Musings about the body and being sick

I am not at all sure why I'm awake right now. It's 6am on a Saturday and I think I just got 7 hours of sleep, roughly. It was pretty amazing sleep, and, considering I hadn't had a good night's sleep in in three days it may have just rejuvenated the heck out of my body. That's what I'm going with, after having some kind of super flu ala The Stand (I'm actually calling it the Atlantean Flu, thanks to a fever dream I had where Namor the Submariner revealed to me that I was indeed part Atlantean, which certainly explains my webbed toes) for the past few days, I suppose any kind of sleep longer than 2 hours would be a blessing.

I find the body just fascinating. After finally figuring out how to get stronger quickly, by which I mean following Mark Rippetoes Starting Strength program faithfully (seriously, you would not believe how long it took me to just follow the program, stubborn!) I decided to figure out how to lose some body fat (a considerable amount of body fat, he admits, sadly) which I think I've been doing a pretty strong job of. It's like the body will do whatever you want it to do so long as you know how to tell it what to do. Fascinating!

With just a little bit of discipline and know how you can achieve whatever you want for your hot bod. Unless you're sick of course. Goddamn being sick. I really wish there was a better way to deal with being ill other than letting it run it's course. I bet it's just something to do with finding the right pills. I mean, if the body is being shut down and invaded by an outside force it only makes sense to attack the virus with outside forces.

Sunburnt

Clearly I was half delirious with pain when I wrote that last bit. Still am as a matter of fact. Being sunburnt is awful, especially when I have the manly tolerance of pouting child.

I already have what I believe to be the best system for gaming: the Nintendo Wii. There's just something lovingly old school about it and it's games. Platformers will never go out of style as far as I'm concerned and are the absolute pinnacle of game-play.

However, after playing Dead Space on my PC, I've seen that video games are undergoing a creative renaissance as far as being a storytelling medium. This fascinates me, as I don't believe that there is anything quite as immersive as a good video game. A good video game with a stellar, interactive story? I'm there. From what I can tell, the Wii isn't going to be involved in this joyous bit of creativity.

(Maybe I'm wrong on that, the makers did release Dead Space: Extraction for the Wii, and while it wasn't the same storytelling power that Dead Space was, it came close, especially considering that it was limited in design [rail shooter v. 3rd person action adventure])

It sounds like the big games to experience are Dead Space (which I have, which I love), Mass Effect, and Half Life 2. I'm not talking about simple use of cut scenes to tell a story, that's been done. I wouldn't say it's been done to great effect, since I find cutscenes to be a bit... lacking, when it comes to game-play. It's not that I don't enjoy the effort put into a cut scene, and what it does to help improve the atmosphere of a game, it's that those cut scenes take the player out of the game, they offer a break, a rest from the action, and I feel like that should never happen, unless it serves some greater purpose. What these games offer are in game story elements triggered by players entering certain areas. Think of it as an interactive cut scene. Yes, it's triggered by something in game, and yes, you can't really interfere with what's going on, but it doesn't take you out of the game.

That is the experience I'm after.

Importance

I am not doing anything important right now.

No, really, I am not adding any value to anything. Or at least I wasn't a minute ago, maybe I am now. There's really no way to tell whether or not this rambling jumble of words is going to help anyone with anything. I'm all right with that, of course. I do this for me. I do this so I feel like I'm not wasting time. It's not like this is hard, not at all, and it makes me feel like I'm contributing something to the world. Even if all I'm doing is storing data on a server somewhere. A server that will, at some point, be wiped of all of it's data.

Or will it?

I wonder how old parts of the internet are. Does Google (I believe Google owns blogger) really care about how much space is being used in the real world for it's virtual works? I imagine no, no it doesn't. Google is huge. Google doesn't care about such small things.

Or maybe it does?

