Yes it's Christmas and my gym is open. Advantage of training at home.
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Warm up front squats 10 x 40kg
Front squats with uncrossed arms 90kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Depth on front squats not ideal, work on that.
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
Jump squats 90kg + overhead squats holding plates 30kg may try 40kg next time. Not today it's Christmas and I will need my energy for my son.
25 December 2013
24 December 2013
Intervals 24-Dec-2013
Today felt unrealistically hard. Was windy which made warming up harder but it still didn't feel fast enough to have felt that strenuous.
Lungs had a serious workout so that's good. The above is pure PRE and graph looks OK for the session but I'm never totally happy.
3.56 in 32:30 average pace 6.56mph
Lungs had a serious workout so that's good. The above is pure PRE and graph looks OK for the session but I'm never totally happy.
3.56 in 32:30 average pace 6.56mph
23 December 2013
Running 23-Dec-2013
Wet, windy, not the most encouraging weather to get out running in, but as always well worth it.
5.39 miles in 41:57 pace 7.7mph
Christmas is coming, I will eat myself fat.
Looking forward to it.
5.39 miles in 41:57 pace 7.7mph
Christmas is coming, I will eat myself fat.
Looking forward to it.
22 December 2013
Bench 22-Dec-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10 on first 2 pairs
Incline bench 65kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 20kg
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer (moved straps down to increase intensity) + standing overhead extensions 25kg
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
Incline bench 65kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 20kg
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer (moved straps down to increase intensity) + standing overhead extensions 25kg
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
20 December 2013
Running 20-Dec-2013
It's nice to see that my average pace trend is on the increase.
5.38 miles in 41:09 pace 7.85mph
5.38 miles in 41:09 pace 7.85mph
19 December 2013
Intervals 19-Dec-2013
This week there will be no deadlifts, and I decided that I would challenge my lungs more than my body by doing intervals today. Couldn't do anything on Tuesday as I needed to let my knee recover.
I do a soft office job, nothing physical at all. Except yesterday when my ability to lift and shift was put to good use for a number of hours. In the UK we have a legal maximum weight an employer can ask you to lift, 25kg. Health and safety rep. was not in yesterday and if I had stuck to that weight limit, we wouldn't have got finished.
Was a day where I was basically doing a lot of farmers walk style carrying, my back and legs are tired and doing deadlifts after that would be stupid.
Todays intervals were hard. Body really did not want to play but I forced it anyway.
Summary says very little. I was happy to have got it done.
3.59 miles in 33:23 average pace 6.44mph
I do a soft office job, nothing physical at all. Except yesterday when my ability to lift and shift was put to good use for a number of hours. In the UK we have a legal maximum weight an employer can ask you to lift, 25kg. Health and safety rep. was not in yesterday and if I had stuck to that weight limit, we wouldn't have got finished.
Was a day where I was basically doing a lot of farmers walk style carrying, my back and legs are tired and doing deadlifts after that would be stupid.
Todays intervals were hard. Body really did not want to play but I forced it anyway.
Summary says very little. I was happy to have got it done.
3.59 miles in 33:23 average pace 6.44mph
16 December 2013
Squats 16-Dec-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Front squats with uncrossed arms 80kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
2 sets, pain in knee session over.
Front squats with uncrossed arms 80kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
2 sets, pain in knee session over.
Running 16-Dec-2013
Christmas is nearly here, followed by the new year. Really not looking like I am going to be getting 8mph in my stocking this year. Still happy enough though.
5.38 miles in 41:49 pace 7.72mph
5.38 miles in 41:49 pace 7.72mph
14 December 2013
Deadlift 14-Dec-2013
This week has not been good for my weight training. Other priorities crept in. Trying to catch up over the weekend.
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles 70kg a side + narrow grip chins. Ow!
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift 80kg switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles 70kg a side + narrow grip chins. Ow!
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift 80kg switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
Running 13-Dec-2013
Felt harder and slower today but was pleased to see it wasn't as slow as I expected.
Pace is improving overall.
5.38 miles in 41:50 pace 7.71mph
Pace is improving overall.
5.38 miles in 41:50 pace 7.71mph
12 December 2013
Running 12-Dec-2013
Enjoyable and good run. Looks like 8mph is not happening this year but I am happy that my average is around the 7.75 mark.
5.37 miles in 41:31 pace 7.77mph
5.37 miles in 41:31 pace 7.77mph
10 December 2013
Squats (not Deadlift) 10-Dec-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Front squats with uncrossed arms 70kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Go up to 80kg next week
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
Jump squats 90kg + overhead squats holding plates 30kg
The silly title is because I was a Muppet and put this down as deadlifts.
Front squats with uncrossed arms 70kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Go up to 80kg next week
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
Jump squats 90kg + overhead squats holding plates 30kg
The silly title is because I was a Muppet and put this down as deadlifts.
Intervals 10-Dec-2013
Getting into these now. Enjoying the feeling of dead legs and overinflated lungs afterward. Pace is staying consistent through the sprints despite tiring.
Irrelevant stats
3.58 miles in 33:26 average pace 6.42mph
Irrelevant stats
3.58 miles in 33:26 average pace 6.42mph
Animal Intelligence
I love hearing people talk about how smart their pets or other animals are for doing tricks using tools etc. Personally I have a slightly different view on animal intelligence which if they were smart enough to have a sense of humour I expect they would appreciate.
Fetch - Look how smart my dog is, I just threw away this stick and he brought it back. If your bin man did this for you with all the stuff you throw away I doubt you would regard him as smart.
Linear thinking - Using fetch as an example, most dog owners will have either deliberately or accidentally thrown a stick over a bunch of brambles or thorns, expecting the dog to run around. Some will but on the whole either they stand looking gormless or charge through and come out with thorns stuck into their bodies they are seemingly unaware of.
Trying to find things that have gone into water most dogs do not shove their heads under water, but a large number of those who do will bring it out in a hurry when they try having a quick sniff to trace it.
Ever alert - There are a number of myths about catnapping animals who are constantly alert and aware. Which explains why cats fall off furniture while asleep.
Well trained owners - I guess one definite area that shows how some owners can be convinced their pets are intelligent is when they have been trained. to. 'My Fufu is so clever every time I come home they go straight to the kitchen and waith by the fridge. My Fufu knows where the mini sausages are.' Their Fufu has trained their owner to give them sausages every time they come home, not really proving the intelligence of the pet, just the gullibility of the owner.
This of course brings us neatly on to the fact that people are also animals. We consider ourselves the most intelligent species on the planet for a number of reasons, personally I consider arrogance to be the foremost. The big brain intelligence argument has some but limited merit, the sperm whale has the largest by far larger than ours, so then to make ourselves feel better we compare it to body size making us top of the chart, not that we have selected figures to support concept at all. There is more to it and in fairness I doubt there is a great case to say we aren't the smartest animal on the planet but rather than saying great things about us is this saying bad things about the rest of the organisms we share our world with.
If this looks like I am declaring our species stupid, you have at least been smart enough to see the final point. If you aren't aware why either you haven't been out much lately or are one of the people demonstrating how stupid we are.
Fetch - Look how smart my dog is, I just threw away this stick and he brought it back. If your bin man did this for you with all the stuff you throw away I doubt you would regard him as smart.
Linear thinking - Using fetch as an example, most dog owners will have either deliberately or accidentally thrown a stick over a bunch of brambles or thorns, expecting the dog to run around. Some will but on the whole either they stand looking gormless or charge through and come out with thorns stuck into their bodies they are seemingly unaware of.
Trying to find things that have gone into water most dogs do not shove their heads under water, but a large number of those who do will bring it out in a hurry when they try having a quick sniff to trace it.
Ever alert - There are a number of myths about catnapping animals who are constantly alert and aware. Which explains why cats fall off furniture while asleep.
Well trained owners - I guess one definite area that shows how some owners can be convinced their pets are intelligent is when they have been trained. to. 'My Fufu is so clever every time I come home they go straight to the kitchen and waith by the fridge. My Fufu knows where the mini sausages are.' Their Fufu has trained their owner to give them sausages every time they come home, not really proving the intelligence of the pet, just the gullibility of the owner.
This of course brings us neatly on to the fact that people are also animals. We consider ourselves the most intelligent species on the planet for a number of reasons, personally I consider arrogance to be the foremost. The big brain intelligence argument has some but limited merit, the sperm whale has the largest by far larger than ours, so then to make ourselves feel better we compare it to body size making us top of the chart, not that we have selected figures to support concept at all. There is more to it and in fairness I doubt there is a great case to say we aren't the smartest animal on the planet but rather than saying great things about us is this saying bad things about the rest of the organisms we share our world with.
If this looks like I am declaring our species stupid, you have at least been smart enough to see the final point. If you aren't aware why either you haven't been out much lately or are one of the people demonstrating how stupid we are.
9 December 2013
Running 09-Dec-2013
Didn't expect anything special today. Quite happy with the run considering deadlifts yesterday. See if I am as happy with squats tonight.
5.38 miles in 42:01 pace 7.68mph
5.38 miles in 42:01 pace 7.68mph
8 December 2013
Deadlift 08-Dec-2013
Well I got the whole weeks training in. Not on schedule but done.
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles 50kg a side + narrow grip chins
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift 80kg switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
Only one set on last but happy to have got that done.
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles 50kg a side + narrow grip chins
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift 80kg switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
Only one set on last but happy to have got that done.
6 December 2013
Running 06-Dec-2013
It is not the first time I have thought this and won't be the last.
It can feel incredibly bizarre to be out sweating in shorts and lightweight t-shirt running past frozen puddles.
Wind dropped and took mercury with it 4 degrees Celsius so just above the temperature where roads ice up, and I run at midday.
Lot more pleasant today, cold is no sweat (figuratively speaking).
5.4 miles in 42:06 average pace 7.69mph
It can feel incredibly bizarre to be out sweating in shorts and lightweight t-shirt running past frozen puddles.
Wind dropped and took mercury with it 4 degrees Celsius so just above the temperature where roads ice up, and I run at midday.
Lot more pleasant today, cold is no sweat (figuratively speaking).
5.4 miles in 42:06 average pace 7.69mph
Bench 05-Dec-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10 on first 2 pairs
Incline bench 60kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 16kg 1st, 20kg 2nd & 3rd
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer + standing overhead extensions 20kg disc 1st, 25kg 2nd and 3rd, movement not perfect on higher weight so that's target
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
Third set was 15 with a struggle pause then other 5 that felt insane. This is exactly what I wanted a session ending on something easy feeling stupidly hard.
Incline bench 60kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 16kg 1st, 20kg 2nd & 3rd
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer + standing overhead extensions 20kg disc 1st, 25kg 2nd and 3rd, movement not perfect on higher weight so that's target
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
Third set was 15 with a struggle pause then other 5 that felt insane. This is exactly what I wanted a session ending on something easy feeling stupidly hard.
5 December 2013
Running 05-Dec-2013
Today there are severe weather warnings for strong wind. Airports have cancelled flights, cars are colliding on the road and in the tiny little thing I drive I understood why, trees are losing branches or entire limbs, a few undoubtedly will be uprooted but I haven't seen those.
Only a total idiot would run in weather like this and of course I did. I knew the time wouldn't be a good one, legs were tired anyway so it would have been mediocre in good weather, but the GPS device added one final insult by losing half a mile of my run. The distance and pace are based on knowing how far this run I do every week is and a previous time that was similar.
It wasn't fast but in fairness my aims today were to do my run and get back safe, I did both. It was below standard minimum pace, unrealistic as I can be, today I didn't care.
5.37 miles in 43:50 (that bit is definite) pace 7.35mph
Only a total idiot would run in weather like this and of course I did. I knew the time wouldn't be a good one, legs were tired anyway so it would have been mediocre in good weather, but the GPS device added one final insult by losing half a mile of my run. The distance and pace are based on knowing how far this run I do every week is and a previous time that was similar.
It wasn't fast but in fairness my aims today were to do my run and get back safe, I did both. It was below standard minimum pace, unrealistic as I can be, today I didn't care.
5.37 miles in 43:50 (that bit is definite) pace 7.35mph
4 December 2013
Squats 04-Dec-2103
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Front squats with uncrossed arms 60kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
Jump squats 80kg + overhead squats holding plates 30kg
Front squats with uncrossed arms 60kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu 32kg + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
Jump squats 80kg + overhead squats holding plates 30kg
3 December 2013
Intervals 03-Dec-2013
The things that are required for me to consider a successful interval session are listed below.
Spend time feeling like ribs are going to explode
Struggle to breathe on recoveries
Legs object to moving on recovery, end up looking like a spastic but slower
Feel ready to die at or before the point where told that the session is over
Ribcage objecting and feeling like its been forced out un-naturally after
Today I achieved all of the above, very happy bunny. There is something deeply wrong with this but don't declare my training is smart, just fun, for me.
Meaningless stats.
3.55 miles in 32:55 average pace 6.47mph
Spend time feeling like ribs are going to explode
Struggle to breathe on recoveries
Legs object to moving on recovery, end up looking like a spastic but slower
Feel ready to die at or before the point where told that the session is over
Ribcage objecting and feeling like its been forced out un-naturally after
Today I achieved all of the above, very happy bunny. There is something deeply wrong with this but don't declare my training is smart, just fun, for me.
Meaningless stats.
3.55 miles in 32:55 average pace 6.47mph
2 December 2013
Running 02-Dec-2013
Mixed feelings about today. Last weeks seizure knocked me more than I expected and wiped out most of the weeks training, so today I was well rested but still potentially recovering.
Weather was perfect 6 degrees Celsius 43 Fahrenheit, clear air, with a few bits of smoke from fires.
Run felt like hard work and felt faster than last week's. I was hoping to have cracked the 8mph, which wouldn't have been average increase but nice none the less. As it turns out it felt harder because I am not fully recovered, disappointed when I first saw this but in fairness not a bad run.
5.37 miles in 41:20 pace 7.79mph
Weather was perfect 6 degrees Celsius 43 Fahrenheit, clear air, with a few bits of smoke from fires.
Run felt like hard work and felt faster than last week's. I was hoping to have cracked the 8mph, which wouldn't have been average increase but nice none the less. As it turns out it felt harder because I am not fully recovered, disappointed when I first saw this but in fairness not a bad run.
5.37 miles in 41:20 pace 7.79mph
28 November 2013
Squats 27-Nov-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Front squats with uncrossed arms 60kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Did front squats properly 50kg will go up next time.
and there is stopped. Dizzy and locally sore head. Seizure on the way, not happy.
Front squats with uncrossed arms 60kg + touch floor tuck jumps
Did front squats properly 50kg will go up next time.
and there is stopped. Dizzy and locally sore head. Seizure on the way, not happy.
26 November 2013
Intervals 26-Nov-2013
Well I was able to give more with my legs not being as tired as last week, delayed squats session to go to a Narnia experience with family.
This meant my legs felt it less and my lungs had unreasonable demands placed on them. Despite this the session was fairly consistent which I was pleased with.
Meaningless stats below. Pleased with this and going to suffer for it, as I deserve.
3.5 miles in 32:28 average pas 6.48mph.
This meant my legs felt it less and my lungs had unreasonable demands placed on them. Despite this the session was fairly consistent which I was pleased with.
Meaningless stats below. Pleased with this and going to suffer for it, as I deserve.
3.5 miles in 32:28 average pas 6.48mph.
25 November 2013
Running 25-Nov-2013
Cool clear air, still aching a bit from deadlifts but nothing at all major.
Run was hard work but the result feels so worth it. Still may get an 8mph by the end of the year.
5.38 miles in 40:50 7.9mph so close, would need to be around 30 seconds quicker.
Run was hard work but the result feels so worth it. Still may get an 8mph by the end of the year.
5.38 miles in 40:50 7.9mph so close, would need to be around 30 seconds quicker.
23 November 2013
Deadlift 23-Nov-2013
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles 60kg + narrow grip chins
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
Deadlifts with walk handles 60kg + narrow grip chins
High pulls with fat grips 50kg + seated row 60kg
Deadlift switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip)
22 November 2013
Running 22-Nov-2013
Better than yesterday, legs felt like they would move voluntarily this time.
Really starting to doubt the distances though as yesterday and today should be the same, as with every standard run I do.
5.44 miles in 42:33 pace 7.67mph
Really starting to doubt the distances though as yesterday and today should be the same, as with every standard run I do.
5.44 miles in 42:33 pace 7.67mph
Bench 21-Nov-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10 on first 2 pairs, and like the squats session the title exercise is notable by it's absence.
Incline bench 60kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 16kg
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer + standing overhead extensions 20kg disc
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
Incline bench 60kg + alternate kettle shoulder press 16kg
Alternate push throughs on suspension trainer + standing overhead extensions 20kg disc
Press ups totally clean and strict 3 x 20
21 November 2013
Running 21-Nov-2013
Not a happy bunny. Gave it all but was seriously shattered and didn't have enough to give. There are excuses, seizure on the way, previous training but the first doesn't usually affect running and the latter is just something I refuse to accept anyway.
Would have been less unhappy if gave all and got a good pace but I didn't so cheesed off.
5.37 miles in 43:07 pace 7.47mph.
Would have been less unhappy if gave all and got a good pace but I didn't so cheesed off.
5.37 miles in 43:07 pace 7.47mph.
19 November 2013
Intervals 19-Nov-2013
Ideal weather, cool clear some icy patches but nothing to make it unsafe.
