I have lost 38 pounds. I mean, I'm no McRacky, but hey. That's not bad for a start. A long way to go, and it's all my fault for becoming such a fatass in the first place. Weightlifting is on hiatus for now, as I have injured my left elbow. The weight loss has slowed since then, but I think I may be cleared to lift again as early as next week.

The kids are getting along nicely. I'd like to find some extra-curricular activity that my daughter can stick with, but it's hard as we've yet to find something that holds her interest for more than three to four lessons. She did swimming for a while and seemed to enjoy it from start to finish, although that wasn't the case for her summer lessons. Perhaps a musical instrument of some sort, but it would likely end up falling behind her bed and getting lost. Something large then, perhaps a tuba.

My son is stil doing Taekwondo, and doesn't seem to be losing interest. He went to his first tournament on Saturday and came home with a bronze medal in breaking and a silver in sparring. He lost the gold medal sparring match to a kid who, quite seriously, sparred like an adult. He had one of those super-sport fathers coaching him. Maybe Duncan lost his bid for gold to the future Tiger Woods of TKD, who knows. Anyway, the kid was a bit dirty. Not that I am or was one of those parents, Duncan was clearly overmatched by this kid from the get-go and would have lost a clean match. It's just somehow a bit sad to see someone play dirty when they clearly don't need to. Visible results of the dirty fighting are a technicolor knee, and a large "A" bruised on his thigh (the winner wore Adidas shin guards). After the match Duncan hung his head and walked off toward me (to a big congratulatory hug, losing the gold medal match in your first tournament isn't something to be hanging your head about). I don't think he understood the whole gold medal match concept, and that he had won silver.

Both kids are doing very well in school. After a rough start for Duncan, we have started a system with his teacher that is paying off (he has the best teacher ever this year). His test scores have consistently been 95% and up since we met with his teacher. Jessica, well, she just ticks along. She's just starting to figure out that grade one means work, but she's been doing fine. Test scores have all been high so far.

My wife hates her job. Her boss lives and breathes work. When a "big important event" happened and none of the local media gave it any time, it was The Wife's fault. Her boss can't understand that her "big important events" are niche news and, at best, worthy of a short blurb on page E19. The reason the TV stations didn't roll up with cameras is that, well, nobody but you gives a rat's ass.

My work is fucking awful, in a nutshell. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love taking an hour or two to play Tabula Rasa as much as the next guy, but I'd rather be doing real work. But no, I've got the boss who used to be the guy who did everything for himself. He doesn't know how to let go and manage.

I think that's it.