Maybe Google is running lite on space. Maybe Google is cringing at the thought of one blogger using up one more kilobyte of space. That would be a shame. This would never be published. Nobody would ever run into this piece and think... I don't know what they would think. Maybe they wouldn't (certainly they should at this point, but that's the problem with the writing I do sometimes) and maybe they would just see the words and move on, content with having consumed something but unable to digest it. Food metaphor is awesome. I was about to move on and say some crap about nutrients and such. Maybe I should point out that it's probably the job of the author to act as a filter, the kidney maybe? Whatever organ it is that processes shit? I forget, it's been so long since Freshman year of High School when I learned of such things.

So what's the point?

Maybe I conjured up something. That would make it worth it.

I beleive in nothink

I do not believe that I was put on the Earth for any great purpose.

I don't see how I could. Even in my conceit, which is great, I do not believe that I was placed here by a caring hand that felt I had the capacity for greatness.

I do believe that I can achieve greatness. I do believe in great purposes.

I'm not sure that I have found mine. Yet. I'm not sure what it is in this life that will bring me unparalleled joy. In my head I think it may have something to do with addiction. I'm willing to believe I've made this connection because I blame addiction on so many things. Maybe blame isn't the correct word, switch it up to a phrase, I use addiction to explain so many things. And it's true. I do. That is what I would like to feel like when I do something. I want to feel like I can't pull away from a thing, like I need it, hunger for it. I want to be kept awake at night with the next day's work gnawing on my heart and soul.

I have to wonder if that's what true motivation feels like. I can't say that I'm sure. If it is, I believe that I have yet to experience it. Perhaps I'm just describing a feeling that doesn't exist for me, an ideal state that I may never achieve. I'm comfortable with that.

Perhaps I will give your little documentary a shot Paul.

3/28

Jumping Jacks ten to 7
Pushups ten to 7
Crunches ten to 7
Burpees ten to 7

OHP 1x8@60lbs
Floor Press 1x8@60lbs
Curls 1x8@60lbs
Rows 1x8@60lbs
OHP 1x8@80lbs
Floor Press 1x8@80lbs
Curls 1x3@80lbs
Rows 1x8@80lbs

Chinups 2x10

3/25

OHP 1x8@60lbs
Floor Press 1x8@60lbs
Curls 1x8@60lbs
OHP 1x8@80lbs
Floor Press 1x8@80lbs
Curls 1x8@80lbs
OHP 1x8@100lbs
Floor Press 1x8@100lbs
Pullups 3x5

3/23

Jumping Jacks ten to 7
Pushups ten to 7
Crunches ten to 7
Burpees ten to 7
Bas Rutten 3 Round of 3

3/22

Rows @ 100lbs 3x8
Squat @100lbs 3x10
Chinups 3x10

3/20

1x8@60lbs OHP, Floor Press, Curls
1x8@80lbs OHP, Floor Press, Curls
2x8@100lbs OHP, Floor Press

3x5 Chins

3/16

1x8@60lbs OHP, Floor Press
1x8@80lbs OHP, Floor Press
1x8@100lbs OHP, Floor Press

1x10@100lbs Squat

10-6 Jumping Jacks, Push ups, Crunches, Squat jumps

4 rounds of Bas Rutten's 3 min Boxing

3/14

Muay Thai class for 3 hours

10-1 Jumping Jacks, Push ups, Crunches, Squat Jumps

2 minutes of fast knees
2 minutes of fast punches

tons of drilling including combo and clinch work

4x10 Body kicks Left and Right Foot

10-5 Jumping Jacks, Push ups, Crunches, Squat Jumps

3/13

Fun time in the Gym, in no order:

Boxing Pad Work

2x10@95lbs Squat
1x13@96lbs Squat
1x5@45lbs Bench Press
1x5@95lbs Bench Press
1x8@100lbs OHP
Random Curls