End of 7th interval feeling like this may be a bad idea, end of 9th nice stitch that took most of the 2 minute recovery to fade, the final recovery meant that I was still shattered for about half the cool down jog back.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and logging the summary, even though it means nothing of course. Speed spikes showed more consistancy than before which has to be good I guess.
3.45 miles in 32:22 average 6.39mph
End of 7th interval feeling like this may be a bad idea, end of 9th nice stitch that took most of the 2 minute recovery to fade, the final recovery meant that I was still shattered for about half the cool down jog back.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and logging the summary, even though it means nothing of course. Speed spikes showed more consistancy than before which has to be good I guess.
3.45 miles in 32:22 average 6.39mph
18 November 2013
Squats 18-Nov-2013
Supersets 3 x 10 + 10
Front squats with uncrossed arms + touch floor tuck jumps
Did front squats properly 50kg will go up next time.
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
32kg kettle on goblets, bodweigth only on singles.
Jump squats + overhead squats holding plate
Jump squats 70kg, overhead 25kg plate
Front squats with uncrossed arms + touch floor tuck jumps
Did front squats properly 50kg will go up next time.
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
32kg kettle on goblets, bodweigth only on singles.
Jump squats + overhead squats holding plate
Jump squats 70kg, overhead 25kg plate
Running 18-Nov-2013
Wet, cool and relatively still today.
Quite happy with this, back up at the sort of pace I would like to see more of. Only just over a month to get 8mph this year, not likely but must keep trying.
5.38 miles in 41:40 pace 7.75mph
Quite happy with this, back up at the sort of pace I would like to see more of. Only just over a month to get 8mph this year, not likely but must keep trying.
5.38 miles in 41:40 pace 7.75mph
15 November 2013
Deadlift 15-Nov-2013
Using super sets first two batches 3 x 10 + 10 then something different to finish.
Deadlifts with walk handles + narrow grip chins
50kg plus handles each side body weight only on chins
High pulls with fat grips + seated row
40kg + 50kg
Deadlift switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip) was target. Got 2 sets in full 3rd was only 12 reps
Deadlifts with walk handles + narrow grip chins
50kg plus handles each side body weight only on chins
High pulls with fat grips + seated row
40kg + 50kg
Deadlift switching through all 4 grips 3 x 20 (5 on each grip) was target. Got 2 sets in full 3rd was only 12 reps
14 November 2013
Running 14-Nov-2013
Not my best run by some way but considering I am not feeling totally well, have had a lay off and did squats last night I am pleased to be above my minimum.
Give it a week and I will be back to considering such performances as pathetic.
5.38 miles in 42:53 pace 7.53mph
Give it a week and I will be back to considering such performances as pathetic.
5.38 miles in 42:53 pace 7.53mph
Squats 13-Nov-2013
Well I got fed up with waiting to get well and started training anyway.
Not awe inspiring and cut short due to feeling below par but I couldn't wait any longer.
YThe more observant will notice a slight irony here, my squat session has no standard squats in it. Yes it is deliberate, I fancied doing something different.
Sessions are supersets 3 x 10 + 10 so quite endurance biased. Trying to throw in movements I haven't done in a long time too for fun.
Front squats with uncrossed arms + touch floor tuck jumps
I am pretty sure I am doing the front squats wrong, the idea as I remember is to have elbows high when doing these, mine were beside me.
Sets 1 & 2 tried 70kg on front squats and didn't get it right dropped to 50kg on set 3 and a lot better but will look into technique, or rely on someone telling me I am doing it wrong.
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
32kg kettle on goblets, bodweigth only on singles.
Jump squats + overhead squats holding plate
Jump squats 70kg, overhead 25kg plate
Not awe inspiring and cut short due to feeling below par but I couldn't wait any longer.
YThe more observant will notice a slight irony here, my squat session has no standard squats in it. Yes it is deliberate, I fancied doing something different.
Sessions are supersets 3 x 10 + 10 so quite endurance biased. Trying to throw in movements I haven't done in a long time too for fun.
Front squats with uncrossed arms + touch floor tuck jumps
I am pretty sure I am doing the front squats wrong, the idea as I remember is to have elbows high when doing these, mine were beside me.
Sets 1 & 2 tried 70kg on front squats and didn't get it right dropped to 50kg on set 3 and a lot better but will look into technique, or rely on someone telling me I am doing it wrong.
Goblet squats, full range depth, on bosu + single leg squats (not pistol) on bosu
32kg kettle on goblets, bodweigth only on singles.
Jump squats + overhead squats holding plate
Jump squats 70kg, overhead 25kg plate
12 November 2013
Reflections and General Nonesense
There was a silly thing I saw recently that made me think it could be amusing to reflect on some things that have worked out strangely over time.
The spur was a visual joke showing a picture of an eighties brick phone and a more conventional sized phone from 5 or so years ago saying 'I remember when phones were that big', then another showing a phone from 5 years ago and a smartphone from today saying 'I remember when phones were that small. The joke amused me partly because it showed how what most thought would be an eternal quest for the smallest mobile has become anything but and I started thinking what else has gone that way.
Part of the amusement I have witnessed has been due to period revivals. The seventies I saw mocked relentlessly in my early teens for the ridiculous platforms and flares made a comeback and soon all the sheeple who had been mocking these fashions were wearing them. Currently in the UK there has been an eighties revival, the period known at the time as the decade style forgot has been remembered, though without seeming to see the joke. This was a time when men could proudly wear a fluorescent pink sock and be considered masculine, as long as the other one was a different fluorescent colour, matching was not good. There were many who took the fashions seriously in the eighties but most of us just saw it as an opportunity to dress like clowns and laugh at each other.
There is something incredibly strange seeing people trying to capture the effect of a period I remember well in a serious manner when the fashions were commonly accepted as a joke.
Second hand clothing was the realm of those too poor to buy new. Jumble sales were so etched in my mind for the amount of bullying the purchases would bring my way I haven't been to one as an adult. I used charity shops to get smart clothes when broke and needing a respectable job and kitted myself out nicely for £20 top to toe with spares.
I went into a charity shop a couple of years ago and got the shock of my life. The term retro has become very big and with it the price of pre-owned clothing, to such an extent I could buy new clothes cheaper. Not quite sure how that happened but you certainly wouldn't be bullied for wearing the jumble sale gear anymore, in fact you may get more grief if your clothes are too new, I don't know totally out of touch really.
When I went to school there was a computer class, I never took it because I was reliably informed it was basically secretarial training. The machines had slots for the genuinely floppy disks and the rigid 3.5 inch floppy carrying a whopping 1.33Mb of data at a time. Home computer needs more ROM no problem just switch the C60 tape to a C120 instead, instant doubling of ROM if the computer had the RAM to cope with such vast data. Storage of computer data was serious business, and even Windows 95 came on floppy disks, 35 of them. Now USB flash drives that will hold gigabytes of data, a term people in the eighties would never have known let alone considered using, are made in novelty shapes and given away as trinkets.
Now we consider a nursery class without at least one computer to be neglecting our children's education. Your washing machine will have a higher spec computer than the best home PC from thirty years ago. Data storage on something we hold in our hands is old hat anywhere but in cameras and antique music players, that's what the cloud is for. I wonder how long it will be before a company starts selling portable hard drives in the shape of a 3.5 inch floppy disk for the retro image.
I have watched the young rebels become rose tinted has-beens talking of how wonderful things were when they were younger and how much respect they had to show. No mention of how little they did of course. The truth is I would say there is less crime on the streets now, young people are barely out of the house away from the TV and computer games. With less people out and about there is more fear because people feel isolated walking around, but in truth they aren't at any greater risk.
Smoking has become something only the working or non-working classes do. While it used to be a luxury now it's become a stigma and label to show that you are spending money you almost certainly don't have to spare. Growing up you felt ostracised if you didn't smoke now this has swung full circle.
Cars were a luxury for many as I grew up. The idea of a two car family was almost seen as showing off even if it was essential. Cycling was the poor man's transport and often the more realistic alternative to the second car.
Now owning a car is seen as a virtual human right and cheap runabouts can be picked up for less than a week’s minimum wage. By contrast you can spend thousands on a bicycle and gear enabling you to look like a technicolor yawn as you glide past the traffic jams. The car has become the norm to such an extent the cyclist is to be envied as he passes and the car driver knows they will not catch them back up. Two, three and often four car families are common as parents give their children a vehicle to get themselves to school or out of their way in general.
The school run. There were plenty of parents taking their children to school in cars when I was growing up, especially when they were in secondary education, now called high school, when schools could be many miles away but this seems to have become so much the norm now that insurance companies have recognised it as one of the areas where accidents are most common. The distance that many are prepared to walk to school has dropped to a level I would never have believed when younger, with more people willing to sit in cars for a half hour round trip battling in traffic than allow their offspring to walk 20 minutes to school. Where once the car was deemed the fast and efficient method it is now considered so essential that sense has evaporated.
Gambling, once the reserve of the bookmakers clientele is now in so many homes I am almost deemed foolhardy for not buying a weekly glut of lottery tickets. What was once a mugs game is now expected to such an extent people will ask what you would do with a lottery win as if no-one would not be buying tickets.
There was an expression that to see the UK in 10 years look at the US today. We got our own back to some extent by sending them brit pop, but it seems to have become an expensive and dangerous competition of who can have more obesity, diabetes, heart disease and ignorance than the worst stereotypical American you could possibly imagine. Homer Simpson seems to have been viewed less a comedy character, more a role model.
We have bought into a lot of the convenience ideas and there was certainly a demand, but for some reason too few seem to have observed what happened to the US when this lifestyle became the norm. Watching US TV has given many the impression junk food and inactivity will make them look like Cameron Diaz rather than Rosanne Barr despite all evidence point to the contrary.
Terrorism. When I was young the fear was from a group of very professional terrorists known as the Irish Republican Army IRA for short, funded legally and publically in the US these guys weren't into suicide bombings, they made sure they were well out of the way so they lived to do it again. For some reason we are supposed to be more in fear now than we were then, despite the current rather amateur versions having been easily stopped at Glasgow airport by a handy Scotsman who decided a man on fire needed to be knocked out rather than feared, not heard from them since.
I do understand that a lot of the fear is due to the undeniably horrific tragedy that was 9/11 or 11/9 in the UK an event that no single terrorist cell has yet taken responsibility for. However I find it bizarre that we in the UK fear groups who haven't harmed us or looked likely to on our soil in years, while in my youth there were attacks a few times a year.
Communication has become massive in my lifetime and made us ironically far more isolated by doing so. I was not a popular kid at school and remember the excitement of us getting a phone line to be able to contact the few friends I did have, usually to organise going to meet them in person. The idea of being able to meet up with people via computers of mobile devices that lived anywhere in the world made us all think the world would shrink and we would become more open minded and universally tolerant as you would expect from someone well-travelled.
Truth is that people have found themselves groups of likeminded from all over and are doing online battle on a daily basis with anyone whose views oppose theirs. The fact they are able to find others in the world with the same view has made them more likely to cling to these rather than listen to anyone else as they would have to if the arguments were more localised. It has also made people bolder about what they will say than they would elsewhere too. Face to face it is unusual to be referred in many of the ways that are common online. Anonymity has made people behave in ways they wouldn't dare to in the real world.
I will often deliberately play devil's advocate in a debate to make people think or take both sides in to confuse people and spur them to consider their viewpoint seriously. The internet forums have generated a new form of this with far less thought known as the troll, far from wanting people to think they just want people angry and will portray a version of a character so ridiculous only the most ignorant will believe it, unfortunately there are plenty of them around. So you get pseudo-muslim extremists who have no idea about the muslim faith but will provoke anger in others who are afraid of the genuine extremists the Daily Mail and other irresponsible news media tell us are around every corner. Christian extremists declaring God will avenge us all for our heretic belief in evolution, anti-theists declaring religion as the source for all evil and preaching theirs is the only true path. This in itself wouldn't be an issue if these muppets weren't overshadowing the billions of genuine decent people from the groups they are impersonating for fun.
I have my own way of dealing with a lot of these things and have been told that I must be gay among other things. In these instances I simply tell them how right they were and ask if they were hoping to get some action. Usual response is a string of profanity and they disappear realising not everyone is fooled by such surface nonsense. Taken seriously these guys are dangerous, but treated as a joke they can be fun to play with.
Back to cars again. I remember the main things anyone cared about when I was younger was how a car went, and would it get you home again. MPH as a priority has shifted to MPG for many. Carbon was, and still is in fairness, an element on the periodic table, no-one cared how much of it came out of the back of the car as long as it went well. Electric windows were flash, power steering amazing and ABS something not to trust.
Now a car without air conditioning is considered too basic, it should connect to your music player stop you dying if you hit a truck at 70mph and travel several hundred miles on a tank of fuel while entertaining the passengers with the latest film and directing the driver home via a few railway lines.
Music has always been the arena for rebellion. Every generation wants music their parents don't approve of, which has become a bit strange now in many ways purely by the way it still manages to succeed.
How exactly people who grew up with punk rockers in see-through trousers, metal heads wearing chains and hurling abuse or sexual invitation down the microphone manage to pretend they have moral high ground I don't know but they do it.
Music itself hasn't really changed that much, the rhythms are similar, the acts are coming off a production line and most of the songs are covering things that have been covered before. We have protested injustice, declared love, danced provocatively wearing as little as legal for generations, it's not new anymore, but somehow people are still being shocked into protest.
The recent passing of the date Back to the Future went forward to has shown how priorities are rarely what you expect them to be. We have no hoverboards, I couldn't skateboard so didn't care, our TVs have grown but we tend to watch one channel at a time and the world is all about mobile tech now.
30 years ago when the film was released the idea of an internet was something only the biggest geeks would care about, and having a device that enabled talking to each other on the move would surely be far more impressive than one needing us to type our comments.
But the minutes on a mobile phone tariff are almost irrelevant for many, the unlimited text messages and web browsing is what we care about as well as how trendy the phone itself is, even if we have no idea how to use it. Smart phones for dumb people are the big hit the hoverboard was expected to be.
More than anything I find the way we get things so incredibly wrong amusing and wonder what we are totally misreading now. My music player is becoming out of date as more people use online radio stations instead, geeks are now cool as long as they buy the right second hand clothes but with more people going geek they aren't really the cool exception anymore, revival has been the fashion so long I wonder what happens when we catch up with the initial revival.
The future is a mystery but one thing we can guarantee is some of the things that will define it are those we sit looking at thinking will never catch on.
The spur was a visual joke showing a picture of an eighties brick phone and a more conventional sized phone from 5 or so years ago saying 'I remember when phones were that big', then another showing a phone from 5 years ago and a smartphone from today saying 'I remember when phones were that small. The joke amused me partly because it showed how what most thought would be an eternal quest for the smallest mobile has become anything but and I started thinking what else has gone that way.
Part of the amusement I have witnessed has been due to period revivals. The seventies I saw mocked relentlessly in my early teens for the ridiculous platforms and flares made a comeback and soon all the sheeple who had been mocking these fashions were wearing them. Currently in the UK there has been an eighties revival, the period known at the time as the decade style forgot has been remembered, though without seeming to see the joke. This was a time when men could proudly wear a fluorescent pink sock and be considered masculine, as long as the other one was a different fluorescent colour, matching was not good. There were many who took the fashions seriously in the eighties but most of us just saw it as an opportunity to dress like clowns and laugh at each other.
There is something incredibly strange seeing people trying to capture the effect of a period I remember well in a serious manner when the fashions were commonly accepted as a joke.
Second hand clothing was the realm of those too poor to buy new. Jumble sales were so etched in my mind for the amount of bullying the purchases would bring my way I haven't been to one as an adult. I used charity shops to get smart clothes when broke and needing a respectable job and kitted myself out nicely for £20 top to toe with spares.
I went into a charity shop a couple of years ago and got the shock of my life. The term retro has become very big and with it the price of pre-owned clothing, to such an extent I could buy new clothes cheaper. Not quite sure how that happened but you certainly wouldn't be bullied for wearing the jumble sale gear anymore, in fact you may get more grief if your clothes are too new, I don't know totally out of touch really.
When I went to school there was a computer class, I never took it because I was reliably informed it was basically secretarial training. The machines had slots for the genuinely floppy disks and the rigid 3.5 inch floppy carrying a whopping 1.33Mb of data at a time. Home computer needs more ROM no problem just switch the C60 tape to a C120 instead, instant doubling of ROM if the computer had the RAM to cope with such vast data. Storage of computer data was serious business, and even Windows 95 came on floppy disks, 35 of them. Now USB flash drives that will hold gigabytes of data, a term people in the eighties would never have known let alone considered using, are made in novelty shapes and given away as trinkets.
Now we consider a nursery class without at least one computer to be neglecting our children's education. Your washing machine will have a higher spec computer than the best home PC from thirty years ago. Data storage on something we hold in our hands is old hat anywhere but in cameras and antique music players, that's what the cloud is for. I wonder how long it will be before a company starts selling portable hard drives in the shape of a 3.5 inch floppy disk for the retro image.
I have watched the young rebels become rose tinted has-beens talking of how wonderful things were when they were younger and how much respect they had to show. No mention of how little they did of course. The truth is I would say there is less crime on the streets now, young people are barely out of the house away from the TV and computer games. With less people out and about there is more fear because people feel isolated walking around, but in truth they aren't at any greater risk.
Smoking has become something only the working or non-working classes do. While it used to be a luxury now it's become a stigma and label to show that you are spending money you almost certainly don't have to spare. Growing up you felt ostracised if you didn't smoke now this has swung full circle.
Cars were a luxury for many as I grew up. The idea of a two car family was almost seen as showing off even if it was essential. Cycling was the poor man's transport and often the more realistic alternative to the second car.
