Catching It Myself

... Waiting is the hardest thing

2012-02-12T11:12:00.003-06:00

I'll be back soon...

For now here is a motivational video to pick you (okay actually me) up.

Challenge 007: Plan a Birthday

2011-10-25T21:35:00.002-05:00

I hate planning things. My wife hates that I hate planning things. I always worry about not having the perfect outcome, so I waffle on the details until the time to plan has passed and the event falls apart or never becomes.

In honor of my wife, I decided to plan her birthday this year. Today I made plans to go to a restaurant, and ordered flowers sent to her work through an online flower company near her work.

On Friday I made reservations for her friends, family, and ourselves to go to dinner and then follow that up with a ghost tour. I did need her help making sure that she would enjoy the events, and I did hit up her friends for advice, so I cannot give myself the most XP points available. But I am planning. It makes me nervous, but the follow through is important. I believe by following through, I can improve my success rates in my challenges.

XP for succesful outing: 50 XP

Sunday Morning Rewards II

2011-10-23T08:55:00.002-05:00

Starting Level: 1
Starting XP: 200
XP to next level: 800

Current Weekly Progress:
Challenge 001: 100 XP - Bloged 3x this week. Need to improve my schedule.
Challenge 002: 0 XP - Ran out of food on Friday, and then celebrated at a wedding on Friday, also ate out on Saturday. Need to improve in this challenge for next week.
Challenge 003: 100 XP (50 x 2)- Pet Sematary and The Running Man
Challenge 004: Did it! Boy was it hard. 100 XP
Challenge 005: Except for day of the wedding night. (6 x 10) = 60 XP
Challenge 006: 25 XP
-----------------
Weekly Tally: 385 XP
Ending XP: 585 XP
XP To next level 415 XP

Current XP

Challenge 006: Join the Rebellion

2011-10-22T20:12:00.003-05:00

I said it before. I am a big fan of Nerd Fitness. It's time to gain social accountability.So I am going to join the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

XP: 25

Challenge 005: Make 7 Yours.

2011-10-19T20:50:00.003-05:00

Before I move into today's challenge. A quick update on the last challenge. It turns out that the marathon training book was little too intense for my current level of fitness, so I decided to tone it down for the time being and look for a different training program. In the meanwhile I am going to build my endurance by running four times a week for 30 minutes, and then a long run on the weekend where I increase my mileage. So far so good. I am two runs into this week, and while I am tired and a little sore, I am in great spirits.

Speaking of tired; on to my next challenge. Studies say that for optimum performance a person needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night. So that is what I am going to do.

Challenge 005: Get at least seven and no more than nine hours of sleep a night.
XP Reward: 10 XP per day.

To achieve this I need to reorganize my day and prioritize. I will actually need to schedule sleep. I started this challenge on Sunday and will have a full week by this weeks rewards day.

Challenge 004:A Run Run Run Run R-Run Away

2011-10-16T19:22:00.003-05:00

I am out of shape. I hate being out of shape. Many of these challenges are going to deal with getting back on track and in shape. I currently am a soft 200 lbs (this puts me in the borderline obese BMI category). What happened to me? I was on track to do amazing things. I was 175 lbs and running marathons.

I want that me back. Hopefully these challenges will motivate me to acheive my goal of being a toned sub 180 lbs.

So here's what I did today. I went to the nearby running store to get fitted for new running shoes. I am going to run a marathon sometime in 2012.

I am going to follow a training plan I found in Run Workouts for Runners and Triathletes (Workouts in a Binder).

For everyweek I follow the plan, I will get 100 XP.
For every race that I do: 5k = 500 XP, 10k = 1000 XP, 1/2 Marathon = 2000 XP, Marathon = 4000 XP with a 2000 XP bonus for breaking my P.R. of 4 hours during the marathon I ran back in 2005.

Sunday Morning Rewards

2011-10-16T08:27:00.004-05:00

Starting Level: 1
Starting Exp: 0
Exp to Next Level: 1000

EXP Awaraded:
Challenge 001: 100
Challenge 002: 50 (100/6 *3)
Challenge 003: 50 pts - Different Seasons
-----------------------------
Weekly Total Award: 200 XP

New Level: 1
New Exp: 200
Exp to Next Level: 800

Challenge 003: King Me

2011-10-15T18:35:00.004-05:00

About four years ago I got addicted to LOST (was a completely whelemed by the finale). During the seasons I got completely wrapped up in the mysteries, clues, and refferences.

I decided to read every book that Sawyer was reading. Good thing I did, because that led me to my favorite book of all time, Watership Down.

