Author Archives: Cam

The Wait is Over: Apple PowerBook 520C

Posted on by

This is pretty much the coolest thing ever: A fully functional vintage 1994 Apple Powerbook 520C. And it’s mine. All mine!

I have always loved laptops. When I was a kid I’d force my parents to take me to the bookstore where I would buy a copy of “Computer Shopper.” One day in the early 90’s while reading the magazine I came across the first Dell color laptop. I knew (knew) that a color laptop was in my future.

Around this time we inherited a Macintosh IIx from my Uncle. I loved that Mac. The interface was simple (remember, people were still using DOS back then), there were awesome games (Prince of Persia) and productivity software (Claris Works). I was totally hooked.

Fast forward maybe a year. Apple released their new laptop line- the 500 series. A Macintosh color laptop- it was my destiny. I bought up every magazine with a review of the 500 series I could find (I actually still have one- you can read the article if you’d like). There were four models: 520, 520C, 540 and 540C. The “C” was for “color” so I knew it had to be one of those two.

The 520C had a dual scan passive matrix screen and the 540C had an active matrix screen. I’d read enough to know that the active matrix screen would be substantially better than any passive matrix counterpart. The 540C also had a faster processor. But the 520C was nearly $1500 cheaper than the 540C and so I decided I’d have to settle for the lower end model. I made many trips to the BYU bookstore to handle the Apple laptops and “test” their trackpads (although standard now, these were a big deal back then).

But my destiny would have to wait. I schemed, plotted and planned but, as a teenager, I simply had no access to the $3000 I’d need to procure the 520C. The model was discontinued in 1995 and a few years later I bought my first color “PC” laptop from a now defunct company called ProGen (side note- I have always used a laptop since). But I never forgot about that 520C…

Years passed and I finally decided it was time to buy the Apple Powerbook that haunted my dreams. I scoured eBay looking for the perfect model. I scoured… and I waited. Years passed. And then I found it. A 520C in good functional condition with all the user manuals and even the installation disks! I knew it was going to be mine.

I placed my bid for $20 and waited for the onslaught of other bidders. But they never came. I scored this beauty for $20 (I’ve seen broken models go for more). Sure I had to wait 17 years, but I saved $2980! Destiny fulfilled.

It finally arrived a few days ago. It was in surprisingly good shape given how old it is. I gave the exterior a good cleaning and then sat down to turn it on. As the screen lit up nostalgia consumed me. It was just like I remembered. The eBay listing had noted the trackpad was finicky, but it worked perfectly. I browsed around the 520C, cleaned up the desktop a bit and discovered a copy of Claris Works was installed! I made sure the disk drive worked and then ordered an 8 megabyte RAM upgrade ($10) and a couple of games that I had enjoyed on the Mac IIx when I was younger (Scrabble & Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego). I am stoked!

So that’s my story about the Apple Powerbook 520C. I’m delighted that I finally have one. Sure I bought it to satisfy some unresolved emotions, but the weirdest part is that I’ll probably use it frequently. So, one last thing: Who else? Who else has bought something they missed out on when they were younger? I’d love to hear some more stories.

Update: I upped the RAM on my 520C to 12 MB (my current laptop has 8 GB… kind of blows my mind). I also installed Scrabble and played it for a bit (lost). Can’t wait for Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego to get here.  I’m also looking for a good copy of Sim City 2000. This is living.

Posted by Cam, September 10, 2011

Miscellaneous Stuffery.

Posted on by

1. I’ve been doing a fair amount of blogging lately but most of my recent posts are on www.utahcorvette.com. I’ve spent quite a bit of time on my hobby these past few months and I’m sad that the nice weather is on its way out.  I need a good winter hobby… Maybe I’ll pull out my engine and rebuild it. Ha, I always think that.

2. Also, for work related stuff check out CamOnCommerce.com. I don’t update is as often as I used to because I discovered that some of our competitors read it. There’s nothing super confidential (even the password protected stuff is pretty benign), but I’ve decided I need to keep it that way. I’ll be doing a post in the next couple of weeks about our growth though. I’ve got some awesome news.