Now owning a car is seen as a virtual human right and cheap runabouts can be picked up for less than a week’s minimum wage. By contrast you can spend thousands on a bicycle and gear enabling you to look like a technicolor yawn as you glide past the traffic jams. The car has become the norm to such an extent the cyclist is to be envied as he passes and the car driver knows they will not catch them back up. Two, three and often four car families are common as parents give their children a vehicle to get themselves to school or out of their way in general.
The school run. There were plenty of parents taking their children to school in cars when I was growing up, especially when they were in secondary education, now called high school, when schools could be many miles away but this seems to have become so much the norm now that insurance companies have recognised it as one of the areas where accidents are most common. The distance that many are prepared to walk to school has dropped to a level I would never have believed when younger, with more people willing to sit in cars for a half hour round trip battling in traffic than allow their offspring to walk 20 minutes to school. Where once the car was deemed the fast and efficient method it is now considered so essential that sense has evaporated.
Gambling, once the reserve of the bookmakers clientele is now in so many homes I am almost deemed foolhardy for not buying a weekly glut of lottery tickets. What was once a mugs game is now expected to such an extent people will ask what you would do with a lottery win as if no-one would not be buying tickets.
There was an expression that to see the UK in 10 years look at the US today. We got our own back to some extent by sending them brit pop, but it seems to have become an expensive and dangerous competition of who can have more obesity, diabetes, heart disease and ignorance than the worst stereotypical American you could possibly imagine. Homer Simpson seems to have been viewed less a comedy character, more a role model.
We have bought into a lot of the convenience ideas and there was certainly a demand, but for some reason too few seem to have observed what happened to the US when this lifestyle became the norm. Watching US TV has given many the impression junk food and inactivity will make them look like Cameron Diaz rather than Rosanne Barr despite all evidence point to the contrary.
Terrorism. When I was young the fear was from a group of very professional terrorists known as the Irish Republican Army IRA for short, funded legally and publically in the US these guys weren't into suicide bombings, they made sure they were well out of the way so they lived to do it again. For some reason we are supposed to be more in fear now than we were then, despite the current rather amateur versions having been easily stopped at Glasgow airport by a handy Scotsman who decided a man on fire needed to be knocked out rather than feared, not heard from them since.
I do understand that a lot of the fear is due to the undeniably horrific tragedy that was 9/11 or 11/9 in the UK an event that no single terrorist cell has yet taken responsibility for. However I find it bizarre that we in the UK fear groups who haven't harmed us or looked likely to on our soil in years, while in my youth there were attacks a few times a year.
Communication has become massive in my lifetime and made us ironically far more isolated by doing so. I was not a popular kid at school and remember the excitement of us getting a phone line to be able to contact the few friends I did have, usually to organise going to meet them in person. The idea of being able to meet up with people via computers of mobile devices that lived anywhere in the world made us all think the world would shrink and we would become more open minded and universally tolerant as you would expect from someone well-travelled.
Truth is that people have found themselves groups of likeminded from all over and are doing online battle on a daily basis with anyone whose views oppose theirs. The fact they are able to find others in the world with the same view has made them more likely to cling to these rather than listen to anyone else as they would have to if the arguments were more localised. It has also made people bolder about what they will say than they would elsewhere too. Face to face it is unusual to be referred in many of the ways that are common online. Anonymity has made people behave in ways they wouldn't dare to in the real world.
I will often deliberately play devil's advocate in a debate to make people think or take both sides in to confuse people and spur them to consider their viewpoint seriously. The internet forums have generated a new form of this with far less thought known as the troll, far from wanting people to think they just want people angry and will portray a version of a character so ridiculous only the most ignorant will believe it, unfortunately there are plenty of them around. So you get pseudo-muslim extremists who have no idea about the muslim faith but will provoke anger in others who are afraid of the genuine extremists the Daily Mail and other irresponsible news media tell us are around every corner. Christian extremists declaring God will avenge us all for our heretic belief in evolution, anti-theists declaring religion as the source for all evil and preaching theirs is the only true path. This in itself wouldn't be an issue if these muppets weren't overshadowing the billions of genuine decent people from the groups they are impersonating for fun.
I have my own way of dealing with a lot of these things and have been told that I must be gay among other things. In these instances I simply tell them how right they were and ask if they were hoping to get some action. Usual response is a string of profanity and they disappear realising not everyone is fooled by such surface nonsense. Taken seriously these guys are dangerous, but treated as a joke they can be fun to play with.
Back to cars again. I remember the main things anyone cared about when I was younger was how a car went, and would it get you home again. MPH as a priority has shifted to MPG for many. Carbon was, and still is in fairness, an element on the periodic table, no-one cared how much of it came out of the back of the car as long as it went well. Electric windows were flash, power steering amazing and ABS something not to trust.
Now a car without air conditioning is considered too basic, it should connect to your music player stop you dying if you hit a truck at 70mph and travel several hundred miles on a tank of fuel while entertaining the passengers with the latest film and directing the driver home via a few railway lines.
Music has always been the arena for rebellion. Every generation wants music their parents don't approve of, which has become a bit strange now in many ways purely by the way it still manages to succeed.
How exactly people who grew up with punk rockers in see-through trousers, metal heads wearing chains and hurling abuse or sexual invitation down the microphone manage to pretend they have moral high ground I don't know but they do it.
Music itself hasn't really changed that much, the rhythms are similar, the acts are coming off a production line and most of the songs are covering things that have been covered before. We have protested injustice, declared love, danced provocatively wearing as little as legal for generations, it's not new anymore, but somehow people are still being shocked into protest.
The recent passing of the date Back to the Future went forward to has shown how priorities are rarely what you expect them to be. We have no hoverboards, I couldn't skateboard so didn't care, our TVs have grown but we tend to watch one channel at a time and the world is all about mobile tech now.
30 years ago when the film was released the idea of an internet was something only the biggest geeks would care about, and having a device that enabled talking to each other on the move would surely be far more impressive than one needing us to type our comments.
But the minutes on a mobile phone tariff are almost irrelevant for many, the unlimited text messages and web browsing is what we care about as well as how trendy the phone itself is, even if we have no idea how to use it. Smart phones for dumb people are the big hit the hoverboard was expected to be.
More than anything I find the way we get things so incredibly wrong amusing and wonder what we are totally misreading now. My music player is becoming out of date as more people use online radio stations instead, geeks are now cool as long as they buy the right second hand clothes but with more people going geek they aren't really the cool exception anymore, revival has been the fashion so long I wonder what happens when we catch up with the initial revival.
The future is a mystery but one thing we can guarantee is some of the things that will define it are those we sit looking at thinking will never catch on.
4 November 2013
Religion versus Science (the most pointless of debates)
I have been seeing a lot of things lately relating to atheism and some other faiths, predominantly Christian due to seeing stuff in english, but the trend has been consistant.
The majority of people posting are very much on the side of science or religion as if this is a choice you have to make.
As an atheist I am automatically supposed to be on the science side as if having studied and formed the secure belief that there is no deity responsible for our creation or lives instantly means I am anti-religion.
As Christians or Jews people are supposed to be totally anti science and believe there is no such thing as evolution and to mention anything in contradiction to any story in the bible is heresy.
The very idea that you have to be one or the other shows a massive amount of ignorance from both sides that has really started to get on my nerves. Some of the most infuriating things I will post here.
First and foremost a massive amount of the money invested in science has and still does come from various religions around the world. So those who love their science need to show some respect and give thanks to the people who saw fit to spent church, synagog etc. money on furthering mankinds knowledge.
Some of the greatest scientists in the world are or have been religious and their faith has helped them in their work. Two examples of this I am constantly annoyed about being forgotten are Darwin and Newton, both of whom were born and died Christians who never declared their discoveries disproved the presence of a god. Newton declared the universe as so intricate and complex that it could only have been created by a divine being and Darwin struggled to understand how his discoveries fitted into his god's plan.
Basic level misunderstanding.
Evolution is just a theory is a classic example, scientific communities require evidence to take something from the status of hypothesis to theory and that is as high as it goes. Science doesn't deal in absolute truth as such because it understands that knowledge is our understanding of the facts we have at a given time. New discoveries disprove old so the most proven theory is still just considered a theory. We have absolute proof of evolution not just from fossil records but having observed it happening in recent years, usually as a response to damage we have caused.
The gospel doesn't say it's the gospel truth. The religious writings in the old testament are bible stories to enforce faith and give people answers to questions they had when they were written some are even written as stories told by key figures to explain why we should live a certain way or be thankful for what we have. The bible doesn't mention electricity or computers it doesn't mean we shouldn't have them just that they had no knowledge of such things at that time. The same is true in many religions where stories are used to illistrate points not be treated as the ultimate in truth.
There are a lot of basic knowledge gaps on both sides. I like many others thought one of the commandments said thou shalt not kill but in truth it's thou shalt not murder so with church approval you can kill all you like, I actually saw this error posted by a person declaring themselves an authority on the biblical texts, something I am not. There are a terrifying number of people who believe Darwin promoted the idea 'survival of the fittest' but this was said by people discreditting him he actually said ' it is not the fittest, strongest or smartest who survive but the organism most suited to its environment' not as catchy I'll admit but a more accurate explaination of natural selection. These gaps lead to people assuming to know the other side with very incomplete knowledge or utilising the oppositions ignorance to use partial quotes without any of the background.
See and touch versus faith argument.
I can see, smell and touch grass, trees etc. so multiple sense tell me these exist. The moon, sun, stars and some planets I can see with my naked eye but have never touched, other things I have seen photos of like astral phenomenon but will likely never get to even see for myself. I have no absolute proof that when I look up at the sky I am not seeing an elaborate facade that revolves around the earth changing as it goes like a slow kalediscope. I do know for absolute certainty that most of the photos I have seen of astral phenomenon have been enhanced to make them understandable to those of us who can't decipher the blurred mess that actually is detected by astro physicists.
I have faith in the people enhancing the photos, expalining the shape of the solar system we are a part of and in the information my own senses provide for me. This may not seem too far fetched but when you break it down it starts to look almost foolhardy. I am aware that the brain fills in most of the detail of the world around us, so our sense provide more of a guide than true reflection of the world around us, and I know how easily my sense can be fooled. There are symptoms like ghost limb from amputees etc. that show trusting our senses is not totally reliable. I know the world revolves at 600 miles an hour but if I spin a ball at a fraction of this with an ant on it it flies off rather than staying put, so have to believe in a weak universal force known as gravity to combat this, a force so weak I overcome it by breathing stops me fallng off a fast spinning ball of dirt with a molten metal core. The crazy part is most will read this and think it's perfectly reasonable but now consider how you would explain it to an infant and how much it relies on faith.
Search for simplicity.
Usually the stone cast at the religious group who clutch their chosen book declaring all answers reside within, but in truth something scientists want just as badly. Most of us know the formula E = MC2 though most would be unlikely to even tell you what the letters represent. Keeping things simple makes people feel they understand it and therefore belive it. We have disproven some Newtonian principals but they are acurate to a level most of us would ever care about and so much simpler than the standard model that they are stil in use. Scientists are happy using things that are not totally accurate for the sake of simplicity as long as tolerance is acceptable.
Truth is religion presents more complexity than many accept. For this example we will stick to Christianity as it uses old and new testament which I know some of. Jonah and the whale who can't swallow anything larger than an orange and many other stories are evidently not totally true if they are even partially so, which we don't really know. So unless you are willing to be a blinkered muppet who beieves every word in a book even despite simple proof that some of it is false you have to give it a lot of thought and filter through the stories to find the true meanings behind them, not so simple anymore is it.
Need to enforce ignorance. This has become more heartfelt since I have home educated. A couple we met who had their relationship saved by the husband becoming a Christian decided that the bible was to become their world, before they'd even read it. Subsequently they wouldn't teach science, history and even geography because there were things in thes topics that went against the word of the good book.
Even before this however I remember telling work colleagues that my son was starting to attend church and having one ask why I didn't just tell him this was nonesense and how I would be glad when he grew out of this.
We need to understand all aspects to form real understanding which is why we should try to teach as evenly as possible. Like most occupations those teaching are generally religious and teach faith as truth with conviction of belief then have to teach science disagreeing with some of the stories, which the students will find confusing but should hopefully start them asking questions.
Physcology is deemed a science, though some don't like to consider it such. Part of this states that if enough people believe something and it affects their lives, their belief makes it real. I am paraphrasing badly here but bear with me. When an entire community live a set way because of a faith the effect on their life is real and in some way this makes the object of their faith real because of measurable effects on them. As such the sheer number of religious people in the world and their impact on our world as a result of their respective faiths means that at some level their deities have measurable effects so must be real. This is one I love presenting to atheists who condemn religions so heavily to make them think a bit or at least change colour.
There are so many examples of how the power of the mind can affect our world and lives that dismisisng something so many hold dear as nonesense without a second thought is a sign of absolute stupidity.
The last one which is my least favourite from the science camp. By definition scientific thinking means never closing your mind to anything. Therefore dismissing all religions as nonesense without any factual basis is not scientific thinking. When scientists stop questioning themselves they cease to think deeply enough to be of value. Some great historical discoveries have been made following religious texts and the gaps in the theology have inspired many to search for answers beyond the pages of their scriptures, as such we have benefitted from people studying faiths and research it led them too.
Those of us with IQs above our shoe size won't be on either side in a debate like this because we will have seen both used well and badly and accept that neither will ever provide all of the answers.
It constantly astounds me how many are too ignorant to accept that both have a place in the world and likely always will.
The majority of people posting are very much on the side of science or religion as if this is a choice you have to make.
As an atheist I am automatically supposed to be on the science side as if having studied and formed the secure belief that there is no deity responsible for our creation or lives instantly means I am anti-religion.
As Christians or Jews people are supposed to be totally anti science and believe there is no such thing as evolution and to mention anything in contradiction to any story in the bible is heresy.
The very idea that you have to be one or the other shows a massive amount of ignorance from both sides that has really started to get on my nerves. Some of the most infuriating things I will post here.
First and foremost a massive amount of the money invested in science has and still does come from various religions around the world. So those who love their science need to show some respect and give thanks to the people who saw fit to spent church, synagog etc. money on furthering mankinds knowledge.
Some of the greatest scientists in the world are or have been religious and their faith has helped them in their work. Two examples of this I am constantly annoyed about being forgotten are Darwin and Newton, both of whom were born and died Christians who never declared their discoveries disproved the presence of a god. Newton declared the universe as so intricate and complex that it could only have been created by a divine being and Darwin struggled to understand how his discoveries fitted into his god's plan.
Basic level misunderstanding.
Evolution is just a theory is a classic example, scientific communities require evidence to take something from the status of hypothesis to theory and that is as high as it goes. Science doesn't deal in absolute truth as such because it understands that knowledge is our understanding of the facts we have at a given time. New discoveries disprove old so the most proven theory is still just considered a theory. We have absolute proof of evolution not just from fossil records but having observed it happening in recent years, usually as a response to damage we have caused.
The gospel doesn't say it's the gospel truth. The religious writings in the old testament are bible stories to enforce faith and give people answers to questions they had when they were written some are even written as stories told by key figures to explain why we should live a certain way or be thankful for what we have. The bible doesn't mention electricity or computers it doesn't mean we shouldn't have them just that they had no knowledge of such things at that time. The same is true in many religions where stories are used to illistrate points not be treated as the ultimate in truth.
There are a lot of basic knowledge gaps on both sides. I like many others thought one of the commandments said thou shalt not kill but in truth it's thou shalt not murder so with church approval you can kill all you like, I actually saw this error posted by a person declaring themselves an authority on the biblical texts, something I am not. There are a terrifying number of people who believe Darwin promoted the idea 'survival of the fittest' but this was said by people discreditting him he actually said ' it is not the fittest, strongest or smartest who survive but the organism most suited to its environment' not as catchy I'll admit but a more accurate explaination of natural selection. These gaps lead to people assuming to know the other side with very incomplete knowledge or utilising the oppositions ignorance to use partial quotes without any of the background.
See and touch versus faith argument.
I can see, smell and touch grass, trees etc. so multiple sense tell me these exist. The moon, sun, stars and some planets I can see with my naked eye but have never touched, other things I have seen photos of like astral phenomenon but will likely never get to even see for myself. I have no absolute proof that when I look up at the sky I am not seeing an elaborate facade that revolves around the earth changing as it goes like a slow kalediscope. I do know for absolute certainty that most of the photos I have seen of astral phenomenon have been enhanced to make them understandable to those of us who can't decipher the blurred mess that actually is detected by astro physicists.
I have faith in the people enhancing the photos, expalining the shape of the solar system we are a part of and in the information my own senses provide for me. This may not seem too far fetched but when you break it down it starts to look almost foolhardy. I am aware that the brain fills in most of the detail of the world around us, so our sense provide more of a guide than true reflection of the world around us, and I know how easily my sense can be fooled. There are symptoms like ghost limb from amputees etc. that show trusting our senses is not totally reliable. I know the world revolves at 600 miles an hour but if I spin a ball at a fraction of this with an ant on it it flies off rather than staying put, so have to believe in a weak universal force known as gravity to combat this, a force so weak I overcome it by breathing stops me fallng off a fast spinning ball of dirt with a molten metal core. The crazy part is most will read this and think it's perfectly reasonable but now consider how you would explain it to an infant and how much it relies on faith.
Search for simplicity.
