Working Out

"...But, that's neither here nor there..."

If you just heard someone say that... it's a guarantee that you just heard some gossip immediately preceding those words.

For example, "Scott is such a fatty... but, that's neither here nor there..."

Well... I decided I never wanted to give someone the opportunity to say that... so, last week, I decided to start working out. Now, don't get me wrong... I stayed active before. I played softball twice a week and golfed when I could. I also walked to the printer from my desk...sometimes taking several of those trips per day (depending, of course, on my printing needs for that day). That is at least 20 steps.... so, roundtrip, we are talking a solid 40 steps. Multiply that by several trips a day and I must have walked 1/10th a mile or more each day. That's some serious exercise right there. Other than that I would just workout on a schedule that worked for me... that is.. I would just work out when I felt like it. Problem is, it had been about 2 years since I last felt like it.

So, anyway... I joined the Gym. Everyday Fitness in Lansdowne to be exact. It's right on my way to and from work... so, it can mock me as I drive past if I ever lose motivation and stop going. I thought that might help... but.. we'll see... maybe not. Kelly has been going there for a year and a half or so, too... so the negotiating process was pretty painless. Basically, they wanted me to commit for 2 years to get Kelly's price (which she was one of the first to join... so, it's pretty low). I told them I "had questionable dedication and a short attention span" and that I could only commit for one year (really... I said that... I just looked it up on my email to confirm). So, that apparently was enough to get them to back down. One year commitment at Kelly's same rate.... yahoo... once that chore was completed I was well on my way to health and wellness (or whatever buzz word they call it these days).

Alrighty then... so, today was my first day. I didn't want to look stupid and do one of those machines wrong... so, I had decided before I went in that I would run on the treadmill first and watch others and see how they did it. So, I walk in and head straight for the treadmill... I'm quick to get the thing going so that I can start acting like I belong. As I'm running, I remember my sole purpose for doing the treadmill first was so that I could observe.... however, small problem.... treadmill is facing the wall. Well, there went that idea... so I just commit to the treadmill and keep on going. These treadmills have a little TV attached to them... but I could never get mine to work... and, seriously, it was really hard to try to hit those little buttons while running and breathing so hard. So I gave up on that, too.

Once I was done with that, I moved on to the machines and started pumping some serious iron. Okay... so, maybe it wasn't serious. Well, for the most part, I knew how to use the machines... so no worries there.

Upon concluding my workout, I shower and head into work... and start feeling like I'm going to puke. It took me probably one hour to fully recover. I really just wanted to put my head on my desk and take a nap.

Well, I've got to go, because Kelly just made me some brownies to celebrate my first day of working out. Work out, eat brownies.... I just might be on to something.... but... that's neither here nor there.

Collection of Thoughts

Uh Oh... My Daughter's not going to be a vegetarian, is she?: Conversation at the dinner table tonight between Kelly and Reagan (my 5-year old daughter) during a dinner that featured ham:

Reagan: "Where does ham come from?"
Kelly: "From a pig."
Reagan: "I don't like eating animals"
Kelly: "I don't like eating animals, either... but they're yummy."

Reagan, accepting this, then takes a bite of her ham.

Man... dodged a bullet there... Reagan comes from a long line of prolific carnivores and I was worried she would tarnish the Faircloth name. Thankfully... she, too, realized the inherent yumminess of animals.

Facebook: I did it. I succumbed to peer pressure... I signed up for Facebook. I'm oddly obsessed... I'm collecting friends like the old crazy lady down the street is collecting cats. I just can't stop myself. I do feel a sense of satisfaction once a friendship becomes "acknowledged" through facebook... it gives it a sense of officiality. So, if you're reading this and aren't my friend on facebook... time to come on board.... I need more friends.... I feel like I'm in a contest... but can't quite figure out yet with whom..... or how to win for that matter.

New Vacuum Cleaner: It might seem like nothing to blog about... but we got a new vacuum cleaner. However, what I love about Vacuum cleaners is the way with which you can describe it. For example... "this new vacuum SUCKS!" or "Man, this vacuum really SUCKS!" or "This Vacuum SUCKS more than any other vacuum I've ever used." Which, of course, all are complimentary of said vacuum because it's sole job is to, in fact, suck. It's that little bit of irony that I find endlessly entertaining.

Well... that's it for now... time to go digging for more friends on facebook.

Baby Got Back!

