Blankbaby

This is why I got an iPhone 3GS

via www.flickr.com

iPhone meets tile and no one wins.

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I'm almost 3 weeks ahead of schedule for my Lose It or Lose It challenge. Not too shabby, sadly, getting ahead doesn't really help with Lose it or Lose It because I still have to lose another 3 pounds this week (and it just so happens to be Thanksgiving!).

I'm pretty sure I can knock off a few pounds this week, even with Turkey day. I'll be going to the gym tomorrow, perhaps Wednesday morning, and definitely Saturday and Sunday so it should be too much of a bother.

Michael Kors Taj Paisley Sport Shirt

via www.rochesterclothing.com

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You may recall that before I got married I realized that I needed to get back on the bandwagon and shed some weight. The good news is that I did, in fact, lose some weight (enough to look good in my wedding photos) but the bad news is that we had lots of great food during the honeymoon.

That, in and of itself, wouldn't have been a problem if I had gone back to the gym after returning home. I didn't. I also didn't stop eating like a mad man, and now I've gained all the weight I lost before the wedding back (and then some!).

What is a fat guy to do? Why, turn to a webapp that a smart Philly area developer just launched called Lose It or Lose It. The idea is simple: you decide on a goal (mine is to lose 30 pounds in 10 weeks) and the app lets you decide how much money you're willing to lose should you not meet that goal ($200 in my case). You weigh in every week, and if you don't hit your goal you are penalized a small bit. At the end of the 10 week period you get back all the money you put up if you meet your goal. If you don't meet your goal you get back the money you put up minus any penalties.

Fairly simple, I think. Check out my profile here. I'm certain that by mid-January I will be at least 30 pounds lighter (and I'll fit into more of my Hawaiian shirts!).

Wedding/Honeymoon pictures

Marisa and I got married a couple of months ago and I haven't put up any pictures! We took a bunch both at the wedding itself and during our honeymoon. I've collected some of the pics I like best in this post, but if you want to see them all they are on Flickr:

• Wedding Pictures
• Wedding Pictures by Albert Yee
• Airstream and Vanderbilt Mansion
• New York State Capitol tour
• Fort Ticonderoga
• Whiteface Lodge
• Billings Marsh Rockefeller/King Arthur
• Bennington, VT

Here are the ones that I thought I would highlight on the blog:

The Wedding

First, we'll start with the wedding pictures. Most of these were taken by our good friend, and great photographer, Albert Yee (I'll point out which ones weren't!).

This first picture was taken by yours truly. Marisa thought that perhaps she would have enough time to take her own wedding pictures.

While Marisa and I were exchanging vows I thought I saw a random dog walk past. But I knew that no one had brought a dog with them. Turns out the neighbor's dogs stopped by to wish us well (this pic was snapped by David Kirpan).

Ah, the pro pictures begin!

Marisa has a very large family.

I don't. Behind me are my brother and mother. Behind Marisa are her parents and her sister.

Raina played a song before we said our vows.

About to take the plunge.

Different people. Different shoes.

Kissing! In public! Shocking.

My good friend David Kirpan manned my camera during the ceremony and managed to get this picture. Good job, Dave!

Marisa, being Marisa, made all of our wedding cakes herself. Here you see a destroyed flourless chocolate cake (which we made on Fork You once, video and recipe here).

My relatives made the trek out to Philadelphia to attend (ain't they nice!).

My mom, her brother, and her sister.

The Honeymoon

The whole honeymoon plan was founded on visiting Bennington Potters (for Marisa), and so that was our first stop.

Marisa also loves thrift stores, so we had to go here.

All around Bennington they had these painted Moose. This one is the covered bridge moose which features a picture of the bed & breakfast we stayed at painted on its flank (I thought that was pretty cool).

My iPhone (and Blackberry and wireless data card) got no service for most of the trip, which was actually quite nice.

A nice steeple. I just like the way this picture came out.

The first place we stayed at in Vermont was the Inn On Covered Bridge Green, which was just lovely. Norman Rockwell used to own this house... though we didn't actually stay in the house proper. There is a little honeymoon cottage in the back (which used to be called the 'corn crib') that we stayed in. I'm certain that Marisa and I will be back to this place again.

This is what was painted on that moose.

We left Vermont and went to Lake Placid, New York and stayed at the White Face Lodge, which was very nice indeed. They had brownies waiting for us in our room. You can't beat that!

I thought this was a picture of Lake Placid, but I'm pretty sure it is actually Lake Mirror... either way it is pretty.

Since I booked the Honeymoon package we also received some free champagne. It was pretty good.

Of course Marisa bought some jars.

And I demanded we visit some historical sites! This is Fort Ticonderoga.

Us being cute.

A cannon.

The Kings Garden which is right next to the Fort. We actually happened to visit when some sort of farmers' market was going on so we managed to buy some vegetables.

We also hit the Billings Farm & Museum which is neat (and I only heard about it because I was listening in on someone else's conversation at the Vermont Country Store).

This was outside of some tourist trap that we ventured into (and where we bought some rare Cabot cheeses that aren't available in these parts).

The Egg in Albany, NY. Since we were driving through Albany I thought it would be fun to take the Capitol Building tour.

The Library in the New York State Capitol.

A string of lights on our Airstream trailer.

We stayed in an airstream (the one pictured above) at Kate's Lazy Meadow, which is surrounded by beauty. Marisa and I were both glad we only booked one night, however, since the trailer was tiny!

I thought this was a cool picture.

And there we are being cute again!

Kettle Chips Fully Loaded Baked Potato chips are OK by me

Scott with fully loaded Kettle Chips
Originally uploaded by Marusula.

Smooch

via www.flickr.com

Taken by the talented Albert Yee.