the road ahead

*Note* – If rooting and unlocking the bootloader on your device is something you are not comfortable with I would recommend not doing this. This should be used for educational purposes only.  I am not responsible for bricked phones.

Rooting your phone and install Liberty 1.5 ROM
1.a. If you are running Launcher Pro make sure you do a backup of homescreens and settngs.
1.b. On your Droid X go to Settings->Application Settings and check the Unknown sources (Allow installation of non-market applications) box
2. Download Z4Root (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WWQWQRSY) to your phone
3. Use File Manager on your phone to browse to the Download directory and click Z4Root.apk file and install on your phone
4. Run the Z4Root app to root your phone
5. Download Titanium Backup root (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup)
6. Run Titanium Backup Root app and select menu for Batch and run Backup all user apps + system data
7. Download Droid X Bootstrap Recovery app (http://sonnyp.com/android/DroidXBootstrap.apk)
8. Use File Manager on your phone to browse to the Download directory and click DroidXBootstrap.apk file and install on your phone
9.  Open the DX Bootstrap app and “boostrap” the recovery.
10.  When that finishes, “reboot recovery.”
11.  Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery (terminal screen), scroll down to “backup and restore.” (Using your volume button)
12.  Choose “backup” to make a clean backup of your stock image of your phone. (Using the camera button to enter and escape button to go back)
13. Download Droid X Liberty 1.5 (http://bit.ly/gCbL4F).  You might have to download to computer and move it to your phone since the ROM is about 125 megs.  If you want another ROM go http://www.droid-life.com/category/rooting/droidx-rooting/ and dowload the ROM that you prefer.
14.  Open the DX Bootstrap app and “boostrap” the recovery.
15.  When that finishes, “reboot recovery.”
16.  Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery (terminal screen), scroll down to “Install zip from sdcard”-> choose “zip from sdcard” ->(browse to location of LibertyX-1.5.zip select it) and hit “yes”.  It should install the Liberty ROM. Reboot when it finishes.
17. Once up and running Download Titanium Backup Root app and click menu button, select Batch and run Restore all apps with data.
18. Download Liberty Toolbox
19. Run Liberty Toolbox, select App Management, select Install Add-ons, install Camera [Blur]. This way you have the newest camera.  Install the 2D gallery if you prefer to have both.
20. I would recommend to connect your phone to your computer and browse to the clockworkmod->backup->and rename the folder to something with “Stock” in it so you know it is the stock image.  Boot into recovery and do a back up of the Liberty image if you decide to try another ROM or revert back to stock etc.

New DeskClock for docking station, download and browse to file and install
http://sonnyp.com/android/DeskClock.apk

Droid Overclock app if you want to modify the CPU
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jrummy.droidx.overclock

Wireless Tether for Root Users - allows you to have full Internet access on your laptop/tablets anywhere using your smartphone’s data plan
https://market.android.com/details?id=android.tether

Appbrain – a list of all my apps
http://www.appbrain.com/user/Sonnyp/

Click link to read article: A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain by Hilary Parker

My first milestone accomplished!! I am now in a healthy BMI range and 26.6 pounds gone! :D I ♥ Livestrong.com!!

So a friend of mine commented on Facebook wondering why I was trying to lose weight when I look normal and healthy to begin with, however, I am the type that “wears my weight well” per se, so simply by looking at me, you wouldn’t think I was overweight.  It just goes to show that you can’t simply look at someone to determine if they are overweight or not...thus, knowing your BMI is critical, as it is a good indicator to determine if you are medically overweight and or obese. The next milestone is to get my body fat percentage down to 12-14%.

Link to calculate your BMI located here.

Weight gone...and blood pressure is down!!

This is what I make on a daily basis to kick start my day!!!  I love this meal.  It is low in calories but yet keeps me full for a while!!  I slice up the veggies daily!!  It is kind of a pain in the a$$ but well worth it!! ;)

After burning 1550 calories today on my 27-mile bike ride (this is after last weekend’s 50 miler too), I decided to treat myself to a healthy burger!!

