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Chip In for a Baby Weinberg Present

This is a test... I am a person who spends all day and a good part of most nights online immersed in social media and the platforms of web 2.0. With a new baby about to arrive, I am sure that my schedule will change ad my online presence will dwindle. Show your support and love for our new one by chipping in together to buy him or her something special.

Thanks! Dave & Talya

The Road to a Lesser Dave: Day 51

I wanted to post the most amusing clip I saw from the Daily Show over the course of the DNC.



Day 51 Stats

Weight: 302.0 Lbs.

Loss Actions: Yesterday was a stroll in the park of consumerism. Hours of walking around malls to make returns, in stores to peruse and finally through the "hallowed halls" of two baby super stores to get ideas and try to differentiate between the mounds of similar high priced products.

The Road to a Lesser Dave: Day 49

I know. I know. Can we leave it at that? I didn't think so either. These past few weeks have been wonderful for my marriage, but not too great for my adventure in slimmatude. Now that I'm active in my job search I get to spend lots of really great quality time with my wife. It started by going to the county fair and seeing a cow giving birth (This is a graphic video we took while watching. CAUTION: not for the squeamish).



The following weeks, we went to an outlet mall, engagement party, wedding, and two sheva brachos (post-wedding parties). This week, we have already gone to one local farm and today we went berry picking about 45 min north of here at Larriland Farms, followed by a family BBQ at my in-laws.

My new anti-schedule and lack of keeping to this blog have, as I suspected, greatly contributed to my weight re-gain. However, the fact that I started writing and was initially consistent has, as also suspected, kept my mind focused around this lessening initiative. I walk more (and complain less about it), I am conscious of what I eat (to a certain degree) and while not yet winning this battle, I am getting in the right mindset.

The sad truth is that tonight I broke a folding chair just by sitting on it. I kept my emotions inside, but that snap, crack, laugh (everyone else there...) reminded me of the other two folding chairs I had broken over Passover and the high riser that I had slowly broken over the course of the past year at my in-laws. Being overweight has many disadvantages, but one sure one is humiliation.

Here are some of the encouraging comments I have received lately:

Uncle Dave, you look pretty. [This was before a lunch meeting last week with the DC Concierge. I was dressed up more than my usual shorts/jeans & and polo, but hey, my niece noticed!]

I check your blog every night before I go to bed. [Math Wiz]

I think of you every time I get on the elliptical machine. [EZ Israeli]

Fat Brothers Unite! [Daddy Recruiter]

Slimmatude Indeed! [Unreturned Book]

...and some of the not so encouraging comments (however motivational they may be):

Is this just turning into a fun blog? What's the point? [The One]

Have you lost anything yet? [Dr Learning]

You have a blog? [Everyone Else...]

Day 49 Stats

Weight: 303.4 Lbs.

Loss Actions: Nothing significant. As mentioned above, I am in a better mindset. However, I have take advantage of a few recent meat meals. As the husband of a former vegetarian and now pregnant wife, who can't stand chicken and most meats now, I get excited at steak or even a burger.

The Road to a Lesser Dave: Day 31

Well.... don't you? I won this kippa on Crunchgear today as part of their 2 year birthday bash giveaway. Since, however, I think my current kippa (black knit and boring) is hot enough for me, I am giving away this flashy and fantastic skull cap to a reader of this blog.

How can you win this truly astounding prize? Submit a comment to this post stating either: your best weight loss tip, story or piece of advice for my adventure.

Check out VanityKippa and let me know which one you want (feel free to include that in your comment too). I will choose a winner Sunday night at around 11pm.

Although this is totally random, I had to include it. I just read this quote from one of my all time favorite comedians, Steven Wright, on another blog I read, CopyBlogger:

I went to a restaurant that serves “breakfast at any time”. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance.

Day 31 Stats

Weight: 299.0

Loss Actions: I forgot to mention on yesterday's post that my wonderful mother-in-law contributed to this adventure by having us over for dinner and making a scrumptious, healthy and low-fat chicken stir fry. It was great; filling and tasty. Thanks Ima!

Tonight, I "Danced Danced" for about half an hour. Mind you, it wasn't the most intense exercise at all times, but a buddy came over [Math Wiz] to join me which really helped to motivate me. I've gotten lax about bringing out the mat and dancing, but a "dance party" makes the chore into j'adore.

Dinner was my famous chili with a pouch of protein chili mix bringing up the health benefits and filling me up thus keeping me from having too much to eat. I know, I know... no veggies? This was a quick dinner and we know to next time add a salad for added benefit.

