I want to talk about "Keeping the Faith", one of my favorite Billy Joel songs.
I love this song, not just for how it sounds or because it makes me tap my foot. I love it because this song totally embodies reminscing about the old days. Granted, Billy Joel's old days are a bit older than mine. So when he sings about a tight pair of Chino's and combing his hair in a pompadour, I don't so much relate to that part. It's the message of the song to which I can relate.
I attended "Back to School" night last night at our first grader's school. I listened to a principal speak in a hot gym with ancient windows and got to sit at a tiny desk. The desks have not changed a bit, by the way. It reminded me of how I used to try to keep the inside of mine as organized as possible when I was in my organizational phases as a kid, and how it was a mess in my messy phases. You know, with stray papers hanging out of it and school supplies strewn about.
Anyway, attending this was bittersweet. It makes you feel a little old, but it's pretty cool to be on the other side of it now. I tried to focus on how cool it was.
This brings me back to the song.
"You know the good ole days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems..."
I love this line.
Life just is. Sometimes there's no greater or deeper meaning that we tend to search for. Yeah we long for the good old days, but think back a bit. I don't know about you, but for me- childhood, puberty, adolescence, those times weren't all rosy. In fact, sometimes it was downright tough. Never the less, you're pretty void of responsibility and fun is a lot easier to stumble upon. But being a grown-up isn't so bad either.
So what have we? Not much. Life just is. Good times, bad times, love, heartache, fun, and people that come and go.
Sometimes the best times are the simplest:
" .....Learned stickball as a formal education
Lost a lot of fights but it taught me how to lose O.K
Oh, I heard about sex but not enough
I found you could dance and still look tough anyway,
oh yes I did...
I found out a man ain't just being macho
Ate an awful lot of late night drive-in food
Drank a lot of take-home pay
I thought I was the Duke of Earl
When I made it with a red-haired girl in the Chevrolet
Oh yeah, we were keeping the faith
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, keeping the faith..."
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
The First Day of School
I put my little man on the bus today for his first day of first grade. This brings back a lot of memories for me. It was neat to see him dressed nice wearing a back pack. I remember that feeling of excited nervousness for the first day of school like it was yesterday. It makes me think about that first day of school smell which is still fresh in my mind. Sure, after getting a little older, the excited nervousness started to get compounded with dread. One, because "school sucks" and two, because it was depressing to leave behind the fun times of the previous summer. But I think at 6 years old you don't really realize any of that yet. You're just excited about starting something new and to be a year older.
This is my 2nd year in a row of putting him on the bus in the mornings. This is a job I have always complained about, but today I realized that it is more of a privelege than a chore. He and I are making memories together out there. Though brief, and not always fun (anyone ever missed the bus, in the rain?), those few minutes at the bus stop make me remember those days when my mom saw me off at the bus stop. I remember feeling how much I was going to miss her as I waved and the bus drove away. I hope he is feeling the same about me when he pulls away.
I think having kids is the closest thing we can get in real life to time travel. Those kids run around, play tag, have races, etc. just like we did. They all yell "BUS!" when they see the bus coming and scurry to grab the book bags and lunch bags they had flung on the ground earlier. For those few minutes in the morning I am transported to the end of Gilston Park road,1982 in my mind.
So I thank my wife, for allowing me to be his father. I have dropped the word "step" from "stepson" when I use it in conversation now. And I thank the little man for unknowingly giving me the chance to be a kid again in my mind for those few minutes every morning.
This is my 2nd year in a row of putting him on the bus in the mornings. This is a job I have always complained about, but today I realized that it is more of a privelege than a chore. He and I are making memories together out there. Though brief, and not always fun (anyone ever missed the bus, in the rain?), those few minutes at the bus stop make me remember those days when my mom saw me off at the bus stop. I remember feeling how much I was going to miss her as I waved and the bus drove away. I hope he is feeling the same about me when he pulls away.
I think having kids is the closest thing we can get in real life to time travel. Those kids run around, play tag, have races, etc. just like we did. They all yell "BUS!" when they see the bus coming and scurry to grab the book bags and lunch bags they had flung on the ground earlier. For those few minutes in the morning I am transported to the end of Gilston Park road,1982 in my mind.
So I thank my wife, for allowing me to be his father. I have dropped the word "step" from "stepson" when I use it in conversation now. And I thank the little man for unknowingly giving me the chance to be a kid again in my mind for those few minutes every morning.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Saxophones
Whatever happened to the saxophones?
Remember when movies in the 80's always seemed to have these soundtracks with an instrumental saxophone theme in the background of certain scenes? It usually was played during an emotional exchange of dialogue. Or it was used during a montage with no dialogue that usually found certain characters exploring or finding themselves.
I was watching "The Secret of My Success" this morning, one of my Michael J. Fox favorites. This movie is a perfect example of the saxophone use. You also may want to try "St. Elmo's Fire". This one actually had a character who played the sax.
It dawned on me that movies these days don't have the saxophones playing in the background anymore. I noticed that there really is not any of this cheesiness in movies anymore. I guess they realized it was corny. It's funny to me how no one thought it was corny back then though.
I think the saxes added a little more emotion to the scenes and made you care just a tad bit more about what was going on, which is what I think they were going for. Maybe I just miss them because they take me back to a simpler time when movies were allowed to be cheesy.
I know these days we have all this digital technology and special effects capability that far surpasses anything of films in the 1980's, but still, I kind of miss the saxophones.
D
Remember when movies in the 80's always seemed to have these soundtracks with an instrumental saxophone theme in the background of certain scenes? It usually was played during an emotional exchange of dialogue. Or it was used during a montage with no dialogue that usually found certain characters exploring or finding themselves.
I was watching "The Secret of My Success" this morning, one of my Michael J. Fox favorites. This movie is a perfect example of the saxophone use. You also may want to try "St. Elmo's Fire". This one actually had a character who played the sax.
It dawned on me that movies these days don't have the saxophones playing in the background anymore. I noticed that there really is not any of this cheesiness in movies anymore. I guess they realized it was corny. It's funny to me how no one thought it was corny back then though.
I think the saxes added a little more emotion to the scenes and made you care just a tad bit more about what was going on, which is what I think they were going for. Maybe I just miss them because they take me back to a simpler time when movies were allowed to be cheesy.