Usually the stone cast at the religious group who clutch their chosen book declaring all answers reside within, but in truth something scientists want just as badly. Most of us know the formula E = MC2 though most would be unlikely to even tell you what the letters represent. Keeping things simple makes people feel they understand it and therefore belive it. We have disproven some Newtonian principals but they are acurate to a level most of us would ever care about and so much simpler than the standard model that they are stil in use. Scientists are happy using things that are not totally accurate for the sake of simplicity as long as tolerance is acceptable.
Truth is religion presents more complexity than many accept. For this example we will stick to Christianity as it uses old and new testament which I know some of. Jonah and the whale who can't swallow anything larger than an orange and many other stories are evidently not totally true if they are even partially so, which we don't really know. So unless you are willing to be a blinkered muppet who beieves every word in a book even despite simple proof that some of it is false you have to give it a lot of thought and filter through the stories to find the true meanings behind them, not so simple anymore is it.
Need to enforce ignorance. This has become more heartfelt since I have home educated. A couple we met who had their relationship saved by the husband becoming a Christian decided that the bible was to become their world, before they'd even read it. Subsequently they wouldn't teach science, history and even geography because there were things in thes topics that went against the word of the good book.
Even before this however I remember telling work colleagues that my son was starting to attend church and having one ask why I didn't just tell him this was nonesense and how I would be glad when he grew out of this.
We need to understand all aspects to form real understanding which is why we should try to teach as evenly as possible. Like most occupations those teaching are generally religious and teach faith as truth with conviction of belief then have to teach science disagreeing with some of the stories, which the students will find confusing but should hopefully start them asking questions.
Physcology is deemed a science, though some don't like to consider it such. Part of this states that if enough people believe something and it affects their lives, their belief makes it real. I am paraphrasing badly here but bear with me. When an entire community live a set way because of a faith the effect on their life is real and in some way this makes the object of their faith real because of measurable effects on them. As such the sheer number of religious people in the world and their impact on our world as a result of their respective faiths means that at some level their deities have measurable effects so must be real. This is one I love presenting to atheists who condemn religions so heavily to make them think a bit or at least change colour.
There are so many examples of how the power of the mind can affect our world and lives that dismisisng something so many hold dear as nonesense without a second thought is a sign of absolute stupidity.
The last one which is my least favourite from the science camp. By definition scientific thinking means never closing your mind to anything. Therefore dismissing all religions as nonesense without any factual basis is not scientific thinking. When scientists stop questioning themselves they cease to think deeply enough to be of value. Some great historical discoveries have been made following religious texts and the gaps in the theology have inspired many to search for answers beyond the pages of their scriptures, as such we have benefitted from people studying faiths and research it led them too.
Those of us with IQs above our shoe size won't be on either side in a debate like this because we will have seen both used well and badly and accept that neither will ever provide all of the answers.
It constantly astounds me how many are too ignorant to accept that both have a place in the world and likely always will.
Bench 01-Nov-2013
Logging this, better late than never.
Missed deadlift and ended up not using fat gripz as this session was at the gym my wife trains at and I forgot to take them.
Been ill most of the weekend, including during this session, still feel lousy. May need to extend the block by a week to get in 8 weeks worth of actual sessions.
Bench
10 x 40kg, 10 x 70kg, 8 x 75kg, 2 x 85kg
Two Arm Kettlebell Clean and Press on Bosu
2 x 10 x 16kg a side 6 x 20kg a side
Push ups with clap feet on TRX
3 x 10
Missed deadlift and ended up not using fat gripz as this session was at the gym my wife trains at and I forgot to take them.
Been ill most of the weekend, including during this session, still feel lousy. May need to extend the block by a week to get in 8 weeks worth of actual sessions.
Bench
10 x 40kg, 10 x 70kg, 8 x 75kg, 2 x 85kg
Two Arm Kettlebell Clean and Press on Bosu
2 x 10 x 16kg a side 6 x 20kg a side
Push ups with clap feet on TRX
3 x 10
31 October 2013
Running 31-10-2013
Considering how hard this felt on my legs I was pleased with the final time and pace.
Legs haven't had a break all week and the intervals were still taking a bit of a toll but this is sure proof my lungs are still my wekaness, legs tired and pace barley changed.
5.38 miles in 42:10 pace 7.66mph
Legs haven't had a break all week and the intervals were still taking a bit of a toll but this is sure proof my lungs are still my wekaness, legs tired and pace barley changed.
5.38 miles in 42:10 pace 7.66mph
Squats 30-Oct-2013
Better late than never.
This block hasn't been great on squats. In part because I decided to put in an outdoor exercise during one of the wettest times of year which hasn't happened much.
End of next week is the end of this block so will have to be more realistic about time of year rather than obsessed about playing with new toys.
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 3 x 10 x 120kg want to increase this next week as felt like I could safely have done so at the end.
Step forward lunges with fat gripz. Decided to go for these as novelty on lighter weight to challenge co-ordination.
3 x 10 x 10kg plus handle each side.
Legs were still fatigued from interval running so even though this was cut short by not having farmers walk I certainly felt it.
This block hasn't been great on squats. In part because I decided to put in an outdoor exercise during one of the wettest times of year which hasn't happened much.
End of next week is the end of this block so will have to be more realistic about time of year rather than obsessed about playing with new toys.
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 3 x 10 x 120kg want to increase this next week as felt like I could safely have done so at the end.
Step forward lunges with fat gripz. Decided to go for these as novelty on lighter weight to challenge co-ordination.
3 x 10 x 10kg plus handle each side.
Legs were still fatigued from interval running so even though this was cut short by not having farmers walk I certainly felt it.
29 October 2013
Intervals 29-Oct-2013
Well I decided to ditch the Tabata style and increase the number of Timmons in one session.
Session was set as 5 minutes warm up and cool down (cool down ended early as I got to the office 30 seconds or so early) with 10 sets of 20 seconds flat out and 2 minutes slow recovery.
The distance etc. mean little because only 3:20 was at any real pace but here they are anyway. 3.5 miles in 33:49 average pace 6.21mph.
Important part is the sprints were fairly consistant with a gradual slowing over the session until the last one which was a good bit slower, so I had the number of them right in my opinion. Was sure glad to hear ccol down 5 minutes when it came along.
Session was set as 5 minutes warm up and cool down (cool down ended early as I got to the office 30 seconds or so early) with 10 sets of 20 seconds flat out and 2 minutes slow recovery.
The distance etc. mean little because only 3:20 was at any real pace but here they are anyway. 3.5 miles in 33:49 average pace 6.21mph.
Important part is the sprints were fairly consistant with a gradual slowing over the session until the last one which was a good bit slower, so I had the number of them right in my opinion. Was sure glad to hear ccol down 5 minutes when it came along.
28 October 2013
Deadlift 25-Oct-2013
This was destined not to be a very good session but I was actually pleased with how it went.
The day before I decided that it would be a good idea to train with my wife during her session, an all over routine incorporating squats, deadlifts etc. This on a day when I had done bench and the day before my own deadlift session was a bit daft to say the least. Not bothering to put exact details of waht was done, partially because I don't remember all of it and partly because I'm lazy.
Deadlift with fat gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg some of these were with hook grip which I have discovered is easier.
Messed up putting next weihgt on and failed to lift 120kg which was supposed to have been 100, doh!
Sets 3 x 4 x 100kg, 1.75 x 110kg, second rep got most of the way so giving myself .75 for that one.
Single arm deadlift with 80kg plus walk handle
8, 6, 4 Seems like the heavier deadlift and previos fatigue started to catch up on me, and I was sweating ridiculoously.
Wide grip chins, yes these definately qualified even with gripz
3 x 4
The day before I decided that it would be a good idea to train with my wife during her session, an all over routine incorporating squats, deadlifts etc. This on a day when I had done bench and the day before my own deadlift session was a bit daft to say the least. Not bothering to put exact details of waht was done, partially because I don't remember all of it and partly because I'm lazy.
Deadlift with fat gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg some of these were with hook grip which I have discovered is easier.
Messed up putting next weihgt on and failed to lift 120kg which was supposed to have been 100, doh!
Sets 3 x 4 x 100kg, 1.75 x 110kg, second rep got most of the way so giving myself .75 for that one.
Single arm deadlift with 80kg plus walk handle
8, 6, 4 Seems like the heavier deadlift and previos fatigue started to catch up on me, and I was sweating ridiculoously.
Wide grip chins, yes these definately qualified even with gripz
3 x 4
24 October 2013
Bench 24-Oct-2013
The joy of training on day off.
Bench
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 3 x 10 70kg
Kettlebell clean and press
24kg/20kg 4/4 4/6 6/4
Drop through push ups on suspension trainer level
3 x 10
Bench
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 3 x 10 70kg
Kettlebell clean and press
24kg/20kg 4/4 4/6 6/4
Drop through push ups on suspension trainer level
3 x 10
22 October 2013
HIIT 22-Oct-2013
Couldn't decide which type of HIIT to do so I tried doing 2 of them. Due to some basic incompetence on my part setting up the sessions I also managed to end up doing 2 more sprints than I should have between the two before getting the second one right.
Did Tabata with 5 min warm up and cool down followed by Timmons
Average pace etc. is so irrelevant not even posting. Both of them show sprints well above 10mph which but as momentary spikes and on tabata there weren't many and each got slower. The one issue with GPS monitoring is by the time it works out what you are doing on short sprints you've already slowed down again.
Did Tabata with 5 min warm up and cool down followed by Timmons
Average pace etc. is so irrelevant not even posting. Both of them show sprints well above 10mph which but as momentary spikes and on tabata there weren't many and each got slower. The one issue with GPS monitoring is by the time it works out what you are doing on short sprints you've already slowed down again.
Squats 21-Oct-2013
Getting a tad fed up with not finishing squat sessions of late. This time cracked my head on bar getting other kit and made a good enough job of it to make me dizzy and unstable so will see if can do what I missed this evening.
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg, 6 x 120kg
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg, 6 x 120kg
21 October 2013
Anti-theists aka The New Religious Zealots
I have been atheist most of my life and proud to be so but the basic hypocrisy of many declaring they loath the dogmatic way religions declare they are right whilst declaring they have all the answers and are the true path insulting to all, especially me as an atheist. This group are calling themselves anti-theists and to my mind are as guilty of being religious zealots as any faith before them.
There was a thing i watched on you tube about whether the catholic church is a power for good which directed me to one of them. The debate itself was a whitewash against and in fairness I don't think any group who go beyond the scriptures to ban contraception causing poverty, child starvation and spread of fatal disease can expect anything else. They do some very good things but as long as they maintain this standpoint the harm will always go beyond their good. Anyway I digress.
This is going to take a step by step approach to explain why and has some fundamental parts to it.
Disproving one part doesn't automatically disprove others.
Someone proving I didn't have eggs for breakfast this morning doesn't prove I don't like eggs and certainly doesn't prove I am dead because we have to eat to survive, if this looks ridiculous then consider some of the below.
Evolution was dismissed by many when the missing link showing we evolved from modern apes wasn't found, more so when the one exhibit hailed as the missing link proved to be a fake. This doesn't disprove evolution, there is plenty of evidence and there have now been documented and researched cases of this in action over the last few hundred years.
Jonah wasn't swallowed by a whale, the giant whales from the stories can't swallow anything larger than an orange. Noah couldn't have built an ark carrying 7 of every clean animal and 2 of all beasts for 40 days and nights without more than a few pooper scoopers, several other boats full of food and a way of controlling population that allowed the animals that don't live 40 days to breed but not infest. These and all of the other snippets of scientific fact don't disprove the existence of one or more controlling beings or gods as we tend to refer to them.
Science isn't absolute truth, it's current understanding
There are a lot of areas where science has disproven things from various religious texts. Big deal there are equally as many where science has disproven previously long held scientific theories.
Much of science is a bit like a house of cards where so much is built on other areas that a new discovery can have far reaching consequences. This is why those worshipping the science books instead of religious alternatives need to remember the ground they are standing on is not stable, and also that this is not a bad thing.
I enjoy science precisely because it tries to explain answers with our current understanding and when you get to the really intelligent scientists they will declare the limits of their understanding.
We are disproving stories that are thousands of years old with state of the art technology and science. If that impresses you I can only imagine how thrilled you were to find out pigs don't build houses and wolves don't blow them over.
One thing I am proud of with science is the discoveries showing flaws in these stories have virtually all been part of other research not done just to show fiction in religious writings. Most scientists are too mature to waste time doing so.
Atheism is a faith
Faith is believing in something without absolute proof.
I believe to the very core of my being that there is no divine presence single or multiple in control of our world or lives. I don't not believe in god for that statement implies there is one and I just haven't recognised them and is the arena of agnostics, I believe there is no such thing outside of the minds of believers.
There is absolutely no proof whatsoever that I am right. Finding there was no beardy guy sitting on a cloud didn't prove it, and nothing since has either. I don't need proof, in my mind there is no doubt that there is nothing out there guiding our lives, that is the strength of my faith.
My faith has helped me in my life in many ways. I have set my own moral standards, which have changed over time but often been more stringent than a number of religious settings insist upon. I do good things because I want to not in the hope of eternal reward after death but because I feel better for doing them now. If I do something wrong to someone I apologise to them and if suitable ask their forgiveness not someone separate from the entire reason. When I was asked what I believe in years ago my response was simple, I believe in me and that is very important.
Peaceful atheists, yeah right
One of the biggest criticisms of religion is religious wars, something I hate as much as any other pacifist but peace isn't just absence of war it is living in an environment without fear. I have witnessed first hand the verbal and physical bullying carried out against religious people by atheists, both as a child and an adult. As a child I was just glad they were picking on someone else not me, but as an adult I have stood up for others in support of freedom to choose.
Not all atheists will do so but that doesn't make us right, in the same way as not every Christian will be starting a crusade into Jerusalem or every Muslim is part of a jihad. If we want to use the argument of being peaceful in our faith, it must be universal and we aren't.
I reject dogma and insist you all should
This is where I take serious objection to anti-theists. We all take our journeys of faith. We can and should seek advice and knowledge before making a choice and continue to question it after as well. At no point should we change from this to blind obedience because that is when we start to be used by those in charge of the faith rather than be enriched by it.
Insisting that only their way is right is the very thing criticised about dogma, so how can someone justify doing this only to declare they have all the answers and the way we should live. That is the very definition of a religious zealot and a disgrace to every decent atheist in the world.
The truth as I see it
The as I see it is very important here, this is my opinion so please don't set up a religion about me or jump to following my example, in fact by doing so you wouldn't be following my example.
We all have to choose our own path.
Acceptance means you have stopped questioning and become blindly obedient.
Faith should enrich you not control you.
If it feels right and improves you as a person accuracy is not important.
Accepting faith is belief without proof shouldn't stop you trying to find some.
Give people advice and information, not conclusions.
There is no winning side in religion vs. science or religion vs. religion.
None of us are likely to know if we are right before death so don't let it ruin your life.
There was a thing i watched on you tube about whether the catholic church is a power for good which directed me to one of them. The debate itself was a whitewash against and in fairness I don't think any group who go beyond the scriptures to ban contraception causing poverty, child starvation and spread of fatal disease can expect anything else. They do some very good things but as long as they maintain this standpoint the harm will always go beyond their good. Anyway I digress.
This is going to take a step by step approach to explain why and has some fundamental parts to it.
Disproving one part doesn't automatically disprove others.
Someone proving I didn't have eggs for breakfast this morning doesn't prove I don't like eggs and certainly doesn't prove I am dead because we have to eat to survive, if this looks ridiculous then consider some of the below.
Evolution was dismissed by many when the missing link showing we evolved from modern apes wasn't found, more so when the one exhibit hailed as the missing link proved to be a fake. This doesn't disprove evolution, there is plenty of evidence and there have now been documented and researched cases of this in action over the last few hundred years.
Jonah wasn't swallowed by a whale, the giant whales from the stories can't swallow anything larger than an orange. Noah couldn't have built an ark carrying 7 of every clean animal and 2 of all beasts for 40 days and nights without more than a few pooper scoopers, several other boats full of food and a way of controlling population that allowed the animals that don't live 40 days to breed but not infest. These and all of the other snippets of scientific fact don't disprove the existence of one or more controlling beings or gods as we tend to refer to them.
Science isn't absolute truth, it's current understanding
There are a lot of areas where science has disproven things from various religious texts. Big deal there are equally as many where science has disproven previously long held scientific theories.
Much of science is a bit like a house of cards where so much is built on other areas that a new discovery can have far reaching consequences. This is why those worshipping the science books instead of religious alternatives need to remember the ground they are standing on is not stable, and also that this is not a bad thing.
I enjoy science precisely because it tries to explain answers with our current understanding and when you get to the really intelligent scientists they will declare the limits of their understanding.
We are disproving stories that are thousands of years old with state of the art technology and science. If that impresses you I can only imagine how thrilled you were to find out pigs don't build houses and wolves don't blow them over.
One thing I am proud of with science is the discoveries showing flaws in these stories have virtually all been part of other research not done just to show fiction in religious writings. Most scientists are too mature to waste time doing so.
Atheism is a faith
Faith is believing in something without absolute proof.
I believe to the very core of my being that there is no divine presence single or multiple in control of our world or lives. I don't not believe in god for that statement implies there is one and I just haven't recognised them and is the arena of agnostics, I believe there is no such thing outside of the minds of believers.
There is absolutely no proof whatsoever that I am right. Finding there was no beardy guy sitting on a cloud didn't prove it, and nothing since has either. I don't need proof, in my mind there is no doubt that there is nothing out there guiding our lives, that is the strength of my faith.
