Note on psychic powers
It’s a good thing that psychic powers don’t really exist, because if I could actually kill people with my brain, I would be a mass murderer.
New computer on order
I went ahead and ordered an Asus EEE PC from Amazon. I ordered the basic model, 16GB flash drive, Windows XP. I’m hoping to use it on my occasional travels, and it should satisfy my need to get online when It’s not convenient to carry a full-size laptop.
Ironically, I’m calling a laptop “full-size.”
One good thing
Something good for today: I have a new laptop at work. My previous one was almost 4 years old and about dead.
This means I have faster boot times, a widescreen display, Core 2 Duo processor, more disk space and memory, etc.. On the downside it means I need to take the afternoon getting software and configuration settings copied over. But even this has a bright side: I can use this as an opportunity to take a close look at a lot of junk that has accumulated over the past 4 years. Do I really need that documentation I downloaded in 2006? Probably not! Can I clean up those bookmarks to applications that are no longer in use? You bet!
I joked that this means I will be non-productive today. But in truth, taking some time to back away and organize things a little will pay off with more productivity in the future.
Look at reality
Seen on a church sign this morning:
Regret looks behind.
Worry looks around.
Faith looks up.
To which I would like to add:
Reason looks at reality.
Thrusters
As soon as I started this workout routine, I broke it. I went for a nice hike on Sunday at Amicalola Falls. This included going down, up, and back down a flight of 425 steps. I don’t know the vertical extent of the steps but it took me 6 minutes and 30 seconds. At the top, my heart rate recovered from 176 to 140 in 60 seconds.
Yesterday my random workout was stretching. Today it was stretching again, but this evening I decided to do thrusters. I used a 28kg kettlebell and got through 11 minutes plus 11 reps, so if my calculations are correct, that’s 77 reps. The only problem is that a workout like this tends to pump me up – so here I am blogging instead of sleeping.
I plan on doing the Amicalola hike again next weekend, and this time I’m going up the stairs first thing, instead of after a 30+minute uphill hike. I will also wear my combination GPS/heart monitor so I can get some numbers on heart rate and recovery.
Animals are good
Meat is yummy.
Fur is warm.
Food is necessary to life. So is protection from hostile weather. Protecting yourself from cold and hunger is morally good, and if you do it with class and elegance, even better!
We should praise and honor those who create the steaks we eat. And make them rich by continuing to buy those steaks.
Paralette Pushups
My random workout generator came up with parallette pushups this morning. Parallettes are a gymnastics training tool consisting of a couple of bars about 12 inches off the ground. I made mine out of PVC pipe using directions I found on the Crossfit site. Here is the article.
I made it 10 minutes, with 5 extra reps for 60 total. Once again, I’m seeing how the ladder workouts are easy to start with, and rapidly ramp up to failure.
I also skipped breakfast. I asked myself if I felt hungry, and it turned out that I didn’t, so I’m waiting to feel hungry before I eat. I’m sure the 7 slices of bacon at midnight last night, and a couple of glasses of whole raw milk, contributed to my lack of hunger this morning!
Slosh Pipe Power Cleans
My first random morning workout… Slosh Pipe Power Cleans!
(To learn more about a slosh pipe, go here.)
Mine only weighs 25lb and is 3 inches in diameter. I got through 10 minutes plus 10 additional reps for a total of 65 reps. Hampered by the fact my right Achilles tendon is sore from the box jumps last night.
Now I’m deciding whether to have breakfast or not. I’m leaning toward eating, because I’m a bit hungry this morning. It will probably be eggs and bacon.
Some new workout ideas
I have been continuing Crossfit workouts for the past few months, but at a lower intensity after some Achilles tendon soreness and a few weeks of taking strong antibiotics. In the spirit of experimentation, I tried some “ladder” workouts (AKA “Death By X”) workouts. I adapted this from a Crossfit workout known as “Death By Pull-up”:
With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute… continuing as long as you are able.
Use as many sets each minute as needed.
I have applied this idea to other exercises, including kettlebell swings, ring dips, push-ups, air squats, box jumps, etc. In every case it has turned into a good workout. In some cases I might only get through 6 or 8 minutes (ring dips, pull-ups), but in other cases I get 23 to 25 minutes (box jumps, squats.)So tonight I made a list of 17 exercises that can be chosen randomly. If I roll a D20, there are 3 chances of rest, with 17 chances of a workout. By randomizing it like this, I hope to avoid routine and boredom. I’m going to start doing this in the morning. I have all the equipment I need at home, and if I combine it with a bit of stretching, I’ll see if this is a good way to start the day.
I’m not sure if I’ll start tomorrow, though. I did the box jumps tonight, and at the end of it, I felt a spasm in my right Achilles Tendon. This is the same one that has been bothering me the last 2 times I tried running. I’ll see how painful it is in the morning.