I know these days we have all this digital technology and special effects capability that far surpasses anything of films in the 1980's, but still, I kind of miss the saxophones.
D
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Murphy's Law of the Gym Locker Room
It could be the slowest time of day in your gym and the place could be practically empty. You put your stuff in a locker and go workout. When you come back, no matter how empty the locker room is, the one other person who was in the gym working out at the same time as you will always have a locker right next to, above, or below you. Always.
How does this always happen? It's different if you workout at a known busy time, you expect to be asscheek to asscheek with other disgusting naked men. But at a slow time, with hardly anyone else in the gym, why does the one other person who happens to be working out when you are always seem to have the locker right near you?
I know, I know, no one plans it like that, it's just dumb luck. But sometimes I leave my gym bag out in front of the locker I am using while I workout to sort of mark my territory (a lock on the locker could also mean the same thing), yet somehow, the one other guy (who is usually disgusting, by the way) will still pick that locker near me. It's as if they have to have that same spot, no matter if someone else is using it or not.
Honestly, in an empty locker room with you and one other guy, use some etiquette. No dude wants to be changing so close to another naked dude. If you see a lock or some stuff occupying a space, and the locker room is practically empty, get a locker far, far away.
And while we're on the subject, what's with the dudes who shave and do everything in the locker room naked and treat it like it's their bathroom at home? There's a guy here whose same routine everyday is to workout for about 2 hours, go in the locker room, undress, use the toilet naked, come out naked, and stand at the sink naked shaving.
Really?
First of all, who prefers doing all that stuff in their gym locker room over their cozy bathroom at home? I hate using my gym locker room, and only use it as a last resort. I wear flip flops in the shower and try not to even brush up against anything in there with my body. But there are guys like this who just walk around, flappin in the breeze, acting like they'd eat their dinner on that locker room floor.
I understand there are extinuating circumstances to everyone's trip to the gym and then the locker room, maybe they have to go right to work or out, etc.--yeah yeah yeah-- but why can't they at least wrap a damn towel around their waist ?
And oh yeah, the naked guy who does everything in there will probably get the locker right below you too. :)
How does this always happen? It's different if you workout at a known busy time, you expect to be asscheek to asscheek with other disgusting naked men. But at a slow time, with hardly anyone else in the gym, why does the one other person who happens to be working out when you are always seem to have the locker right near you?
I know, I know, no one plans it like that, it's just dumb luck. But sometimes I leave my gym bag out in front of the locker I am using while I workout to sort of mark my territory (a lock on the locker could also mean the same thing), yet somehow, the one other guy (who is usually disgusting, by the way) will still pick that locker near me. It's as if they have to have that same spot, no matter if someone else is using it or not.
Honestly, in an empty locker room with you and one other guy, use some etiquette. No dude wants to be changing so close to another naked dude. If you see a lock or some stuff occupying a space, and the locker room is practically empty, get a locker far, far away.
And while we're on the subject, what's with the dudes who shave and do everything in the locker room naked and treat it like it's their bathroom at home? There's a guy here whose same routine everyday is to workout for about 2 hours, go in the locker room, undress, use the toilet naked, come out naked, and stand at the sink naked shaving.
Really?
First of all, who prefers doing all that stuff in their gym locker room over their cozy bathroom at home? I hate using my gym locker room, and only use it as a last resort. I wear flip flops in the shower and try not to even brush up against anything in there with my body. But there are guys like this who just walk around, flappin in the breeze, acting like they'd eat their dinner on that locker room floor.
I understand there are extinuating circumstances to everyone's trip to the gym and then the locker room, maybe they have to go right to work or out, etc.--yeah yeah yeah-- but why can't they at least wrap a damn towel around their waist ?
And oh yeah, the naked guy who does everything in there will probably get the locker right below you too. :)
The Greatest Myth in Fitness
"I pretty much just want to concentrate on toning up."
Working in the fitness industry, I hear this phrase uttered several times per week. I am here to set the record straight today because I think if I hear this one more time I'm going to go buckwild.
I probably should have posted this on my trainer myspace page blog, but I need to speak frankly here.
Everyday when I ask people to describe their fitness goals I hear "I don't want to really bulk up, I just want to concentrate on toning." Or I hear "I basically want to lose weight and tone up."
Okay. You want to concentrate on tone. What, your tone of voice? The musical tone of your favorite song? The pitch of your guitar strings? Or do you mean the color tones of your favorite painting?
Okay, yes, I know what you mean. But please stop saying you want to "tone" your muscles. What you mean is you want your muscles to be more defined. You want to see more definition. You want to be cut. Say any of these but please stop saying "toning".
The only toning there is in the fitness arena refers to a state of contraction in the muscle. But everyone seems to be using it to mean getting definition or getting "cut", which is a fallacy.
Okay, this is the part where I start imparting fitness knowledge and stop being a smartass. This is where I could start this blog if it was on my trainer page.
The idea of toning that so many gym goers seem to have is really a myth. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't just make a muscle "look pretty".
Let's start by saying this; the number one determiner of how your body is structured is genetics. If there are a lot of cut and muscular framed people in your family, chances are you are going to be this way too. If there are a lot of thin-shouldered and lengthy people in your family, chances are you are going to be this way too. The same goes for any kind of body type really, and of course there are exceptions to every rule.
However, an overweight person may want to lose weight and become "cut", so they will go into the weight room and do a high rep, light weight routine, thinking this is the way to look "cut".
The idea of "physique specific training" is another myth. You can lift heavy weight and do lower reps to get stronger, and you can lift light weight and do higher reps to become more conditioned. But lifting either way so you will "look" a certain way is just not the way it works. It is genetics that determine your physique, and sure, you are going to get larger if you develop more muscle, and you may see a cut or two that you didn't see before. But you can't change from one body type to another.
Yet some claim that women should follow a light weight-high rep routine to "tone", shape, and sculpt. While there are few women that will have the potential to develop relatively large muscles, most don't. This is due to the fact that women have lower levels of testosterone, higher percentage of body fat, and shorter muscle bellies. A woman's bicep muscle is exactly the same as a man's. So women should strength train the same way as men do.