3. I have been updating DoomCloud.com each day, but some people probably miss it. Check out my “Daily Regimen” tab. I’m posting my diet & exercise for the next 60 days. Sometimes reading over what I eat makes me sad… But overall I think I’m making really good progress. If you’ve ever wanted to lose some weight or get in shape start now (like this instant). 

3. Speaking of DoomCloud.com. In the future if anyone builds any links to me please build them to CamHughes.com (and use the link text “Cam Hughes”). Much appreciated! Also, for all you adoring fans who have a hard time remembering my web address (and who refuse to use bookmarking technology) there is now another way to get to my amazing blog: CamsBlog.com. Because it was too hard before, right?

4. Overall, life is pretty good right now. Our 4th little bundle of joy is due in the next couple of weeks. The other three kids are all in school now and getting more and more exciting each day.  Kids grow up so fast. Cherish each moment with them! Be sure to visit Fran’s blog (FrancoiseHughes.com) for more family goings ons ings…

Posted by Cam, September 7, 2011

 

How to Remove Your Corvette C6 Center Console

Posted on by

I have been meaning to make this post forever! When I was putting in my stereo I had to take out my center console about four times over the course of the installation. And then I had to take it out twice for the new clutch. During one of the removals I snapped some pictures. A  few of them turned out blurry so I’ll redo them next time remove the console (which might be this year- I have a few stereo tweaks that I want to do).

There are tons of reasons you may need to pull of your center console: Access to your stereo, climate controls, shifter, internal wiring, etc. If you want to try it yourself  just follow the instructions below (these are specifically for the C6 Z06 but should also work for coupes and convertibles). You’ll need a T15 Torx bit and driver as well as  9/32 & 10mm hex head socket bits andand  additional driver.  Also recommended is a small flat head screw driver. Be sure to keep all the small parts together (your bits, the removes screws, etc).

I recommend taking off the console cover. It makes it easier to get at some of the screws later and it’s nice to have it out of the way while you work. Unscrew the four Torx screws (Torx T-15) and set the cover aside. Next remove the shift knob (also Torx -15). If your shift knob is stock then just remove the Torx screw as show  and pull the knob off (f you have an automatic there’s nothing you need to do-  the console simply lifts off over the shifter)

You will need to remove three hex nuts on the console. The first two are near the rear of the console.  Simply pop off the plastic covers with a flat head screwdriver and uncrew the nuts (10mm bit). [If you’re not pulling out the main part of the center console you do not have to do this step!]

The third hex nut is under the middle potion of the console. Use your thumb to apply pressure on the plastic cover and pop it out (it’s held in by two clips). Remove the third nut as shown. Now you need to remove the two smaller hex screws (9/32 bit) as shown. The white cord you see is for my iPod- you probably won’t have anything hanging out here.

The next step is to carefully pull up the hand break boot. Grasp the boot carefully but firmly and pull it up.  The clips that hold it on will release with relative ease. Move the boot out of the way (it won’t come all the way off).

There are two more hex screws (9/32 bit). When these screws are gone you can start removing the piece of trim that runs along the bottom of the console.

Carefully pull the trim out (you can rock this piece downward a little). Near the glovebox the trim is secured by two clips. You should be able to get a good view of them- they’re pretty sturdy so don’t worry too much about breaking them when you pop the peice out. With the trim removed,  slide your hand behind the main console and pull. This whole center piece simply pops out (again secured by clips). Try and work your hand around the console head and pry it out little by little (you don’t want to apply too much pressure to any one area or it could crack).

Once the head piece has been pulled out don’t try and lift it off yet! You now have to disconnect the the wiring harnesses. This can be fairly tricky and I confess that I don’t have pictures  that show the details of this process. Most of the harnesses have a tab that needs to be pushed down allowing the two halves of the harness to separate. There’s limited room to work but your flat head screw driver should come in handy here (and hey, when you get eveything apart take a moment to bask in your awesomeness).  In all there can be up to six harnesses that you need to unhook. 1) Hazard lights 2) Heated seats (two of them, if applicable) 3) Two cigarette lighters, 4) traction control button.

