I went rollerblading with a friend last night that has spent some time as a personal trainer. Its amazing what you can learn from your friends.
Apparently the trick to pushups is to put a book under your stomach. When you hit the book you know you can start pushing up. Also, having your stomach hit the book keeps you thinking about it and you'll keep it tighter. My stomach was a little sore by the time I finished.
I think once I'm done with this program I'll switch to the other exercise I learned about. Get two dumbells and use them as handles as you do a push up. Then alternate: 1 push up, 1 left handed single hand row, 1 push up, 1 right handed single hand row. That will handle arms, pecs, back, stomach, and obliques.
Today's score card : 12 - 12 - 10 - 10 - 14
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 238
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Day 1 (again)
I redid day 1 last night to get everything back on an even keel. Amazing how much easier it was to rattle them off.
It probably would have been a lot easier, but I was in a rush and didn't really take the recommended 60 - 90 second break between sets.
I'm posting late, but I did do all the work last night
Today's score card : 10 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 11
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 180
It probably would have been a lot easier, but I was in a rush and didn't really take the recommended 60 - 90 second break between sets.
I'm posting late, but I did do all the work last night
Today's score card : 10 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 11
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 180
Friday, June 20, 2008
Persistance pays
Day 2 Week 1
I finished off the day, but that second set almost didn't make it. I also don't think I'm doing a full push up.
I'll be taking the next two days off and restarting week 1 on Monday. This will get me on a more manageable schedule and also give me a chance to do the week with some better form.
Today's score card : 12 - 12 - 10 - 10 - 15
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 135
I finished off the day, but that second set almost didn't make it. I also don't think I'm doing a full push up.
I'll be taking the next two days off and restarting week 1 on Monday. This will get me on a more manageable schedule and also give me a chance to do the week with some better form.
Today's score card : 12 - 12 - 10 - 10 - 15
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 135
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
that push-ups hurt
Day 1 (again)
So trying to do day 1 after the initial test wasn't a smart move. Initial set is 10 - 10 - 6 - 8 - max. Assuming the initial 19 were the first rep I made 19 - 10 - 6.
Started day 1 (again) and I was already sore. This doesn't bode well.
Handy note: Use a door jam to stretch before and after. It feels good and should help flexibility. Now if I could only figure out a way to make my wrists stop hurting.
Today's score card : 10 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 7
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 76
So trying to do day 1 after the initial test wasn't a smart move. Initial set is 10 - 10 - 6 - 8 - max. Assuming the initial 19 were the first rep I made 19 - 10 - 6.
Started day 1 (again) and I was already sore. This doesn't bode well.
Handy note: Use a door jam to stretch before and after. It feels good and should help flexibility. Now if I could only figure out a way to make my wrists stop hurting.
Today's score card : 10 - 10 - 8 - 6 - 7
Current Max : 19
Total to date : 76
Monday, June 16, 2008
to push up?
I've taken a bit of a break from this site. I'm not going to apologize 'cause its not going to fix anything.
... sorta ...
Justin twitter'ed about this : http://hundredpushups.com/challenge.html and I'm up for the challenge. I was thinking about starting stomache torture anyways.
I'll try to keep a running report on here. If I'm accountable online I might actually see the thing till the end. With that said, the posts are going to be short and sweet three times a week for the next six weeks.
Initial test : 19 pushups (20, but I didn't want to push it too badly).
I'm going to try to do day 1 of the training today just so I'm on a good Monday - Wednesday - Friday schedule. I'll post on Wednesday about if this was a good idea or not.
Wish me luck...
... sorta ...
Justin twitter'ed about this : http://hundredpushups.com/challenge.html and I'm up for the challenge. I was thinking about starting stomache torture anyways.
I'll try to keep a running report on here. If I'm accountable online I might actually see the thing till the end. With that said, the posts are going to be short and sweet three times a week for the next six weeks.
