Can You Feel Your Arms Bro?!

Day One of P90X.  Can't lift fingers.  Can't feel arms.  Josh Jr and Ben did about 1/2 the workout with me.  We all only did about every third Ab Ripper X exercise.  Don't feel guilty at all though.  Too sore for guilt.

Song of the Day:
Today's song is from the a Capella choir the Beelzebubs, from Tufts University.  The album version is 100 times better than this YouTube version, which is still pretty darn good.  The song is "Kings and Queens" and it has a pumping rhythm that can motivate through a tough workout.  Ahhh.

My Last Mountain Dews?

Tomorrow I begin my P90X workouts.  My apologies to any regular readers but you're gonna hear a lot about them in my blog until I quit or get bored writing about them.

Today's blog post is actually based on a line from the song of the day (linked below for your listening pleasure).  The line from the song states "Live a life less sedentary."  And that's another main reason for me to be doing this P90X challenge.

I will also be avoiding as much sugary stuff (the biggest being soda) as possible in the next 90 days too.  So today I enjoyed my last three Mountain Dews for a while.  They cannot co-exist with my workout goals!

Here's to a life less sedentary ... and (after, not during the workouts) a lot more healthy energy!

Song Of The Day:
I first heard the song "Life Less Ordinary" by Carbon Leaf on a new MP3 player I got several Christmases ago.  I deleted most of the free songs that were already loaded, but kept this one because I really like the tune, especially the "honey understand" refrain in the middle of the song right before the breakdown to simple guitar and drums.  Singing along every time.

What's a Fok-a-guyal ?

My apologies for what is by far my most crude-sounding blog post title in history!  It is NOT what you think!!!  But it is spelled phonetically so you can appreciate the laugh I had yesterday.

Myra, our 2 1/2 year old, is at that great age where her speech is just too funny not to share.  She also loves it whenever I get home from work.  She will come tearing through the house from wherever she is screaming "Daddy home!  Daddy home!"  Then when she sees me and I pick her up in a big ol' hug, she always points at me and says "Daddy!  You home!"

Yesterday, right after I set her down from our obligatory (and often quite lengthy) hug, she pointed to the wall and said "Dat a fok-a-guyal."

About 95% of the time I can understand what she's saying ... this was part of that other 5%  It was especially difficult considering she was just pointing at ... a wall.  So I asked her to say it again.  She moved closer to the wall and said "See?!  Dat a fok-a-guyal!"  I looked at her, still bewildered, and so she pointed to another spot on the wall and said "Dat him tay-ull.  See?!"

Ohhhhhhhh!

A "crocodile" !!!

There was a shadow being cast on the wall from some books and Karen's purse on the ledge between the hall and the dining room ... and sure enough, it actually had the rough shape of a crocodile.

I took video (on my phone) of her saying this ... but I'm not sure how to load it to this blog so I may just do a separate post on Facebook to share it.

Song Of The Day
In honor of my no-longer-baby-since-Spencer-is-here-now daughter Myra.  Tonight's song is "Baby" by Bobby McFerrin.  I loved this song even before I had my own kids, but now I sing along to it as a parent of 7 ... the music is still just as awesome, but now the words mean even more to me.

How Bad Do I Want Those Abs Back ?!

Oh boy.  This will be one of my greatest successes or most horrific failures (and I've had some reasonably bad mess-ups ... so that's saying something!)

This coming Monday, January 7th ... I will begin the Standard P90X program, which will run until the very day before one of my good buddies gets married (shout out to Greg and Erin!)

For those who haven't seen me in years, I'm not that bean-pole I used to be ... but I'm also not really overweight or out-of-shape either.  To be honest, this is probably about the best shape of my life I've ever been in ... but I can't see my abs any more and that bothers me enough to make a BIG commitment.

I believe I owe it to myself (at least once in my life) to seriously "work out" instead of just being active by playing basketball and wrestling with the kids and so on.  I have not really "lifted weights" since high school.  I can't tell you the last time I did a pull up or a sit-up.  (I've had some push-up wars with my older two sons so I'm doing all right in that regard).  I have talked about doing this since several years ago when I first hit my 30's ... but I wasn't really commited enough.  I think I am now.

I will commit to posting my before, during, and after pictures at one of the following checkpoints:
#1. Upon completion of the entire 90-day program.
#2. Within one week after I "give up"

Obviously, the second scenario above is a "scared straight" sort of motivator for me.  I have no desires at all to share a picture of myself in just shorts doing silly flexing poses.  The fear of having to share just those embarrasing "before" pictures should be enough motivation to keep #2 from ever happening.  I hope.  :(

Song Of The Day:
You would think that today's song would be related to exercising and being motivated and achieving a goal ... and you'd be right.  I have chosen a song I recently downloaded (after having loved it for over a year).  The song is "Faster" by Matt Nathanson.  It's not about exercise, but the lyrics could easily apply to the P90X workouts (from what I've previewed).  Let's do this!

Who Says Flying Would Be Faster ?

Everyone makes the exact same assumption ... and I'm sick of it!

 

"If I could fly, that would be so much easier/better/faster, etc."

For sake of argument we will bypass the ridiculousness of any scenario in which your 150 to 350 pound person would even be capable of getting airborne.  Let's just assume it was possible and you are now "in the air, a.k.a. flying."  It is absurd to assume that the same laws of gravity and physics would somehow not be in existence any longer.  If that is the case, I should think that "flying" would not be any easier/better/faster for 99.9% of the population.  Let me break this down for you.