Ultimately, you can gain and lose muscle mass, you can gain and lose fat, but you cannot "tone" a muscle to make it look pretty. The "tone" that people are referring to will not come unless you lose body fat, yet even then, if your genetics have not preset this for your body, it may not happen at all. This is not to say though that with proper diet, strength training, and cardiovascular activity you can't completely change the look of your body. What I mean though is John Goodman can't turn into Brad Pitt.
I feel the need to mention this though, some bodybuilders who do bodybuilding shows do eat a certain way so that their muscles look a certain way. They cut their carbohydrate intake so low days before a show that their skin literally is pulling back against the muscle to create a more defined look. But this is not what most people are referring to when they tell me they want to train to look "toned".
All of us have a tendency to develop a certain kind of physique. Whether we use light weight/high reps or heavy weight/low reps, we will always be prone to develop the physiques that our genes have preset for us. Our muscles cannot be stimulated to become "cut" or "bulked". They either experience hypertrophy or atrophy. There certainly are proper and improper ways to train but there isn't a physique-specific way to train.
For the record though, as a trainer, I give anyone props for being in the gym or exercising anywhere to try to reach their goals. There really isn't a much better investment of your time than to workout. Because the world is full of people who won't do any activity then complain about their bodies. But for the love of God, stop saying you just want to tone! :)
D
Working in the fitness industry, I hear this phrase uttered several times per week. I am here to set the record straight today because I think if I hear this one more time I'm going to go buckwild.
I probably should have posted this on my trainer myspace page blog, but I need to speak frankly here.
Everyday when I ask people to describe their fitness goals I hear "I don't want to really bulk up, I just want to concentrate on toning." Or I hear "I basically want to lose weight and tone up."
Okay. You want to concentrate on tone. What, your tone of voice? The musical tone of your favorite song? The pitch of your guitar strings? Or do you mean the color tones of your favorite painting?
Okay, yes, I know what you mean. But please stop saying you want to "tone" your muscles. What you mean is you want your muscles to be more defined. You want to see more definition. You want to be cut. Say any of these but please stop saying "toning".
The only toning there is in the fitness arena refers to a state of contraction in the muscle. But everyone seems to be using it to mean getting definition or getting "cut", which is a fallacy.
Okay, this is the part where I start imparting fitness knowledge and stop being a smartass. This is where I could start this blog if it was on my trainer page.
The idea of toning that so many gym goers seem to have is really a myth. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't just make a muscle "look pretty".
Let's start by saying this; the number one determiner of how your body is structured is genetics. If there are a lot of cut and muscular framed people in your family, chances are you are going to be this way too. If there are a lot of thin-shouldered and lengthy people in your family, chances are you are going to be this way too. The same goes for any kind of body type really, and of course there are exceptions to every rule.
However, an overweight person may want to lose weight and become "cut", so they will go into the weight room and do a high rep, light weight routine, thinking this is the way to look "cut".
The idea of "physique specific training" is another myth. You can lift heavy weight and do lower reps to get stronger, and you can lift light weight and do higher reps to become more conditioned. But lifting either way so you will "look" a certain way is just not the way it works. It is genetics that determine your physique, and sure, you are going to get larger if you develop more muscle, and you may see a cut or two that you didn't see before. But you can't change from one body type to another.
Yet some claim that women should follow a light weight-high rep routine to "tone", shape, and sculpt. While there are few women that will have the potential to develop relatively large muscles, most don't. This is due to the fact that women have lower levels of testosterone, higher percentage of body fat, and shorter muscle bellies. A woman's bicep muscle is exactly the same as a man's. So women should strength train the same way as men do.
Ultimately, you can gain and lose muscle mass, you can gain and lose fat, but you cannot "tone" a muscle to make it look pretty. The "tone" that people are referring to will not come unless you lose body fat, yet even then, if your genetics have not preset this for your body, it may not happen at all. This is not to say though that with proper diet, strength training, and cardiovascular activity you can't completely change the look of your body. What I mean though is John Goodman can't turn into Brad Pitt.
I feel the need to mention this though, some bodybuilders who do bodybuilding shows do eat a certain way so that their muscles look a certain way. They cut their carbohydrate intake so low days before a show that their skin literally is pulling back against the muscle to create a more defined look. But this is not what most people are referring to when they tell me they want to train to look "toned".
All of us have a tendency to develop a certain kind of physique. Whether we use light weight/high reps or heavy weight/low reps, we will always be prone to develop the physiques that our genes have preset for us. Our muscles cannot be stimulated to become "cut" or "bulked". They either experience hypertrophy or atrophy. There certainly are proper and improper ways to train but there isn't a physique-specific way to train.
For the record though, as a trainer, I give anyone props for being in the gym or exercising anywhere to try to reach their goals. There really isn't a much better investment of your time than to workout. Because the world is full of people who won't do any activity then complain about their bodies. But for the love of God, stop saying you just want to tone! :)
D
Clarity
Amongst all the drama of everyday life, there come certain moments when everything is just right. Sometimes you hit a moment where everything is so clear, peaceful and serene that you just have to grab onto it and savor it.
Pardon my corniness for a moment, however I just feel like I need to write about this, because one day my kids are going to grow up and I am going to want them to know this when they're old enough to understand it. Hopefully, I'll still be around to attempt to even explain it to them, but even so, I can't say I'll remember what was on my mind at this moment. This is one of those messages I just want to leave with people.
One particular instance was on my honeymoon cruise ship. My wife was taking a cat nap in our cabin, so I set out onto the ship to let her get some quiet. I just toured the ship, trying to savor how great a time I was having. I ventured into this theater, where they do their stage shows and musicals, etc. The place was empty because it was late afternoon and nothing was going on in there yet. Granted, I was reeling from the pleasure of being on a cruise, but I was in awe of how large the theater was for a cruise ship and how it was designed. A song was playing in the background, and I just sat. That's it, I grabbed a seat and sat for a moment, listening to the song, pondering everything I had seen so far during the honeymoon, the beautiful sites and different places we went that I had never been. The song playing was John Mayer's "Clarity", I didn't even know the title of the song or what it was called then, I just knew I liked it. And I sat. It was peaceful, quiet, and for those few minutes, I had nothing in my mind but peace. For those few minutes there were no bills, no work, and no drama.