And that’s about it. Once everything is disconnected carefully lift off the whole console (it helps to have your shifter in neutral). And when you’re ready you can put it back on in the opposite order of the way you pulled it off. Remember to hook everything back up (it sucks to forget something). If anyone has any questions or needs clarification on a certain step please feel free to let me know and I’ll be happy to help. Again, next time I do this project I’ll try and replace the fuzzy pictures and even try and get some close-ups of the wiring harnesses. Best of luck!

Posted by Cam, September 5th, 2011

Fail Trip: Tail Tip.

Posted on by

The other night I was driving down State Street in Orem (right across from University Mall, actually). There was something in the road ahead of me that looked like a shoe. The “shoe” was pretty low and I figured it would be no problem to drive right over it. Wrong! As I rolled over it I heard something that sounded like an explosion followed by some terrible metal grinding. At first I thought my tire had blow out but after the initial shock of the noise dissipated the car seemed to handle okay. I made a u-turn and negotiated back to the item in question. I pulled over in the Big 5 parking lot and ran out to grab the offending road debris. Guess what I found?

Yep, someone’s crappy aftermarket exhaust tip. I looked my car over for damage but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I’m pretty sure it was already well flattened by the time I took my turn, but in retrospect this piece of junk was not a good thing to roll over. I still have no idea what I heard or what exactly happened. There was no indication of an accident or anything so I assume this exhaust tip just gave up and fell off. Please, if you’re going to try and do a half-ass job of making  your car look nicer at least do a half-ass job of securing your aftermarket mods.

BTW- if you’re the owner and you’d like this back just let me know. I’d be happy to hurl it at your car. Normally I’m pretty laid back, but this experience annoyed me.

Posted by Cam, September 4, 2011

Corvette C6 Z06 – How to Change Your Oil

Posted on by

When it comes to my car I don’t like to take any chances. I do as much of the maintenance as I can myself. So, naturally, I change my own oil. This time I decided to put together a little “how to” guide. If you’re not comfortable working on cars then I suggest you take your vehicle to a competent service center. These instructions are only applicable to C6 model Corvettes (specifically the Z06). Any work you choose do to on your car is done at your own risk. So, let’s get started!

There are a few things you’re going to need. 1) An oil reservoir for used oil (at lest 10 quarts). You can get these pretty much anywhere that sells car care items for around $10. I’ll tell you what to do with your used oil later on. 2) A funnel. I recommend a 2 quart funnel for your oil. These are about $1.

3) 8 quarts of 5W-30 oil (I use Royal Purple). I feel like I need full synthetic w/ my engine modifications but any oil that meets GM’s guidelines can be used. 8 quarts is for the Z06; If you have a coupe refer to your service manual. 4) New oil filter. I just switched to the Bosch 3334 this time so I could use a different kind of filter wrench (more on that in a sec). Anyone competent at a place like AutoZone can help you determine which oil filter you need if you pick a brand other than Bosch.

5) Socket wrench with 13mm head. This will be used to loosen the oil drain plugs. 6) Oil filter wrench. The band wrenches are good, but space around the oil filter can be limited (like on a C6) so I switched over the Bosch filter because I can use the attatchment below on a socket wrench and it’s much easier.

Here are two examples of how the wrenches fit over oil filters.:

7) Rags & paper towel. No matter how careful you are oil is going to spill onto something. 8 ) Here are some optional items you might want to have handy: mallet or hammer & 1 quart ZipLock bag.

So to recap here’s what you need for your oil change:
1) Oil reservoir (at least 10 quarts)
2) Funnel (2 quarts)
3) 8 quarts of 5W-30 oil
4) New oil filter
5) Socket wrench with 13mm head
6) Oil filter wrench
7) Rags
8 ) Mallet or hammer, ZipLock 1 quart bag (both optional)

Please note: This guide doesn’t cover how to lift up your car (see my “How to Lift Your Car” guide coming soon). But you will have to lift your car or have a pit to change the oil on the C6.

Once your car is sufficiently high enough you need to locate the two drain plugs on the oil pan (there is actually a line with two arrow pointing at them). You’ll need to remove both of them, but you can do it one at a time. Also locate the oil filter (see I told you space was tight). The one shown here was my old Mobile1 filter.