My faith has helped me in my life in many ways. I have set my own moral standards, which have changed over time but often been more stringent than a number of religious settings insist upon. I do good things because I want to not in the hope of eternal reward after death but because I feel better for doing them now. If I do something wrong to someone I apologise to them and if suitable ask their forgiveness not someone separate from the entire reason. When I was asked what I believe in years ago my response was simple, I believe in me and that is very important.
Peaceful atheists, yeah right
One of the biggest criticisms of religion is religious wars, something I hate as much as any other pacifist but peace isn't just absence of war it is living in an environment without fear. I have witnessed first hand the verbal and physical bullying carried out against religious people by atheists, both as a child and an adult. As a child I was just glad they were picking on someone else not me, but as an adult I have stood up for others in support of freedom to choose.
Not all atheists will do so but that doesn't make us right, in the same way as not every Christian will be starting a crusade into Jerusalem or every Muslim is part of a jihad. If we want to use the argument of being peaceful in our faith, it must be universal and we aren't.
I reject dogma and insist you all should
This is where I take serious objection to anti-theists. We all take our journeys of faith. We can and should seek advice and knowledge before making a choice and continue to question it after as well. At no point should we change from this to blind obedience because that is when we start to be used by those in charge of the faith rather than be enriched by it.
Insisting that only their way is right is the very thing criticised about dogma, so how can someone justify doing this only to declare they have all the answers and the way we should live. That is the very definition of a religious zealot and a disgrace to every decent atheist in the world.
The truth as I see it
The as I see it is very important here, this is my opinion so please don't set up a religion about me or jump to following my example, in fact by doing so you wouldn't be following my example.
We all have to choose our own path.
Acceptance means you have stopped questioning and become blindly obedient.
Faith should enrich you not control you.
If it feels right and improves you as a person accuracy is not important.
Accepting faith is belief without proof shouldn't stop you trying to find some.
Give people advice and information, not conclusions.
There is no winning side in religion vs. science or religion vs. religion.
None of us are likely to know if we are right before death so don't let it ruin your life.
Running 21-Oct-2013
Today was wet. The sort of weather that's hard to set off in but feels really good once you are actually running. Not hot, cold or windy just raining.
5.38 miles in 41:57 pace 7.69mph and felt good.
5.38 miles in 41:57 pace 7.69mph and felt good.
17 October 2013
Running 17-Oct-2013
Not nearly as bad as I expected. Tired recovering from seizure and no stretches after squat session left me with very low expectations. It certainly wasn't impressive but I am happier than I expected.
5.37 miles in 42:52 pace 7.52mph
5.37 miles in 42:52 pace 7.52mph
Bench 16-Oct-2013
This should have been a total unmitigated disaster. Really tired, seizure the night before all the ingredients to say training was a stupid idea.
All considered I think it went well.
Bench with fat gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 65kg, 1 x 8 x 65kg
Clean and press
One set 2 reps with 24kg 4 with 20kg, bit of pain in right bicep made me stop. Stupid to be training anyway downright foolhardy pushing through damage.
Drop trhough push ups on suspension trainer. Feet on catchers.
3 sets of 8. Body virtually straight throughout, few moments of poor form but better than last week.
All considered I think it went well.
Bench with fat gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 65kg, 1 x 8 x 65kg
Clean and press
One set 2 reps with 24kg 4 with 20kg, bit of pain in right bicep made me stop. Stupid to be training anyway downright foolhardy pushing through damage.
Drop trhough push ups on suspension trainer. Feet on catchers.
3 sets of 8. Body virtually straight throughout, few moments of poor form but better than last week.
16 October 2013
Squats 15-Oct-2013
There are 2 people in my life worth losing sleep over and one of them needed additional care on Monday night, meaning I ended up tired and was stressed on Tuesday. Combination of this and just time since last seizure meant I ended up having another last night.
I didn't know this was coming before squats, assumed fatigue was just tiredness, too tired to notice the difference. Got up for third set, felt instantly dizzy and tired so decided not safe to continue, was annoyed last night when stopped, this morning I am glad I did.
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg
I didn't know this was coming before squats, assumed fatigue was just tiredness, too tired to notice the difference. Got up for third set, felt instantly dizzy and tired so decided not safe to continue, was annoyed last night when stopped, this morning I am glad I did.
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg
15 October 2013
Running 15-Oct-2013
Well plans went straight out of the window. Squats session disappeared in a blur of activity which meant needing to leave the car I use elsewhere and drive the main car home with family in it.
Subsequently today's run was totally non-standard. Route was overall downhill, needed to carry a pack with work clothes and lunch in it. Will not be factoring in this on trends as so abnormal for me lately.
3.07 miles in 23:33 pace 7.81mph
Will try getting squats done this evening.
Subsequently today's run was totally non-standard. Route was overall downhill, needed to carry a pack with work clothes and lunch in it. Will not be factoring in this on trends as so abnormal for me lately.
3.07 miles in 23:33 pace 7.81mph
Will try getting squats done this evening.
14 October 2013
Running 14-Oct-2013
Note to self on single arm deadlifts, forcing through the hips to get extra few inches of movement is not worth it. never had any spinal pain or discomfort from any variation of deadlift etc. until the last one and that was fortunately minor. Hyperextending the spine with a twist is something I know caries risk and I will not be doing it again.
Anyway the run. Not spectacular but acceptable none the less.
5.39 miles in 42:18 pace 7.65mph
Anyway the run. Not spectacular but acceptable none the less.
5.39 miles in 42:18 pace 7.65mph
11 October 2013
Running 11-Oct-2013
Still windy but got breathing sorted. Body worn from training etc. but still not too bad.
5.36 miles (despite beign the same route as always) in 41:19 pace 7.78mph
5.36 miles (despite beign the same route as always) in 41:19 pace 7.78mph
Deadlift 10-Oct-2013
More fun with fat gripz, this time with more focus on technique.
Deadlift
3 x 10 x 70kg
3.5 (one rep was failure half way up), 3, 4 with 100kg
Single arm deadlift
10, 6, 6 with 80kg + handle
Pull ups
6, 5, 4
Deadlift
3 x 10 x 70kg
3.5 (one rep was failure half way up), 3, 4 with 100kg
Single arm deadlift
10, 6, 6 with 80kg + handle
Pull ups
6, 5, 4
10 October 2013
Running 10-Oct-2013
Today was one of those plesently surprising runs. Felt comfortable but hard work due to high winds, finished off with a bit of rain which was a nice touch. Then turned out to be a good run at a respectable pace, when I was expecting mediocre at best.
5.41 in 41:25 pace 7.84mph
5.41 in 41:25 pace 7.84mph
Bench 09-Oct-2013
Bench was a good one, not often I say that. Used gripz on bench and kettlework and ditched the press with handles in favour of suspension trainer work, kept hitting the rack with the handles and that can't be good for either.
Bench
3 x 10 x 40kg, 1 x 10 x 60kg, 1 x 8 x 65kg, 1 x 6 x 65kg, getting to gripz with these now. Comedian I am not.
Kettlebell clean and press
1 x 10 x 20kg, 1 x 8 x 24kg, 1 x 4 with 24kg then 2 with 20kg
Drop through press ups on suspension trainer no pin, feet and handles at same height.
5, 6, 6 If I said technique was great on these I would be lying, a lot of dip in the back, but will correct over coming weeks.
Bench
3 x 10 x 40kg, 1 x 10 x 60kg, 1 x 8 x 65kg, 1 x 6 x 65kg, getting to gripz with these now. Comedian I am not.
Kettlebell clean and press
1 x 10 x 20kg, 1 x 8 x 24kg, 1 x 4 with 24kg then 2 with 20kg
Drop through press ups on suspension trainer no pin, feet and handles at same height.
5, 6, 6 If I said technique was great on these I would be lying, a lot of dip in the back, but will correct over coming weeks.
9 October 2013
Squats (sort of) 08-Oct-2013
My wife wasn't feeling up to going to the gym but was training at home so I tried fitting in around her. Not 100% anyway so no real hardship. Session was seriously abbreviated but at least it happened.
Squats
10 x 70kg, 10 x 90kg, 8 x 120kg
Farmers walk
1 full walk both wayw with turn 50kg a side plus handles
1 messed up turn causing me to have to stop half way back but finished on attempt 2 same weight
Lunges without weight, feeling a bit light headed decided this was safest.
Squats
10 x 70kg, 10 x 90kg, 8 x 120kg
Farmers walk
1 full walk both wayw with turn 50kg a side plus handles
1 messed up turn causing me to have to stop half way back but finished on attempt 2 same weight
Lunges without weight, feeling a bit light headed decided this was safest.
8 October 2013
Running 08-Oct-2013
Well surprise, surprise I pushed myslef outside of training to the point of near illness and couldn't train. Not the first or last time I will have done this to be trying to care for family. I know making myself ill doesn't help them but it's hard to remember to look after me when trying to care for one of them.
Anyway back to running today and not too bad really. Will be doing squats this evening, though may have to moderate, the joy!
5.4 miles in 42:20 pace 7.65mph Felt more comfortable than I expected in fairness.
Anyway back to running today and not too bad really. Will be doing squats this evening, though may have to moderate, the joy!
5.4 miles in 42:20 pace 7.65mph Felt more comfortable than I expected in fairness.
4 October 2013
Running 04-Oct-2013
Well today was rubbish, no other way to discribe it.
There is serious humidity out there and I struggled from start to premature finish.
At 3.5 miles I wanted to stop, my body had given up due to lack of air, I managed to get another mile out before grinding to a dizzy halt.
I probably could have done the whole route if I'd set out a little slower based on the above minimum pace but the movement felt comfortable, my breathing was the killer.
4.51 miles in 35:47 pace 7.55mph
There is serious humidity out there and I struggled from start to premature finish.
At 3.5 miles I wanted to stop, my body had given up due to lack of air, I managed to get another mile out before grinding to a dizzy halt.
I probably could have done the whole route if I'd set out a little slower based on the above minimum pace but the movement felt comfortable, my breathing was the killer.
4.51 miles in 35:47 pace 7.55mph
Deadlift 03-Oct-2013
This was interesting. Starting to get used to the fat gripz so was able to give a bit more earlier on and died at the end.
Deadlift with gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Main 2 x 3 x 100kg 1 x 4 x 100kg really pleased with that best weight with gripz and upped by a rep too.
Single arme deadlift
All 80kg + handle 6, 8, 10 First set felt like hell and I doubted the intelligence of going up a weight, second got slippy and by the marvel that is climbing chalk the last one was a 10
Wide grip pull ups
3 with grips, 2 with 1 without 1 with, 3 with 3 without
By this time my hands were dead and it really doesn't matter what the rest of you can do if you can't hold the bar securely you are going nowhere fast.
Bit of a pathetic display.
Deadlift with gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Main 2 x 3 x 100kg 1 x 4 x 100kg really pleased with that best weight with gripz and upped by a rep too.
Single arme deadlift
All 80kg + handle 6, 8, 10 First set felt like hell and I doubted the intelligence of going up a weight, second got slippy and by the marvel that is climbing chalk the last one was a 10
Wide grip pull ups
3 with grips, 2 with 1 without 1 with, 3 with 3 without
By this time my hands were dead and it really doesn't matter what the rest of you can do if you can't hold the bar securely you are going nowhere fast.
Bit of a pathetic display.
3 October 2013
Running 03-Oct-2013
No weights so far this week, somethign I will be remedying this evening.
Today's run wasn't bad but not as good as earlier this week. Very humid making breathing difficult but feel it should have been better, just had no energy at the end.
5.4 miles in 42:36 pace 7.6mph
Today's run wasn't bad but not as good as earlier this week. Very humid making breathing difficult but feel it should have been better, just had no energy at the end.
5.4 miles in 42:36 pace 7.6mph
1 October 2013
Running 01-Oct-2013
Well I really let myself down today, 0.01 mils less and a second slower than yesterday. Unforgivable!
5.37 miles in 41:03 pace 7.85mph
Obviously I am happy with getting 2 consitantly good runs this week. Just need to keep to it now.
5.37 miles in 41:03 pace 7.85mph
Obviously I am happy with getting 2 consitantly good runs this week. Just need to keep to it now.
Truth about home education (without scaremongering)
The chances of anyone getting to this thread who will benefit from it is slim to none but still enough to make it worth posting.
In the UK and likely elsewhere there is a lot of fear and panic being spread to such an extent people are becoming scared to involve local authorities in the process. As with most situations there is nothing to be afraid of unless you are a major cause of damage to your children and based on what I have seen even when I thought they were.
There are some very negative impressions given on some facebook threads, one in particular which is administered by someone who will ban anyone who doesn't agree with her scare stories. These areas make it seem that the only outcome from telling the authorities you are educating at home is a surprise doorstep visit from the police and social services and intimidation to get your child back to state education. When you are looking at something as major as home educating this is the last thing you want to see and the reality is instead of supporting fellow home educators this will simply scare them and set them to focusing on imagined hazards instead of providing an education.
The reality of home education law UK version.
If you never send your child to school there is no legal requirement to advise the authorities, if you are removing them from a school you have to advise the school and local education authority. How approachable etc. they are is dependant on the individual, same as anything else but I would advise notifying them whether you have to or not. It isn't essential to eat more than every few days but most of us do and not doing so is pretty stupid.
Removing your child form a school without notifying the authorities is illegal, plain and simple and considering the most common abusers of children are the parents this will raise flags with police and social services who are not only empowered but duty bound to investigate this in order to protect the child(ren) in question. If you are scared out of doing so you will find yourself in a truly terrifying situation and your names will be entered onto a few watch lists as they should be to ensure children at risk are protected. This doesn't mean you are an abuser, but does mean you have behaved as one would.
You can notify and request no visits and the authorities have to abide by your request, but this will be seen as potentially having something to hide so you will be a bit further down the list of putting children at risk. Considering there appears to be no minimum standard you have to teach to, a fact that disgusts me to the core, I cannot see why anyone will not allow a standard scheduled visit, which is the authorities preferred. The fact is offering this will result in a 25% or less chance of the asking for one unless you absolutely insist due to their workload and you will be so far down the list of at risk as not to be seen unless you start burning crosses n your front garden or ordering weapons grde plutonium over the internet.
Personal experience dealing with the local education authority was mixed. The boss in charge of the home education department was an ex-teacher and I felt very much that she demonstrated a case of those who can do, those who can't teach and if you really can't you become boss of home education, she has since gone and everyone else we have dealt with has been fine. We asked them to give us annual visits to assess if we were educating our son to a suitable standard, we have had one initial assessment and not seen them since, the appointment was booked, rescheduled by them and took place with no police or social services presence. The paperwork from the assessment came back saying we were providing for our son better than the state would be able to with reasoning, not a sign of intimidation etc. We havent' seen them since but send them plans and details of the assessments we do every year to be sure we aren't letting our son down and they write back saying thank you.
Truth is they are there to provide a service, not a very good one as they have virtually no information to help you find resources etc. but working with them is very easy and totally painless.
I have witnessed one set of parents who I would say have to be one of the worst set of home educators going and even though they did everything in the most stupid and obstructive way possible they can still educate at home, I use the term very loosely.
The parents in question have multiple children who attended school for a few years and have been removed for home education. On leaving school they were reading at below the level they would be expected to for thier age, math ability similarly below so they would be seen as needing support in standard state schools. After almost 2 years of home education their abilities in basic english and math were below that on leaving school.
For reasons totally seperate they were investigated by social services and because they home educate this had to be investigate this as part of the process. End result with a family evidently educating their children so badly they were not only failing to learn new things but losing the abilities school had given them and at least one having openly stated they wanted to go back to school, was an advisory to return their children to school without any enforcement.
These will undoubtedly have posted on forums about how badly treated they were by the authorities they were constantly fighting with, while totally missing how little education they are providing at home. But even they still continue to be allowed to neglect their responsibilities without fear of reprisals.
The idea of this post is not to encourage people to think in terms of not bothering to educate knowing they can do so, even though it appears parents in the UK can. It is to show people that following the rules is simple and far less stressful than being obstructive. Knowing it's all done by the book and that if you are going to get a visit it will be one organised with a letter coming to you with a requested date and time.
Education authorities are generally quite lazy regarding home education, and there is a lot of work involved in setting up scary visits by police and social services so they won't do it unless they really feel it's needed.
They won't care if you are teaching on a dining table in fact most do, when we showed a desk they were shocked. They know it's expensive so will not expect you to have spent several thousands on kit either.
They want you to have considered all options first and will tell you about the best schools for your child and what they could provide, because many parents don't find out for themselves or schools fail to tell them. This is not pressure it is information, treat it as such.
They want to see what provisions you have made for education and social interaction their opinions on this will be drafted into a report if you get a visit. In the same way as anything else this should be viewed as a tool, none of us will get everything right and arrogantly assuming we do can only damage our children, so take notice even if you disagree.
Making a mistake often means potentially damaging something. Making a mistake on educating your children could easily damage their entire future, so take it seriously and get any help you can. If you advise the authorities and they give you one website link you didn't have, it was worth it. Better to go by the book and get nothing in return than have fear anyway.
Also remember that you may decide to return a child to school, good relationship with the education authority will help here. It is worth it and they aren't the devil's army.
In the UK and likely elsewhere there is a lot of fear and panic being spread to such an extent people are becoming scared to involve local authorities in the process. As with most situations there is nothing to be afraid of unless you are a major cause of damage to your children and based on what I have seen even when I thought they were.