It probably doesn't sound like much, but that's the best I can explain it. It's hard to put these moments into words, as they are more just moment you experience in your mind, just you and your surroundings is all you need for those few minutes.
One more moment I had like this was this past Saturday afternoon. It was a gorgeous day out (this was before it started raining :) and I had just gotten out of the shower, because I had went for a jog. It was my favorite day of the week, I was anticipating a fun party later that night, I felt great on my jog, the windows were open with a gentle breeze flowing in, and my wife and kids were in the house, happy and healthy. It was about the closest thing to a natural high you can get. I am sure the endorphins from the long run and the rare nice weather helped, however it was one of those same kind of moments I had had on the cruise ship. I got in my car and drove up the street to grab some lunch for my wife and I with the windows down. I just felt great. Everything was fine for those moments. I clicked on my cd player and what song came on but "Clarity" by John Mayer. It wasn't so random that it was on the radio, but it was on a cd I had made already in my cd player. I'm not saying that the song has anything to do with it, though I do like it, but hearing it made me think of the parallels to the time on the cruise. Sometimes, things just fall the right way.
I think it's important to recognize these moments when they come. Many folks probably experience them in different ways on different days. But they make you feel thankful for everything you have in your life.
I want to get this message across to whomever hasn't stopped reading this blog by now because they thought it was too corny. And more importantly, I want my kids to read this when they are fully grown adults. When they have experienced the pressure of everyday life with work, bills, traffic jams, world tragedy,etc. I want them to come read this and try to remember that these euphoric moments do come, don't fret. You don't need a drug, a massage, a million dollars, etc. to experience these moments of euphoria. Anyone can have them. They are what makes living life great. The key is recognizing them, and savoring them, even if it's just for a few minutes.
I mean sure, a little nice weather, what day of the week it is, or being a vacation helps, but really, you can't predict these moments. So when they come, take a deep breath, and be glad for everything you have to be glad about. For as much tragedy and drama there is in the world, there is beauty.
If you feel like you have nothing to be glad about, well you're probably not looking hard enough, but at least be glad you're here. Because that there is enough sometimes. These moments of clarity will show you.
"I worry, I weigh three times my body
I worry, I throw my fear around
But this morning, there's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted, only diamonds now remain..."
Pardon my corniness for a moment, however I just feel like I need to write about this, because one day my kids are going to grow up and I am going to want them to know this when they're old enough to understand it. Hopefully, I'll still be around to attempt to even explain it to them, but even so, I can't say I'll remember what was on my mind at this moment. This is one of those messages I just want to leave with people.
One particular instance was on my honeymoon cruise ship. My wife was taking a cat nap in our cabin, so I set out onto the ship to let her get some quiet. I just toured the ship, trying to savor how great a time I was having. I ventured into this theater, where they do their stage shows and musicals, etc. The place was empty because it was late afternoon and nothing was going on in there yet. Granted, I was reeling from the pleasure of being on a cruise, but I was in awe of how large the theater was for a cruise ship and how it was designed. A song was playing in the background, and I just sat. That's it, I grabbed a seat and sat for a moment, listening to the song, pondering everything I had seen so far during the honeymoon, the beautiful sites and different places we went that I had never been. The song playing was John Mayer's "Clarity", I didn't even know the title of the song or what it was called then, I just knew I liked it. And I sat. It was peaceful, quiet, and for those few minutes, I had nothing in my mind but peace. For those few minutes there were no bills, no work, and no drama.
It probably doesn't sound like much, but that's the best I can explain it. It's hard to put these moments into words, as they are more just moment you experience in your mind, just you and your surroundings is all you need for those few minutes.
One more moment I had like this was this past Saturday afternoon. It was a gorgeous day out (this was before it started raining :) and I had just gotten out of the shower, because I had went for a jog. It was my favorite day of the week, I was anticipating a fun party later that night, I felt great on my jog, the windows were open with a gentle breeze flowing in, and my wife and kids were in the house, happy and healthy. It was about the closest thing to a natural high you can get. I am sure the endorphins from the long run and the rare nice weather helped, however it was one of those same kind of moments I had had on the cruise ship. I got in my car and drove up the street to grab some lunch for my wife and I with the windows down. I just felt great. Everything was fine for those moments. I clicked on my cd player and what song came on but "Clarity" by John Mayer. It wasn't so random that it was on the radio, but it was on a cd I had made already in my cd player. I'm not saying that the song has anything to do with it, though I do like it, but hearing it made me think of the parallels to the time on the cruise. Sometimes, things just fall the right way.
I think it's important to recognize these moments when they come. Many folks probably experience them in different ways on different days. But they make you feel thankful for everything you have in your life.
I want to get this message across to whomever hasn't stopped reading this blog by now because they thought it was too corny. And more importantly, I want my kids to read this when they are fully grown adults. When they have experienced the pressure of everyday life with work, bills, traffic jams, world tragedy,etc. I want them to come read this and try to remember that these euphoric moments do come, don't fret. You don't need a drug, a massage, a million dollars, etc. to experience these moments of euphoria. Anyone can have them. They are what makes living life great. The key is recognizing them, and savoring them, even if it's just for a few minutes.
I mean sure, a little nice weather, what day of the week it is, or being a vacation helps, but really, you can't predict these moments. So when they come, take a deep breath, and be glad for everything you have to be glad about. For as much tragedy and drama there is in the world, there is beauty.
If you feel like you have nothing to be glad about, well you're probably not looking hard enough, but at least be glad you're here. Because that there is enough sometimes. These moments of clarity will show you.
"I worry, I weigh three times my body
I worry, I throw my fear around
But this morning, there's a calm I can't explain
Rock candy's melted, only diamonds now remain..."
New Rules
Damon’s New Rules for 2008
I can't stand Bill Maher but I enjoy his skit "New Rules". Here's my version of that.
These are some random yet honest gripes from my somewhat pessimistic mind. Don't take anything personal, it's just time for me to vent. But really, who reads these anyway? (oops! I was being pessimistic again! I gotta stop that )
1. New Rule! People at the gym need to get out of their routines.
I work in the fitness profession. I love the exercise part of the business. I love seeing people reach goals through hard work and motivation (not pills, fad diets, or surgeries). I know what it's like to be overweight and/or out of shape so I understand the struggle, I also understand how good it feels to overcome that struggle and be able to maintain the lifestyle. That's why I am getting so tired of seeing people (drones, robots, pick a word) who come in the gym and do the same exact routine every single workout. They wear the same workout clothes, start at the exact same machine, and go through the same motions. Every single time for years and years. They also do not listen to my co-workers and I, the professionals, when we tell them they're never going to see results if they keep doing the same monotonous routine every single time.