3/10

3x5@65lbs Row
1x5@80lbs Row
1x5@100lbs Row
3x5@120lbs Row

1x5@120lbs DL
1x5@130lbs DL
1x5@145lbs DL
1x5@165lbs DL

3/9

15 minutes of Bas Rutten's 2 minute boxing rounds

3/8

3x8@80lbs OHP
1x7@100lbs OHP

1x10@100lbs Floor Press

3x5 Chin ups

1x8@100lbs Squat

3/3

1x10@100lbs Squat
5x5@110lbs Squat

2x10@80lbs Floor Press
1x10@80lbs Hammer Curls
1x7@80lbs Hammer Curls
1x10@80lbs OHP

3/2

3x5@65lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@100lbs OHP
2x5@120lbs OHP

3x10@100lbs Floor Press

2/27

3x5@65lbs Row
1x5@80lbs Row
1x5@100lbs Row
3x5@120lbs Row

1x5@120lbs DL
1x5@155lbs DL
1x3@170lbs DL

2/25

1x10@80lbs
1x10@100lbs

2/23

4x8@80lbs FP
3x5@80lbs Curls
1x8@80lbs OHP

2/22

3x5@65lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@100lbs OHP
F@120lbs OHP
1x4@120lbs OHP
1x1@120lbs OHP
2x5@110lbs OHP
1x4@110lbs OHP

3x5@65lbs FP
1x5@80lbs FP
1x5@95lbs FP
2x5@110lbs FP

2/18

2x:
10@70lbs Hammer Curl
10@70lbs OHP
10@70lbs Floor Press

5x8@70lbs Floor Press
5x8@70lbs Hammer Curl

2/17

3x5@65lbs Row
1x5@80lbs Row
1x5@100lbs Row
3x5@120lbs Row

1x5@145lbs DL
1x5@155lbs DL
1x5@165lbs DL

2/16

1x10@100lbs Squat
1x10@110lbs Squat
1x5@120lbs Squat

Squat day could have been better. My heads pounding and I gave up there. 120 seems like a good place to start a 5x5, so I'm happy with that.

2/15

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@95lbs OHP
5x5@115lbs OHP

1x10@60lbs Floor Press
1x10@70bs Floor Press
1x10@80lbs Floor Press
2x10@90lbs Floor Press
1x8@100lbs Floor Press
1x5@100lbs Floor Press

Felt great with the OHP.

Thank God for the Floor Press. It's tricky, since I need to be careful as heck with it, but it seems like 100lbs is going to be a good place to start with my 5x5.

2/14

3 sets of: (Dumbbells)
8@30lbs Hammer Curls
8@30lbs OHP
8@30lbs Rows

2x20@60lbs Floor Press

2/12

Lever Work for 20 reps

2/10

3x5@60lbs Row
1x5@80lbs Row
1x5@95lbs Row
3x5@115lbs Row

1x5@135lbs DL
1x5@145lbs DL
1x5@155lbs DL

2/9

2 1/2 sets of: Dumbbells
8@40lbs Hammer Curls
8@40lbs OHP
8@40lbs Rows

2/8

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@95lbs OHP
1x5@115lbs OHP
1x4@115lbs OHP
2x5@115lbs OHP
1x3@115lbs OHP

2x5@115lbs Squat
1x6@115lbs Squat

Lever Work

2/4

3x5@60lbs Row
2x5@80lbs Row
2x5@95lbs Row
3x5@115lbs Row

1x5@115lbs DL
1x5@135lbs DL
1x3@145lbs DL

I used the Rows as partial warmup for my DL and that felt great. The final set of DLs my form went to heck so I decided it was time to call it quits. Felt strong before that though, really need a Barbell for proper Dead Lifting.

2/3

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@95lbs OHP
3x5@115lbs OHP
1x4@115lbs OHP
1x5@110lbs OHP

1x4@110 Squat

2/2

3x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@50lbs Lunges

2/1

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@80lbs OHP
1x5@95lbs OHP
3x5@115lbs OHP
2x3@115lbs OHP

1x8@115lbs Squat

Worked late, so I rushed this after dinner.