I am calling the meal the “Spicy Extra Lean Burger”!!  The sodium is rather high, but I will substitute it with something else next go around.  The spices I added to the ground beef that is not included in below info are: ground cinnamon, ground garlic, ground onion, black pepper, Mrs. Dash Original Blend, and a splash of Tabasco sauce.  They should, however, be close to zero calories and not worth adding to the nutritional information.

WARNING: The meal will give you one hell of a breath!!

I just jogged/ran 4 miles in my birthday shoes (Five Fingers) for the first time!! It feels great!!! :D My Forerunner 305 GPS watch is awesome too!! It is definitely a great motivational tool during the run!!

The crazy thing with these shoes is that I ran further with them than my expensive padded running shoes!!  I guess when your body is designed a certain way, we should probably try to keep it that way.  Case in point, when I wear my expensive made for running shoes, my lower back feels it and also my shins during and after the run.  With these shoes, I have no pain whatsoever and can actually feel my muscles working as opposed to my joints aching!!  I am sold!!

For more information, check out the following links:

Birthday Shoes Site

Vibram Five Fingers Site

Today was the first day that I used my Forerunner 305 GPS enabled watch (thanks babe!) during a bicycling session on the smooth Suncoast Trail.  So here it is, my initial reactions/thoughts around this fitness device that I was questioning at first if it would be overkill or not for the types of workouts that I do.

Pros:
1) I like the watch.
2) It tracks practically everything for me, elapsed time, avg. pace, avg. speed, heart rate, calories, etc. etc.
3) I like how the display on the watch switches between different views giving you real time status during training.
4) It comes with a neat software, Garmin Training Center, that you can install and use on your computer.  This way you can save your workouts; look at it in comparison to previous workouts; display and map out your path via GPS; and graph your workouts to compare speed versus heart rate over time or distance.  There are other metrics that you can graph out as well, such as elevation, speed, pace, cadence, etc. (see picture below for more)
5) Syncing the watch to the computer was effortless…simply plug it in and it transfers the data to the Garmin Training Center application.
6) The buttons on the watch with the user interface display/software makes it pretty easy to navigate through various menu items, in general.  Although, at first, it seems a little intimidating, as I play with it more and more it is becomes more intuitive and less intimidating.  With that said, however, I am still afraid to “accidentally” do something I am not suppose to, but, I suspect this will change over time as I get more familiar with it.
7) It comes with a heart rate monitor that you wear below your chest.  This is better in comparison to my previous watch, where I had to place and push the tip of my finger on a small button on the face of the watch every time I wanted to get a reading.  It only worked half the time, where this gives me a constant reading.  This way I know to either speed up or slow down to be within my heart rate zone.
8) The price of the watch is pretty reasonable for the kind of device you are getting.  There are other watches that are not even close to being this capable and are close to being the same price.  On Amazon, the watch sells for $152.95.

Cons:
1) The watch is somewhat big/bulky looking.
2) Day 1 usage and a little bit overwhelmed by all the features that it has.  I wonder if I will ever use all the features that comes with this watch and or understand how to use them.
3) I bought the Garmin Speed/Cadence Sensor for my bike and I had a hard time installing it and making sure that everything was working right with the watch.  According to the Garmin Training Center application my cadence measurement stopped at about 6 minutes into the workout.  I guess more troubleshooting the sensors on the bike and watch for me.

There you have it, my first day observations of this fitness watch. 

There are tons of other features that I have not even tapped into today.  My understanding is that there is a feature to navigate you back to your starting location, for example, if you were on a run or a bike ride in an area that you are not familiar with, it will help guide you back.  Another feature that I am aware of is a virtual trainer that you can compete with and or compete with your previous time.  Lastly, there is also a feature to allow you to schedule workouts based on workout types.  My understanding is very limited for those features today, but I am sure I will better understand them in the near future and as well with the ones that I am not even aware of today.

Overall, it is a really good fitness watch that is more capable than any other fitness watch that I’ve owned or done research on.  So in my opinion, this watch is well worth it!!  SonnyP Approved!!!

Please feel free to leave comments and or tips.

