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Update On The New Cubicle Prison and Life In General

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I have lost my focus concerning my cubicle prison workouts, and I have been too exhausted to workout at home. My commute is 45+ minutes one way. About 8 weeks ago I began walking the stairs just a bit to get ready for the backpacking trip to the East Caney loop trail in Arkansas, and after that trip I started doing a bit more to prep for the Ozark Highland Trail 3 weeks later. Walking the stairs in the building is actually against the property management rules now, at least according to our power trip HR director. I do it anyway, but I can’t be obvious about it which means I can’t do it with the frequency I would like. As of Last week I have started to adjust to the new grueling workload, and I am willing myself to get back on track. I am listening to my morning motivations again, my attitude has been better in the face of unrealistic expectations, and I have begun my cubicle prison workouts again. Nothing worth noting because at my age I am basically just starting out again. I won’t push my body past 40 consecutive pushups yet, it’s like I’ve never worked out before.

Initially this was a minimum security cubicle prison, but it is no longer. The atmosphere was more laid back, encouraging, and upbeat. It was hopeful and people smiled a lot. That is no longer the case, and hasn’t been for several months, hence the complete silence. A new warden was brought in to work alongside the “minimum security mindset” warden with the intention of increasing the net operating income. This place has now turned into a work camp, it’s as bad as the place I left in March. Moral is terrible, we are working way to hard, head count has been reduced, every month we are changing processes in attempts to be more “efficient”, etc. Today is Friday and we are wrapping up close week. I have been at work at 6:45 AM every morning this week, and haven’t shut down my computer until at least 8:30 PM. I was told when I interviewed that if we worked more than 50 hours during close week we would get comp time, but I have only received comp time once. The reasoning behind not getting comp time anymore is because we are too busy and there is too much to do. I have been doing ledger accounting as opposed to sales and use tax (although I still do some of that as well), and I hate it. And I kinda suck at it. I’m not organized (or anal?) enough to be good at it. The insurance here is far more expensive, so even though I got an 8% raise when I jumped ship, I actually bring home roughly $300 less each month. I’m really struggling financially because of it.

The thing that got me typing updates again is I want to document my quest to get my house sell ready. I have been doing it for about a year, but things are ramping up. This brings into focus the fact that this blog has become less about my overall battle against the typical American Suburbanite life and more focused on how I am trying to stay healthy and fit while trapped at a desk – which is a part of the overall struggle, but not the entirety of it. So, … I’m sure at some point in the past I had mentioned minimizing, and I am still on that path. However the “throw/give away something every weekend” has become less and less doable, but I am always on the lookout for things that I can jettison. When I began the process of getting my house sell ready, I really had no plans to sell it, I just figured there is no downside to having the house sell ready. I would be living in a house that is in good repair and less cluttered. I look at things and ask myself “if I were moving, would I pack this up and move it to the new place”? If the answer is no, out it goes.

Now I am planning to sell the house once I get it sell ready. I originally had misgivings about selling because it’s the house my kids have grown up in, it’s the only house they’ve ever lived in. But now I’m thinking there is no reason to stay in it. It’s not like there are all these fond childhood memories here. This is where all of the disfunction happened. Plus my oldest is engaged and will get married sometime next year, my youngest will be a senior in high school next year, and I plan on proposing to my girlfriend after the beginning of the new year. Two weekends ago I cleaned up a good portion of the back yard. I ripped out one of the raised beds and leveled it, and built a zone 1 garden bed with cinder blocks that looks really nice. Last weekend I painted the cabinets in the bathroom, organized some of my tools, and threw away an old work table that was falling apart and had become a catch all. Next weekend (not tomorrow) I will probably paint the bathroom walls. After that I will paint the Kitchen cabinets, then the walls, then I am going to put up a tile backsplash.

Well I am going to sign off for now, I need to get back to the grind so I can leave this hell on time today.

Peace!!