Position your oil reservoir below one of the plugs and loosen it. You may need to tap your socket wrench with the mallet or hammer to get it started. Remove the first plug and let the oil drain out. Remove the second plug and let it drain. Let the car drain until nothing comes out but small drops (usually takes about 10- 15 mins). I’m pretty sure most of the C6 Vettes have a magnet on the oil plug tips (it collects random debris floating around in the oil pan). Be sure to wipe off anything that’s been collected.

A quick lifting tip: I have two car jacks so I usually lift up the front end of my car when I start the oil change. But to make sure the car drains as much as possible I pull the jacks out of the front of my car and then move them to the back. Then I move the jacks back to the front. It sounds like a hassle, but it only takes a few extra minutes.

When the oil is all drained put the oil plugs back. The service manual recommends 18lbs of torque but I just tighten them snugly and I’ve never had an issue.

Next is the removal of the oil filter. Position your oil reservoir underneath (because more oil will be coming out). Using your oil filter wrench loosen the filter a bit and then let the oil drain for a moment. Then you can use the ZipLock bag and put it over the filter and unscrew it the rest of the way (yes, it unscrews forever).  Next you put on your new oil filter (some people fill it with oil, but this is optional). Be sure to rub a little bit of oil around the seal on the top of the filter. Screw it in by hand and then give it a quarter turn with your wrench. Be sure not to over tighten the filter.

That’s it for underneath. Wipe up any oil around the drain plugs, the oil filter and your used oil reservoir. Make sure everything is out from beneath your car and lower it to the ground.

Pop your hood and locate the oil cap (it will say “Mobile 1”). The location varies between the coupes and the Z06. Make sure you’re putting the oil in the right place! Put in your funnel and dump in your oil (some people don’t add all the oil at this point, but I do- in fact I add a little extra since I have oil lines running to my turbos). Remember to put your oil cap back on!

Wait a few minutes and then start your car and let it idle for a few minutes. Keep an eye on your oil pressure gauge and look under the car for leaks. Turn off your car and check your oil dipstick to make sure your oil level is okay.

The next step it to reset the oil life indicator. Turn on your car and press the “Trip” button until you reach the “Oil Life Remaining” display.

Then just hold the “Reset” button until the display shows “99%” oil life remaining. Some people will always change their oil after 3000 miles, but I wait until I have less than 20% oil life remaining.  For the most part I feel like you can trust the oil life gauge.

You can take your old oil to any AutoZone and they have a disposal unit you can use for free. Make sure to dispose of your other trash in accordance with your local laws. Clean up your work area, put away your tools and thump your chest.

You’re done! Let the smug satisfaction (stemming from the fact that you did it better than they would have done it) wash over you. Go for an “I’m the man” drive (check for oil leaks again when you get back). Taking good care of your car is an important part of Corvette ownership and there’s nothing better than doing it yourself.

Posted by Cam, August 28, 2011

“Real” Internet.

Posted on by

Know what I hate? Lots of stuff. But do you know what I really hate? Slow Internet. The WWW is a fast place now and bandwidth speed is critical for maximum enjoyment. For the last five or so years we’ve used Qwest DSL. Initially it was fine, but with a download speed off 1.5mbps time has not been kind. Wepages take “forever” to load,  HD video is difficult, and if two people want to watch something (i.e. Hulu & Netflix) forget about it!

Luckily Comcast broadband is finally available in our neighborhood. We switched over this past Monday (Internet & phone) and it’s cheaper than Qwest & much faster. Check out these stats:

“Now is the time, now is the time, now is the best time of your life.” It’s like I’m on my own “Carousel of Progress.”

If you want to run your own test I recommend www.speedtest.net. What kind of Internet speeds do you guys out in Cyberspace have these days?

Also of note, the service from Comcast was great. They came quickly, were professional & friendly, and helped us relocate the modem & router to the basement. After the initial install they came back to bury our cable line and make the connection to our home more discreet.  It looks fantastic (I have no idea how they ran the cable under our driveway).  So, bravo to Comcast.

