Here are the rules of the meme:
Here we go!
1. I've always been into fitness but I haven't done a single formal workout since Hurricane Ike seven weeks ago. Fortunately after years of training I'm pretty good at listening to my body, so I've dropped my calories enough that there's been no weight gain. But I'm not as strong, fast or fit as I'm used to being. In the past, breaks like this would have driven me crazy but for some reason it's not bothering me this time.
2. How have I cut calories? By using intermittent fasting, basically skipping meals as it suits my schedule and my appetite. Lately I've been purposely skipping lunch two or three times a week, and it's amazing how it works for me. I don't get hungry and I keep up full momentum at the office without worrying about food. I've done lots of study on this topic over the past few years and all the "metabolism damage" fears about skipping meals are incorrect, in my opinion.
3. Right now I am pumped about this weekend. Earlier this year I posted some pictures of our first-ever camping trip, a group outing with some other families from our church. Well, this weekend is another church camping trip, but Jamie and I have some things we really need to stay home for. Her parents, though, have volunteered to take the kids on the camping trip so that they can have a couple of days of non-stop fun with their grandkids.
Jamie and I have had plenty of dates without the kids, and even a short trip or two. But we've never been home for a weekend while the kids were away somewhere. It's going to be bizarre and I'm sure we'll miss the kids, but the prospect of sleeping in on Saturday is worth a fist pump and a "booyah".
4. When men hit their mid-30s some of them lose their minds a little bit. Sort of an early mid-life crisis. I've heard this from several guys, and I'm not immune to the phenomenon either. So it's confession time. I have decided to do something very unexpected, and to jump into an activity that I've always known I wanted to try. It just took more than 30 years to admit to myself that I truly wanted to try it. In a way I guess I'm coming out of a closet. No, not that closet.
I'm learning to play piano. I've only just begun, but I have a decent keyboard, some books and am in the hunt for a good teacher. I want to learn it the right way, and have it become both a creative outlet and a stress-relieving activity at some point. That will entail enough of a mastery that I don't have to "think" so hard about the technicality of the playing, and can just focus on the feelings of the music. I realize that's a long way away, but I'm genuinely commited to getting there.
Knowing my blog visitors, some of you are reading this and thinking, "weird, Michael". Others are chuckling and saying I'll never stick with it. Others are jumping for joy.
5. I have a Playstation 3 and a Nintendo Wii, but I haven't been playing much of either lately. Not because I don't want to... there are several games for both systems I'm interested in. Just haven't gotten around to buying them. It'll be time when it's time.
6. Most of you know I'm a geek for physics, if you've been reading my posts lately. But I'm also a geek for other areas of science too -- specifically the intersection of psychology and neuroscience. Or put another way, the world of the "mind" and the world of the "brain". Examples:
-- Alzheimer's is a physical condition, affecting the brain tissue. But it manifests itself in terrible ways on the memory and the emotions. Brain and mind are connected.
-- Take a minute to close your eyes and think of one of your best memories. Picture it, see it, hear it, smell it. Chances are good that this mental exercise brings physical results -- a smile, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure and a relaxation of normally-tense muscles like those in the neck and shoulders.
See? I'm a geek for this stuff. Our scientists are still only scratching the surface in discovering what our brains, and our minds, are capable of.
7. When I get nervous, I get sweaty on my hands and on my booty.
Alright dudes, you're getting tagged. I've got a ridiculous amount of blogs in my RSS feed (more than 40 at last count), and eventually I'll get around to building a blogroll of some of my faves. And I've got more than 7 faves, so please don't be hurt if you're not in the short list of tagees to follow:
Hal
Bob Barbanes
Bob, just Bob
Andrew
Don
Jamie
Roland
There's another Bob I could've put on this list... my Uncle Bob. Hey uncle, let me know if my tagging of you would nudge you to get to blogging again. Cuz I'll totally add you to the list.
11 comments:
I can't help with the sweaty bum, but you can use Certain Dri (or the generic drug store versions) to keep your hands dry. Use it like lotion, once a week, before bed. Roll it on, coat your hands by rubbing them together, then let them dry and hit the hay. Once or twice a week, depending on how bad you sweat, and it takes a week or so to really work.
Thanks for the tag. I'm on it.
Very interesting!
I had heard about you wanting to play the piano and I think that is so cool. I wish that is something I knew how to do. Don't know if I'm committed enough to learn it at this age though.
Enjoy your weekend alone with Jamie...sounds divine!
Well, BOOYAH back to you!!!!!!!!!!--You & Jamie getting to BE AT HOME WITHOUT THE KIDDOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being a first, I'm pretty sure--YOU BOTH WILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We'll volunteer to 'keep' them some time, too--if you want to do it, again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it's WONDERFUL that you want to learn how to play the piano--MUCH GOOD LUCK with that--and, practice, that's what it takes.
Don't think I knew about the sweaty hands & BOOTY--guess now that we know, it'll be EASY to TELL WHEN you're nervous, huh??!!!!
LOVED this blog--AJ 'tagged' me, too, and I haven't even BEGUN to THINK about what I'll write!!!!!!!
LOVE YA'LL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mom
Terry cloth boxers?
Certain Dri... cool. I'll give it a shot. Terry cloth boxers? Dunno. I have boxers. And boxer briefs. Not sure what they're made of, though.
Our weekend has been shortened some. We will got out with them on Friday and help get the tent setup and then eat at the campgrounds. Then Jamie and I will come home and have Friday night and Saturday just the two of us.
The kids and grandparents will come home Saturday afternoon/night, hopefully happy and tired!
I like what's on your nightstand. Good book, huh?
Redlefty - terry cloth is the cloth that your bathroom towel is made out of. 'Twar said in jest, in response to Roland's initial disclaimer...'I can't help w/', etc. etc. etc.
Metabolic problems are only trouble for long-term fasting, however, what you're doing is hardly that. Goodluck though with it, I'm glad there are people out there who try to stay fit even when being married and have kids.
Okay, I will get to that tag, RL. The pressure, the pressure.
Metabolic problems are only trouble for long term fasting? Sheesh, just when I thought I had it all figured out. I guess I'll go back to the old fashioned method of eating when I'm hungry and not eating when I'm not hungry.
And what fun is that, Hal?!
Also feel the pressure about the tag . . . but I'm honored and will see what I can do.
Have fun this weekend but remember . . . these type weekends can end up with little souveniers that arrive about 9 months later.
Ha, not likely, Bob. The "weekend" ended up being less than a day, but we still had some nice time together on Saturday.
Don, yes, the book is excellent. I'm almost fearful of reading it right now, though, as I'd like to finish out teaching my bible class (three more weeks) without feeling inspired to share something they're not ready for. Romans 14 again...
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