Nine times out of ten, if the very first thing you do when you get in the gym is go sit on the leg extension machine, do 10 reps, then rest for 5 minutes until you do another one, your program could use a jolt anyway.
Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of routines myself, I eat generally the same sandwich everyday at noon, I usually get a diet soda at the same time everyday, I like to crack a cold one generally about the same time on a Saturday night,etc. But as far as a workout is concerned, I am constantly changing and varying. Doing the same thing all the time is going to become totally pointless if you don't change something. Anything. I mean, aren't you getting bored? A workout should not become something you are just "going through the motions" with anyway.
I honestly think a lot of certain people, as robotic and programmed as they are, don't even think about what they are doing anymore. Their brains are preset to go to a certain place, sit on a certain machine and do a certain exercise every single time they enter the gym. Change it? What?? Get outa here!
Okay. Bye.
2. Now Hair This!
Honestly, if you've been wearing the same hairstyle as you did in high school and you're now in your late 30's or 40's, chances are that hairstyle has gone out of style. Do you see many people around you still sporting that do? Here's a hint, if you're a woman and your hairstyle has bangs, frills, or any kind of feathery look, it's OUT. Change it, you look ridiculous. Anyone ever seen that Seinfeld with the woman who wore her hair like she did in high school and she was mocked behind her back because people were afraid to tell her? Yeah, that's what is probably happening to you.
Look, I don't claim to be perfect, I don't have "Sam Malone from Cheers" hair (anymore ), and I'm at an age where I may not constantly be in tune to the latest styles and fads all the time. Sometimes I have to ask or read an issue of GQ, I admit. But I'm also aware enough to know that the bowl cut I sported in 9th grade is not really in style anymore. That was 1990. It is now 2008. Think things may have changed a bit?
That trans-am isn't cool anymore and those jordache jeans should have been put out with the trash in 1987. So that Farrah Fawcett hairdo is over.
Travel anywhere in Glen Burnie and you'll see what I am talking about. (okay, that was a low blow, I'll take that one back )
quick disclaimer: This is all in good fun here. I understand that just because someone wears their hair like this it doesn't make them any less of a good person, etc. This is not being written in anger, but more as a light hearted riff.
3. New Rule: Save the commentating for a football game.
I am becoming increasingly intolerant of people who feel the need to commentate on the food that I am eating. I call them "food commentators or "food acknowledgers" This has happened to me at every job I've worked before:
"smells good, whatcha got?"
"wow, are you gonna eat that much?"
"that can't be healthy!"
"oooh that looks good what is that?"
" that's a tiny portion, are you feeding the rabbits?"
And I am not talking about co-workers either, when you work side by side with people everyday- yeah you talk about what you're eating. I'm talking about the random people who walk by and feel the need to mention something about your food.
Can I just eat in peace? Can I eat without your acknowledgement that I am eating and questions? I can't answer you with my mouth full and furthermore, I don't want to. Let me eat.
4. Yet even more on the topic of locker room ettiquette...
I 've discussed in blogs before how murphy's law always applies in the gym locker room. No matter where I may have my stuff by the lockers, and no matter how empty the locker room may be, someone will always come in and have the locker right above or next to mine. Yeah, this still continues.
Really? Is that really where your locker is? In this empty ass locker room? Okay fine, dumb luck, I know this kind of things happens by chance. I know no one is literally out to annoy me.
I'm just saying, seriously -get your balls out of my face. Me reaching down to tie my shoe is not a good time for you to throw that leg up on the bench so that siskel and ebert are dangling inches from my face. If we're going to be changing this close to each other-help me out here, move a couple paces down the bench. There's no hot mug of water down here, I don't need a teabag.
5. New Rule!
Just because a female is hot does not automatically make her dumb. You hear this everywhere. People just can't seem to appreciate beauty and move on, they always have to throw in "well she can't be too smart if she's that good looking." Why not? I think jealous people say this. They're mad someone else is better looking than them so they go on the defensive. Unprovoked! Why be so mean? Good looks don't equal stupidity. If they do, I missed that memo. There are probably a lot of hotties who are not too smart but then there are a lot who are very smart.
The same goes for guys too. I know for instance that Brad Pitt is (may? ) be a better looking man than I am. This does not tick me off to the point where I need to call him dumb. Am I a little envious? Sure. I think it's okay to be a little envious if we're envying out of admiration and it motivates us to better ourselves. It's when the envy turns to bitterness and nastiness that I have the problem with it.
I say if someone is hot- good for them! Cheers! They probably work hard to be that way. Move on. Save the obviously bitter comentary.
6. New Rule for all men going into the gym:
There are other muscles in your body besides your biceps!
It's becoming a very bothersome predictability in the gym, if a male is somewhat new to the fitness arena or even worse, a seasoned veteran in the gym, the first exercise he will go to is the bicep curl. Why? Bicep curls are probably the least functional exercise you can do in the gym. The bicep curl is almost completely unnecessary to a program. Sure, every once in a while throw in a few sets of some curls at the end of a workout for variety, but to take an entire day to do biceps is overkill. Same goes for triceps for that matter.
You want to get big biceps? Do pullups or chinups. Do lat pulldowns and rows. Any movement where you're moving more than one muscle at a time is better than one where you move one. Why? You work more muscle at the same time, so more muscle gets built. Really, how exhausted are you after those sets of concentration curls? Is your body worn down? Are you sweating pools from doing biceps? Get on that lat pulldown and pull down some weight using your back muscles and your biceps. You'll get bigger biceps than if you just do concentration curls all day. More muscles working= more muscle.
I know it's the cliche and macho thing to grab those dumbbells and do curls, but get over it.
7.While we're at the gym.....
Guys, you need to do cardio, too.
I know so many men who scoff at the idea of cardio. They can lift lots of heavy weight in the weight room and they usually enjoy throwing the weight down after and grunting to show everyone else how strong they are. They can squat 400 and they can bench 350. But ask them to run a mile and see what they say.