Posted by Cam, August 20, 2011

Healthcare Reform – August 2011

Posted on by

With regards to weight loss things are going really well. As I write this I’m currently south of 220 and I actually weigh less than when I got married. I’m wearing XL shirts again, my shorts have a 36″ waist and I fit perfectly into my old mission suit. Plus I can run further and faster than ever before.

This journey hasn’t been quick or easy and there’s still a ways to go (probably another 20 pounds or so) but this has been an adventure I will never forget. Mental torture, physical injuries, unyeliding temptation and “impossible” obstables that slowly gave way to adaptive strategies, discovered courage, practiced discipline, clarity, focus, relentless perseverance and unrelenting dedication. In losing myself I have found myself.

Here are some of my personal insights and thoughts about my weight loss experience.

The “Secret” : Super simple-  Change your behavior, hold yourself accountable and don’t stop. Obviously whatever I had been doing had gotten me to the point where I was nearly 300 pounds. Looking back it’s easy to see what it was. 70 and 80 hour work weeks, neglecting any form of physical activity, an extra meal each night at McDonald’s and copious amounts of candy, ice cream and donuts. I was probably eating about 4000+ calories each day.

So I chose to change. It was a simple change at first ( “eat less”). I tried to cut out the extra meals and the snacking. Then I figured out how many calories I was actually eating and how many calories I should be eating. Next I started eating less than I needed (to create a calorie deficit- that’s how you lose weight). I began to count calories to hold myself accountable. Eventually I added simple exercises (walking) to burn more calories and improve my overall health.  I kept track of all my exercise (again to hold myself accountable). Overtime I increased the duration and intensity of my exercise while maintaining my dietary changes. If I had a bad day, I tried again. I never quit. And slowly but surely the weight fell off.

Physical Limitations : One of the things I really struggled with was my body’s inability to do what I felt like it should be doing. Walking gave me blisters, severe chaffing  and hurt my back. Running caused incredibly painful shin splints and ankle issues. Lifting weights caused me joint problems. The discomfort made me want to quit frequently.

In retrospect, I feel like there will always be some initial discomfort, but it would have been better to slow things way down. If you can’t run after a month then you can’t run after a month!  I shouldn’t have tried to run so fast, lift so much and push so hard- it’s not a race. Do I regret the way I did it? Ultimately no, because it worked for me. But I think I made it harder than it needed to be. But that’s kind of my style. [Incidentally most of the physical discomfort is gone at this point].

Also, regarding physical limitations- when I started I don’t think I understood what kind of shape I was in. When I was overweight I had a skewed mental image of myself. Looking at back at pictures of myself from 2007  (I’ll show a few below) I can honestly say that I didn’t know I looked like that. Now when I look at 2007 Cam I think, “Well duh! Of course you couldn’t run an 8 minute mile!” Over time I have learned my limitations- when to push and when to ease up.

Mental Health : The very hardest part of changing was the mental anguish.  Food has always been emotionally satisfying for me. In the past when I was sad I ate. When I was stressed out I ate. And when I was happy- you guessed it- I ate.  And I loved to stuff my face in general. That was satisfying too. I would get the largest sandwich or the biggest ice cream and eat it all- whether I was full or not didn’t matter. When that lifestyle ended my mind reeled with dissatisfaction. I felt deprived and unhappy when I coudn’t have the food I craved.  I felt like I was being robbed of what was mine.

A  healthy relationship with food was critical to my success. I found balance by creating a mentally satisfying challenge. I allotted myself 2000 calories a day (some to meals and some to treats). The gratification of winning the challenge of sticking to a sub 2000 calories a day diet offset my feelings of deprivation. Slowly (it took many months) I overcame my emotional addiction to eating. When I was stressed out or feeling bad I started to exercise instead and it always made me feel better and there was never any guilt afterward.  Over time I learned that I could eat smaller portions and still feel satisfied. I also learned that a balanced diet can include some treats (although some days I don’t even feel like one).

