop!
• The Longborder Cafe in San Diego is the best place for breakfast in SoCal, possibly the Universe
• I built up my new, ultra light, ultra sweet team issued bicycle
• I now have a new boss
• I’ve created a blog for a friend who’s currently en route to the highest point on Earth, Preacclimate.com
• While at home, I live in a bubble… Note to self, no one likes the boy in the bubble

Wow! A nearly two-month blogging hiatus, how could I? I’ll tell you, it has actually been easy… Remember my last blogosphere disappearance when I joked about using illness as my excuse? Well, Karma got the best of me as soon after that statement a life altering (non-contagious) intestinal virus hit me like a home-run in the 9th inning, bases loaded.

Up until about a month ago I argued that I was invincible, or at least the healthiest human on Earth. Now I’m humbled and thrilled to be myself again. It’s a weird feeling to know something isn’t right, but have doctors and nurses tell you it’s just lil’ bug or indigestion… WRONG!

After three-weeks in Purgatory and countless hours explaining my symptoms, it took just 5-minutes on the phone with one of, in my opinion, OHSU’s/the World’s finest doctors to tell me what he thought was wrong. Two days, three blood tests and another less-pleasant test later and the doctor’s prognosis was confirmed, I had Giardia–a parasite which terrorizes the small intestine. Wait, that’s not all. This particular Giardia strain was so powerful it prevented my body from absorbing nutrients necessary to life (e.g. Iron and protein.) As a result I had become Anemic and protein deficient.

How did I contract such a parasite you ask. This is debatable, but I’m fairly certain I contracted Giardia while backpacking in Hawaii last fall. If you’re unfamiliar with Giardia, it’s a parasite humans can pick up from water contaminated with animal fickle… I know, I know… GROSS! Apparently Giradia can only be killed via boiling your water or by adding iodine to it; I did neither. Mario however used my water filter the whole time and did not contract the virus.

In the end what amazes me is that it took more than 4-months for the protozoa to come out of their dormitory state and wreak havoc on my body. Nonetheless, it’s good to be back and feel like myself again, just a few more days of uber-antibiotics and I”ll be “tip top.” Probably the hardest part of the whole ordeal was not being able to race or train well on my bicycle, not to mention family and friends thinking I’ve become lame. Oh yeah, explaining that Girardia is not a sexual transmitted disease was pretty hard too.

There’s my story. I look forward to getting back on the blogging bandwagon. Cheers!

-Patrick

Psych! Just playing, I wasn’t sick, though, suffering from an illness was the firs thing to pop into my head to excuse my blogging hiatus. I bet those of you (D echo, Mom & Dad, Hess, MT and that weirdo in Eastern Washington who keeps offering me a job on his Pony farm) that complained about my disappearance from the blogosphereo would’ve felt really bad if I said, “sorry, it’s hard to type when you’ve lost both hands to Leprosy.” Nevertheless, I’m back and if being too busy having fun is a crime, then lock me in solitary confinement, because that’s my only excuse… Get over it

Anyhow, I am pretty sure a lot has happened in the past month. Here’s my mediocre attempt to recap:

• I’m 24 years old now… Yes, another pointless age. At least I’m now just one year away from lower car insurance, right?
• I started racing my bicycle again and it feels good to go fast. Now if I could just get in shape.
• I’ve eaten roughly 10 Belgian waffles since my last blog… Thanks Aunt Judy, everyone loves my “Holiday Inn-like” waffle maker.
• I now commute to work on a skate board and have crashed twice. No injuries, just a lot of embarrassment.
• Jay won the Portland Beer Mile last night. Honorable mention goes to 3rd-place finisher, D echo, for having the best outfit, courtesy of yours truly. Jay drank 4 Budweisers and ran 1 mile in just 6.22… Amazing!

Alright, that’s probably enough egomaniacism (I know, I know, that’s not a real word) for one day. After all, I’d hat t lose my 10 regular readers on my first entry back. Cheers!

Alright, so getting a free iPhone is near impossible; that is unless you win, find or steal one. However, it’s not difficult to get an iPhone for under a-hundred-bucks. It just takes some effort, not to mention a bit of questionable hustling. I did it and ended up paying roughly $60 for my iPhone just a few months after its release. Now, many of my friends have jumped the bandwagon; take dEcho for example, my pal who–just last week–paid next to nothing for his iPhone.