Your program is not complete if you're just doing one or the other. So guys, you need to do some cardio, and girls, you need to lift some weights. How often you do either of the two depends on your goals.
Now I understand fella, your only goal is to be huge. You could care less about your cardiovascular endurance. I know your main goal is to just have a muscle pop out from under that size extra medium shirt like the Incredible Hulk. And yes, that amount of weight you can move is impressive. But you want to really impress me? Go out and run a few miles and follow it up with running flights of stairs for 20 minutes, without puking.
8. New rule for myself:
Don't sweat the small stuff!
This pertains to lots of people but I really am making a conscious effort to follow my own advice on this one. I write this blog in comedy and in jest, but I am not above any of these rules. I'm not perfect. I tend to be impatient, I get pissed off in traffic, and I hate when people talk in the movies. But really, when it all comes down to it, it's very minor and petty to people in other circumstances.
There are so many people less fortunate than you or me out there that any of these things I mention would seem preposterous. People with terminal diseases, trying to cling to their last few moments with their loved ones or soldiers at war, living everyday like it could be their last.
My point is, you are always lucky by at least one person's standards, somewhere. Capture the simple moments.
(But change that hairdo.)
D
I can't stand Bill Maher but I enjoy his skit "New Rules". Here's my version of that.
These are some random yet honest gripes from my somewhat pessimistic mind. Don't take anything personal, it's just time for me to vent. But really, who reads these anyway? (oops! I was being pessimistic again! I gotta stop that )
1. New Rule! People at the gym need to get out of their routines.
I work in the fitness profession. I love the exercise part of the business. I love seeing people reach goals through hard work and motivation (not pills, fad diets, or surgeries). I know what it's like to be overweight and/or out of shape so I understand the struggle, I also understand how good it feels to overcome that struggle and be able to maintain the lifestyle. That's why I am getting so tired of seeing people (drones, robots, pick a word) who come in the gym and do the same exact routine every single workout. They wear the same workout clothes, start at the exact same machine, and go through the same motions. Every single time for years and years. They also do not listen to my co-workers and I, the professionals, when we tell them they're never going to see results if they keep doing the same monotonous routine every single time.
Nine times out of ten, if the very first thing you do when you get in the gym is go sit on the leg extension machine, do 10 reps, then rest for 5 minutes until you do another one, your program could use a jolt anyway.
Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of routines myself, I eat generally the same sandwich everyday at noon, I usually get a diet soda at the same time everyday, I like to crack a cold one generally about the same time on a Saturday night,etc. But as far as a workout is concerned, I am constantly changing and varying. Doing the same thing all the time is going to become totally pointless if you don't change something. Anything. I mean, aren't you getting bored? A workout should not become something you are just "going through the motions" with anyway.
I honestly think a lot of certain people, as robotic and programmed as they are, don't even think about what they are doing anymore. Their brains are preset to go to a certain place, sit on a certain machine and do a certain exercise every single time they enter the gym. Change it? What?? Get outa here!
Okay. Bye.
2. Now Hair This!
Honestly, if you've been wearing the same hairstyle as you did in high school and you're now in your late 30's or 40's, chances are that hairstyle has gone out of style. Do you see many people around you still sporting that do? Here's a hint, if you're a woman and your hairstyle has bangs, frills, or any kind of feathery look, it's OUT. Change it, you look ridiculous. Anyone ever seen that Seinfeld with the woman who wore her hair like she did in high school and she was mocked behind her back because people were afraid to tell her? Yeah, that's what is probably happening to you.
Look, I don't claim to be perfect, I don't have "Sam Malone from Cheers" hair (anymore ), and I'm at an age where I may not constantly be in tune to the latest styles and fads all the time. Sometimes I have to ask or read an issue of GQ, I admit. But I'm also aware enough to know that the bowl cut I sported in 9th grade is not really in style anymore. That was 1990. It is now 2008. Think things may have changed a bit?
That trans-am isn't cool anymore and those jordache jeans should have been put out with the trash in 1987. So that Farrah Fawcett hairdo is over.
Travel anywhere in Glen Burnie and you'll see what I am talking about. (okay, that was a low blow, I'll take that one back )
quick disclaimer: This is all in good fun here. I understand that just because someone wears their hair like this it doesn't make them any less of a good person, etc. This is not being written in anger, but more as a light hearted riff.
3. New Rule: Save the commentating for a football game.
I am becoming increasingly intolerant of people who feel the need to commentate on the food that I am eating. I call them "food commentators or "food acknowledgers" This has happened to me at every job I've worked before:
"smells good, whatcha got?"
"wow, are you gonna eat that much?"
"that can't be healthy!"
"oooh that looks good what is that?"
" that's a tiny portion, are you feeding the rabbits?"
And I am not talking about co-workers either, when you work side by side with people everyday- yeah you talk about what you're eating. I'm talking about the random people who walk by and feel the need to mention something about your food.
Can I just eat in peace? Can I eat without your acknowledgement that I am eating and questions? I can't answer you with my mouth full and furthermore, I don't want to. Let me eat.
4. Yet even more on the topic of locker room ettiquette...
I 've discussed in blogs before how murphy's law always applies in the gym locker room. No matter where I may have my stuff by the lockers, and no matter how empty the locker room may be, someone will always come in and have the locker right above or next to mine. Yeah, this still continues.
Really? Is that really where your locker is? In this empty ass locker room? Okay fine, dumb luck, I know this kind of things happens by chance. I know no one is literally out to annoy me.
I'm just saying, seriously -get your balls out of my face. Me reaching down to tie my shoe is not a good time for you to throw that leg up on the bench so that siskel and ebert are dangling inches from my face. If we're going to be changing this close to each other-help me out here, move a couple paces down the bench. There's no hot mug of water down here, I don't need a teabag.
5. New Rule!
Just because a female is hot does not automatically make her dumb. You hear this everywhere. People just can't seem to appreciate beauty and move on, they always have to throw in "well she can't be too smart if she's that good looking." Why not? I think jealous people say this. They're mad someone else is better looking than them so they go on the defensive. Unprovoked! Why be so mean? Good looks don't equal stupidity. If they do, I missed that memo. There are probably a lot of hotties who are not too smart but then there are a lot who are very smart.