The Road to a Lesser Dave: Day 30

Aha ha ha ha... 2 new pairs of shoes! Aha ha ha ha....

With my new found time, my wife and I are attempting to spend way more time together; taking outings, running errands, being all blissful 'n stuff. Today, we went to the Arundel Mills outlet mall near BWI airport, a huge shopping and walking event.

The only store I was excited about was the Vans outlet. For those of you who don't know this about me, I LOVE my Vans. I have now gone through 2 pairs and I mean really worn through. One was orange (that was the far subtler one) and one was black and orange squares. I loved them and wore them everywhere: to weekday services, on vacation, even to work sometimes. A few months ago, I totally wore them out and was asked not to wear them anymore by my loving wife and several co-workers (they had holes on the sides and back).

Today I bought 2 new pairs! I almost left with just one, but after searching the back of the store for any more 13's, the clerk brought out the above pair and said that after the "buy one get one half off" deal which was going on, they would only cost $5! Deal. I know I can find enough occasions to wear my new bat/count slip-on Vans to make them well worth the investment.

Day 30 Stats

Weight: 300.4

Loss Actions: Yesterday I played the Wii fit for 36 min! I love the Wii and one day I hope to own my own. Thanks Jason...

Today, after walking around the mall for an hour, my wife had some pain in her abdomen. Being pregnant, she immediately called her doctor. The secretary there told her to go home "right now" and put her feet up. That meant "RIGHT NOW!" I happily obliged, bags and drinks in tow. Upon reaching the car I realized the keys were in my wife's purse. 10 minutes, briskly, back to her to get the keys and drop off the bags (I left the drinks on our car roof). 10 more minutes back to the car and I was done, sweaty and out of breath, but we left, feet up and all.

The Road to a Lesser Dave: Day 29

I have a story to tell you. I have been absent from this blog for too long. My absence was due to the convergence of events in my life over the past fourteen days. These events threw me a curve ball, once which I am not sure yet how to swing at.

Two weeks ago I was asked by employer, GeniusRocket, if I would like to become a consultant for them. My new role would be that of Brand Ambassador: going around the country to promote them at conferences and local meetups in order to spread the good word, build partnerships and relationships and hopefully, grow the brand. While this had been an opportunity I had been looking for as a logical growth of my current responsibilities, GeniusRocket could only employ me under these terms as a consultant.

What to do? Where to turn? If I formed a consultancy I would have the luxury of working for myself and my terms. However, it would also mean that I would be forced to find other clients on an ongoing basis in order to sustain my livelihood. I gave myself one week to gage the interest in my possible new profession. That week started Thursday night, July 24th.

From the moment I decided to try consulting, I was on the phone. I called everyone I knew in my time zone. Can we meet this week? Is your company online? What do you do online? Are you using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn? DO you know what those things are?

When it got too late, I moved west to my Chicago and other Midwest connections. WHEN it got too late I moved west to my LA and west coast connections. By 1am EST I had to move all the way to Israel, where my now awake connections started getting my calls, IMs and emails.

With five minutes to go before Shabbat, Friday afternoon, I had a week-long trip planned. I dubbed this the beginning of my Social Media Tour. I would spend Sunday morning through Tuesday afternoon in New York and Tuesday evening through Thursday evening in Toronto.

What a whirlwind week! I met with over 40 people representing 15 organizations in the US and Canada. We spoke about the differences between the old and new web and how in order to be successful one now has to stop talking to their customers or constituents and start listening and being part of the already vibrant conversation. The most positive responses to my "pitch" were all related to me traveling somewhere to speak or train staff about social media.

I accepted GeniusRocket's offer and am now working steadily to build a client roster. I am planing trips to New York (again), Chicago, LA (and SF if it is possible), Southern Florida, and hopefully Boston. IF you want to talk with me about how your company or organization can reap the benefits of the new web, let me know. Let's schedule something... weinberg81@gmail.com

Day 16-29 Stats

Weight: 297.8 Lbs. (This was my pre-fast weight as of Friday August 8th).

Loss Actions: In New York, my hotel happened to be 2 blocks from a Whole Foods. My snacks for the entire trip, therefore, were a huge bag of granola and a bunch of fruit strips. Otherwise, I ate bagels and home-cooked meals rather than eating out. I walked a TON and drank a whole bunch of water, maybe 6 bottles worth from monday morning-tuesday mid day. I walked so much that I realized I had better get one of those rolling laptop/briefcase bags soon or I am going to injure myself.

Toronto, I had the mixed blessing of being right near the all-kosher Second Cup. I think I had 5 drinks in 2 days!