There are some very negative impressions given on some facebook threads, one in particular which is administered by someone who will ban anyone who doesn't agree with her scare stories. These areas make it seem that the only outcome from telling the authorities you are educating at home is a surprise doorstep visit from the police and social services and intimidation to get your child back to state education. When you are looking at something as major as home educating this is the last thing you want to see and the reality is instead of supporting fellow home educators this will simply scare them and set them to focusing on imagined hazards instead of providing an education.
The reality of home education law UK version.
If you never send your child to school there is no legal requirement to advise the authorities, if you are removing them from a school you have to advise the school and local education authority. How approachable etc. they are is dependant on the individual, same as anything else but I would advise notifying them whether you have to or not. It isn't essential to eat more than every few days but most of us do and not doing so is pretty stupid.
Removing your child form a school without notifying the authorities is illegal, plain and simple and considering the most common abusers of children are the parents this will raise flags with police and social services who are not only empowered but duty bound to investigate this in order to protect the child(ren) in question. If you are scared out of doing so you will find yourself in a truly terrifying situation and your names will be entered onto a few watch lists as they should be to ensure children at risk are protected. This doesn't mean you are an abuser, but does mean you have behaved as one would.
You can notify and request no visits and the authorities have to abide by your request, but this will be seen as potentially having something to hide so you will be a bit further down the list of putting children at risk. Considering there appears to be no minimum standard you have to teach to, a fact that disgusts me to the core, I cannot see why anyone will not allow a standard scheduled visit, which is the authorities preferred. The fact is offering this will result in a 25% or less chance of the asking for one unless you absolutely insist due to their workload and you will be so far down the list of at risk as not to be seen unless you start burning crosses n your front garden or ordering weapons grde plutonium over the internet.
Personal experience dealing with the local education authority was mixed. The boss in charge of the home education department was an ex-teacher and I felt very much that she demonstrated a case of those who can do, those who can't teach and if you really can't you become boss of home education, she has since gone and everyone else we have dealt with has been fine. We asked them to give us annual visits to assess if we were educating our son to a suitable standard, we have had one initial assessment and not seen them since, the appointment was booked, rescheduled by them and took place with no police or social services presence. The paperwork from the assessment came back saying we were providing for our son better than the state would be able to with reasoning, not a sign of intimidation etc. We havent' seen them since but send them plans and details of the assessments we do every year to be sure we aren't letting our son down and they write back saying thank you.
Truth is they are there to provide a service, not a very good one as they have virtually no information to help you find resources etc. but working with them is very easy and totally painless.
I have witnessed one set of parents who I would say have to be one of the worst set of home educators going and even though they did everything in the most stupid and obstructive way possible they can still educate at home, I use the term very loosely.
The parents in question have multiple children who attended school for a few years and have been removed for home education. On leaving school they were reading at below the level they would be expected to for thier age, math ability similarly below so they would be seen as needing support in standard state schools. After almost 2 years of home education their abilities in basic english and math were below that on leaving school.
For reasons totally seperate they were investigated by social services and because they home educate this had to be investigate this as part of the process. End result with a family evidently educating their children so badly they were not only failing to learn new things but losing the abilities school had given them and at least one having openly stated they wanted to go back to school, was an advisory to return their children to school without any enforcement.
These will undoubtedly have posted on forums about how badly treated they were by the authorities they were constantly fighting with, while totally missing how little education they are providing at home. But even they still continue to be allowed to neglect their responsibilities without fear of reprisals.
The idea of this post is not to encourage people to think in terms of not bothering to educate knowing they can do so, even though it appears parents in the UK can. It is to show people that following the rules is simple and far less stressful than being obstructive. Knowing it's all done by the book and that if you are going to get a visit it will be one organised with a letter coming to you with a requested date and time.
Education authorities are generally quite lazy regarding home education, and there is a lot of work involved in setting up scary visits by police and social services so they won't do it unless they really feel it's needed.
They won't care if you are teaching on a dining table in fact most do, when we showed a desk they were shocked. They know it's expensive so will not expect you to have spent several thousands on kit either.
They want you to have considered all options first and will tell you about the best schools for your child and what they could provide, because many parents don't find out for themselves or schools fail to tell them. This is not pressure it is information, treat it as such.
They want to see what provisions you have made for education and social interaction their opinions on this will be drafted into a report if you get a visit. In the same way as anything else this should be viewed as a tool, none of us will get everything right and arrogantly assuming we do can only damage our children, so take notice even if you disagree.
Making a mistake often means potentially damaging something. Making a mistake on educating your children could easily damage their entire future, so take it seriously and get any help you can. If you advise the authorities and they give you one website link you didn't have, it was worth it. Better to go by the book and get nothing in return than have fear anyway.
Also remember that you may decide to return a child to school, good relationship with the education authority will help here. It is worth it and they aren't the devil's army.
30 September 2013
Running 30-Sep-2013
Calves still aching a bit, stiff achilles, but nothing remotely serious so didn't know how it was going to go. Glad to say it was a good one, in fact having checked it is my best on this route and and one of the fastest lunch run I have recorded here, based on pace for completing run fastest was 7.92mph. Happy with that.
5.38 miles in 41:02 pace 7.86mph
I know some of this will be coming from the inability to keep intensity quite as high as normal in weights when doing so much totally new stuff but still nice.
5.38 miles in 41:02 pace 7.86mph
I know some of this will be coming from the inability to keep intensity quite as high as normal in weights when doing so much totally new stuff but still nice.
Deadlift 28-Sep-2013
A session so good it took 2 days to get around ot dioing it and another 2 to log it.
This is of course nonesense. The delay doing it was due to outside factors far more important and logging late was due to being a lazy fart.
Deadlift fatgripz
3 x 10 x 70kg
3 x 3 x 90kg Really wanted to do a forth each time but on third I knew it wasn't going ot happen.
Single arm deadlift with walk handle, weight without
2 x 10 x 70kg 1 x 8 x 80kg felt as if I should have stopped at 6, glad I didn't
Wide grip pull ups with fat grips
3 x 4 each set had a pause at 2 but I got all of them.
This is of course nonesense. The delay doing it was due to outside factors far more important and logging late was due to being a lazy fart.
Deadlift fatgripz
3 x 10 x 70kg
3 x 3 x 90kg Really wanted to do a forth each time but on third I knew it wasn't going ot happen.
Single arm deadlift with walk handle, weight without
2 x 10 x 70kg 1 x 8 x 80kg felt as if I should have stopped at 6, glad I didn't
Wide grip pull ups with fat grips
3 x 4 each set had a pause at 2 but I got all of them.
27 September 2013
Running 27-Sep-2013
Well last night didn't go to plan at all. One warm up set and I got a phone call to deal with something far more important. Part of the process involved a jog with some walking for about 5 miles with the family dog who is not designed for running hence pace, she stopped panting about an hour or so after the end of the trip. So deadlifts didn't really happen and I will be doing them this evening instead.
As such I felt quite worn out and the idea of going for a run today felt like a bad idea. Strangely the run itself wasn't bad, but the more time progresses after the less of a good idea it feels like. Time to man up and deal with it.
5.38 miles in 41:47 pace 7.73mph Better than I would have expected.
As such I felt quite worn out and the idea of going for a run today felt like a bad idea. Strangely the run itself wasn't bad, but the more time progresses after the less of a good idea it feels like. Time to man up and deal with it.
5.38 miles in 41:47 pace 7.73mph Better than I would have expected.
Signs of age
Ok a few posts have been very serious and I feel it's time for a bit more light hearted fun.
Here are a few signs that give my age away.
I didn't used to know that my Evil Knievel toy had more successful jumps in my play time than he had his entire career.
I owned a black and whit TV with dials, and a record player.
My first mobile music player was a WM-B15 tape player which cost not much less than an iPod shuffle and used two batteries heavier than the pod.
I didn't realise PacMan would be such an inspiration to so many who went on to listening to repetetive music in darkened rooms munching on pills.
I remember when doubling computer storage on a home PC meant switching from 60 minute tapes to 120.
I remember punk and heavy metal when it was relatively new, not being revisited.
I remember CDs being advertised as virtually indestructible on tommorows world.
I saw mullets and flourescent socks as cool as long as not in pairs.
When I wanted to research things I had to use libraries instead of Google, it sucked.
I remember when diesel engines were for vans and tractors. No-one wanted a car with one.
I was upset when they stopped making ford capris and even more so when I found out the were rubbish anyway.
I was upset when they abolished the 1/2p coin as it meant the end of 1/2p sweets and halved the value of my pocket money.
I got the cane at school and remember how we used to try to get it for playground celebrity.
I remember when the reason for using a condom changed from contraception to life preservation, and being given one before I knew the point.
I remember people being annoyed when the shops had shut in the evening. 24 hour shopping wasn't a mrketing ploy people wanted it.
I thought chopper bikes where cool, but liked my drop handlebars for speed. First racer weighed as much as a tank but I thought it was fast.
Shopping used to have nothing to do with barcodes and we paid with cash. Queues moved faster when that changed until they added psuedo friendly service.
Car electronics meant lights and starter not computers. Working on them was easier and it needed to be with how unreliable they were.
Car seatbelts were optional meaning more people could fit into each vehicle. Airbags were fat passengers.
Petrol was priced by the gallon rather than the litre and was cheap enough that peasure drives didn't require a remortgage.
We were due to run out of oil before I hit adulthood. I am enjoying a very long childhood.
Electric vehicles were milkfloats not sports cars.
Wearing second hand clothes meant you were poor not retro.
World war 3 would be over in 30 minutes and we were waiting for it to start.
Russians were bad war mongers and Americans were the good guys. Don't see the Russian troops at war now though.
Here are a few signs that give my age away.
I didn't used to know that my Evil Knievel toy had more successful jumps in my play time than he had his entire career.
I owned a black and whit TV with dials, and a record player.
My first mobile music player was a WM-B15 tape player which cost not much less than an iPod shuffle and used two batteries heavier than the pod.
I didn't realise PacMan would be such an inspiration to so many who went on to listening to repetetive music in darkened rooms munching on pills.
I remember when doubling computer storage on a home PC meant switching from 60 minute tapes to 120.
I remember punk and heavy metal when it was relatively new, not being revisited.
I remember CDs being advertised as virtually indestructible on tommorows world.
I saw mullets and flourescent socks as cool as long as not in pairs.
When I wanted to research things I had to use libraries instead of Google, it sucked.
I remember when diesel engines were for vans and tractors. No-one wanted a car with one.
I was upset when they stopped making ford capris and even more so when I found out the were rubbish anyway.
I was upset when they abolished the 1/2p coin as it meant the end of 1/2p sweets and halved the value of my pocket money.
I got the cane at school and remember how we used to try to get it for playground celebrity.
I remember when the reason for using a condom changed from contraception to life preservation, and being given one before I knew the point.
I remember people being annoyed when the shops had shut in the evening. 24 hour shopping wasn't a mrketing ploy people wanted it.
I thought chopper bikes where cool, but liked my drop handlebars for speed. First racer weighed as much as a tank but I thought it was fast.
Shopping used to have nothing to do with barcodes and we paid with cash. Queues moved faster when that changed until they added psuedo friendly service.
Car electronics meant lights and starter not computers. Working on them was easier and it needed to be with how unreliable they were.
Car seatbelts were optional meaning more people could fit into each vehicle. Airbags were fat passengers.
Petrol was priced by the gallon rather than the litre and was cheap enough that peasure drives didn't require a remortgage.
We were due to run out of oil before I hit adulthood. I am enjoying a very long childhood.
Electric vehicles were milkfloats not sports cars.
Wearing second hand clothes meant you were poor not retro.
World war 3 would be over in 30 minutes and we were waiting for it to start.
Russians were bad war mongers and Americans were the good guys. Don't see the Russian troops at war now though.
Opinions and why
All of us have them and we justify them to ourselves for various reasons. Opinions that are could be unreasonable or wrong but we still maintain for personal reasons or long held beliefs. The danger comes when we refuse to let these go.
I am listing a few with reasons here to give some idea how crazy some of them can be.
Stupidity is being unwilling to learn, not failing to know.
The smartest people are those who realise how little they know.
Both of the above are linked and come from personal experience. I have witnessed the most well read people who will only read things agreeing with their opinions to reinforce their ignorance, they prove that light really does travel faster than sound by appearing bright until you hear them speak. In contrast I have seen illiterates learn skills and improvise in ways I could never imagine, no book learnt skills just the ability to look at things from various angles at once and solve problems learning along the way.
Parents who smoke need to love their children more.
If a drug addiction that damages the people you should love most means more to you than they do, you don't love them enough.
Physical discipline is an excellent way of showing how little self discipline the reprimander has.
Consider the irony of hitting a child for bullying someone smaller than them. Not to mention that despite being in an environment where I witnessed major child abuse when growing up, often resulting in hospitalisation, I have yet to meet a parent who thinks they went to far with physical punishment. In fact the worse the abuser the more convinced they were that it was for the childs good. Proof if needed that people who hit there children don't know what is reasonable force makes thos of us who think more realise it has to be none. Non-physical discipline works and the older my son gets the bigger the rift between his discipline and those getting hit in his favour. He has his moments but my way works further than arms reach and I refuse to allow Asperger's to be an excuse as too many do.
If you need drink or drugs to have a good time, you are too boring for words.
I am boring and openly admit it. Strangely there are people declaring otherwise because I, to coin a phrase used recently decribing me 'walk my own path.' If you can't enjoy life without intoxication there is something more missing than the substance. If the words 'I havent' had enough to drink yet' or similar have passed your lips you fall into this group, and those of us willing to act the fool without will be ejoying ourselves as you hide in the shadows.
Anyone can be fit/ smart/ or whatever they want.
If you think you can or if you thinnk you can't, you're probably right.
Nicked the last one from Henry Ford, not a nice man and never said 'you can have it in any colour, as long as it's black.' but he did say this. It is my mantra and I live by it, making me hell on earth to live with. If you believe in yourself and are willing to add hard work to the mix there is very little you cannot achieve. There is a lot of it's Ok for them being fit or having the brains etc. as a cop out, truth is most of the people saying it have avoided the things that will make them so. Starting later means you may not be as good as someone starting younger but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing.
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
There are a number of things expected as we get older, pipe and slippers may be outdated but there are things we are supposed to have left behind in later years, strangely enough in some cases even by my age, Im not even really old yet middle aged definately and undeniably but senility is a way off yet. The strangest part is everyone I know who has conformed to this seems unhappy in stagnation while others less conventional are generally enjoying life.
There will be more but not today.
I am listing a few with reasons here to give some idea how crazy some of them can be.
Stupidity is being unwilling to learn, not failing to know.
The smartest people are those who realise how little they know.
Both of the above are linked and come from personal experience. I have witnessed the most well read people who will only read things agreeing with their opinions to reinforce their ignorance, they prove that light really does travel faster than sound by appearing bright until you hear them speak. In contrast I have seen illiterates learn skills and improvise in ways I could never imagine, no book learnt skills just the ability to look at things from various angles at once and solve problems learning along the way.
Parents who smoke need to love their children more.
If a drug addiction that damages the people you should love most means more to you than they do, you don't love them enough.
Physical discipline is an excellent way of showing how little self discipline the reprimander has.
Consider the irony of hitting a child for bullying someone smaller than them. Not to mention that despite being in an environment where I witnessed major child abuse when growing up, often resulting in hospitalisation, I have yet to meet a parent who thinks they went to far with physical punishment. In fact the worse the abuser the more convinced they were that it was for the childs good. Proof if needed that people who hit there children don't know what is reasonable force makes thos of us who think more realise it has to be none. Non-physical discipline works and the older my son gets the bigger the rift between his discipline and those getting hit in his favour. He has his moments but my way works further than arms reach and I refuse to allow Asperger's to be an excuse as too many do.
If you need drink or drugs to have a good time, you are too boring for words.
I am boring and openly admit it. Strangely there are people declaring otherwise because I, to coin a phrase used recently decribing me 'walk my own path.' If you can't enjoy life without intoxication there is something more missing than the substance. If the words 'I havent' had enough to drink yet' or similar have passed your lips you fall into this group, and those of us willing to act the fool without will be ejoying ourselves as you hide in the shadows.
Anyone can be fit/ smart/ or whatever they want.
If you think you can or if you thinnk you can't, you're probably right.
Nicked the last one from Henry Ford, not a nice man and never said 'you can have it in any colour, as long as it's black.' but he did say this. It is my mantra and I live by it, making me hell on earth to live with. If you believe in yourself and are willing to add hard work to the mix there is very little you cannot achieve. There is a lot of it's Ok for them being fit or having the brains etc. as a cop out, truth is most of the people saying it have avoided the things that will make them so. Starting later means you may not be as good as someone starting younger but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing.
Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
There are a number of things expected as we get older, pipe and slippers may be outdated but there are things we are supposed to have left behind in later years, strangely enough in some cases even by my age, Im not even really old yet middle aged definately and undeniably but senility is a way off yet. The strangest part is everyone I know who has conformed to this seems unhappy in stagnation while others less conventional are generally enjoying life.
There will be more but not today.
26 September 2013
Meaning of my life, passage of time
Not my common light hearted junk I am afraid.
There are a few thinks of late that have made me think about not so much the meaning of life but what I live for, what it does for me and what impact my life has and may yet have on others. Ironically some of them simple adverts etc. I am that sad. I do also tend to reflect on life a lot, a sure sign I have messed it up often.
I am not a massively significant figure, so happily my life has very little in the way of direct far reaching consequences. There are many who seek power and influence, I am not one of them. My life and reading has taught me that one person's freedom is another's tyranny and making choices that affect people’s lives is a dangerous game that is never going to benefit all.
