The Ever Growing 10,000 Step Club

Last year, as I was finishing up my second year with the Fitbit, I took my last look at the top 25 step days I’ve had since I first started tracking my steps way back in July of 2011.  At the time, I had surpassed the 10,000 step plateau 116 times.  In the past year, I have managed to add an additional 49 occurrences, raising the total to 165.  With my third year using the Fitbit coming to an end last week, I thought it would be appropriate to take a new look at my top 25 step days over the past 6 1/2 years, featuring 7 new entries.

btn10K-41: 6/6/2013 – 24,988 steps

My best single day total continues to be from my 2013 trip to Disney World.  The day’s excursion to both Epcot Center and the Magic Kingdom ended up with a total of approximately 12.5 miles.  And yes, it still bothers me that I didn’t get those 12 additional steps to reach 25,000.

2: 3/22/2016 – 22,493 steps

My second highest day shares much in common with my #1 day, taking place in Disney World in March of 2016.  The day’s excursion started at Hollywood Studios before heading over to Epcot Center with Jeff and Val.

3: 7/27/2013 – 20,592 steps

My third highest total came nearly 2 months after my highest, thanks to the BTN 5K and a, for lack of a better word, misunderstanding about where I should be picked up after the race.

4: 8/5/2017 – 20,218 steps

The first new entry came last August on the first day of my trip to Boston with Danny and Michael.  After landing in town, we traipsed to the Science Museum, a breakfast joint, our hotel, and, finally, Fenway Park.

5: 7/14/2017 – 20,208 steps

Our second new entry came last July, as Angelina and I took a day trip to Disney World to celebrate her high school graduation.

6: 9/19/2017 – 20,028 steps

The third straight new entry, which helped to double my total of 20,000 step days from the previous 5+ years, had a myriad of activities.  First was the latest edition of the Sprint and Stride, followed by a trip to Best Buy with Val to buy a new TV, then off to her apartment to install the new TV, and, finally, Season Ticker Holder Family Night at Wrigley Field.

7: 11/11/2017 – 19,590 steps

Our fourth straight new entry came thanks to last fall’s trip to California to see Angelina skate.  This day was spent in Anaheim at Disneyland.

8: 6/2/2016 – 18,725 steps

Day #8, which dropped 4 spots, comes from June 2016’s trip to Universal Studios.  Our first full day at the park, we split the day between Universal and Islands of Adventure, taking in all of the different Harry Potter options.

9: 6/4/2016 – 18,617 steps

Our next entry is also from the June 2016 trip to Universal Studios.  The day included another trip to Islands of Adventure, and would have ended up even higher but for an afternoon trip to the hotel pool.

10: 6/21/2017 – 18,290 steps Continue reading →

Fitbit Week 46

Week46_FBThe week got off to a tremendous start on Sunday as I went from store to store looking for a TV stand for my new office TV, finishing with nearly 10,000 steps.  The rest of the vacation week was some variation of cleaning up the office and working around the house to make sure I hit the daily goal.  Friday got a bit of a boost thanks to a trip to Best Buy.  Saturday broke past 7000 steps thanks to a trip to the movie theater to take in the new Star Wars film followed by the grocery store.

Total steps: 48,808

Daily average: 6972.6

Top 200 Albums – #54 – 64

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we crack the top 60 and look at the 11 albums between 64th and 54th place with 52-57 listens.

#54: Foo Fighters – The Colour And The Shape
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Many years ago, a few years after the album had been released, I picked this up for $5 at Best Buy on Black Friday. Since that time, 4 tracks have made up this total.

#54: Garbage – Garbage
iTunes stats: 57 plays
The debut album from the Garbagers, whose total would be higher if not for their greatest hits album, makes the list on the backs of 12 tunes.

#54: David Cross – Shut Up, You Fucking Baby!
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Every track from the first comedy album from David Cross makes up this total.

#57: George Carlin – Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics
iTunes stats: 56 plays
If I remember correctly, this special was my first introduction to George Carlin as a young man back in the late 80s. The whole album makes up its total.

#57: Various Artists – Monsters Of Rap
iTunes stats: 56 plays
10 tracks, from the likes of Onyx, Positive K, and 3rd Bass, make up the total for this compilation album.

#59: Garbage – Not Your Kind Of People
iTunes stats: 55 plays
The latest album from Garbage uses 13 tracks to make up this total.

#60: Bon Jovi – Cross Road
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Top 200 Albums – #181 – 185

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue towards the bottom of the list and look at the 5 albums tied for 181st with 23 listens.

#181: Stone Temple Pilots – Core
iTunes stats: 23 plays
4 songs, most of which have some sort of problem thanks to a badly scratched disc, come from the debut album from the alternative superstars.

#181: Various Artists – Dazed And Confused
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The soundtrack to the movie about high school in the 70s gets on the charts on the backs of 4 entries.

#181: Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The debut album from the alt rock pioneers suprisingly makes the list, thanks to 4 songs that I normally skip because the volume on them is so low.

#181: Various Artists – Can’t Hardly Wait
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The soundtrack to the movie about the killer party in a 90s high school scores this high thanks to only 2 tracks, from Smash Mouth and Third Eye Blind.

#181: Blur – The Best Of
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Blur’s best of compilation, which I picked up cheap at a Black Friday sale at Best Buy some years back, made the list on the strength of 2 songs.

Friday’s Tunes

Between the commute to work, a lunch time trip to Best Buy to pick up some essential office supplies, CD burning, and the commute home with a stop off at the Weber Grill for dinner, I spent a lot of time in the car on Friday listening to music. Here’s the selection that helped get me through the day.

Hash Pipe Weezer Weezer (Green Album) 11/9/2012 6:52 AM
Time Bomb Rancid …And Out Come The Wolves 11/9/2012 6:54 AM
Help! The Beatles Help! [2009 Stereo Remaster] 11/9/2012 6:57 AM
The Mustard The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Once More, With Feeling 11/9/2012 6:58 AM
REALLY Silly Religious Crazies. I Mean, Double, Triple Crazy!! David Cross Bigger and Blackerer 11/9/2012 11:39 AM
If I Had $1000000 Barenaked Ladies All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001 11/9/2012 11:44 AM
Page Off Intro / Theme From 30 Rock / Kenneth Chokes Jeff Richmond 30 Rock Original TV Soundtrack 11/9/2012 11:44 AM
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