Another thing that I initially struggled with were feelings of failure. Everyone who starts a diet or exercise program begins with the thought, “I can do this.” But the reality for me was that I failed a lot. And it’s mentally challenging to keep trying after repeated failures. But no matter how bad I felt, or how far I fell I kept trying and never quit. Eventually I realized that there would always be failures and set backs, but if I never gave up and set reasonable goals I would come out ahead in the end. Even now I slip up (eat too much, miss a day or exercise, etc) but I never beat myself up because, overall, I’m doing great.

Another issue for me was self image. The brain is a tricky thing! Like I mentioned before, when I look back at the 2007 pictures of myself I’m shocked. When I look at myself in the mirror now I honestly see the same guy I remember seeing when I looked in the mirror back in 2007.  I’m pretty sure my brain was trying to protect me, “You’re fine! You look good! No need to worry!” it told me. As I made progress it was important to keep track of my weight and use photos so I could see my progress. That made it real and positively reinforced my efforts. Additionally, up until recently, I was pretty sure I felt the same now as I had then. But an honest analysis led me to conclude I’m more energetic, happier, friendly, helpful, mobile and confident. It’s still difficult to shift my mental self image!

There are a few general “mental health” benefits that have come from my journey, as well. I feel a great deal of clarity and balance these days. Sure I’m still a little moody (always have been), but I think less so than before. Additionally I feel like I have more mental discipline and focus. And hey, with more blood going to my brain I may actually be smarter than before  too.

Nutrition : I confess that I haven’t put a great deal of effort into the nutritional aspects of my diet, but I have gained some insights. My primary rule was 2000 calories a day and sometimes I used them all on junk (always a mistake). Other days I used them all on healthy and balanced carbs and proteins (never a mistake). What worked best for me was eating things I enjoyed and making sure that I felt full.

Here are a few other things that I’ve learned. 1) Hydration is essential- you never skip water because you’re afraid to gain weight! If you run for ten miles sometimes you need more than water. 2) You need some fats. Don’t be afraid of them! 3) Watch out for foods with a lot of sodium- it can make you bloated and sluggish. 4) Proteins will make you feel full the longest. You can get protein from sources other than meat. 5) Vegetables are low calorie, high fiber, nutritional super foods. Find a way to cook them so they you enjoy them! Add some butter, it’s okay!  6) Eat carbs before exercise and proteins after exercise. 7) Avoid things like hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, etc. Even if you don’t think they’ll hurt you avoiding things that have them will improve your diet. 8 ) You can eat treats (aka “junk food”) as long as you don’t overeat to consume them or burn off the extra calories with additional exercise. 9) Eating at home is healthier than eating out. You can control portions better and you know what you’re eating.  10) Who you hang out with (family, friends) impacts your nutrition.  11) Listen to your body. It can actually tell you what it needs. If you think you’re missing something it’s okay to take a multi-viamin.

Exercise :  I feel like I touched on this a bit in “physical limitations” but I wanted to mention a few other things I learned 1) You never “work through the pain.” If something hurts (I mean really hurts) then back off and find an exercise that doesn’t cause you discomfort.  2) You can’t target an area on the body for weight loss. Weight comes off like it goes on. My stomach was the first thing that got fat and it will be the last thing to get thin! C’est la vie!  3) Exercise is important when you’re loosing weight because you don’t want the weight you lose to be muscle. 4) Never be discouraged by what you can’t do. Set realistic goals and find programs online to follow and you’ll be surprised by what you can do. 5) You really don’t need to join a gym to exercise. Start at home. Start with nothing. Once you get serious upgrade your equipment.

Sustainability : What I didn’t realize initially is that I wasn’t just trying to “diet.” In other words, my goal wasn’t just to lose weight; I wanted to change my life. I didn’t want to gain back the weight I lost. And what I learned to do was make changes that I could live with for the rest of my life. If you make changes that you can’t live with you’ll start to fail more often than you succeed.

Some examples of lifestyle changes: 1) I used to sit in my chair and eat ice cream while I watched TV but now I exercise while I watch my shows. 2) I used to get combo meals at burger joints but now I always skip the fries. 3) Instead of playing video games with my kids we jump on the trampoline. 4) When I start to feel full I simply stop eating and save the rest of the food. 5)  I switched out “bad” comfort foods for healthier alternatives:

A) SoBe Lifewater (0 calories, I drink this instead of soda). B) Arctic Zero (150 calorie one pint protein shake in ice cream form). C) Tofo Shirataki noodles (40 calories in a bag, great in stir-fry!).