The first 3 sets at 115 felt great. Then I just couldn't lift the weight over my head. Here's hoping I have more time Wednesday.

1/29

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@75lbs OHP
1x5@90lbs OHP
5x5@110lbs OHP

1x13@110lbs Squat
1x10@110lbs Squat

4x5 Chinups

3x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/27

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@75lbs OHP
1x5@90lbs OHP
5x5@110lbs OHP

1x13@110lbs Squat
1x10@110lbs Squat

3x5@60lbs Row
1x5@75lbs Row
2x5@90lbs Row

3x5@42.5lbs DB Hammer Curls

Didn't do as many Rows as I had planned. My back started to feel weird. Not pain, but I'm going to be cautious.

1/26

2x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

Kind of rushed through this because I was late for something.

1/25

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@75lbs OHP
1x5@90lbs OHP
5x5@110lbs OHP

2x10@110lbs Squat

Later:

5x5@40lbs DB Hammer Curls

1/22

3x5@60lbs OHP
1x5@75lbs OHP
1x5@90lbs OHP
5x5@110lbs OHP

2x10@110lbs Squat

1/21

4x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/20

OHP:
3x5@55lbs
1x5@70lbs
1x5@85lbs
1x5@105lbs
2x5@110lbs
1x4@110lbs
5x5@105lbs

Squats:
1x10@105lbs

1/19

4x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/18

OHP:
3x5@55lbs
1x3@70lbs
1x2@85lbs
5x5@105lbs

Squats:
2x8@105lbs

Sets 4 and 5 of the final OHP felt easier for some reason. Might be time to move up.

1/15

Work:
3x5@52.5lbs OHP
1x9@52.5lbs Squat
1x8@50lbs OHP
5x5@42.5lbs Curls

Later Work:
3x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/13

Work:
3x5@52.5lbs OHP
3x5@52.5lbs Squat
1x5@50lbs OHP
5x5@42.5lbs Curls

Later Work:
3x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/11

Work:
3x5@52.5lbs OHP
3x5@52.5lbs Squat
3x5@50lbs OHP
5x5@42.5lbs Curls

Later Work:
3x Circuit:
25@25lbs Around the World
8@50lbs OHP
8@50lbs Shrugs
8@50lbs Rows
16@25lbs Twists
8@25lbs Squats
8@50lbs Lunges

1/8

3x5@52.5 OHP
3x5@50lbs OHP
3x5@50lbs Squat
3x5@42.5lbs Curls

1/6

1x4@52.5 OHP
3x5@50lbs OHP
3x5@50lbs Squat
3x5@42.5lbs Curls
3xf Pullups (5,7,6)

1/5

Maybe I'll do this later

1/4

645:
Glass of Chocolate Soy Milk

Work:
3x4@52.5 OHP
3x5@52.5 Squat
3x5@40lbs Curls
3x5@42.5lbs Curls
3x5@55lbs Rows

845:
Glass of Chocolate Soy Milk w/ Whey Protein Powder

10:
Protein Bar

12:
Cheeseburger and Chicken Tenders

3:
Protein Bar

7:
Steak, Corn, Potatoes Au Gratin

1/3

11:
French Toast and Bacon
Hot Chocolate
Cookies

7:
Buffalo Wings
Guts of a Steak Bomb
Glass of Soy Milk

1/2

8:
Frosted Mini Wheats

1:
Cookies
Steak

7:
Chicken Tenders w/ Pasta

1/1

8:
Cookies

1:
Udon Noodles w/ Beef

12/31

7:
Bowl of Pasta

10:
EAS AdvantEDGE drink (110c)
Pure Protein Bar (180c)

12:
Burrito from Qdoba (710c)
(Steak Fajita Ranchera w/ Pico, Hot Sauce, and Gaucamole)
Chicken Wings

7 on:
Some Pizza and Jack Daniels