Initial test : 19 pushups (20, but I didn't want to push it too badly).
I'm going to try to do day 1 of the training today just so I'm on a good Monday - Wednesday - Friday schedule. I'll post on Wednesday about if this was a good idea or not.
Wish me luck...
Friday, May 30, 2008
the best political question ever
Imagine attending one of the many national presidential debates that are about to descend on us. You pay close attention to both candidates as they worm their way though question after question. Each response as carefully crafted and rehearsed as the question that evoked them. Suddenly a microphone is shoved in your face and you get a once in a life time opportunity to ask any question you want.
What question could you ask? What one question could cut at the heart of it all and demand a response that would go beyond all the normal nonsense? Last week I wouldn't have been able to help you, but now I know... you have to fight nonsense with nonsense.
All of that is to say that today I've learned the best political question ever: What would you do if zombies invaded?
I know... it doesn't make much sense, but hear me out. The question has to be asked separately about foreign and American zombies. Its a slight stretch, but the answers you get back will say a lot about they way a person views the world.
Zombies are everywhere these days, but they aren't the stereotypical undead with a jonesing for brains. The modern zombie is more of an idea. Anyone that isn't a zombie can become a zombie if they are bitten. This means every single innocent has the ability to be an enemy. It also means that zombies could very well be made up of people you know and love.
So the first point of order is: do you try to fix the zombie ala I Am Legend (the movie) or try to kill them (every other zombie movie I've seen)? Curing zombieism is an impossibly difficult task, but its the only way to reclaim the innocents that have crossed over.
Of course, killing zombies is about as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Comparatively, they have only rudimentary weapons and are poorly organized. Trouble there is that there are always way to many to kill with conventional means. The only way to truly take them out is to nuke or carpet bomb an entire area.
Political tie-in: Think about Iraq. Switch zombie for insurgents. See where I'm going with this?
Secondly, at what point do you stop caring about the innocents in the interest of self preservation? At some point would you close your borders to everyone? Zombies would create a lot of refugees. Refugees could bring their own zombies with them. Each person that crosses a border is another vector for spreading the invasion.
If you do close your borders, what measures are you willing to take to make sure you stay secure?
On the other hand, do you at some point give up on any innocents in an invaded land and seal off their borders? To take it one step further, if zombies can't be cured or contained, would you authorize the scorched earth approach to cleanse unclean areas?
Political tie-in: If your zombies are economic issues this is basically asking about immigration. If the borders are closed you can start talking about how to handle illegal immigration. Exchange zombies for political pariahs and sealing off borders starts to sound a lot like embargos.
Finally, if the zombies are invading your own land, how do you keep people safe? Do the same rules apply? Do zombies have any rights? Is there such a thing as a suspected zombie? I know I've woken up on more than one occasion feeling like the living undead. If there is any suspicion at all, would I get drug out in the street and shot to prevent the chance of spreading the infection?
Political tie-in: These zombies are closer to home. They are the criminal zombies. Murderers, thieves, and drug dealers. Admittedly, its easier to tell if someone is a zombie than it is to tell if they murdered someone. (The "Braaaaaains" kinda gives them away)
This whole post is absurd but I still maintain it works. For one, no candidate has ever been prepared to answer the zombie question (its just not something you study for). I suspect most candidates would just make a joke and continue. They are masters at side stepping hard hitting questions. A quirky question like this wouldn't even be a challenge to redirect. But, if you could get a solid answer it would tell you everything you'd need to know.
Lesson Learned: Make the object of the question so extreme and idiotic that they stop thinking along political lines and predetermined answers, and you'll get some insight into how they really thing.
What question could you ask? What one question could cut at the heart of it all and demand a response that would go beyond all the normal nonsense? Last week I wouldn't have been able to help you, but now I know... you have to fight nonsense with nonsense.
All of that is to say that today I've learned the best political question ever: What would you do if zombies invaded?
