Category Archives: Nerd Stuff

These posts relate to my nerdery (obviously). Computer stuff, games, movies, miscellaneous hobbies (nerdy, of course). Carr stuff is sort of nerdy, but I have another category for that.

The Wait is Over: Apple PowerBook 520C

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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.

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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

 

“Real” Internet.

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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

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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.

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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

Zombies Ate My Brains… Sort Of.

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Anyone else play Plants Vs. Zombines on the iPhone? It’s incredibly addicting!  I love tower defense games to begin with but Popcap’s version has so many extra elements and such polished gameplay that it outshines it’s rivals. If you haven’t tried it yet I’d suggest you get a copy (it’s only $2.99 in the app store).

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the game the premise is simple: Zombies are trying to eat your brains. They attack by making their way across your lawn (and later your back yard and roof) toward your home. If they get inside your house you’re done for. Luckily you have plants you can use to stop the zombies from reaching your brain. You strategically place your plants on the lawn and they attack the waves of zombies. If the zombies are successfully repelled then you win! That’s fun, in and of itself, vut Popcap has loaded Plants vs. Zombies with power ups, achievements, mini games and even a Zen garden in their latest update. Lots of replayability.

Luckily there hasn’t been a update recently so I’ve got things under control. That means I’ve completed all the achievements, won all the mini games, bought all the powerups and even completed my Zen garden. I confess that I spent a fair amount of time on the garden. I actually did a lot of Googling to see if I could find a few pointers and tips about the iPhone Zen garden, but I came up dry (in fact I didn’t find any completed iPhone Plants vs. Zombies Zen gardens). That being said, I wanted to post pics of my Zen Garden and answer the questions I had. Maybe it will help someone else.

Q. What is the Plants vs. Zombie Zen Garden?

A. One you have beaten Plants vs. Zombies  it unlocks a Zen garden where you can collect plants from the game. There is a section for regular outdoor plants, a section for mushrooms and a section for aquatic plants. The mushroom and aquatic gardens must be purchased.

Q. Where do I get plants?

A. You can occasionally buy plants from Dave (the gifts) but they also appear randomly while you play the regular game or bonus games.

Q. Which plants do I need to get?

A. Take a look at the images below to see what plants you need to complete your garden. There are extra spaces in all but the mushroom garden. If it’s not in the picture don’t expect to get it. As an aside, you can make a ton of money growing plants and them selling them to Dave (check out my moola cache!).

Q. Is there a faster way to get plants? I’m sick of waiting for the present to respawn.

A. Patience is Zen virtue. But yes, there is a faster way…

Once you have all the plants you can get you’re rewarded with the “Enlightened” achievement. I don’t know why I care, but getting this made me really happy. So there you have it- my Plants vs. Zombies Zen Garden for the iPhone. Check it out!

Posted by Cam, July 7, 2011

 

A New Exercise Concept

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I really enjoy running. Sometimes it almost feels like I’m floating along and as the runner’s high washes over me everything seems perfect. But some days each step feel like an impossible trek through shin pain and mental exhaustion. I decided that if I was going to keep up my rigorous exercise campaign I needed some variety. After some research I decided that a rowing machine was the way to go. And after more research I chose the Concept 2.

My Concept 2 shipped from Massachusetts the same day I placed by order and took about 6 days to arrive. My unit shipped in two parts. The larger box was well packed  but the smaller box (which contained the legs) had parts protruding. Nothing was broken so it wasn’t a big deal but it could have been packed better.

Setup was really easy. Most of the machine is assembled and you only have to put on the legs, the monitor mount and make some small tweaks. The unit is composed of two parts that lock together where the feet strap in. The two pieces can be taken apart and reassembled in just a few moments (great for storage, if needed).  The overall quality of the Concept 2 machine is excellent. All the instructions and illustrations are clear and easy to understand- which is good, since there’s a fair amount to learn.

There are a bunch of different rowing machines types- some use hydraulic pistons, other use magnets and even water. The Concept 2 uses air resistance against a flywheel. The rowing motion is quite smooth and the workout can be as hard or easy as you make it (based on rowing intensity). The flywheel is reasonably quiet and I’m able to comfortably hear my television.

The Concept 2 computer is also well designed (mine came with a PM4- the computer you get depends on the model you purchase). The PM4 keeps track of all your rowing sessions and gives you details about your distance, calories and even watts that you generate. There are preprogrammed workouts and even games where you can link up with other players and race. What I like most about the PM4 is being able to keep track of my workout and then re-row them to try and beat my old time. My only regret with the computer is that you can’t directly input your weight; the PM4 will give you a calorie burn benchmark and you have to enter that, along with your weight, into a calculator n the Concept 2 website to get your actual calorie burn.

As I mentioned the overall quality of the machine is great. The adustable stirrups and straps lock the feet securely into place and the assembly is rock solid.  The seat is pretty comfortable, although during longer rowing sessions I sometimes wish I had a bit more padding. The rowing bar is very comfortable although I have gotten a few blisters on my hands and fingers (the instructions tell you not to hold the rowing bar tightly and I don’t think I have, but my fingers seem to disagree). My only real complaint with the design is this: If you’re rowing withyour shirt untucked it can get caught in the seat rollers when you’re sliding back. Be sure to tuck it in!

As for the actual workout- it’s fantastic. Initially it’s a little hard to get the rowing technique just right. And rowing can be hard on the back at first too (my back complained mildly for about a week). One you get into the swing of things though you realize that rowing is nearly a full body workout. As much as I love running, it doesn’t do much for my upper body. With rowing I can get a solid arm, chest and back workout in addition to hitting my core and legs. And because you’re sitting and pushing and pulling there’s very little impact and it’s not as jarring as running.  Sometimes I stand up after a rowing workout and it just hits me all over.

I don’t burn as many calories on the Concept 2 as I do when I run (it’s close though), but I really like the variety. And more importantly I like the ability to workout my upper body and give my legs a break from running. Bottom line, if you’re looking for a low impact exercise, a full body workout and a way to quickly blast calories then I can wholeheartedly recommend the Concept 2 rower.

And as a quick follow-up, I am now well into the 230’s. Success is close at hand!

Posted by Cam, May 30, 2011

Mechanical Watchery

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Mechanical watches are cool.  These fascinating little devices keep time (or attempt to keep it) with no battery. Instead they have a spring that gets wound by either manually turning the crown or by movement of the wearer.

Some of the mechanical watches out there have an exhibition feature. This feature allows part of the watch’s inner working to be seen through the dial or caseback. I’ve been collecting these watches for the last decade or so and I was delighted to see that they have finally become trendy enough for Walmart to knockoff!

I was at Walmart and I ran across this little gem on the left. What at first appears to be a nifty peek inside a mechanical watch is actually a static composition designed to fool the casual observer. This is a quart watch and the visible gears and jewels are fake! I have included a picture of a real mechanical watch with an exhibition back for comparision. And yes, I was being sarcastic when I called the Walmart watch a “gem.”

As an aside I have always loved watches (any kind of watch).  When I was little (think late 1980’s) I probably had a dozen or so watches. My prized pieces were a watch shaped like an Oreo, A Nintendo Zelda watch (you could actually play the game), a Timex sports watch with a light, a FM radio watch from Boy’s Life and a Casio Databank. I was living the good life. I have no idea where those watches disappeared to, but it would be fun to see them again…or maybe not.