Early life is so unbelievably important and the details of mine wouldn't make pleasant reading. I am however thankful that it wasn't one of the many I witnessed. Most of us have things we can whinge about, truth is we either let it destroy us or ante up and fix ourselves. Anyone thinking this is easy or rewarding in the short term hasn't done it and hopefully doesn't need to. There were a number of lessons I learned growing up and most of them were later proven wrong. Some of the things I was told made little impact at that time but I realise some of the people I idolised were telling me things I wouldn’t understand until adulthood and some knew they wouldn't be around then.
Growing up in a military city during the tail end of the cold war I was literally waiting for disaster and brought up to fear everyone and everything and respond violently. One violent response I apparently won taught me that throwing the last shot doesn't make you the victor, in fact on that occasion having the sense to stay down would have made walking a lot easier for a week or so.
War and peace is a strange topic and one I have given a lot of thought to. I am from a line of very effective and decorated killers and know it's in me as much as them, the decision to avoid situations where I would be expected to kill is the only reason I haven't. Some people think first, others dwell later, I am the latter, so I would kill without a second thought in a war zone and regret it later if finding out I had been wrong. Armed forces love people like me if conditioned to hate the right people we become mobile weapons on low pay and rarely die alone.
The above in mind I decided the only way to avoid killing people I neither know or have reason to hate was to be pacifist. I like the idea of universal peace and how hypocritical being a pacifist truly is to such an extent I have little time for the airy fairy hippies who don't see this. People have fought and died for me to have the choice not to, my stance against violence has literally cost lives. I have fought or intimidated to get my way and all of us have, so there is no real peace while we can't be mutually respectful to all and expect the same in return. Peace has to be policed because trust will be abused, the larger the scale the larger the force required to do it. If you are looking after a class of children you have to deal with playground scuffles, a public bar you have to deal with those losing control via alcohol you are selling. The armed forces are basically a scaled up version of the playground assistant keeping our childish rulers, voted in by childish voters happy by maintaining an illusion of peace, to keep power where it's wanted.
I am proud of my choice and wish more real pacifists, who have done more than feel peace from being stoned existed. The irony of deciding this when a child was the announcement turned me from someone bullied a few times a week to a person needing a daily lesson in why peace doesn't work. The system was to corner me until I had to fight back, so becoming pacifist in a military town meant having to learn how to fight dirtier and nastier than ever, whenever I couldn't outrun them.
I doubt I inspired anyone in my youth and if anything that was definitely the time I worked more as a warning to others than ever.
One of my worst memories from this time was looking in the mirror at a person I hated and realising I had to either improve or lower my standards. I think the latter may have been easier but I am glad I chose the former.
Adulthood hit hard and fast. I knew it would but was not even remotely prepared for how much so. There was no support network, I wasn't popular enough to rely on friends and family was a mess that were glad to see me gone, or at least so I thought, in fairness being kicked out at minimum age as you had been told you would half your life kind of enforces that pretty well. There are many ways people deal with this virtually none are constructive and mine definitely wasn't, I tried alcohol but the reaction was too much for me to justify so when the opportunity came to run away and leave my world behind I took it.
There is something I refer to as the ugly duckling syndrome and I am undoubtedly one of the worst examples of this you could ever imagine. I was very pathetic and unpopular at school with zero confidence, which had been so beautifully enforced I considered my life without any value. The fact I didn't care if I lived or died as long as death was quick led me into a world where I became somewhat of a celebrity and despite still looking like an adolescent twig an object of sexual desire for many women I was terrified of. Net result of the sudden shift was exactly what you would expect a quivering mess who rapidly became a grade 1 arrogant a hole who didn't care about anyone else and assumed my life would soon be over so wouldn't harm anyone either. In reality I was largely right in that most people knew I was basically a plaything to be used and abused and while they stuck to that no harm befell. However inevitably some feel more deeply than expected and finding out the person they had invested feelings in is at best in hospital or worst with someone else a day later is going to hurt.
Ugly ducklings are dangerous places to invest feelings and many of us become so detached from ourselves and everyone else we don't even know what we feel let alone how to deal with the feelings of others. Some deliberately hurt others out of spite, others like me do it out of ignorance, neither is better for the recipient so the defence of accidental damage counts for nothing. If someone tells you things that make you suspect they are an ugly duckling and that they are only ready for a casual involvement be ready to take them at their word. Due to travel etc. I have no idea how many women I have been intimate with but I know I only loved two and one enough to marry her, both of them got hurt by me and I don't have any idea how many others were likewise that I didn't even invest emotion in.
This period introduced me to fitness a passion that has stuck with me ever since. This enabled me to fix some flaws in my character by helping people reclaim health and mobility when sharing my experience and knowledge with them. It also made me appear desirable to make a part time living from my appearance, something that paid for some adult education and got me started toward my current career. When I started this it was a major ego trip to be paid for my looks and physique, by the time I finished it was more rewarding to see people surprised by what I could do more than how pretty my abs and arms were, I had grown up a bit. I am not a stupid man and knew this couldn't last so while others tried desperately to find someone to keep them or cling to glory days I spent my money getting some basic qualifications and prepared for a more respectable life.
Unfortunately there were a number of people who were inspired by me during this time one in particular I was hurt to find out was trying to copy my example. This wouldn't feel as bad if it was my commitment and dedication to training that people were wanting to replicate, but it was the way I appeared to get away with mistreating women that drew followers and popularity.
I do often say popularity is over-rated and as a person with virtually no friends now I tend to say 'as if I would know' to add to the humour. Truth is I do know what popularity did to me and I don't look back fondly on the man I was then. I expected my penance to be growing old alone and considered that I thoroughly deserved this end, I have been very lucky and it appears that will not happen to me.
At the time I thought I had life well and truly figured and despite many warnings from others that I didn't I like most newly developed swans wouldn't listen. People that self-obsessed generally don't, I have advised a few who showed signs similar knowing how futile this would be and I doubt one of them listened.
It is strange to think this stage of my life is now a long way behind me. I was fortunate enough to find someone with a suitable sized boot to give me the kick in the rear I required even when that involved getting hurt a lot herself. We have an agreement now stemming from an understanding that being perfect for each other means we would either be driven of drive any other partner insane. Neither of us are allowed to die alone, it has to be a joint process so avoid the other being alone. Many who first see us together don't get how we work so well, then they get to know us and it becomes very clear. Our personalities don't match how we look in either case but we match each other well. Life isn't easy and we don't make it any easier with some of the decisions we have made but we appreciate what it is gaining for us and get on with it. It's over 15 years ago that I met the person who has defined my life more than anyone before her, neither of us are easy people to live with both very intolerant of our own failings and tend to push ourselves too hard.
Love is something I never understood in my youth and in fairness I wasn't shown enough of it to have any real clue how to recognise or understand. As such I hurt those who invested in me and took a long time to discover how deep this emotion really goes. I thought I had felt it a few times and on reflection know otherwise, I was feeling the result of wanting to be in love and that is not even close to the same. As stated before there have been two relationships where love arose, so yes the first one ended and I got seriously hurt, something that normally prompts cold barrier building to protect from the same in the future. I consider myself smarter than many because I realised the pain I felt was because of how good I had been feeling before, so trying to avoid this in future would mean never feeling that good again, something I would never want to risk. The cost of the best relationships with deepest love is fear of losing it, even though you know it's unlikely.
I am no expert on affairs of the heart as it were, having made a mess of so many in my past. What I do know is the chain of not feeling is likely easier to maintain than to break, but it's worth breaking. My mother didn't know how to show affection because she received none, as did her parents and many others around the globe. Many brought up in this way don't see any alternative and plod through life causing those around them including their next generation to feel uncared for. The alternative can hurts a lot but it's worth it, show and tell your children how much you love them and be ready for the fact they will occasionally hurt you when they are upset or angry with you. That's the cost of being so open but the rewards are there when they will come to you equally open too and you can see how confident they are because of the affection you are willing to share. Parenthood will be hard anyway and they will hurt you regardless of how tough you try to be, so this is not much of a risk.
That brings me to the part of my life that defines me most, my son. I have always said that you should never have a child unless you are totally sure and the more parents I have seen since he was born the more convinced I am of that. There is a heavy duty pro-life crew out there and if they weren't so dangerous to so many children I would think that is a good thing, because only someone who has lead a good life could be so naive. Their idea is that a baby born is a happy ending, when in reality it's anything but. I tend to avoid pro-life protests etc. but on one occasion in my late teens one of the people taking part asked me directly if I felt abortion should be made illegal, when I said no they looked suitably appalled and ready to give me grief, I asked them a simple question 'If one of the people who you saved by pressuring mums to give birth to children they don't want was grown up no would they thank you?' The answer was of course yes, to which I replied 'Then why don't I?' I would love to say it made them think but I doubt it did. The joy of a parent who drinks a lot is they tell you things they can't remember when addled by alcohol, not a great thing to find out, but I was used to it by then.
If you are in any doubt at all about having a child, wait until they are gone. Even if they are born totally by the book they will not be easy and if they are deviate from the norm in any significant way that will double, so if you doubt your ability as a parent and wait you stand a chance of becoming a very smart parent who will truly enjoy the job. My son is spoiled I make no excuses for it he receives affection and attention that most parents would see as excessive, and his life is easy in many ways. The flip side is he is disciplined to a level most wouldn't dream of and as such people regularly comment on how well behaved he is, a good trick for an Asperger’s child that has required a lot of work from him, my wife and to a lesser extent me. If however you have a child regardless and discover you don't really want them they will feel it and hate you for it, there is no happy ending here. I personally hate hearing parents talk with relish at the idea of time away from their children when they are nearing the end of holidays or have decided to be away for other reasons. Don't get me wrong I am happy that my son wants a sense of independence, but I spend enough time away from him earning a living without adding to it.
If you truly devote life to your children they will give you your best and worst times and endless pride. Most of our children will not be Nobel prize winners etc. but that doesn't matter at all. The difficulty is making sure they know how proud we are of them. Our job involves a lot of criticism to keep them on the rails and this isn't pleasant especially when you know they probably can't fully help it, but if we don't we are neglecting our responsibilities. I am a firm believer that I am not my sons' friend I am his dad. We get on but he can choose his own friends, people he will be with by choice and who will never be responsible for him. These will be transient, as the person ultimately responsible for him I won't. I also like seeing how far superior he is to me at his age in so many ways, his confidence, general enjoyment of life, willingness to communicate and enquire, things we have worked hard on and still continue to.
As home educators we have to be very careful, many seem to have chosen this route to avid teaching their children various things a system I am strongly opposed to. I don't care if parents are religious or want to confine their child to a limited group of people you should, teach science, history and the native language of the country in which you live. Home education is a very easy thing to abuse by teaching ignorance to your children and if someone reading this does so and wants to justify it I would love to see a well-reasoned case for this, it would be the first. I like the fact that our son disagrees with us on a number of opinions etc. because it means we have avoided teaching with bias. We also have the delightful process of teaching things from the curriculum then having him study a bit to find out the curriculum is teaching things we have since disproven, so far this has happened most in history and science where it was too many to remember. It can be interesting to find out how much that I know is now out of date to as we research for his lessons.
I don't know if I inspire or scare people nowadays. People see how much time and effort I put into so many things and admire the results but know they wouldn't be willing to do what is required to get it.
There is plenty of life in the old dog yet. Death has come knocking a few times I just don't answer the door. One doctor told me that my body doesn't seem to have figured out how to die, considering it's not something you get more than one attempt at I am happy to keep it that way.
The financial climate and fact I am supporting my family solo means there will not likely be a rich cushy retirement for me but my hobbies are not expensive so I don't really care too much. My son is being prepared for a life full of opportunity and if he ever dares suggest supporting me as a thank you he will be told to put that idea somewhere dark and uncomfortable, parents support children, not vice versa. He is too young to have any clue which direction his life and career will take him, I was 2.5 to 3 times his age by the time I figured it out, but as long as he's happy I don't care. One of the joys of having an Asperger’s child is not all of them leave home and he is quite convinced that he will get married and have children living where we are now, cute maybe but not beyond possibility either.
I am married and there is a good clause in that 'til death do us part so plenty of years with my wife yet to come. My wife is as crazy as I am so this should prove to keep my life happy for many years to come.
I don't know what is around the corner or down the road etc. and am not stupid enough to think for one moment that I am ready for any of it, but I have adapted so far and expect I will do so then.
I look at myself now as a part of something more rather than a person in isolation. This feels right to me, I felt this way when I was alone but there was always some desire to prove myself to others that I have lost now. I compete in my own ways but feel a contentment that I never knew before. There are things I would like more of, predictable things like money, time etc. but the reasons are less selfish than before and in fairness I know I have done better than most would have expected me to, including me.
I am a self-improver and always will be so there will not be a time when I stop wanting to be better than I am. This intolerance has been destructive many times in the past but now I just use it as a way to keep body and mind working effectively.
Some conclusions I have drawn from life so far, I hope there are many more I will pick up in the future.
Learning from your mistakes is good, but learning from those others have made is so much better.
Never take anyone's word for it. Kind of contradicts the above but circumstances have to be considered.
Be ready to learn. Not all lessons are pleasant or even necessary but many surprise you by being so.
Ignorance is not knowing something, stupidity is refusing to learn, don't get the two mixed up.
If you think you have a handle on life, think again.
You could be the most perfect being in all of existence, someone still thinks your worthless and to them you are. Deal with it.
If you think the world is out to get you please remember the world has better things to do with their time.
It's better to be wrong and learn than never step outside what you know.
We all answer to many people, the most important is yourself. If you like you there is a better chance someone else will, if you love yourself you probably won't have enough left for anyone else.
Judge yourself before others. When you are working on your own flaws it gives you a better understanding of why many don't bother, and why you should.
Be a fool and look the part sometimes. It really is a valuable experience not to be missed.
Rejection feels nowhere near as bad as a missed opportunity.
Live like there will be no tomorrow, but remember there probably will be.
The things in life worth having take work and don't ever stop needing effort.
Always reserve the right to be wrong.
Life changes everyone who lives it. Be prepared to be effected and decide if the effect was a good idea.
When you make a mistake assess where it has taken you or what it has given you before you try avoiding it. Some of the greatest things in your life may be from mistakes, don't trash them before they get a chance.
This is not a test run it is the only life we get so make the most of it.
There are a few thinks of late that have made me think about not so much the meaning of life but what I live for, what it does for me and what impact my life has and may yet have on others. Ironically some of them simple adverts etc. I am that sad. I do also tend to reflect on life a lot, a sure sign I have messed it up often.
I am not a massively significant figure, so happily my life has very little in the way of direct far reaching consequences. There are many who seek power and influence, I am not one of them. My life and reading has taught me that one person's freedom is another's tyranny and making choices that affect people’s lives is a dangerous game that is never going to benefit all.
Early life is so unbelievably important and the details of mine wouldn't make pleasant reading. I am however thankful that it wasn't one of the many I witnessed. Most of us have things we can whinge about, truth is we either let it destroy us or ante up and fix ourselves. Anyone thinking this is easy or rewarding in the short term hasn't done it and hopefully doesn't need to. There were a number of lessons I learned growing up and most of them were later proven wrong. Some of the things I was told made little impact at that time but I realise some of the people I idolised were telling me things I wouldn’t understand until adulthood and some knew they wouldn't be around then.
Growing up in a military city during the tail end of the cold war I was literally waiting for disaster and brought up to fear everyone and everything and respond violently. One violent response I apparently won taught me that throwing the last shot doesn't make you the victor, in fact on that occasion having the sense to stay down would have made walking a lot easier for a week or so.
War and peace is a strange topic and one I have given a lot of thought to. I am from a line of very effective and decorated killers and know it's in me as much as them, the decision to avoid situations where I would be expected to kill is the only reason I haven't. Some people think first, others dwell later, I am the latter, so I would kill without a second thought in a war zone and regret it later if finding out I had been wrong. Armed forces love people like me if conditioned to hate the right people we become mobile weapons on low pay and rarely die alone.
The above in mind I decided the only way to avoid killing people I neither know or have reason to hate was to be pacifist. I like the idea of universal peace and how hypocritical being a pacifist truly is to such an extent I have little time for the airy fairy hippies who don't see this. People have fought and died for me to have the choice not to, my stance against violence has literally cost lives. I have fought or intimidated to get my way and all of us have, so there is no real peace while we can't be mutually respectful to all and expect the same in return. Peace has to be policed because trust will be abused, the larger the scale the larger the force required to do it. If you are looking after a class of children you have to deal with playground scuffles, a public bar you have to deal with those losing control via alcohol you are selling. The armed forces are basically a scaled up version of the playground assistant keeping our childish rulers, voted in by childish voters happy by maintaining an illusion of peace, to keep power where it's wanted.
I am proud of my choice and wish more real pacifists, who have done more than feel peace from being stoned existed. The irony of deciding this when a child was the announcement turned me from someone bullied a few times a week to a person needing a daily lesson in why peace doesn't work. The system was to corner me until I had to fight back, so becoming pacifist in a military town meant having to learn how to fight dirtier and nastier than ever, whenever I couldn't outrun them.
I doubt I inspired anyone in my youth and if anything that was definitely the time I worked more as a warning to others than ever.
One of my worst memories from this time was looking in the mirror at a person I hated and realising I had to either improve or lower my standards. I think the latter may have been easier but I am glad I chose the former.