First, it would not be easier.  The energy needed to propel yourself through the air would at least be equal to that energy needed to move your body on the ground.  Did gravity just stop being in effect as soon as you got off the ground?  I think not.  In fact, some argument could be made that the higher you fly off the ground the greater the weight of gravity pulling you down, thereby actually making it harder to fly than to walk, run, or otherwise move around.

Second, it would not be better.  How could it be better than riding or driving in a car?  Remember that this is just you flying and not "you in some contraption that flies."  So the correct comparison would be with you walking or running somewhere.  I seriously doubt that your main reason for driving everywhere is because it's too cold to walk or run or whatever.  Which leads to my last point ...

Third, it would not be faster.  In fact, it might actually be slower than any other mode of transportation.  At least with a bicycle (a machine, but one powered initially by you) you can "coast" some of the time and let the bicycle carry you further.  Can you "coast" while walking or running?  Try it.  Let's see if that kinetic energy keeps you moving forward when you don't lift your foot and take that next step.

So the only 0.1% of the population (and that is probably generous) that would benefit from flying might be the long distance runners (marathoners) and the really, really skinny but still having some muscle mass people.  They alone would have the stamina and weight ratio to enable them to travel the necessary distances without wishing they hadn't.

This is the kind of thing that I think about while I drive home from work.  Sorry.

Song Of The Day:
Although not really related to the subject of flying, the song "Gravity" by John Mayer is apropos, at least in the sense that in the song he seems to wish gravity didn't exist.  So that's a shout out to all you who would still believe flying would be easier/better/faster.

Can We Really Make It The Whole Year?

Tis the season to make resolutions.  Out with the old and in with the new.  Bad habits be gone.  New promises to "eat healthier" and "exercise more" or "stop smoking" or "stop losing your temper" or "reading more good books" or "watching less tv" ... or perhaps even blogging daily.  :)

The start of the new year is always full of so much promise.  Everyone believes they can begin anew and really make the resolutions stick this time!  I think this is a good thing.  I believe in our power to change.  I also believe that 99.9% of us want to change for the better and improve ourselves each day.

But I also understand how easy it is to fall back into prior patterns of behavior.  Our vices can sneak up on us and all of a sudden we're in the rut we've dug for ourselves over years of similar actions.

I'd like to offer a few thoughts on how to make this year different:
 - First, don't think of the long-term change.  Just "win the day." Looking too far ahead can cause you to lose steam and give up.
 - Second, talk to others about your goals.  There is real power in peer pressure / support.  Why do you think people have so much better success when they have a personal trainer or mentor or life coach?  Sometimes you need an "objective other" person to reignite your passion to change.
 - Third, celebrate your success.  A recent article I read talked about how our brains are programmed to like winning.  Even if it is a child's game like rock, paper, scissors ... the victory, however small, builds our confidence and releases positive endorphins.
 - And fourth, don't quit just because you miss one day or have one slip-up.  Instead, change your viewpoint and let that relapse remind you of how much better the new you is versus that old you.

So set some resolutions and stick to them.  And if you need someone to celebrate your success with, just give me a shout!  :)

Song of the Day
Today's song is "Some Nights" by the group Fun.  I love this song (minus the f-bomb).  The pulsing drum beats coupled with the passion in the lead singer's voice get me drumming and singing along every time.  In the mellower middle of the song there is a line wherein he asks himself "So this is it?  I sold my soul for this?" and other questions about the decision(s) he has made that led to this point in his life.  If that's not a resolution-related epiphany, then I don't know what one is!

So What's With The Beard?!

I told people it started with "No Shave November" but the truth is that it began a few weeks before that and I just used that yearly ritual as a cover.  Why?  No real reason.  Maybe it's a continuation of the superstitiousness.  Maybe I just wasn't ready to share the truth yet.  Maybe I wasn't really convinced about my reasons.  Maybe I was waiting to start my 2013 blog.

So here's the unimpressive and arguably silly reason behind my lack of shaving the beard for the past 3 months:
The Denver Broncos and their 11-game win streak.

After a 2-3 start I was very low on hope and expectations for my home team.  So, secretly, I made the decision to not shave my beard until the Broncos lost another game, in the ridiculous hopes that this would help turn the season around.  Who knew that they would then win-out in the regular season and earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye?!

This is very exciting as a fan, but has now created a severe problem.  If the Broncos continue their dominance and go on to win the Super Bowl, I'm theoretically not going to shave until next season ... Basically 8 months from now!  I cannot bring myself to rooting against my team, but I really don't want to have a "wizard" beard all through this next summer!  :)

Song Of The Day:
Writing my other blog was too much work so instead I'll just be adding a song to each daily blog this year.  It will be a sort of theme song for that day ... mostly just a personal memory, but I think you'll enjoy the music nonetheless.

Today's song is Summertime by The Jamies.  You'll almost certainly recognize the chorus immediately, but likely have never heard this version unless you lived in the 1950's.

In honor of our good friends the Summers (Aaron, Britney and their kiddos) who stayed with us the last two days and rang in the new year with some quirky new traditions (epic hide-and-seek in the dark!)