The same goes for guys too. I know for instance that Brad Pitt is (may? ) be a better looking man than I am. This does not tick me off to the point where I need to call him dumb. Am I a little envious? Sure. I think it's okay to be a little envious if we're envying out of admiration and it motivates us to better ourselves. It's when the envy turns to bitterness and nastiness that I have the problem with it.
I say if someone is hot- good for them! Cheers! They probably work hard to be that way. Move on. Save the obviously bitter comentary.
6. New Rule for all men going into the gym:
There are other muscles in your body besides your biceps!
It's becoming a very bothersome predictability in the gym, if a male is somewhat new to the fitness arena or even worse, a seasoned veteran in the gym, the first exercise he will go to is the bicep curl. Why? Bicep curls are probably the least functional exercise you can do in the gym. The bicep curl is almost completely unnecessary to a program. Sure, every once in a while throw in a few sets of some curls at the end of a workout for variety, but to take an entire day to do biceps is overkill. Same goes for triceps for that matter.
You want to get big biceps? Do pullups or chinups. Do lat pulldowns and rows. Any movement where you're moving more than one muscle at a time is better than one where you move one. Why? You work more muscle at the same time, so more muscle gets built. Really, how exhausted are you after those sets of concentration curls? Is your body worn down? Are you sweating pools from doing biceps? Get on that lat pulldown and pull down some weight using your back muscles and your biceps. You'll get bigger biceps than if you just do concentration curls all day. More muscles working= more muscle.
I know it's the cliche and macho thing to grab those dumbbells and do curls, but get over it.
7.While we're at the gym.....
Guys, you need to do cardio, too.
I know so many men who scoff at the idea of cardio. They can lift lots of heavy weight in the weight room and they usually enjoy throwing the weight down after and grunting to show everyone else how strong they are. They can squat 400 and they can bench 350. But ask them to run a mile and see what they say.
Your program is not complete if you're just doing one or the other. So guys, you need to do some cardio, and girls, you need to lift some weights. How often you do either of the two depends on your goals.
Now I understand fella, your only goal is to be huge. You could care less about your cardiovascular endurance. I know your main goal is to just have a muscle pop out from under that size extra medium shirt like the Incredible Hulk. And yes, that amount of weight you can move is impressive. But you want to really impress me? Go out and run a few miles and follow it up with running flights of stairs for 20 minutes, without puking.
8. New rule for myself:
Don't sweat the small stuff!
This pertains to lots of people but I really am making a conscious effort to follow my own advice on this one. I write this blog in comedy and in jest, but I am not above any of these rules. I'm not perfect. I tend to be impatient, I get pissed off in traffic, and I hate when people talk in the movies. But really, when it all comes down to it, it's very minor and petty to people in other circumstances.
There are so many people less fortunate than you or me out there that any of these things I mention would seem preposterous. People with terminal diseases, trying to cling to their last few moments with their loved ones or soldiers at war, living everyday like it could be their last.
My point is, you are always lucky by at least one person's standards, somewhere. Capture the simple moments.
(But change that hairdo.)
D
Mondays
"Come Monday, it'll be all right..." -Jimmy Buffett
Mondays are probably my most unfavorite day of the week. I'm sure the same goes for almost everyone else in the world.
Monday mornings always seem to come too fast.
I'm usually very sleepy from not enough sleep the night before because I tend to get thrown off my sleep schedule a tad from sleeping in on the weekend, so it's the hardest day of the week for me to get out of bed. If I had a nickel for every time the alarm went off Monday and I considered calling in sick to work I'd be a very rich man. But I never do. You just tough it out and realize that the day ahead is not going to be as fun as say a Friday would.
My joints are usually achy from a Saturday full of activity and numb from a Sunday full of doing nothing. In general, I don't think this is news to anyone out there (aside for the retired or maybe a rock star), Mondays are just kind of blah.
Some people say "Mondays are great! You have the whole week ahead of you!"
More power to them, I just don't really share this sentiment. I personally would rather have the weekend ahead of me.
However the one gift I think Mondays give us are the good chance to reflect. Mondays offer us the opportunity to reflect on the previous weekend. Sure you can reflect on your past weekend on a Tuesday too but on Mondays it's fresher in our minds.
This past weekend I did nothing extravagant, but I was able to spend time relaxing with good friends and family. What more could anyone ask for?
I have a loving wife who makes us a wonderful home with her incredible eye for design. She has also allowed me to be a dad to her two wonderful (albeit crazy :)) young boys.
I have a great sister who is just starting the newlywed life in an exciting city with a guy who I already consider to be a brother.
I have a mom who would do anything for me and a dad with a bum hip, but who is doing fairly well considering, and I know the future holds better days for him.
I have a brother-in-law who has just gotten engaged to be married, and I'm excited for him as he enters this exciting (yet hectic) stage of his life.
We were blessed with beautiful weather (in August?) and I was able to go out and jog a course I had never been able to complete before, but did so this time with flying colors. Ten years ago I would have probably passed out on this run and it dawned on me, I'm in better shape at 31 than I was at 21. I don't mean that to toot my own horn at all, but that does make me feel good about myself.
And I have a fun and reliable group of friends who allow me to vent out some of life's minor frustrations over a cocktail or two.
So, yeah Mondays suck. But the one redeeming quality they offer you is the chance to reflect with everything fresh in your mind. In conclusion, even with all of my complaining, on this particular Monday, I have had the chance to realize what a lucky man that I am.
Tuesday however, is a whole different story. Don't get me started.
Peace and Love,
D
Mondays are probably my most unfavorite day of the week. I'm sure the same goes for almost everyone else in the world.
Monday mornings always seem to come too fast.
I'm usually very sleepy from not enough sleep the night before because I tend to get thrown off my sleep schedule a tad from sleeping in on the weekend, so it's the hardest day of the week for me to get out of bed. If I had a nickel for every time the alarm went off Monday and I considered calling in sick to work I'd be a very rich man. But I never do. You just tough it out and realize that the day ahead is not going to be as fun as say a Friday would.
My joints are usually achy from a Saturday full of activity and numb from a Sunday full of doing nothing. In general, I don't think this is news to anyone out there (aside for the retired or maybe a rock star), Mondays are just kind of blah.
