Zamboni Ice Resurfacer 552

Stats:

Length (Snow Tank Up): 5.03 m (198 in.)
Height (Snow Tank Up): 3.91 m (154 in.)
Overall Width: 2.13 m (84 in.)
Weight (Empty): 4423 kg (9750 lb.)
Weight (Full of Water): 5148 kg (11350 lb.)

An interesting note. At the Vancouver Olympics, when they tried to go with a resurfacer that is smaller and lighter than this Zamboni, not one, but TWO had a breakdown on the same day.

Conclusions:
1. When you want the job done right, don’t pick a lightweight.
2. Empty or full, a Zamboni weighs more than me.   

I know that after all the chocolate and other Valentine’s Day goodies I consumed, I feel a little like the heaviest object in the world.  However, if you want to talk about a heavy heart, this valentine takes the cake.  The world’s largest chocolate Valentine’s Day heart was constructed by Executive Pastry Chef Conrad Pfaff for Conrad Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand.  Here come the stats:

Height: Over 15 feet
Width: Over 15 feet.
Construction Time: 21 days (with 8 chefs working around the clock)
Total weight of chocolate used in creating the heart: over 2400 lbs.
Finished Weight: Over 2000 lbs.

Conclusion: The biggest chocolate Valentine’s Day heart weighs more than me.

I just watched a beautiful little video on the icanhascheezburger site that shows a little boy with physical disabilities learning to walk from his pet duck who also had an injured leg.  (CLICK HERE to see it.)  The doctors were doubtful that the little guy would ever walk.  But as the boy watched his little duck buddy struggle, get stronger and succeed, he learned a valuable lesson about getting from here to there:

It starts with one struggle-filled, wobbly, tiny little step.  And proceeds with another.

Like CHRIS KRINGLE sings to the Winter Warlock in that famous Christmas special, put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walkin out the door.

That my friend is the secret to fitness.  Start with one, possibly pathetic, kind of wobbly and possibly quite embarrassing little step.  Are you ready to take it?  If you’re not sure how to start, you might want to CLICK HERE for some tips and tricks (from my Fat Chick Website).

Don’t forget–fitness is perhaps the best valentine you can give to yourself.  After all, you deserve to feel great!

Love,
The Fat Chick

According to the Olympic rules, a 4 man bobsled team cannot weigh more than 630 kg (1,388.9 lbs). Add the weight of the sled and you’re talking about a ton of team here.

Conclusion: Including the sled, a 4 man bobsled team weighs more than me (but they still move faster).

OMG there are few holidays better designed to sow anxiety, stress and deep depression than Valentines day.  This is the time of year where my husband and I giggle and snort at the television ads for expensive jewelry and, wait for it, new cars.  I usually turn to him on the couch and bat my eyelashes and say in my best Scarlett O’Hara voice, “surely you’re gonna buy me just one liddle ol’ Beamer for Valentines Day.  I’d like red please.  And darlin’, don’t neglect the leather package and upgraded stereo system.  As God is my witness, I’ll never drive a Honda again!”

Seriously.  Whether you’re with somebody or not, chances are better than 50% that Valentines Day will leave you annoyed, disappointed and ready to eat chocolates–heart shaped or otherwise.

So this Valentine’s day, why not just be your own darn Valentine?  Buy yourself something nice.  Cook yourself a nice dinner (because heaven knows you won’t get good food, prices or even adequate service at a restaurant today), take yourself to the movies or buy yourself flowers.  The best news here is that you won’t be disappointed because you know exactly what you want.  And if you’re with somebody or married, then both of you can do it. 

Here’s wishing you the best Valentine’s Day EVAR.

Love,
TFC

Yes ladies and gentleman.  Apparently pigeons can make some pretty big piles of poo.  In fact the above gas station awning collapsed under the sheer weight of, wait for it, bird poop.  However nobody was hurt and it DID collapse on top of a BMW and Hummer (so it wasn’t ALL bad)

Apparently avian doo doo is a big deal.  Professional companies are called out to solve this, um pressing problem.

Some Interesting Stats:
Average times a pigeon poos per day: 47-51
Average weight of poo produced by a pigeon per year: 25 lbs.
Number of pigeons found congregating on an average 25′ x 25′ gas station awning: 60-100
Weight of pigeon poo removed in a major awning cleanup: 10 tons

Conclusions:
1.  Given the fact that I am not employed counting or weighing daily pigeon defecation I do NOT have the “worst job in the world”
2.  Pigeons poo a LOT
3.  The pigeon poo on your average gas station roof, weighs more than me.

I had a really tough day.  One of those, “why on earth did I ever get out of bed sort of days’.  I drove over fifty miles to go to a lecture with somebody I really wanted to see.  The lecture was (apparently) great, um yesterday.  Tried to make a conference call on my new cell phone that refused to work, and just as I was headed out to meet with some friends and have a glass of wine, I caught my new leather skirt on the door handle and tore it.  So I had to run to the store and buy another skirt (not leather and NOT on sale) before I could go to the networking event.

So, yup.  I had a colossally bad day.  One where the entire sky is one big pigeon that decided to poo on my head.

And this too offered a type of freedom.

When you have a crappy day of epic proportions, you give up expecting what will come next.  You don’t put immense pressure on yourself to produce–you’re just trying to survive until bedtime without ending up in the ER.  And when you give up on what you think should happen or even having any idea what’s going to happen.  Totally cool, completely unexpectedly wonderful things happen.

If this whole drama hadn’t unfolded the way it did, I wouldn’t have ended up going out tonight with Gina–who happens to be one of the very funnest people on the planet.  And I might not have had the oh what the heck attitude that allowed me to drop the power networking persona and just meet people for the fun of it.

So my bad day allowed me to end up having a day that was good in unexpected ways.  Pollyanna?  Perhaps.  But I still say, “I just give up, give me a chardonnay” is a kind of freedom too.

Cheers!

Love,
The Fat Chick

Zoomin down the highway, looking for adventure…
I think you’d find it with this mamma jamma.

Built by Craig Dunham for a cost of over $300,000,
the world’s largest motorcycle is steered via a cage below the handlebars.

Stats:
Length: 25 Feet
Weight: 6500 lbs.

Conclusion: The World’s Largest Rideable Motorcycle (as defined by GBWR) weighs more than me.

If you want to find out some more about my wild ways, don’t miss my other blog:
http://www.fatchicksings.blogspot.com

As of today, right now, I am declaring and asserting my right to freedom.  I am free to wear colors other than black.  I am free to wear clothes that aren’t “slimming”.  I am free to wear big, loud dimestore jewelry that I bought at stores where my young teenage nieces shop.  I’m free to wear pantyhose WITHOUT a control top or heck–maybe I won’t wear pantyhose at all.  I’m free to wear anything I like even if my butt DOES look big in it.  I’m free to decide I look darn good and I’m also free to ignore anybody who says anything to the contrary.  I’m free to live a life unfettered and unbounded.  Girls I’m throwing out my girdle because today I’m free!

Built: in 1914 by Philadelphia Toboggan Company. (The word “toboggan” in the company name is an old term for roller-coaster, which was the company’s original product.)

Size: 50 feet across at the platform and 54 feet at the upper rim.

Weight: 30 tons, all of which is supported by the center pole!

Conclusion: Cafesjian’s Carousel weighs more than me.