If you’re up for it here’s what you do:

1. Wait until your current cell-phone contract is up
2. Log onto Amazon.com and find a Blackberry Curve 8310 being offered through AT&T
3. Purchase the Blackberry Curve for the low price of FREE after rebates when you sign up or renew your 2-year contract
4. Wait a few days until you get the Blackberry Curve from Amazon
5. Take some good pictures and post the Blackberry for sale on eBay
6. I suggest starting the auction for $1
7. Make sure you post the Blackberry under the appropriate categories to maximize the final sale price
8. If done right,the phone should sell for around $300
9. Take your newly earned skrilla to Apple and put it towards a shiny new iPhone

It works, I promise… Enjoy!

Alright, so I cheated on one of 2008’s resolutions and acquired a vehicle. Don’t fret, I still commute by foot and bike, daily. However, I no longer have to ride with a week’s groceries, mooch rides from friends or wait until the morning-of to find out if I’ll make it to a bike race or not.

In the end I have no regrets. My 2000, gold, Nissan Sentra was just too good of a deal to pass up… This thanks to my friends, the Veatch-Bouge’s!!! I’m stoked on my decision to conform with society and promise:

Today was unarguably Portland’s most beautiful day of 2008… Freezing cold? Definitely! But absolutely gorgeous to say the least.

Being an Ohio transplant by way of Montana made today’s freezing temperature pretty easy on me. Though not-so-much true for native Portlanders. Today I learned that ice sneaks up on you; especially when descending steep, rural roads on a bicycle. There’s a lot of water run-off in Portland and water freezes. Surprised? I was…

For those complaining about the cold, just remember, it could always be worse. Take Newfoundland for example, where oceanic waves freeze at mid-crest.

The hardest thing about blogging is actually blogging. Maybe it’s just me, but I try to put myself in my readers’ shoes when I blog. Mind you it’s sometimes odd wearing my Mother’s, Aunt’s or stalker ex-girlfriends’ shoes, as that’s the majority of my dedicated readership. Anyhow, once in the shoes of any of the aforementioned, I ask myself, “is this relevant, entertaining, educational or ego-maniacal?” If I respond with a yes to any 2 of the 4, then I publish.

Pretty simple, right? Psych… Wrong! It’s actually difficult and like other things in life, once you get into a slump, it’s tough to dig your way out. That said, it has been less-than-easy to produce good content lately. I blame the amount of things on my mind–all good of course.

I believe the problem is I try to do too much, or I’m just not good at doing a lot… However you want to put it. Today I turned to a recent read for help; “The Dip,” by Seth Godin, which teaches you how to know when to quit. Be it a job, relationship, hobby, sport, illicit substance or what have you, sometimes it’s alright to quit. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to identify anything I should quit. Rats!

Here’s what’s keeping me busy: Work, bicycle training, first professional haircut in ages, friends, talking to my Mother on Sunday, buying a car and trying to get it to start and that’s about it. Nevertheless, life’s going well, really well.

I’m not keen on having just one resolution for 2008, as I have a lot of behaviors I’d like to alter, plus I figure having a bunch assures me that at least a few have to come to fruition. So in 2008 I will:

1. No longer use disposable coffee cups at my favorite brew stations; instead, I’ll carry a travel mug. Each time I break this resolution I will pick-up and recycle 5 pieces of recyclable litter.
2. Go at least another year without a car. That is unless I mysteriously have a child and have to cart the little bugger around Whoops! I got a car.
3. Keep inappropriate jokes to a minimum in front of strangers, colleagues and people of strong religious morals.
4. Floss my teeth each day
5. Increase family visits by 100%, which means I spend at least 16 days with my folks in 2008.
6. Pay attention to detail, closer attention to detail, professionally and personally.

Here’s to another incredible year!

2007 has been an incredible year, I’d be selfish to ask for an even better 2008; but heck, it’s worth a try, right? Here are just a few memories from 2007, which I’ll hopefully never forget:

1. I took a Man-Cation to the island of Kauai and hiked the Kalalua Trail
2. Got the muddiest I’ll ever get in my entire life, I hope
3. Hung out with rock-stars backstage at the Vegoose music festival in Las Vegas
4. Moved into a new place with a killer view
5. Climbed Mt. Rainier for the 3rd time, mind you this was the most difficult time
6. Danced on stage with my friends’–Meese–at The Fray concert
7. Had a break-through NRC cycling race and earned a pro-category license
8. Finally spent time in New York City during the holiday season

Happy New Year everyone. I wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2008.