Some people say "Mondays are great! You have the whole week ahead of you!"
More power to them, I just don't really share this sentiment. I personally would rather have the weekend ahead of me.
However the one gift I think Mondays give us are the good chance to reflect. Mondays offer us the opportunity to reflect on the previous weekend. Sure you can reflect on your past weekend on a Tuesday too but on Mondays it's fresher in our minds.
This past weekend I did nothing extravagant, but I was able to spend time relaxing with good friends and family. What more could anyone ask for?
I have a loving wife who makes us a wonderful home with her incredible eye for design. She has also allowed me to be a dad to her two wonderful (albeit crazy :)) young boys.
I have a great sister who is just starting the newlywed life in an exciting city with a guy who I already consider to be a brother.
I have a mom who would do anything for me and a dad with a bum hip, but who is doing fairly well considering, and I know the future holds better days for him.
I have a brother-in-law who has just gotten engaged to be married, and I'm excited for him as he enters this exciting (yet hectic) stage of his life.
We were blessed with beautiful weather (in August?) and I was able to go out and jog a course I had never been able to complete before, but did so this time with flying colors. Ten years ago I would have probably passed out on this run and it dawned on me, I'm in better shape at 31 than I was at 21. I don't mean that to toot my own horn at all, but that does make me feel good about myself.
And I have a fun and reliable group of friends who allow me to vent out some of life's minor frustrations over a cocktail or two.
So, yeah Mondays suck. But the one redeeming quality they offer you is the chance to reflect with everything fresh in your mind. In conclusion, even with all of my complaining, on this particular Monday, I have had the chance to realize what a lucky man that I am.
Tuesday however, is a whole different story. Don't get me started.
Peace and Love,
D
Alert the media!
Stop the presses! Damon has started a blog!
That was sarcasm. What I mean by that is, who really cares? Is anyone really going to read this?
Oh well, I have been inspired by a few people who have blogs and I decided to start my own. I realized that the ones I write on my myspace page probably never get read. I don't know why I think doing them here will change that, but whatever. I have come to realize that my brain needs some sort of creative outlet and the technology of the 21st century is allowing me to have one.
Some blogs will be repeats of ones I have had on myspace, as I just want to have them all in one spot. So excuse me if you happen to be reading one and you say "hey I have read this one before". Just move on to the next one if this is the case.
Let me start by explaining the title of my blog. 'Ville Street Blues is the title of a hip hop song I recorded back in '02. It was on a double cd that I recorded in a makeshift radio studio and distributed locally to friends and whoever for 5 bucks a pop. It was just for fun. As you can see, I never made it big :). I just really loved to write hip hop. That was the most popular song among my friends on my cd. It was a jam all about reminiscing to the old days for me with the theme to 'Hill Street Blues dubbed into the beat, and I was saying I had the blues because I wish I had those days back sometimes. The ville is slang for Catonsville. I am originally from Westview Park, but anything 21228 is Catonsville to me.
Anyway, this song title just sort of embodies me, and I thought was good as the name of my blog. I'm just a random 30 something from Catonsville and here are my "blues", gripes, random thoughts, musings, emotions on paper, whatever .
I haven't written much hip hop since. In '04 I had enough songs to make a new cd but I really just lost my motivation to record anymore. I don't know where it went. I just sort of lost that fire inside of me concerning it. Maybe getting older and wiser had something to do with it. I lost my desire to be misogynistic and foul in my lyrics. Maybe that's a good thing. The truth is the mindstate I had when I recorded those songs for that album is totally gone now, well, all except for "ville street blues".
These days I am a family man with a lovely wife and two wonderful stepchildren who I consider to be my sons now. I work in the fitness business as a personal trainer/fitness specialist.
I suppose you could call it ironic (is that the word? I never seem to know when or how to use that word) that I became a personal trainer after growing up as a chubby kid and teenager. But maybe that's why I wanted to get in this business. More on that in later blogs maybe.
Thanks for visiting my new blog. I hope you enjoy future posts.
Peace and love,
D
That was sarcasm. What I mean by that is, who really cares? Is anyone really going to read this?
Oh well, I have been inspired by a few people who have blogs and I decided to start my own. I realized that the ones I write on my myspace page probably never get read. I don't know why I think doing them here will change that, but whatever. I have come to realize that my brain needs some sort of creative outlet and the technology of the 21st century is allowing me to have one.
Some blogs will be repeats of ones I have had on myspace, as I just want to have them all in one spot. So excuse me if you happen to be reading one and you say "hey I have read this one before". Just move on to the next one if this is the case.
Let me start by explaining the title of my blog. 'Ville Street Blues is the title of a hip hop song I recorded back in '02. It was on a double cd that I recorded in a makeshift radio studio and distributed locally to friends and whoever for 5 bucks a pop. It was just for fun. As you can see, I never made it big :). I just really loved to write hip hop. That was the most popular song among my friends on my cd. It was a jam all about reminiscing to the old days for me with the theme to 'Hill Street Blues dubbed into the beat, and I was saying I had the blues because I wish I had those days back sometimes. The ville is slang for Catonsville. I am originally from Westview Park, but anything 21228 is Catonsville to me.
Anyway, this song title just sort of embodies me, and I thought was good as the name of my blog. I'm just a random 30 something from Catonsville and here are my "blues", gripes, random thoughts, musings, emotions on paper, whatever .
I haven't written much hip hop since. In '04 I had enough songs to make a new cd but I really just lost my motivation to record anymore. I don't know where it went. I just sort of lost that fire inside of me concerning it. Maybe getting older and wiser had something to do with it. I lost my desire to be misogynistic and foul in my lyrics. Maybe that's a good thing. The truth is the mindstate I had when I recorded those songs for that album is totally gone now, well, all except for "ville street blues".
These days I am a family man with a lovely wife and two wonderful stepchildren who I consider to be my sons now. I work in the fitness business as a personal trainer/fitness specialist.
I suppose you could call it ironic (is that the word? I never seem to know when or how to use that word) that I became a personal trainer after growing up as a chubby kid and teenager. But maybe that's why I wanted to get in this business. More on that in later blogs maybe.
Thanks for visiting my new blog. I hope you enjoy future posts.
Peace and love,
D
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