A little secret about Kelly. She knows all the words to "Baby Got Back!"...seriously... ask her to sing it to you one day. Now.. I've always hated the urban edge to that song... it just never hit my musical palate. The words... now.. the words were just so impactful and spoke to me... I mean, seriously... "I want 'em real thick and juicy" has to be on a lyrical par with the great songs of the last century, such as "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away." Well... now finally someone has come along and put those masterful words to a more folksy-style of music that I am accustomed to hearing. Enjoy!

Josh Hamilton is Good

I know... 2 blogs in one night... crazy. Anyway.... so, I'm watching the Home Run Derby on ESPN and Josh Hamilton just unloaded on the ball and hit 28 home runs in one round. Now, these were not just frozen ropes that barely made it over the right field wall. THEY WERE BOMBS!!!! Several of them were over 500 feet. I can't fathom that kind of power. It was fun to watch.

So, the announcers keep alluding to how he overcame drug abuse and woke up one day and decided to turn his life around. I sensed something greater was going on, however, since one of the announcers was Chris "F-Bomb" Berman who wouldn't know the spiritual side to a story if it slammed him in the face. So, since, I had never heard Hamilton's full-story before... I google him... and it turns out he has an amazing personal testimony on how the grace of Jesus Christ impacted his life. It's really a wonderful story. You can google it, as I did... or check out this ESPN article here.

Epilogue: Josh Hamilton didn't end up winning.... he was clearly fatigued from bombing so many in the first round and the goofy Home Run Derby rules don't let the homers carry over from round to round. Still... the 28 he hit was the best display of hitting I've seen since Kelly and I saw Mark McGwire take batting practice before a Reds game one year (maybe 2000?)...

Good Stuff Eatery

I've now been in DC nearly 3 years.... and in those 3 years, I have had some great meals at some really nice restaurants (usually... well... almost always on someone else's dime). Capital Grille, Charlie Palmer's, Willow Creek Farm, Tuscarora Mill and Vidalia's are all some of better ones I've enjoyed. But, really, when push comes to shove... I'd really just like a great burger... and that's one reason I was excited to eat at Good Stuff Eatery this week.

Well, that's kind of a lie... I'm also a pop-culture addict and really went to this place because it's Spike Mendelson's new place. For those that don't know, Spike was (is) the fedora wearing chef from the reality TV show Top Chef... which... thankfully, I've already previously admitted to watching. Not ringing a bell? It's this guy:

So, anyway... here's the details of my visit. First off... get there early. We got there at 11:30 and the line was already snaked around the building. For those that know the Capitol Hill area, Good Stuff Eatery is on the same block as The Tune Inn and the Hawk n' Dove... just next to the Cosi... 303 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, to be exact. And for those that like to indulge their pop-culture leanings... yes, Spike is there... on-site... live and in-person.

So, even though we got there early... we still waited about 20 minutes just to get in the door. Well, wait was worth it because the burger I got was Ridddicccky-iculously good... that's really all you need to know. Ya.. it was that good. Messy.. just the way a burger should be... piled with an artery-clogging load of bacon. The name of the burger I got was the "Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown"... sounds good, doesn't it. Anyway, you can view the rest of the menu here... check it out... it's worth the wait.

Faircloth '08?

This is troubling... for those that have closely followed my career (ok... so, that's only Kelly)... I was recently quoted in an article for "Politics Magazine" and also got a cover story in "Winning Campaigns" magazine... certainly you read those right? Well, someone apparently did and were really impressed. Perhaps it they thought my article on Cost-cutting techniques for their campaign was very Presidential. I'm just not sure. Now, I come into work today and see this... which has really got me worried:

Golf Pictures

Here is Scott in his golf tournament uniform. Doesn't he look official? (and hot!)

AT&T National Report #2

OK... today's report is way better than yesterday's. First off, more players arrived, including Fred Couples, Davis Love III and Camilo Villegas (who the ladies love, by the way... and has huge biceps).

I talked at length with Charles Warren's caddie, who was really cool and was as interested in what I do as I was about what was going on there. As he waited for Warren to arrive (about 10 minutes), we talked about all kinds of things. Given all of the inflated egos out there... it was refreshing to meet someone down to earth.

Also spent a good bit of time talking to a reporter from Golf Magazine. Fascinating talk with him about some of the players on the tour and what his insights were as far as their real personalities. He wrote an article recently on Aaron Baddellay, which you can check out here. I also fetched some Callaway XI's for Notah Begay (who is probably best known as Tiger Wood's teammate at Stanford).