Garmin’s Forerunner 305 Site

This is a very good article.  My summary of it is below, but I would recommend reading it all.

1) Successful people don’t blame others, they are accountable and take action, i.e. quit blaming others for your non-actions.
2) Stay positive and try to see the positives in things. glass half full or half empty.
3) Suck it up and move forward with life with a sincere belief in something. 
4) Stop drinking the “kool-aid” i.e. having b*tch spiral sessions that leads to nothing.

Click link to read article: Why Men Fail: by Mike Zimmerman and Illustrations by Noma Bar

Just in: ISO-100 Protein. This by far is the best protein powder I have ever used/consumed!! It only has 106 calories for 25g of protein and 0 carbs, fat, cholesterol, and lactose in a 28g scoop!! Now that is pure! It is easily mixed when poured in bottled water and the taste is awesome!! There is nothing like it from a protein powder standpoint!! The price is cheap too!! I highly recommend this product for additional protein without a whole lot of junk!! Sonnyp Approved!!

This is just a quick update from yours truly in Florida.  Yes, I did move down here, left Sioux Falls Dec 31, 2009.  The weather is colder than usual here in the Tampa Bay area, but I will take this over the really bad winter months in SoDak, especially this year.  I am able to spend time with family and getting to workout daily and ride my bicycle practically every weekend so far - in Jan/Feb, now that is awesome!!  The culture differences of the East coast vs. the Midwest is about the only big shocker here.  What I mean by culture differences are basically the way people interact with each other around here.  It seems to be more straight forward, sounds argumentative, to the point, and with a little bit of a sales pitch twist to it.  Basically, people are not afraid to tell you to F off in front of your face here, whereas, in the Midwest they will just do the same but behind your back. And, I still can’t get over the accent here, the New York accent, that is...I feel like I am talking to Tony from Who’s the Boss, boss!! I swear everyone is either from Michigan or New York around here, it is where the snowbirds are generally from, which would obviously explain the accent.  This is probably similar to Phoenix where the snowbirds are generally from the Midwest.  But, all-in-all, it is not that bad of a place, it is definitely growing on me.  However, I am just not quite sure yet if this is the place where I want to establish my “roots” so to speak.  Yes, I am still up in the air between Phoenix and here, however, the decision will be made shortly.  And, who’s to say with either decision that it has to be permanent.

At any rate, the below was a conversation that I was having with a Facebook friend about health and fitness in regards to the pictures below that I uploaded, and the numerous comments that I received on them.  I wanted to share it here as well, since this seems to be my highest priority right now.  To good health!!  Enjoy!!

“@Amy...and perhaps all:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-fishoil.html”

Wow, it’s been a while since I have posted to this site.  I figure I would update it since I own sonnyp.com again!  Long story short, some guy in France stole the domain name from me for a couple of years (2006-8) and tried selling it back to me for $1500 bucks!  Apparently, after I laughed at him, he didn’t bother keeping it registered under his name and now it’s mine again, cheers!! It is mine forever!!!

So what does it mean to be spiritually dead?  This is my current broken state.  I once remembered, about two years ago, when I first became a Christian what it means to be genuinely happy.  Well, two years later and that fire is no longer in me.  So I ask myself now, did He leave me or did I leave Him?  I am positive that He didn’t leave me.  But I was the one that walked away.  I got “caught up again”, so to speak.  I remember when I didn’t have to rely on the things of this life to make me truly happy and trust me it was for a short period of time.  However, I am cognizant to the fact that it is possible.  I’ve personally witness the before, after, and the now.  For a short period of time things didn’t bother me.  I wasn’t worried, perhaps concerned, but not worried about work, relationships, etc.  Alcohol was there if I chose to drink it, and not “I should drink it this weekend because I don’t want to be bored and or need it to relax”, whatever the excuse is it probably doesn’t matter.  I didn’t rely on phone calls, text messages, Starbucks, relationships, cars, status, career, money, and the list goes on to make me happy.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not sad with my life.  I have been blessed in my career, my friends, my tight knit family, and all the “things” of this life.  However, there are just certain aspects that I need to work on and 100% of that is my spiritual side, because it all starts there.  Inside out!  I had a taste of it and now I want it back.  This reminds me of what I read when I first became a Christian.