Eventually, that led me to discover The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Wow. Was I blown away. I had read The Stand in high school around the time the miniseries came out, and while I loved the book, I never pursued King beyond that. Until The Dark Tower.

So about a year ago, I decided to read every single book Stephen King ever wrote. I am a little over 1/3 of the way through the list. So for the duration of this challenge, every time I read a Stephen King book for the first time, that is 50 XP in my account.

Challenge 002: Put Back the Mac

2011-10-12T19:51:00.003-05:00

Okay. I know I said that I would update this challenge list on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I really feel that I need to start this challenge today, if not sooner.

See, I got some addiction problems. My drug of choice? Nothing illegal. The things that I crave? Really bad junk food and diet cola. I seriously crave them if I do not have them within a few hours. I fight with myself during my commute home, I tell myself not to stop and get a double cheeseburger or two. I tell myself that I don’t need the little Debbie double decker oatmeal cream pie (yes they exist and are just as bad for you as you would expect). I even gave in to the craving today. Two double cheeseburgers and one double decker oatmeal cream pie…. Bad me.

Yes I have seen Super Size Me and Food Inc. and I have read Fast Food Nation. I have, in the past, been able to walk away from the local gas station and golden arches. However, around the time I was making my career change, I dropped the ball and gave into my vices. That was a year and half ago. I haven’t found the motivation to change my ways since.

Luckily, my weight has only been creeping up, but I do know I have gone from a muscular 180 to a very soft 200 lbs in that time. However, I feel like garbage. My allergies have been worse. My skin feels greasy and I’m tired a lot. It’s time to make changes to my diet. It’s time to change, and I am going to use this blog for accountability. Not only will I improve my health, but I will improve my pocket book as well.

So here’s challenge 002: No Fast Food Restaurants for at least 6 days a week. No candy, slim jims, or snack cakes for the same.

Challenge EXP awarded weekly.
Challenge 001 – Bloggin x 3(100 xp / week) IN PROGRESS
Challenge 002 – No Junk for 6/7 (100 xp / week) IN PROGRESS

Challenge 001: Bloggin' Bloggin' Bloggin'

2011-10-11T19:04:00.000-05:00

Wow.

It's been a long time, but I am back. I have had time to grow up a little and to reevaluate my life. What I've noticed is advancements in some very important aspects of my life (marriage and career change) while a whole bunch of stagnation in nearly every other portion of my life.

That's going to change. Starting today. Now.

I have decided that this is going to be my year of 100 challenges! Twice a week I am going to post a challenge. The challenge might be a goal (financial, health, relationship, or career). The challenge might be a project to work on around my (soon to be: fingers crossed) house. Or the challenge might even be an adventure such as a trip or a competition. Who knows? Not me.

My first goal: BLOG. Yep. That's it. Blog. See I want to be an okay writer, but I don't often get the chance to write. That's unfortunate, because I can't get better without practice.

As the horror master Stephen King wrote.

Read and write four to six hours a day. If you cannot find the time for that, you can't expect to become a good writer

So I am going to change my laziness. My first challenge is to Blog three times a week. I am shooting for Tuesday's and Thursday's being goal days. Then over the weekend I will do something a little more fun.

I am also going to take the lead from the Nerd Fitness Rebellion and "Level up My Life". Since I am a gamer. Each challenge with award me certain amounts of experience based on their difficulties. I will award myself experience every week and using the 4e experience chart, whenever I level up there will be a special post and I will reward myself with something inane and fun, like a video game or a board game or a new magic trick.

As I have time and as part of this challenge I will also be going through my previous posts and edit and retag them for the new format.

Anyways, my wife is calling for our dinner time.

Cheers

Warrior Watch: UltraMarathon Man

2008-02-05T22:07:00.000-06:00

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.

2008-01-25T12:29:00.001-06:00

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

Quote:

2008-01-12T23:39:00.001-06:00

"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

2008-01-09T23:59:00.000-06:00

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

2008-01-09T23:22:00.001-06:00

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.

2008-01-05T12:24:00.001-06:00

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

2007-12-16T00:28:00.002-06:00

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.

2007-12-12T23:00:00.000-06:00

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:

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.
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.
How can you be a responsible and active citizen if you don't know what is going on in the world around you.
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.
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!

2007-12-12T22:32:00.001-06:00

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

2007-12-11T22:53:00.001-06:00

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

2007-12-10T23:47:00.001-06:00

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.

Need Motivation?

2007-12-08T11:30:00.000-06:00

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

2007-12-06T22:34:00.001-06:00

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:

2007-12-05T00:43:00.000-06:00

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.