Saturday Drain

Wow.

Thursday I felt great. My weight was about 190.5 and I felt awesome. I woke up on Friday at 5:20 AM, and hit the weights. I am now benching almost my weight. That was awesome. I came home and suddenly crashed. I didn't even realize I fell asleep. I ended up sleeping for 2 hours which gave me 9 hours of sleep for the day; a little too much in my opinion. I think sleep is going to be one of my struggles along with eating, but I am going to do this.

So anyway I weighed in before my evening workout and weighed in at 192. Now that's not too surprising, a couple of pound shifts is to be expected since water weight can vary. I had planned a nice 1500 yd swim, but was incredibly tired and my head started pounding so I only did 1200 yds of it planned. I just felt fatigued.

I thought the headache might be in relation to the fact that I had been drinking a lot of pop over the past week, and only had one can on friday, but I think I might be fighting off something.

I ended up sleeping through my alarm and slept a gran total of 11 hours last night. That's not right. I couldn't get motivated to get up and go for my run until 11 am this morning. I had planned to run for 40 min at a 7 mph pace with a 1% grade, but I just felt soooo tired. So I ran 30 min and then walked another 30. Still burnt about 500 cal. I am thinking about skipping my weight workout tonite, and moving to tomorrow, since I'd rather be healthy and rested rather than feel like junk.

Thorsday Update

I've been so freaking inconsistent with my fitness regime.
I've been working out very well.

This week:
Monday: Morning: Weights Freeweights, Evening: Swimming 1000 yds.
Tuesday: Morning: Stationary bike "Around the world" Hill workout lvl 12 35 min. Evening: 1100 yds.
Wednesday: Morning: Weights. Evening: Swimming 1000 yds.
Thursday: Morning: Same stationary bike; Evening swimming 1300 yds.

Tomorrow I plan on lifting weights and then swimming somewhere in the 12-1500 yd. range.

If anyone is interested I can post my actual workouts.

My morning wakeups have been inconsistent.
Wake-up times (goal 5 AM):
Mon: 6:40 AM; Tues: 7:00 AM; Wed. 6:30 AM; Thurs: 5:45 AM.
Since I need to be up at 5:00 AM in order to receive any sub assignments of the day, I need to be able to be awake and ready by 5:00 AM. Hopefully tomorrow through Sunday I will be able to do this.

My real problem has been eating. I'm a stress eater. I ate candy bars, and chips all week.
Because of this I have not lost any weight since last Friday.

Say a prayer of strength for me, but I think I can do this.

Manic Monday

Got up at 6:40 AM to get my workout on.
Put up some weights for about an hour. Then worked on readings for my upcoming substitute teaching assignments.

Currently watching Carnival in the background while getting a little work done planning the next couple weeks. Every 20 minutes or so I've gotten up and did a little push ups and situps.

I found this old article on cnn.com this afternoon. It's a good motivator. It's good to keep in mind that celebrities are people too, and yes they tend to have a lot of money for the best trainers, but they still have to work at it like everyone else.

I'm not necessarily promoting that everyone look like the stick figures it seems everyone idolizes. I would like to promote the idea that everyone with time and effort can become a little toner, could run a little farther, can lift a little more.

Blog Take Two

I tried. I really did.

Things just went FUBAR, and I lost the motivation to write. I tried. I updated this page a few times, and then removed them when they went no where.

I think the problem was the original focus of this blog was too narrow: too not me.

So I've come up with a new idea for this blog not only will the focus be things to motivate me and perhaps any readers to become politically and athletically fit, but I would like to invite you into my humor.

I should have a lot to write about, and I think the more I write the better at blogging I will become.

Some facts about me that I would like to discuss:

I like odd sports, and tend to dislike a lot of mainstream ones (except Hockey and Baseball). I have currently been learning about Parkour. Crazy stuff. Look it up. I do enjoy listening to baseball on the radio too.

I weigh 194 lbs and want to get back down to 165. This will put me on the heavier side of an ideal BMI, and is 10 lbs heavier than I was in my prime, so I think this is an achievable goal. I would like to be in the 175-180 lb range by the end of may. If I can't make it no big deal, but I will do my best to try.

I have been unemployed for about 2 months. I was laid off due to the economy. I just happened to be in between projects when the axe fell. Luckily, I have felt this coming, and have been going back to school to learn to be an educator.

I am a Freemason.

Hopefully I will be around here more often.

Stop the Mortgage Bailout

Information here:

Review: This Divided State

When Michael Moore wanted to speak at a college in a small conservative town, outrage erupted.
This Divided State is an excellent example of how communities can come together to protect the freedom of speech by opposing views.
Highly recommended,

Warrior Watch: UltraMarathon Man

This book is an exciting read. Not that it is some sort of witty high literature (I read it in a single sitting), but because it shows what the human spirit can achieve with the proper motivation. 

Get this; Dean Karnazes was a typical thirty something going through the typical mid-life crisis routine, and instead of giving into despair and monotony he acctually does something about it. 