Adulthood hit hard and fast. I knew it would but was not even remotely prepared for how much so. There was no support network, I wasn't popular enough to rely on friends and family was a mess that were glad to see me gone, or at least so I thought, in fairness being kicked out at minimum age as you had been told you would half your life kind of enforces that pretty well. There are many ways people deal with this virtually none are constructive and mine definitely wasn't, I tried alcohol but the reaction was too much for me to justify so when the opportunity came to run away and leave my world behind I took it.
There is something I refer to as the ugly duckling syndrome and I am undoubtedly one of the worst examples of this you could ever imagine. I was very pathetic and unpopular at school with zero confidence, which had been so beautifully enforced I considered my life without any value. The fact I didn't care if I lived or died as long as death was quick led me into a world where I became somewhat of a celebrity and despite still looking like an adolescent twig an object of sexual desire for many women I was terrified of. Net result of the sudden shift was exactly what you would expect a quivering mess who rapidly became a grade 1 arrogant a hole who didn't care about anyone else and assumed my life would soon be over so wouldn't harm anyone either. In reality I was largely right in that most people knew I was basically a plaything to be used and abused and while they stuck to that no harm befell. However inevitably some feel more deeply than expected and finding out the person they had invested feelings in is at best in hospital or worst with someone else a day later is going to hurt.
Ugly ducklings are dangerous places to invest feelings and many of us become so detached from ourselves and everyone else we don't even know what we feel let alone how to deal with the feelings of others. Some deliberately hurt others out of spite, others like me do it out of ignorance, neither is better for the recipient so the defence of accidental damage counts for nothing. If someone tells you things that make you suspect they are an ugly duckling and that they are only ready for a casual involvement be ready to take them at their word. Due to travel etc. I have no idea how many women I have been intimate with but I know I only loved two and one enough to marry her, both of them got hurt by me and I don't have any idea how many others were likewise that I didn't even invest emotion in.
This period introduced me to fitness a passion that has stuck with me ever since. This enabled me to fix some flaws in my character by helping people reclaim health and mobility when sharing my experience and knowledge with them. It also made me appear desirable to make a part time living from my appearance, something that paid for some adult education and got me started toward my current career. When I started this it was a major ego trip to be paid for my looks and physique, by the time I finished it was more rewarding to see people surprised by what I could do more than how pretty my abs and arms were, I had grown up a bit. I am not a stupid man and knew this couldn't last so while others tried desperately to find someone to keep them or cling to glory days I spent my money getting some basic qualifications and prepared for a more respectable life.
Unfortunately there were a number of people who were inspired by me during this time one in particular I was hurt to find out was trying to copy my example. This wouldn't feel as bad if it was my commitment and dedication to training that people were wanting to replicate, but it was the way I appeared to get away with mistreating women that drew followers and popularity.
I do often say popularity is over-rated and as a person with virtually no friends now I tend to say 'as if I would know' to add to the humour. Truth is I do know what popularity did to me and I don't look back fondly on the man I was then. I expected my penance to be growing old alone and considered that I thoroughly deserved this end, I have been very lucky and it appears that will not happen to me.
At the time I thought I had life well and truly figured and despite many warnings from others that I didn't I like most newly developed swans wouldn't listen. People that self-obsessed generally don't, I have advised a few who showed signs similar knowing how futile this would be and I doubt one of them listened.
It is strange to think this stage of my life is now a long way behind me. I was fortunate enough to find someone with a suitable sized boot to give me the kick in the rear I required even when that involved getting hurt a lot herself. We have an agreement now stemming from an understanding that being perfect for each other means we would either be driven of drive any other partner insane. Neither of us are allowed to die alone, it has to be a joint process so avoid the other being alone. Many who first see us together don't get how we work so well, then they get to know us and it becomes very clear. Our personalities don't match how we look in either case but we match each other well. Life isn't easy and we don't make it any easier with some of the decisions we have made but we appreciate what it is gaining for us and get on with it. It's over 15 years ago that I met the person who has defined my life more than anyone before her, neither of us are easy people to live with both very intolerant of our own failings and tend to push ourselves too hard.
Love is something I never understood in my youth and in fairness I wasn't shown enough of it to have any real clue how to recognise or understand. As such I hurt those who invested in me and took a long time to discover how deep this emotion really goes. I thought I had felt it a few times and on reflection know otherwise, I was feeling the result of wanting to be in love and that is not even close to the same. As stated before there have been two relationships where love arose, so yes the first one ended and I got seriously hurt, something that normally prompts cold barrier building to protect from the same in the future. I consider myself smarter than many because I realised the pain I felt was because of how good I had been feeling before, so trying to avoid this in future would mean never feeling that good again, something I would never want to risk. The cost of the best relationships with deepest love is fear of losing it, even though you know it's unlikely.
I am no expert on affairs of the heart as it were, having made a mess of so many in my past. What I do know is the chain of not feeling is likely easier to maintain than to break, but it's worth breaking. My mother didn't know how to show affection because she received none, as did her parents and many others around the globe. Many brought up in this way don't see any alternative and plod through life causing those around them including their next generation to feel uncared for. The alternative can hurts a lot but it's worth it, show and tell your children how much you love them and be ready for the fact they will occasionally hurt you when they are upset or angry with you. That's the cost of being so open but the rewards are there when they will come to you equally open too and you can see how confident they are because of the affection you are willing to share. Parenthood will be hard anyway and they will hurt you regardless of how tough you try to be, so this is not much of a risk.
That brings me to the part of my life that defines me most, my son. I have always said that you should never have a child unless you are totally sure and the more parents I have seen since he was born the more convinced I am of that. There is a heavy duty pro-life crew out there and if they weren't so dangerous to so many children I would think that is a good thing, because only someone who has lead a good life could be so naive. Their idea is that a baby born is a happy ending, when in reality it's anything but. I tend to avoid pro-life protests etc. but on one occasion in my late teens one of the people taking part asked me directly if I felt abortion should be made illegal, when I said no they looked suitably appalled and ready to give me grief, I asked them a simple question 'If one of the people who you saved by pressuring mums to give birth to children they don't want was grown up no would they thank you?' The answer was of course yes, to which I replied 'Then why don't I?' I would love to say it made them think but I doubt it did. The joy of a parent who drinks a lot is they tell you things they can't remember when addled by alcohol, not a great thing to find out, but I was used to it by then.
If you are in any doubt at all about having a child, wait until they are gone. Even if they are born totally by the book they will not be easy and if they are deviate from the norm in any significant way that will double, so if you doubt your ability as a parent and wait you stand a chance of becoming a very smart parent who will truly enjoy the job. My son is spoiled I make no excuses for it he receives affection and attention that most parents would see as excessive, and his life is easy in many ways. The flip side is he is disciplined to a level most wouldn't dream of and as such people regularly comment on how well behaved he is, a good trick for an Asperger’s child that has required a lot of work from him, my wife and to a lesser extent me. If however you have a child regardless and discover you don't really want them they will feel it and hate you for it, there is no happy ending here. I personally hate hearing parents talk with relish at the idea of time away from their children when they are nearing the end of holidays or have decided to be away for other reasons. Don't get me wrong I am happy that my son wants a sense of independence, but I spend enough time away from him earning a living without adding to it.
If you truly devote life to your children they will give you your best and worst times and endless pride. Most of our children will not be Nobel prize winners etc. but that doesn't matter at all. The difficulty is making sure they know how proud we are of them. Our job involves a lot of criticism to keep them on the rails and this isn't pleasant especially when you know they probably can't fully help it, but if we don't we are neglecting our responsibilities. I am a firm believer that I am not my sons' friend I am his dad. We get on but he can choose his own friends, people he will be with by choice and who will never be responsible for him. These will be transient, as the person ultimately responsible for him I won't. I also like seeing how far superior he is to me at his age in so many ways, his confidence, general enjoyment of life, willingness to communicate and enquire, things we have worked hard on and still continue to.
As home educators we have to be very careful, many seem to have chosen this route to avid teaching their children various things a system I am strongly opposed to. I don't care if parents are religious or want to confine their child to a limited group of people you should, teach science, history and the native language of the country in which you live. Home education is a very easy thing to abuse by teaching ignorance to your children and if someone reading this does so and wants to justify it I would love to see a well-reasoned case for this, it would be the first. I like the fact that our son disagrees with us on a number of opinions etc. because it means we have avoided teaching with bias. We also have the delightful process of teaching things from the curriculum then having him study a bit to find out the curriculum is teaching things we have since disproven, so far this has happened most in history and science where it was too many to remember. It can be interesting to find out how much that I know is now out of date to as we research for his lessons.
I don't know if I inspire or scare people nowadays. People see how much time and effort I put into so many things and admire the results but know they wouldn't be willing to do what is required to get it.
There is plenty of life in the old dog yet. Death has come knocking a few times I just don't answer the door. One doctor told me that my body doesn't seem to have figured out how to die, considering it's not something you get more than one attempt at I am happy to keep it that way.
The financial climate and fact I am supporting my family solo means there will not likely be a rich cushy retirement for me but my hobbies are not expensive so I don't really care too much. My son is being prepared for a life full of opportunity and if he ever dares suggest supporting me as a thank you he will be told to put that idea somewhere dark and uncomfortable, parents support children, not vice versa. He is too young to have any clue which direction his life and career will take him, I was 2.5 to 3 times his age by the time I figured it out, but as long as he's happy I don't care. One of the joys of having an Asperger’s child is not all of them leave home and he is quite convinced that he will get married and have children living where we are now, cute maybe but not beyond possibility either.
I am married and there is a good clause in that 'til death do us part so plenty of years with my wife yet to come. My wife is as crazy as I am so this should prove to keep my life happy for many years to come.
I don't know what is around the corner or down the road etc. and am not stupid enough to think for one moment that I am ready for any of it, but I have adapted so far and expect I will do so then.
I look at myself now as a part of something more rather than a person in isolation. This feels right to me, I felt this way when I was alone but there was always some desire to prove myself to others that I have lost now. I compete in my own ways but feel a contentment that I never knew before. There are things I would like more of, predictable things like money, time etc. but the reasons are less selfish than before and in fairness I know I have done better than most would have expected me to, including me.
I am a self-improver and always will be so there will not be a time when I stop wanting to be better than I am. This intolerance has been destructive many times in the past but now I just use it as a way to keep body and mind working effectively.
Some conclusions I have drawn from life so far, I hope there are many more I will pick up in the future.
Learning from your mistakes is good, but learning from those others have made is so much better.
Never take anyone's word for it. Kind of contradicts the above but circumstances have to be considered.
Be ready to learn. Not all lessons are pleasant or even necessary but many surprise you by being so.
Ignorance is not knowing something, stupidity is refusing to learn, don't get the two mixed up.
If you think you have a handle on life, think again.
You could be the most perfect being in all of existence, someone still thinks your worthless and to them you are. Deal with it.
If you think the world is out to get you please remember the world has better things to do with their time.
It's better to be wrong and learn than never step outside what you know.
We all answer to many people, the most important is yourself. If you like you there is a better chance someone else will, if you love yourself you probably won't have enough left for anyone else.
Judge yourself before others. When you are working on your own flaws it gives you a better understanding of why many don't bother, and why you should.
Be a fool and look the part sometimes. It really is a valuable experience not to be missed.
Rejection feels nowhere near as bad as a missed opportunity.
Live like there will be no tomorrow, but remember there probably will be.
The things in life worth having take work and don't ever stop needing effort.
Always reserve the right to be wrong.
Life changes everyone who lives it. Be prepared to be effected and decide if the effect was a good idea.
When you make a mistake assess where it has taken you or what it has given you before you try avoiding it. Some of the greatest things in your life may be from mistakes, don't trash them before they get a chance.
This is not a test run it is the only life we get so make the most of it.
Running 26-Sep-2013
Not bad run today, warm and very sweaty at the end, nothing new there.
5.4 miles in 42:22 pace 7.65mph
5.4 miles in 42:22 pace 7.65mph
Bench 26-Sep-2013
Bench with fat gripz
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 60kg 1 x 8 x 60kg
These really are starting to come together and feel more natural. Still really bizaree and hitting areas I wouldn't expect from bench but getting used to them.
Press flyes with walk handles
6, 8, 6 with 15kg a side + handles
Kettlebell clean and press with gripz
1 x 10 x 16kg 2 x 10 x 20kg
Really was toast at the end and feeling the aches more than last week.
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 60kg 1 x 8 x 60kg
These really are starting to come together and feel more natural. Still really bizaree and hitting areas I wouldn't expect from bench but getting used to them.
Press flyes with walk handles
6, 8, 6 with 15kg a side + handles
Kettlebell clean and press with gripz
1 x 10 x 16kg 2 x 10 x 20kg
Really was toast at the end and feeling the aches more than last week.
24 September 2013
Running 24-Sep-2013
Not nearly as bad as it should have been. Calves and quads aching like hell and I still ran, not smart but who cares.
5.4 miles in 42:52 pace 7.55mph so still above minimum.
5.4 miles in 42:52 pace 7.55mph so still above minimum.
Squats 23-Sep-2013
Squats
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg, 1 x 8 x 120kg, body wanted to stop at 6 but I convinced it to man up.
Farmers walk
Really need to measure up the section I am using not sure if it's 15 or 20 metres and would be good to know.
4 x there and back with turn x 40kg a side plus handles.
Lunges
3 x 10 x 20kg a side plus handles.
Felt thoroughly dead at the end of this and aching nicely today. Will be running in about an hour, can tell this will be a good one, not.
Warm up 3 x 10 x 70kg
Sets 2 x 10 x 120kg, 1 x 8 x 120kg, body wanted to stop at 6 but I convinced it to man up.
Farmers walk
Really need to measure up the section I am using not sure if it's 15 or 20 metres and would be good to know.
4 x there and back with turn x 40kg a side plus handles.
Lunges
3 x 10 x 20kg a side plus handles.
Felt thoroughly dead at the end of this and aching nicely today. Will be running in about an hour, can tell this will be a good one, not.
23 September 2013
Running 23-Sep-2013
Same run, bit warmer, sweat increasing but not crippling.
5.38 miles in 42:33 pace 7.62mph
Boringly consistant, but I enjoyed it.
Dry today so should be doing proper farmers walk instead of abreviated version.
5.38 miles in 42:33 pace 7.62mph
Boringly consistant, but I enjoyed it.
Dry today so should be doing proper farmers walk instead of abreviated version.
20 September 2013
Running 20-Sep-2013
This was a lot better than I was expecting. Still aching in various places but somehow body just got on with it. I know I will pay for this over the weekend but for now I don't care.
5.38 miles in 41:59 pace 7.69mph.
5.38 miles in 41:59 pace 7.69mph.
Deadlifts 19-Sep-2013
All but single arm with fat gripz and they are going to take getting used to.
Made me feel like a rank ameteur all over again which I like, will see if this lasts.
Deadlift
Warm up or what was supposed to be warm up and ended up feeling like serious part of workout very quickly.
3 x 10 x 70kg Not one set was without pause, holding the bar with gripz was hellishly difficult.
3 x 3 x 90kg Not had this weight feeling this hard for 3 in years. Hands and forearms just couldn't cope with more.
Single arem deadlifts using walk handle weight is not including handle.
10 x 50kg, 10 x 60kg, 8 x 70kg
Wide grip chins
3 x 3 with bodyweight, did a final three on bar without gripz by then I was fried.
Made me feel like a rank ameteur all over again which I like, will see if this lasts.
Deadlift
Warm up or what was supposed to be warm up and ended up feeling like serious part of workout very quickly.
3 x 10 x 70kg Not one set was without pause, holding the bar with gripz was hellishly difficult.
3 x 3 x 90kg Not had this weight feeling this hard for 3 in years. Hands and forearms just couldn't cope with more.
Single arem deadlifts using walk handle weight is not including handle.
10 x 50kg, 10 x 60kg, 8 x 70kg
Wide grip chins
3 x 3 with bodyweight, did a final three on bar without gripz by then I was fried.
19 September 2013
Bench 18-Sep-2013
OK it is official fat gripz are weird, good but weird.
I have been doing bench for as long as I have done real weight training and felt it in various places, this is the first time it has ever hit my biceps and forearms. This routine is blowing me well and truly out of my comfort zone in ways a few bits of rubber would never be expected too.
A lot of getting used to things here so time will hopefully mean weights improve.
Bench
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg all with pauses
Training 8 x 70kg, 6 x 70kg, 10 x 60kg not able to get pauses on 70kg at all, but most on 60 had pause. Really bizarre.
Incline press flyes with walk handles
1 x 10 just handles, 2 x 10 10kg a side plus handles
Kettlebell clean and press with fat grip
Count was more than a touch hazy so take numbers with dose of salt.
12 x 12kg, 2 x 10 x 16kg
Handles already fatter than bar so this was really strange.
Enjoying this, makes me feel like a rank ametuer and that does me good on occasion.
I have been doing bench for as long as I have done real weight training and felt it in various places, this is the first time it has ever hit my biceps and forearms. This routine is blowing me well and truly out of my comfort zone in ways a few bits of rubber would never be expected too.
A lot of getting used to things here so time will hopefully mean weights improve.
Bench
Warm up 3 x 10 x 40kg all with pauses
Training 8 x 70kg, 6 x 70kg, 10 x 60kg not able to get pauses on 70kg at all, but most on 60 had pause. Really bizarre.
Incline press flyes with walk handles
1 x 10 just handles, 2 x 10 10kg a side plus handles
Kettlebell clean and press with fat grip
Count was more than a touch hazy so take numbers with dose of salt.
12 x 12kg, 2 x 10 x 16kg
Handles already fatter than bar so this was really strange.
Enjoying this, makes me feel like a rank ametuer and that does me good on occasion.
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