I know... it doesn't make much sense, but hear me out. The question has to be asked separately about foreign and American zombies. Its a slight stretch, but the answers you get back will say a lot about they way a person views the world.
Zombies are everywhere these days, but they aren't the stereotypical undead with a jonesing for brains. The modern zombie is more of an idea. Anyone that isn't a zombie can become a zombie if they are bitten. This means every single innocent has the ability to be an enemy. It also means that zombies could very well be made up of people you know and love.
So the first point of order is: do you try to fix the zombie ala I Am Legend (the movie) or try to kill them (every other zombie movie I've seen)? Curing zombieism is an impossibly difficult task, but its the only way to reclaim the innocents that have crossed over.
Of course, killing zombies is about as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Comparatively, they have only rudimentary weapons and are poorly organized. Trouble there is that there are always way to many to kill with conventional means. The only way to truly take them out is to nuke or carpet bomb an entire area.
Political tie-in: Think about Iraq. Switch zombie for insurgents. See where I'm going with this?
Secondly, at what point do you stop caring about the innocents in the interest of self preservation? At some point would you close your borders to everyone? Zombies would create a lot of refugees. Refugees could bring their own zombies with them. Each person that crosses a border is another vector for spreading the invasion.
If you do close your borders, what measures are you willing to take to make sure you stay secure?
On the other hand, do you at some point give up on any innocents in an invaded land and seal off their borders? To take it one step further, if zombies can't be cured or contained, would you authorize the scorched earth approach to cleanse unclean areas?
Political tie-in: If your zombies are economic issues this is basically asking about immigration. If the borders are closed you can start talking about how to handle illegal immigration. Exchange zombies for political pariahs and sealing off borders starts to sound a lot like embargos.
Finally, if the zombies are invading your own land, how do you keep people safe? Do the same rules apply? Do zombies have any rights? Is there such a thing as a suspected zombie? I know I've woken up on more than one occasion feeling like the living undead. If there is any suspicion at all, would I get drug out in the street and shot to prevent the chance of spreading the infection?
Political tie-in: These zombies are closer to home. They are the criminal zombies. Murderers, thieves, and drug dealers. Admittedly, its easier to tell if someone is a zombie than it is to tell if they murdered someone. (The "Braaaaaains" kinda gives them away)
This whole post is absurd but I still maintain it works. For one, no candidate has ever been prepared to answer the zombie question (its just not something you study for). I suspect most candidates would just make a joke and continue. They are masters at side stepping hard hitting questions. A quirky question like this wouldn't even be a challenge to redirect. But, if you could get a solid answer it would tell you everything you'd need to know.
Lesson Learned: Make the object of the question so extreme and idiotic that they stop thinking along political lines and predetermined answers, and you'll get some insight into how they really thing.
Monday, May 12, 2008
the best way to frame a 13x13 print
I got a new office about a month or so ago. I've always worked in a cube before, so having an office with real walls and a door is a bit of a switch. I decided to get some art to fill the place out a bit.
I got two prints from a webcomic that has always impressed me Jump Station and Waterfall. I wanted to frame the prints but it didn't take long for me to figure out its impossible to find a 13x13 inch frame.
A couple of trips to hobby lobby and I had my answer. The guy working the frame counter took an exacto knife to the border around the print and I ended up with two 12x12 prints.
Cost for two 13x13 custom frame was $60.
Cost for two 12x12 frames was $8. ($8 / piece + a 50% off sale)
I got two prints from a webcomic that has always impressed me Jump Station and Waterfall. I wanted to frame the prints but it didn't take long for me to figure out its impossible to find a 13x13 inch frame.
A couple of trips to hobby lobby and I had my answer. The guy working the frame counter took an exacto knife to the border around the print and I ended up with two 12x12 prints.
Cost for two 13x13 custom frame was $60.
Cost for two 12x12 frames was $8. ($8 / piece + a 50% off sale)
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