After a night on the town, complete with more than a couple of drinks and extra-marital temptation, Dean turns from the road more traveled, throws on a pair of beat gardening shoes and runs thirty miles through the night. Realizing activity can replace the growing up doldrums, he soon makes running a pivotal part of his life. The returning athlete, fresh from a 15 year hiatus, then bumps into a couple of army rangers training to complete a 50 mile race through the wilderness, leading to daunting 100+ mile events, marathons through the least hospitable environments (Death Valley and the Polar regions), and other herculean feats of endurance. 

I couldn't have said it better myself. Here.

Quote:

"Get action. Do things; be sane, don't fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action."- Theodore Roosevelt
1900 Many-Sided Roosevelt, p. 83

Warrior Watch: American Gladiators

It's back, and with all the fun and excitement I remember from the original! I want to compete! Now just to loose the last 10 lbs and regain some of the strength I lost sitting behind a desk all day!

Things to Do: Register to Vote

Alright, unless you've been in some sort of holiday sugar daze for the past month, you've heard nothing but talk about the presidential primaries. It's everywhere, from trash tabloids to billboards on your daily commute. There is no escaping.

And while I do get annoyed by the main stream media's coverage of the race, where at times it seems they are covering elections for high school prom court elections rather than a presidential race, it is still important that you participate.

Why? Well, if the fact that millions of people have sacrificed their lives so you can have the right doesn't inspire you to get off your ass, it's the first step to taking some control and responsibility for your actions. 

So get out there! Here's some help.

Here's a website that gives state by state rules for registration.

Okay, so you've registered to vote. Now what's the next step? You need, and I emphasize; need, to be an informed voter. If you end up voting with your heart, and get fleeced by some empty suit that says one thing and does an other, you have no room to complain.

Also the MSM doesnt really help. They which tends to ignore the candidates that paid "analysts" think are not viable, or plain old give into what amounts to bribery from the richer candidates. 

 If you are not an informed voter, get informed. If you have stumbled across my blog, you obviously know how to work a computer. Use your favorite search engine, and look up all the candidates.

There are plenty of websites at least summing up the candidates views. Heres one for the presidential primaries.

Also, if they've already held office, its public record how they've voted, and its your responsibility to find out. The best indicator of a candidates true view is their voting record. As the saying goes: "actions speak louder."

Good luck, and since this is an opinion blog.... Go Ron Paul!

Things to do: Read up on what our founding fathers wanted.

Sorry about the lack of posts lately, I just returned from the Christmas Holidays and recovered from New Years.

I think today's tip is a very important one. In order to understand what it takes to be a responsible citizen and to know what is important to fight for in this great land of the United States of America, you need to understand what our founding fathers where trying to do when they formed the Union.

Please take your time, and read up on our constitution and the "Declaration of Independence".

Thanks.

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution.html: Government site of "The Constitution".

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration.html: Government site of "The Declaration of Independence".

Warrior Watch

I can't believe I haven't seen an episode of this before.

This television program, is a great inspiration.

6 men, 3 American and 3 from the UK, travel the globe and compete in various sporting competitions of indigenous peoples. It is simply inspiring what these athletes do and endure.

Last One Standing

Things to Do: Go To the Library.

I can't believe I am making a post about this. Going to the library should be common sense, but I see so many people that don't know what services their library offers.

Reasons the Library is Awesome:

1. Its practically free! Yeah, most libraries are paid with funds from your taxes, but hey you are paying for it anyway might as well use it.
   
2. Reading gives you and your children an edge. There are tons of studies on this. Just use your search engine, or better yet go to the library and look it up if you don't believe me.
3. How can you be a responsible and active citizen if you don't know what is going on in the world around you.
4. Hard Copies of media at the library tend to be reviewed more heavily than electronic sources. Therefor you won't be as easily lead astray.
5. Many types of media at your hand. One trip to most libraries can give the visitor access to books, movies, video games, cds, newspapers, journals, cassette tapes, etc.
   

There is no excuse for not visiting your library at least a few times a month. The librarians are there to help you, it hardly costs you anything, and its one of the easiest ways to learn to be active.

OP Ed: The Black Community Needs Real Fathers!

Roland Martin, a syndicated columnist and radio talk show host, has this excellent piece on paternal responsibility within the black community. 

Some of the highlights of the article, and these words of advice work for any race or ethnic group.

"Dads matter, and it's ridiculous for us to act as if all it takes is a loving mom."

"And when my parents were called to the school when there was a discipline problem, Mom and Dad didn't go off on the teacher or principal."

"Enough with the sperm donors. We need real men to stand up and accept their responsibility. The state of our boys is on us. And no one else."

I like his take on things. Rather than looking for a scapegoat to a serious problem, he calls out the source of the problem. The bettering of a community starts with the individual. Kudos to you Mr. Martin.

Jump to the CNN article.

Mr. Martin's website, with link to his blog. I've scanned some of his stories. He's got two pluses by me; he seems big into personal responsibility, and he's a fellow Chicagoan. Take a gander.

Trash Alert! Casey Serin

Hello again. Welcome to another recurring theme post. In these posts, we explore people, places, and things that are negative influences.

Casey Serin: Lazy SOB boy wonder.

