Blogger Changes, So Do I

Heads up! I just want you to be aware that my blog will be changing addresses soon. Blogger is soon to discontinue supporting FTP blogs, which is how mine is set up. So you will no longer be accessing my blog at http://brian.borups.org/blog. I have yet to figure out what I'm going to do but here are some of the options as to where my blog will land:
http://bborup.blogspot.com/
http://doggieb.blogspot.com/
http://blog.borups.org/

None of these are actually functional yet. :(

French Fry Free February

I didn't really set any new resolutions for this year. It kind of sneaked up on me. But hey today starts a new month. So why not start something now. And what better way to commit yourself to something than to publicly declare your intentions. So here goes: I declare this month "French Fry Free February." If it continues into March and further that is even better. Lately my french fry intake is out of control. So I'm back on the band wagon! Check up on me to see how I'm doing, okay?

New Pepsi Logo Explained

Maybe you've noticed that Pepsi has changed their logo a bit. A friend of mine had shared the blog that this image came from. I thought it was pretty funny. Later that day we went to lunch and I could not help but notice the Pepsi logo versus the Diet Pepsi logo at the restaurant. It only confirmed what I had seen on this blog. Notice how much better Diet Pepsi's shirt fits? ;)

Me & Dad

Rather than attacking the whole trip to Europe in my blog, I thought I would write about specifics that were funny or cool or educational, etc... (This way I'm more apt to write about it instead of putting it off indefinitely.)



It was Thanksgiving Day, November 26th 2009, when my sister-in-law drove my brother and I to the SLC airport to begin our two week trip to Europe. It was definitely a new adventure for myself having never been too far from the USA. Yes, I had been to Canada a few times and Mexico a few more times than that. But never so far away from home. With the international travel and booking our tickets online there was some concern about my seating assignments on our flight from London to Rome. So while we were checking in our baggage, my brother was asking about my seating assignment on that flight. The lady at the baggage check tried to assist us but found out that we would just have to deal with that when we arrived in London. As we were leaving, she told me, "Have a good trip with your dad." Ha ha! I have been rubbing that in ever since to Ben. He does not look old enough to be my dad. There are only six years difference in our ages! I actually think she thought he was my dad because he was being very concerned about my seat assignment and I appreciated that even if I do tease him.

Jumper's Knee

After just one day of heavy walking on Rome's cobbled streets, I knew that something was wrong with my right knee. It had hurt for some time and was probably injured from playing racquetball. (You do remember how hazardous I am playing racquetball, right?)

Anyway when I got home I made an appointment with my primary physician and explained the problems I had been experiencing: pain just below my knee cap when walking down stairs and my right knee was supporting my weight, the feeling that might right knee might just give way and I would collapse, and then at night it would ache quite a bit. After getting the data, he decided that I needed to have an MRI on my knee. I did that the next day and on the following Monday I got a call telling me that I had a torn patellar tendon and that I needed to see an orthopedic surgeon.

I began searching on the Internet and saw knees sliced open and read accounts of the healing process taking about a year. Needless to say, I immediately panicked. After a few more days I started to realize that maybe they would only immobilize it for several weeks to let it heal. That option while not as invasive still wasn't sitting well with me. How can I function without being able to drive?!

So today I actually visited the surgeon and had all my fears wiped away. I told him I had a torn patellar tendon. He looked at me and said "no I think its a torn meniscus." He said that torn tendons normally happen for "elite athletes." I said he might be right. I certainly am no elite athlete. After looking up my MRI, he did in fact find that it was my tendon. So much for it being an injury for only elite athletes.

To get my knee back in good health he just wants me to stay away from high impact sports (eg, running, racquetball, basketball, gymnastics, etc...) I'm alright with all of those except I would love to be back playing racquetball. I was pleased to find I can still use the elliptical and bike machines. After 3 months of rest I can get back into it slowly. If the tendon is still painful then we will consider a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection into the tendon area to help it heal.

He said that a Cortisone shot in this case would be a bad thing and make it hard for the tendon to heal. Also he said the surgery was a last resort.

Platelet Rich Plasma
Click here to watch a video on CNN talking about the platelet rich plasma procedure.

Don't Get Sassy With Me!

A few days after I got back from Europe I had stopped in to Target for a little shopping. I was in the check out line ready to get rung up when I turned and saw an "old" friend. After exchanging some pleasantries, she said, "So, when was the last time you were in London?" Her tone was a little snotty and I was a little taken back as to just where that question was coming from. She must have noticed my sweatshirt that read "LONDON ENGLAND" across the front of it. And thought I had purchased it at Target or somewhere local. Instead of getting the response she was hoping for, I simply replied "Monday." :)

Nacho Libre

While on the cruise in Mexico, my nephew showed me that they were selling the Mexican wrestling mask like was seen in the movie Nacho Libre. I was pleased to see that they even had the specific style that Nacho wore in the movie. I knew immediately that I needed it for a costume party that I had been invited to. After getting getting back to the USA and internet access, I decided to google Nacho Libre to see what the rest of the costume looked like. I immediately realized that I was going to have to be a little creative. I finished up the costume with a red and white athletic shirt and of course "stretchy pants!" Unfortunately I only got one photo of me and I look sleepy! Nevertheless it was a good time!