Matthew 23 25 How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 Blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup, and then the outside will become clean, too.

I remember reading this passage before going to bed two years ago and how moved I was by it.  Because I knew it was me, I was a hypocrite, and from that moment I made a conscious effort to change my ways.  Now I realize we are not perfect.  However, I don’t see myself, especially in the past month or so or year, a “conscious” effort to uphold that standard.

This past week (Sunday through Sunday) has been quite an emotional experience for me. My uncle harmed himself over money.  Fights over nothing.  Meaningless harmful words were exchanged.  I started my new role at work.  Which will require me to be down in Des Moines every other week for 6 months or more, it all really depends.  The project is supposed to last 18 months.  We will see.  It will require a lot of hours in the office and out of the office.  It will require a lot of understanding and stability from my friends and family.  It will require me to do the same.  It will challenge me both personally and professionally. 

This all reminds me of two years ago. I was in Des Moines for work, every other week for an extended period of time.  Personally and professionally very similar situations, however, the magnitude is a lot more this time around, probably because I care more and or more aware of the path in which I am heading.  But it is all part of growing and learning, right?  I am sure it is. 

I do appreciate all my friends and family that supported me this last week, they knew I was little apprehensive of the situation.  All I know is that after it was all said and done two years ago, I became a Christian – I found myself and God.  So I truly believe that something exceptional is about to happen to me again in the near future.  And I can’t wait to find out!  Finally, as far as being spiritually dead, today is a good day to start rebuilding!

“sustain me, refresh me, renew me, and saturate my soul”

I added pictures from my Denver Phoenix road trip (7/17 to 7/25/2006) to my photo gallery.  The trip was amazing!  Friends, Highways, Mountains, Sickness, Lessons Learned, Tiredness, Smiles are always good!

The pictures are posted backwards.  In other words, the end of the trip is on the first page and the beginning is on the last page.  I know it’s goofy.  Click on link below to view gallery.

Denver Phoenix Road Trip

Snippet Thumbnail Pics:

Another website I’ve created to keep in contact with my friends.

It’s called “indescribable views” the link is below:
My Live Journal Site

Yesterday I biked for 21 miles. Today 26 miles on the bike trail. It’s nice to get outside, not think, listen to my iPod and just go!! The weather was around 90 some degrees. My only complaint would be the 15-25 mph wind, i.e., making a brother work harder than he has too. Haha. I burned around 933 calories yesterday and today around 1,156. I guess I don’t feel too bad drinking 8-9 Michelob Ultras yesterday.

The values are derived from the site below.

Calories Per Hour Site

It has useful links such as: Calories Burned, BMI, BMR & RMR Calculator, Food Calories and Nutrition Calories, and Diet and Weight Loss Tutorial just to name a few.

Gb,
Anousone

So there I was at work researching / reading on new technology and stumbled across this quote.

"You can recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.  When you get it right, it is obvious that it is right.”
-Richard Feynman, Scientist

To all my readers, what is the first thing that pops in your head after reading this?  Perhaps nothing at all, but I would still like to hear your comments.  I will tell you my initial thoughts at a later time.

sonnyp

There is such a thing.  And it is beautiful.  Words can’t even describe it.  It’s a feeling you get and “magically” know.  We are all individuals, with different thoughts, patterns, ideas, values and morals but yet we are all alike.  I know.  I am experiencing it now.  And it’s incredible. 

I deleted from the RSS Aggregator feeds from my myspace blog site.  It was causing this site to load slowly.  Please use the links on the right under “Other Sites” or below to see my most updated blog / website provided by myspace.com.  I will still update this once in a while.


Myspace site
Myspace Blog

As you can see I have not posted on this blog in a while.  I have added the RSS Aggregator so you can see my blog entries on my Myspace site and other exciting RSS feeds. 

I seem to keep my Myspace site up to date more. It’s just so easy. And yes I am addicted like no other. But of course I will do my best to post more on both.

Please check back, I will post new pictures soon.

GB,
sonnyp