We are now a little late to actually watch this saga unfold, but man was it a fun ride. Long story short: a early twenties kid decided to buy a butt load of houses at the real estate peak. All because of the "get something for nothing" drivel highlighted in books like "The Secret".

The results: a pending divorce, illegal activities, and abondonment by past buisness partners and family. All because this kid would not work an honest day in his life.

Here's a great summation parody site; http://www.caseypedia.com/, with all the links you need. Enjoy.

Moral of the story, success is both perspiration and inspiration. You cannot become what you want to be with only wishful thinking.

Things to Do: Join Meetup.com

Welcome to what will hopefully be the first of many posts about "Things to do". Bettering myself is why I started this blog, and I wish to share some tips with you. Some of these ideas will be common sense, and some will involve things I have done that are off the beaten path. Anyway, on to the Tip.

Create a Profile on Meetup.com

One reason people do not become active in an endeavour is not knowing where to start. There are so many interests, hobbies, and activities that furthering proficiency and knowledge can be overwhelming. Even a simple search on Google or Yahoo using an activity and a city name can turn up many more hits than can be sorted.

A second complaint people have, is they cannot find people that share their passion, and when someone does something alone, they are less likely to stick with it.

Yet another reason people do not get active, is the information that is most readily available is through advertising. Therefore, starting an interest or activity through these modes, usually will result in higher fees than just pursuing the interest with a group of friends.

Meetup.com is an excellent cheap way to navigate around these problems. Meetup.com is a social networking site, for groups that have a wide array of interests: from politics to sports, there is bound to be a meetup group.

Best of all, meetup.com does not charge to join a meetup group. There is a fee to run a group, but it is very small. All you need is to create a free profile.

Once you’ve joined meetup.com, you have no excuse that you can’t find like minded knowledgeable people to start your activity with. If there isn't a group that suits you, you can always start your own.

Now get out there and do it.

Revisiting A Christmas Classic.

Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas!

I just watched my favorite holiday story this afternoon, "A Christmas Carol".

Why do I like it so? Because the story has not devolved into the meaningless walking ads that many holiday tales seem to have. Most modern Christmas tales seem to pump the idea that love = presents. We gotta keep that economy strong!


It's got all the ideals I want this blog to elevate. Scrooge has awakened, and becomes a more honorable man by forgoing material wealth and prioritizing charity, family, and modest

Need Motivation?

This ad is awesome.

Doesn't even need the "Just Do it".

If you need to get out there and lose weight, become stronger, or accomplish your goals, you need to get out there and do it; no excuses. Your health is in your own hands. Your accomplishments are up to you.

My New User Icon

My picture is one that gets me every time. It's the Freedom of Speech painting by Norman Rockwell. He painted a series of four paintings depicting American Freedoms; "The Freedom of Speech", "The Freedom of Worship", "The Freedom from Want", and "The Freedom from Fear". Apparently Rockwell was so determined to make these paintings that he spent 6 months with less than optimal sleep, and lost 15 lbs in the process. Talk about determination.

These four freedoms are based on a speech given by Franklin D. Roosevelt with the title of the same name. Every responsible citizen should "Google(TM)" the speech, but I will reproduce the important part here:

In the future days which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression-- everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way; everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world-terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants-- everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world.
That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation.

That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called "new order" of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.

- Franklin Delano Roosevelt,excerpted from the Annual Message to the Congress,January 6, 1941

I may not agree with the whole anti-armament stance, but I do agree that no country should act in a form of aggression against a neighbor. (Keep in mind FDR was talking about the invasion of Poland and France by Germany and of China by Japan during World War II. He was not talking about honorable defensive strikes, which is what our involvement in the war was.)

In light of the current administration we all should at the very least read up on our freedoms, and at least critically think about what sacrifices we are collectively making as a country. Every time we divert responsibility from ourselves to our government we lose freedoms. We just need to make sure it's worth it.

Good Read:

Are you looking for a gift for that special someone in your life? You want a book that will make you smile or give you something to pracitce on a rainy day? Try this book. It's called "The Dangerous Book for Boys" by Conn Iggulden. It's got everything an imaginative mind can hope for; from Pirates to Presidents, from Archery to Advice on Girls, this book has it all. It has all those things you should have been learning in grade school, but the teachers didn't show you because they were too busy teaching for the test. It makes a whimsical reference book for adults (nothing that will make you a braniac, but fun tidbits none-the-les), and a fun rainy day book for boys and girls alike. I highly recommend you check it out. I'd tell you more about it, but my girlfriend stole my copy. Also check out the companion "The Daring Book for Girls". As a warning for you extreme genderists... yes both books encourage Boys to be Boys and Girls to be Girls. Get over it.

1st Post Hellos.

Hi and Welcome. Thanks for stumbling upon this blog completely randomly. Please return shortly.

Some of the ideas for future posts include:

People to look up to. 

News Stories to inspire, to annoy, or to piss you off.

Amusing People That I will Highlight to bring home a point.

Book and movie reviews.

Mostly I'll be trying to provide you, the reader, with links to get your blood going, and your body moving. In today's america we do too much complaining and not enough living. It's nobody's responsibility to make sure you are the best you are except yourself. You only live once. Make the most of it.