My job for most of the day was to put out names signs as the players entered to hit balls on the range. This was easy for players that you recognized like Couples, Parnevik, Mayfair, Begay, etc... but some of these guys... the only way I could tell was by looking at the names on their bags... which are printed on the underside of the bags as you carry them. So, the trick was to discretely look at the names without the player seeing you. This was sometimes a difficult task and created for some funny moments as you wrench your body to try to catch a peek at the name. Thankfully, I never misidentified anyone...

Ok, then, at one point, I look over and Brian Mitchell is standing there on the railing. For those that don't know, Brian Mitchell is a former Redskin great that was loved by the fans (we'll forget about his stints w/the Eagles and Giants because those weren't his fault). Anyway, so I went up and introduced myself and had a short chat with him. He sounded genuinely excited to talk to me... which was weird... I'm not that exciting.

Alright... the most blog worthy moment of this came after I headed home. I decided to pick up some Phish Food Ben & Jerry's ice cream for Kelly as a way of thanking her for letting me go do all this crazy stuff. So, I go to Harris Teeter because it's on the way home. Well, Harris Teeter had Ben & Jerry's on sale for 2 for $6... so, naturally, I get two. Then, I head up to the line and realize I don't have one of those stupid VIC cards that gets me the "sale" price... No problem, I thought, because the cashier usually just scans theirs for me. Well, the "manned" lines were too long, so I go up to the self-checkout thinking I'll just ask someone that has their VIC card out to swipe their card for me.

Well, so, I get up there and look to the dude to my left to see if I can get his attention. Just as I look over....I realize it's Jason Campbell... ya... that Jason Campbell... Redskins Quarterback Jason Campbell. So, then I turn back real quick and a million thoughts go through my head. I CAN'T ask JC to scan his VIC card for me... I mean... he's a millionaire and I'll look so cheap and desperate by trying to save .75 by asking him to scan his card. So, instead, I look over and say the cheesiest thing I possibly could: "Hey Jason, Good Luck this year!"

GOOD LUCK This year...!!!!! What a dork. I could have TOTALLY made this an awesome blog entry by getting Jason Campbell to scan his VIC card for me.... but I copped out .... BIG TIME... and worse yet... all I could muster was "Hey Jason, Good Luck this year!" I carried a freaking watermelon... AGAIN.

Well, for what it's worth... he said "Thanks, Man."

So... that's my day.... more to report on Friday (I'm off' tomorrow.)

AT&T National: Report #1

I mentioned awhile back that I was on the volunteer committee for the upcoming AT&T National (what was known a month ago as the "Tiger Woods" Tournament... before he broke his leg and tore his ACL)... working the driving range... well, today was my first day "on the job".. here's the scoop:

I got to the range at 6 am and met my team. It's me... a 32 year old guy and a bunch of retired 65+ year old men. Which is cool... me and old dudes get along famously. I guess it's because I'm a bit of a throwback... happily married, go to church, wife stays at home with the kids, I'm respectful, yet self-effacing... oh.. and I can talk politics with the best of 'em. So... old guys love me... never had any issues there.

OK... so the cool part about working the range is that you get to see a pretty unique view of the players. Today was just a practice day and the first guy on the practice tee was Ben Crane at about 6:15. Never heard of him... right? Well, the dude has won $1.2 million for 6 months of work thus far this year (and $8 million over the past 4 or 5)... not too shabby. And that's what you learn quickly, these guys are ridiculously good at what they do... they are incredible at golf... every last one of them.

Then over the course of the day, essentially everyone came out... I'm only a casual golf fan, but I recognized Corey Pavin, Fred Funk, Jesper Parnevik, KJ Choi, Billy Mayfair, Stuart Appleby, (current Masters Champ) Trevor Immelman and (former Masters Champ) Mike Weir. Fred Couples, Jim Furyk, Rocco Mediate and a bunch of others are supposed to be there... but haven't seem them yet.

Here's the deal with the players... they all seemed pretty cool and signed lots of autographs for the kids. Their caddies seemed like a lot of fun, too. But the cockiest dudes out there are the manufacturer reps. What happens is that the golf equipment companies are there all pimping their products to the golfers.... Titleist, Adams, Callaway, Ping, etc, etc, etc. Well... those dudes' heads are so ginormous... I don't know how they hold them up. I had to ask one dude a question... and...wow... he was just so arrogant.... I think it's because I didn't follow "procedure".. with "procedure" of course meaning a slight genuflection and kissing of his 'ring' before speaking. There's a word for guys like this... but I'm not about to put it in writing. I can't wait to ask him another question tomorrow.

Anyway... more to report tomorrow. Kelly is going to be bored by these posts. But guys will like these... guaranteed.