Support: One other thing that’s critical to successful change is support. In my case my wife was a huge support. She encouraged me to keep going when I was discouraged, cooked me special meals, cleared my schedule so I had time to exercise and always tried to stay positive. So a huge “thank you!” to my wonderful wife. If you want your lifestyle change to stick then you have to be around people who share the same lifestyle or who willingly accommodate and support yours.

My Next Goal : As I mentioned before I have about another 20 pounds I’d like to lose. That weight will be the hardest- it’s my midsection and moobs and my body doesn’t want to give that weight up without a fight. But it’s going to get a fight alright!  I’m planning to start packing on some muscle in the next month or so and I’m working toward my 6 minute mile. I also want to focus some time on learning more about nutrition and human physiology. And then I’m going to run 21 back to back marathons (No, not really).

Epilogue : Here are a couple pictures of me. First one is 2007 (me & Gabe) and the second one is this past month (also me and Gabe). I have a jawline! [My hair was really falling out back in 2007. I hopped on Propecia in 2008 and it’s really made a difference. Also, in the last four months my hair seems to have thickened up a bit more,  possibly a result of my improved diet. Anyway, that’s why I have more hair now.]

The picture below on the left was also taken in 2007 (I was probably about 290 pounds).  The picture on the right was this past week at the same park (218 pounds). Ideally I would have worn the same shirt…but it doesn’t fit anymore.

Unless you have been on a journey like this you can’t really understand everything that’s involved (it’s very complex). There’s pain and joy, regret but redemption and it’s heartbreaking yet breathtaking. My journey is not over yet, but when I look back I’m so pleased I’ve made it this far. At the onset the path seemed impossible, but now, standing on the path looking back, I feel like I can do anything.

Posted by Cam, August 8, 2011

Update 12/3/2017: I got fat again the year following this post. As far as I can tell I tipped the scales at an impressive 291 almost exactly four years ago. However, I’m pleased to report that I’m back down to about 215 now and feeling good!

July Goings Ons… ings.

Posted on by

I don’t generally blog about family stuff (it’s on Fran’s blog, remember?) but I did a couple of fun things with the family this month that I thought posterity would be interested in so I have included them.

Fourth of July Weekend

Each year we go to BYU campus and sit and watch the fireworks. We’ve gone to the Stadium of Fire before, but we decided we like watching the free fireworks more than being inside.  We have a fun little tradition these days. We actually rent a hotel room (this year we hit Best Western) and go live it up up in the afternoon (relaxing, pool, some TV, whatever). Then we go eat dinner while everyone else scrambles to get inside the stadium. You can eat anywhere, no wait. We went to Saigon Cafe this year- love that place.  Around 9:30 we walk over to BYU and find a spot where we can see the fireworks. The show usually starts around 10:15. This year it seemed extra awesome. The kids are old enough that they can almost make it though the show now without crying. Almost.

And then over the next few days we lit off fireworks at home. The kids love the smoke bombs, snakes, crackle balls and snap pops so I loaded up on extra boxes at WalMart (they actually have an okay selection of fireworks). My family came over for a Fourth of July BBQ (hot dogs, hamburgers and lots of chips & dip). Later that night we lit off our own fireworks. It was actually raining, so we sat under our gazebo and lit them on the concrete pad in our backyard. It worked really well and we had a fun time. The kids are all big enough that they they want to take turns lightning thing (well, to clarify – they all want to light everything, but we make them take turns).

Side Note: Aerial fireworks are now legal in Utah. I didn’t get any myself (it is my cheapness? I don’t know), but we got to enjoy them anyway (many neighbors invested). They are awesome.

New Trampoline

Our old trampoline had been mangled, cut, repaired, slashed, and the springs died sometime last year. It served us well for over five years, but it was time for a new one. Luckily, I just happened to have one at my work and luckily I had to remove it because we needed the space.