Lubimûr

H2O Cocktail

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I read about this before, I guess a couple of years ago, and it popped up again, so I think I am going to add it to my “Healthy Wellness” morning routine. Especially since I have decided just this week that in order to make some financial progress I’m going to need to be selective about the supplements I take. I am currently working on identifying the most basic “must have” supplements. One that I know without a doubt is Magnesium. I read an interview recently with Robin Arzón VP of Fitness for Peloton, and she mentioned that she only takes like three or four supplements without fail, but does other things like the H2O cocktail as well as some “green powder” (not mixed together). Now the one she takes looks insanely expensive, Athletic Greens – $97 for 30 day supply. I also know that Wild Future Greens is about $80 for 28 servings, so that seems undoable, Organifi Green Juice is $70 for 30 servings, so I’ll probably stick with Amazing Grass greens powder for $22. They also have a chocolate version which my oldest puts in oatmeal. But I digress…

For my morning cocktail:

  • cup warm water
  • 1 tsp (or 1 tbsp) raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
  • 1 tbsp organic lemon juice
  • dash of organic cayenne pepper

Some people use this for constipation, and is also called a salt water flush or cleanse, and is designed to cleanse your colon. The salt is supposed to start the body’s own process of natural detox and waste elimination. It is also supposed helps get your digestive system back on track. Most effective if done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach

Other “miracle benefits” I’ve been told are: thin respiratory mucus and alleviate congestion; ease a sore throat; help to repopulate a malnourished gut microbiome; raise your body’s pH and lower inflammation; an early-morning re-hydrator, salt actually helps you digest your food more efficiently by increasing the amount of hydrochloric acid produced; helps reduce muscle cramps (even during the night); and alkalizes our blood (note, my Dr thinks the ability to alter one’s blood PH is complete hogwash, and he has a pretty solid argument. Our body must maintain a very tight range of PH in order to function and not shut down. Therefore, we are always near an optimum PH regardless of what we do. Our bodies may have to work harder at the expense of other body process in order to accomplish this which is a bad thing, but it will); and control blood sugar level.

Whether any of this is true or not, I don’t know. Experts at Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic point out using apple cider vinegar can interact with certain supplements or drugs – including diuretics and insulin. So, people with diabetes should be cautious. Also, according to the Mayo Clinic, there’s little scientific support for these claims. Studies of apple cider vinegar for weight loss have not consistently shown significant and sustainable weight loss across diverse groups of people. There are, however, a number of studies suggest that vinegar might prevent spikes in blood sugar in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by blocking starch absorption. A study from Arizona State University found that people at-risk for type 2 Diabetes who consumed ACV at meals kept their insulin levels in check and had 34 percent lower glucose post-meal. Another study led by the university tested a group of people with type 2 diabetes. The subjects consumed two tablespoons of ACV before bed*, which lowered their blood sugar levels by four to six percent by the morning.

Regardless, there are a lot of healthy people that swear by it, including people like Dr Axe, Kate Perry, Scarlett Johanson, and Robin Arzón VP of Fitness for Peloton, so what the hell.

So this research reminded me of something I had read about previously called water sole (pronounced solay), which I will probably mix up and keep on the counter to use in the mix above. Some of it’s “miracle benefits” are:

Helps with hydration: The body repairs and detoxifies naturally during sleep, but uses a good amount of water. That’s why we often get thirsty in the morning. Consuming a saline solution like sole helps the body to re-hydrate.

Electrolytes: Sole water contains the necessary electrolytes that provide you with the minerals you need to function and maintain your high energy level.

Improves digestion, energy, and blood sugar; detoxify the body and eliminate harmful bacteria, natural antihistamine, healthy veins, better sleep by relaxing the entire nervous system and control Adeline, reduce blood pressure, healthy skin hair and nails.

How to Make Sole Water

How to use the sole solution: Mix 1 teaspoon of the concentrated sole in a glass of water and consume on an empty stomach every morning. Do not use metal equipment to measure or touch the sole with metal objects.

Ingredients:
• 1 Qt. glass mason jar
• A plastic or non-metal lid
• 1-2 cups of Himalayan Salt
• Filtered water

Instructions:

IMPORTANT: Avoid using metal when making this. Metal from your spook or even the lid of your mason jar will de-ionize the salt. You can use plastic caps for mason jars. Or cover your jar with plastic wrap.

Plastic caps can be purchased here.

1. Fill the jar about ¼ to 1/3 of the way with Himalayan Salt
2. Add filtered water to fill the jar, leaving almost inch at the top.
3. Put on the plastic lid and shake the jar gently.
4. Leave on the counter for a day or so to let the salt dissolve. The Water will turn clear when its ready to use and the sediment left on the bottom of the jar indicates the water has absorbed its maximum amount of salt
5. If all of the salt is absorbed, add more salt and continue doing so each day until some remains. This means that the water is fully saturated with the salt and is ready to use.