Another thing I’ve learned during my (almost) 24 short years is that people are lucky to have at least one passion–something which forces us to go beyond our comfort zones, pain thresholds, laws of science, etc., just for the love of it. For some it’s children, others it’s nothing, for me it’s sport, cycling to be more precise. It’s what drives me, inspires and influences every piece of my life–from family and friends, to work and the pursuit of success…

The aforementioned was demonstrated earlier today while struggling for another hour of riding to complete our (David, Garren and I’s) 5-hour training goal. Riding up was the most convenient route to accomplish our goal, so up we went. Aside from a few scattered showers and temperatures near the high-30s, we were lucky to be dry at hour 4. Then, like the weather, our luck changed. The sky turned gray and everything around us became white. Snow was flying and the temperature was falling, it was chaos, so much that all we could do was smile and keep moving. Oh! And pray no drivers were dumb enough to be on our snow-dusted road, just cyclist.

It’s great to be back in Portland… Now if only my family lived in Oregon as well, that would be ideal. Nevertheless, it was a great visit home and one of my resolutions for 2008 is to spend more time with family. That shouldn’t be too difficult since I’ve hardly spent 8-days with my parents in 2007. If there’s anything I’ve learned during my (almost) 24 short years, it’s that friends and acquaintances come-and-go, you have to work to hang-onto true friends. However, with family it’s a different connection, rather an intuitive bond of love and devotion, it’s natural and not to be taken for granted.

Thanks for listening to my emotional spew, now here’s my holiday–from the trenches of Ohio–in review: Family, hugs & kisses, cookies, freezing bike rides, old friends, local watering holes, good movies, bad ones, incredible food, Frank meeting a girl named Suzy Smith (unfortunately Suzy “accidentally” gave Frank a wrong number,) more hugs & kisses and, finally, a double seat on a 5 hour flight. Glorious!

A recent Nielsen study claims Google is hovering right under 60% marketshare of all online searches. The exact approximation is 57.7%–an 8% increase from the year prior. Surprised? I didn’t think so. However, this statistic got me thinking about my own online behavior and why I do what I do. I mean, I’m always analyzing other peoples’ online behavior, but never my own.

For example, I use Google for 99% of all personal searches, but use Yahoo! for my email. I have a Gmail account but–by habit–use Yahoo! I’m pretty sure Gmail is better; after all, that’s what the “cool kids” (Mac users) use… And I am one of the them. Right? But why do I have my Gmail account forward mail to my Yahoo!? Also, why does branding make me put an “!” every time I write Yahoo!?

Nevertheless, I am going to switch email clients each day until I finally determine which is best for me. With that, welcome to the Yahoo! Mail vs Gmail battle. The verdict along with reasoning will come soon.

Are the “cool kids” right? Only time will tell. In the meantime, here’s what c|net thinks.

Although I adore the hustle and bustle of metropolis living and the traffic jams to go with it, I’m happy to be back in Portland. That said, come Saturday, I depart again. This time for the homestead, by that I mean my family’s suburban hideaway outside Cleveland, OH.

It wasn’t until early today that I truly recognized the up-and-coming holidays. I guess life has just been moving too fast, not to say it’s a bad thing; in fact, I prefer it that way. I just need to get better at doing 10 things at once, which I know I am. Like today, when I went about my normal Sunday (coffee, writing, bike ride, groceries) while thoughtfully planning my holiday gift list–in my head. Then, while enjoying a homemade dinner, I found all the gifts on my list at Amazon.com. Even more amazing is the fact that everything qualified for FREE shipping, plus I don’t have to carry “jack” on the plane. Happy Holidays to me, I say!

P.S. Pray United Airlines finds my luggage before I take off again later this week. Bollocks! They found it.

While in NYC (see previous entry) aside from working my a$$ off, I saw a few things worth sharing:

• A giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center
• The world’s largest collection of Pennies, $1,000,000 worth to be exact (more than my blog will ever see)
• Some funny ad copy for Stephen Colbert’s book

There’s nothing better than New York City during the holidays–chilled air, damp sidewalks, Rockefeller Center, a giant Christmas tree (cut in Oregon… pssst) and ice skating. Need I say more? Seriously, there’s nothing better than NYC this time of year, not-a-thing, honest. Well maybe world peace, but let’s be real.

In the midst of a week long east coast media tour I was lucky enough to get some R&R time and run a-muck in Manhattan this evening. Of course I did the tourist thing, there’s not enough time to take in NYC’s full flavor anyways.

There’s something truly charming about this city and it breaks my heart to depart tomorrow evening.