I brought it home over the Fourth of July weekend and finally got a chance to set it up a few days ago. Our trampoline hole is in pretty bad shape, but we cleaned it out, rearranged the rocks, pounded in some rebar and then put the new trampoline mat, springs and pads on the old frame (there was no way it was coming out and it’s still in good shape). What a difference a new trampoline makes! I played with the kids for a couple of hours and then spent the next few days in serious old man pain. 

Side Note: I highly recommend Regal Trampolines. Their trampolines really are top quality and have superior components. The junk you get at places like Toys R Us or Walmart just doesn’t compare.

Herman’s Hermits Concert

Last weekend we went to see Herman’s Hermits at the Sandy Amphitheater. My Dad has a longstanding love for 60’s bands, (i.e. Turtles, Paul Revere and the Raiders, etc) and he graciously extended the invitation to see Herman (who’s real name is Peter Noone) with him. He prepared the kids by having them listed so some of the Hermits greatest hits (Henry the Eighth, There’s a Hush, Mrs. Brown, You’ve got a Lovely Daughter and the like). They were pretty exited to see “Herman.” My Dad scored us some seats in the first section of the lawnchairs. They were right in the center, they were comfortable, and we had a great view.

The show was really good. Peter is 63 this year but he’s energetic and very entertaining.  The Hermit’s songs have a timeless quality (I grew up listening to them) and I really enjoyed myself. The crowd consisted of mostly people Peter’s age, but there were a fair number of younger fans as well (I think I can count my kids as “fans” now too).  Hopefully we get a chance to see another concert in the near future. Thanks Dad!

Moving Stuff

We’ve also done a fair amount of “terraforming” at our house. Besides my garage project (see it @ utahcorvette), we spent a good deal of time rearranging our basement. We moved the video games out of the rec room* and  into the basement family room. Stuffed into a corner by the pool table our rec room gaming center  was awkward and very cramped (we had to sit in folding chairs). Our new setup is neat, comfortable (we have a couch to sit on now) and  feels spacious. Check out the before & after pics below and click here if you want to see the new set up in more detail. I love moving stuff around!

I keep reading online articles about people who saved thousands of dollars a year by not doing things. “We saved $3,000 this year! We were going to take a vacation, but we didn’t!” or “We saved $1500 this year by not repainting our deck and letting our lawn grow into a jungle.” Some of it comes off as ridiculous. Well, I’m pleased to report that by this logic I saved $1370 on this game room project. I had budgeted $1450:  A flat screen TV ($1000), a new entertainment center ($300), and a Blu-Ray player ($150). Instead we used our old TV ($0), I got a wall shelf ($36), some hooks ($4), two framed posters ($40), and we decided to make due with no BluRay player ($0). Wow! By Internet standards we are super frugal.

* We’re turning that into more of a library- still a work in progress, so more on that later.

Pioneer Day

This year we celebrated Pioneer day with the Browns- both sets. The men stood around the grill doing and saying very manly things. Jim & Cindy had to take off early, but Tom & Aimee stuck around for fireworks. We exploded them dangerously close to our home to heighten the sense of pyrotechnic excitement.  I think Fran will blog about Pioneer day in more depth.

Oh, and of course the most important part of any get together: the show of bravery, stamina and general lack of common sense. With a aforementioned trampoline now place we had everything we needed. We each took a turn inverting ourselves, playing “back to front” and then “spin to win.” Ultimately we were forced to conclude that we were not as young as we used to be.

10th Anniversary!

On July 28th, 2011 Fran and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! We went to Ruth’s Chris (kind of our anniversary tradition) and spent a quiet evening together. We had planned to go to Hawaii, but with a little one on the way (yes, number four is seven months along) we decided to postpone it. I got Fran an anniversary band with ten diamonds (I got something too, not to worry). I don’t get to buy Fran jewelry very often (her choice) so I think I was as excited as she was. Needless to say, Francoise is my best friend, a wonderful wife and a stellar mom and it’s been a wonderful ten years!

 

Other notable July events:
Rachel’s Birthday
Jason’s Birthday
Erin’s Birthday (she turned 30!)
The Jorgensens move to Seattle (Andrew needs to blog about this!)

Posted by Cam Hughes, July 30, 2011