Every morning on an empty stomach add 1 tsp of Sole to one cup of filtered water and drink up! Wait at least 30 minutes before eating a meal. Or in my case use 1 tsp to make the H2O cocktail above.

Peace!!

Have a Great Day!

Lubimûr

Week of 05/20/2019

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5/21/2019 Tuesday

11:20 – Pushups x 48; narrow hands, great form, total failure at bottom of 48. Everything just gave out and I collapsed.

I walked down 7 floors, did the pushups then walked back up 5 floors. I feel sketchy as hell right now. Checked my blood sugar and it’s fine. Maybe it was the preworkout?

Yeah, that must have been it. I just realized I took a whole scoop when I normally would take half, plus I haven’t taken it in a while so I’m sure it was the Taurine.

5/22/2019 Wednesday

8:30 – Neck Mobility Drills

10:20 – Vitamin B cocktail shot

Preworkout, but no protein powder. I dropped the container this morning and it broke. I did take 2 servings of Collagen Protein earlier though (around 9:15)

11:15 – Up/Down Dog x 5

  • Superman x 15 -> superman Isometric hold x 15 seconds
  • Yoga Pushups x 100; could have done more, but I am on display in the “Phone Room”, and my manager is interviewing replacement for the guy that got walked out last Monday (I did mention that didn’t I?)
  • Up/Down Dog x 10

11:50 – Seated Torso Twist x 75

5/23/2019 Thursday

  • Reverse lunges x 25/side, non alternating
  • Squats x 25; no rest between exercises

11:30 – back therapy

Have a Great Day!

Lubimûr

Could This Be Part Of The Problem With Our Public Schools?

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This is a shot of the high school my oldest attended (and my youngest currently attends, but my oldest took the picture), it’s during the transition between second and third period. The shot was taken form the stairs between the 1st and 2nd floor. There are only two floors, but the school itself is sprawling. There were approximately 1500 students in her graduating class. So I look at this and I have to ask the question: is this part of the solution or part of the problem? Is this really leading to a better educational experience? Is it leading to a better education? Is it enabling more bullying? Is it creating better developed and more confident teenagers? Is it helping them develop a sense of significance or confidence?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I think this is a problem which is leading to more problems. Of course this is just my opinion, and I acknowledge that some may see this as an improvement over the way things were done in the past. Some may say this system is producing more educated and diverse kids, and that must be a good thing. But being a pragmatist, I have to look at the results – the bottom line – and what I see is an epidemic of overeating, self-loathing, self-doubt, and insecurity. A fear of taking a risk, and an irrational fear of failure. An epidemic of depression and anxiety in our youth today.

I don’t think I ever met a “cutter” as a teenager. Sure, some of us cut ourselves, but it was to be cool or show how tough or B.A. we were, or just to have a scar to show off. It wasn’t a coping mechanism. I look at the ability to think on ones feet, to improvise, to overcome adversity, to think critically rather than regurgitate “the right answer”, and I don’t see an improvement in these skills, I see quite the opposite. I see young people who are lost when they reach the end of the instructions they were given and suddenly need to intuit what the next step should or could be.

There is no way for a teacher to evaluate an individuals needs or challenges and address them in a way that is specific to that kids challenge when there are so many kids packed into one system. In fact, most classes don’t even issue books, the curriculum is digital and is accessed online. The teachers don’t even give lectures, the give links to lectures online that aren’t given by the teacher “teaching” the kid’s class, but by a “teacher” (lecturer) that the kid will never even meet, or get to ask questions of. It looks like a freaking cattle call. It’s a factory designed to churn out a homogenous product, to produce quantity not quality. Is this really the best approach to producing the future of our society? To training up our future creators, innovators, leaders, and producers, the way they should go?

Peace Yo

Lubimûr

Trying To Gain Traction

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I have so completely lost my focus, my discipline, and my motivation. I still have the desire, that never goes away, but I am seriously struggling to push myself to actually push hard, to challenge myself. I’m tired, I’m hungry, whatever, it is sooo hard to actually dig and push when I’m hungry. I feel like such a wuss. When I was at the last facility, pushing myself when I was hungry drove me to push harder. Now every muscle in my body feels weak and tired, and mentally, … just forget about it. I suppose I could try doing light workouts to gain some momentum and then build on that success. But at the same time, when I do that it doesn’t give me the drive to keep going the next day. I think it was the feeling of progress that kept driving me forward. Now I don’t even know what to do beyond squats and pushups, my creativity has left along with my motivation.

Not only that but I am sitting more and more too. The chairs at this new facility aren’t nearly as uncomfortable as the previous ones, so I don’t have the pain and discomfort from sitting for extended periods that I did too remind me – and encourage me – to get up and move more regularly. Because of this my back is taking a turn for the worse. I’m sure not being able to get my back worked on is part of the problem as well, but I think even if I were getting my back therapy, it would still be deteriorating from the extended sitting.

I think the point I’m making is the point I’m always making: Never stop. It gets harder and harder to start, and at this age you just lose your progress so quickly. Because you do lose it so quickly, you are much more susceptible to injury when you start back up.

5/14/2019 Tuesday

Just tried pushing myself a little harder, and I did, but man my left elbow didn’t like it. I didn’t even do regular pushups. I have no choice but to start slow, it’s like starting over again. Starting at the very beginning. This sucks!

12:35 – Torso Twists, standing & on all fours;

  • Superman x 35 seconds;
  • Knee Pushups x 15; lousy form, elbow really bothering me
  • Chair Dips x 50; very short ROM, just figured out how to raise the arm height tho!

I think my approach is going to be to focus on building up the smaller muscles and strengthening the joints before pushing with the bigger muscles.

12:45 – Lunch – Hot Link and broccoli/carrots/onions

5/16/2019 Thursday

I did do a tiny bit of stuff yesterday, mobility drills mostly, did 6 stories on the stairs once, did a couple of sets of Chair dips. It’s even hard to motivate myself to document the training I am doing. I don’t know if it’s because I’m just not feeling it or because I am doing so little that it feels like what’s the point? I’m pretty sure that some if has to do with my coworkers being so close and the environment being so open, that I don’t want them to hear me tapping away at the keyboard. I really need to keep in mind however that it is important to do it, because my results aren’t from doing anything spectacular, merely doing something with obsessive consistency – even if it is just a tiny something.

So I have my Preworkout in hand, and I am gearing up to take an actual 15 minute break and move.

Yesterday one of the guys sent out the text that it is time to start thinking about our fall backpacking trip and to get something on the books. I think I am going to do some more targeted training to get this done. Not sure exactly what just yet, but rest assured I’ll come up with something. I’m thinking lunges, stairs, jumping… I don’t have the stamina of the other guys, and I’m not that strong, I’m a sprinter. I have to figure out how to work that to my advantage. Maybe I need to adjust my approach on the trail as well. Rather than trying to keep pace, fall behind and catch up. Maybe take the lead and then slow down or stop and rest. IDK, I’ll think on it.

So I think my next two research topics are going to be training for backpack hiking and how to handle distances as a sprinter type athlete.

11:00 – Stairs, down 7 Floors

  • Pushups x 40; Narrow Hands, Excellent form, made it to 30 nonstop before having to catch my breath, had to push on 30 – 40; probably would have failed at 45l;
  • Ramp in Parking garage; walked up and down the ramp between levels many times, ran up a couple of times, ran down a couple of times, power walked up most of the times, walked up and down backwards once’
  • Pushups x 40; Wide grip, Excellent form, may have failed before 45 if I could breathe enough to keep going,
  • Stairs, up 5 Floors

These were all done back to back with no rest, and I didn’t listen to any pump me up music or motivational before starting!

11:40 – Lunch: Piece of beef jerky, 2 cherries, a hunk of smoked pork shoulder. I didn’t come prepared to be so motivated today. I was even thinking about fasting this morning before work.

I am going to start being more diligent about logging my food intake. This has been a big part of my journey. The little 2 minute and 15 minute movements aren’t the prime reason I am in good shape, my food choices are.

12:50 – walk outside (90° outside, ozone alert day, I think the hole in the ozone layer is directly above us), about 2000 steps

5/17/2019 Friday

Lat night for dinner I had ham and shredded purple cabbage cooked in tallow with onions, garlic, mushrooms and black pepper; and 2 bourbon and cokes

12:15 – Yoga Pushups x 100; great form, wide hands, a little lower down my body than normal, last 10 were slow, feel super pumped

  • Chair Dips x 10; Arm rests at highest position, triceps are wasted.

Have a Great Day!

Lubimûr