Rooks' Yearly Goals

[Rooks]

On 4/17/2012 at 1:31 PM, Rooks said:

☐ Overhead Press 175 lbs.
☐ Squat 200kg in Competition
☐ Bench 145kg in Competition
☐ Deadlift 222.5kg in Competition
☐ Snatch 75kg
☐ Clean and Jerk 100kg

 

Officially crossing these off my 2016 goals.  I won't be testing my maxes anytime soon so no way I'll reach these goals.  

[The Most Loathed]

sometimes knowing when to park things is as important as anything.

[Rooks]

Summing up 2016 for myself?  Poor.  Injury early in the year derailed my powerlifting training and rather than shift my focus to dealing with the injury, I spent the better portion of the last 9 months of the year reverting back into the fat slob I was back in 2007 when my girlfriend (now wife) suggested we find a gym.  I didn't reach any of the milestone numbers I was aiming for, obviously, and didn't get better at really anything physcially.  I'm not back to the "ground floor" to speak as I did work up to a moderate 275lb squat not long ago, but things aren't getting better physically doing nothing.  There were positives in 2016, however.  I got into reading.  I started with a goal of 7 books for the year and got through 13 actually (hadn't put down Deskbound by K-Star on the completed list).  And I'm finding that I'm using the phone less, and finding more time for projects I want to do (woodworking, fabrication, automotive).  

 

So now... I find myself here with an item on my weekly to-do list of "Write up a 2017 Goals post".  I've been stewing on what I wanted for 2017 for a long while.  I think that's one of the reasons why I got so derailed in 2016.  Once the back injury came in and didn't seem to heal, I had no idea where to go.  My goals were all about hitting bigger numbers and I really didn't understand that I needed to pivot to a different direction.  So with that in mind this year, here's what I have at the moment.  

 

Fitness Oriented

☐ 1 Pistol Squat w/ each leg (No Oly Shoes)

☐ 50 Strict Push-ups in a Row

☐ 5 Strict Pull-ups in a Row

☐ Be able to place palms on the ground

 

Health Oriented

☐ Get at least 2 comprehensive blood panels done

☐ Get below 200lbs

 

Everything Else

☐ Read 20 books

☐ Hit 100 WPM Typing

☐ 2 Woodworking Projects

☐ Progress on the 1973 Super Beetle 

☐ Learn how to ride a horse

☐ Learn Braille

☐ Take a Blacksmith Course**

 

Alright, so the fitness goals are all tying directly back into the plan of essentially "un-fubar" myself.  Those 4 have been on my Goals list for the last 3 years, I believe, and I'm no closer today that I was then.  I'm stronger, but I still can't do a strict pull-up.  It's time to get the gone and have them be the only goals for the year.  Also, I'm broken right now.  Maybe not to the level of 98% of Americans, but I've got a lot of aches and pains and I'm not dealing with them properly.  I'm going to start doing the Gymnastics Bodies programming I bought a few months back (only the 4th or 5th time I've told myself that exact phrase).  The hope is that if I'm working on fixing my craptastic flexibility, it's only going to lead back into better movement patterns as well as more strength in the body weight movements.  

 

The other goals are about furthering skills I already have with the exception of the last one.  Going through them real quick.  I want to read more.  It's good for me and its something I hope my daughter sees from me.  100 WPM typing skill can only help my day to day life as I work on computers all day.  I'm currently at 78 WPM for reference.  Woodworking and the car projects are just things I want to keep doing.  I like working with my hands, plus I have some pretty cool gift ideas for my wife.  Learning how to ride a horse.  I don't know.  Seems like something that could be useful.  My sister has the horses already so I just need to get out there.  I'd like to get to the point where I know how to go through the whole process (getting the horse prepared, being competent enough in the saddle to not be scared, and getting everything off the horse, as well as maybe some basic maintenance practices for the horse and for the equipment).  Braille is simply out of necessity.  My daughter is going to start learning this year since we aren't sure if she'll ever have vision good enough to read small print.  I want to be able to read her books if they didn't have text.  And finally, a blacksmith course.  I put asterisks next to this one because it's going to be dependent on time investment and money investment.  I remember seeing one listed as a weekend course on Craigslist awhile back, but I don't know if that exists or if Craigslist courses are good idea.   I've seen others that are more 10 week courses, once a week, but I'm not sure if I could swing that right now.  This one I want to do, but it'll require investigation.  

 

EDIT:  Update #1 already.  Added in a Health bit as I've wanted to some comprehensive blood panels for awhile now.  I'd like to do quarterly this year, but we'll see.  I'll settle for bi-annual if they have to come out of my pocket.  Also, since I'd like to drop some weight.  Been hovering around 217 - 223 for the entire year.  I want to see that 199.x again on the scale. 

[The Most Loathed]

That's a good goal list. You probably don't need blood draws quarterly unless something is seriously up. Get one, assess, make a plan, go from there. Not all plans have to be made at New Years, that was your mistake last year, after all.

[Rooks]

On 1/3/2017 at 1:30 PM, The Most Loathed said:

That's a good goal list. You probably don't need blood draws quarterly unless something is seriously up. Get one, assess, make a plan, go from there. Not all plans have to be made at New Years, that was your mistake last year, after all.

 

A good point.  I probably tend to try and overthink the year, but I like planning.  It's the doing that I find hard.  

[The Most Loathed]

2 hours ago, Rooks said:

A good point.  I probably tend to try and overthink the year, but I like planning.  It's the doing that I find hard.  

A good plan is important. It makes doing easier. Doing, though, is where the magic happens.

[Rooks]

Book #1 of the year completed.  Becoming the Iceman by Wim Hof and Justin Rosales.  

 

Review:  So Wim Hof has been gaining steam lately with people like Kelly Starrett and Brian MacKenzie in the world of performance and some of the things he's been proving with the use of scientific evidence.  His primary mantra is how cold exposure can be a huge health benefit.  I've been intrigued with his work since hearing about it.  Honestly, a lot of it seems like hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo when you listen to him talk about it (IMO, Wim has a tendency to exaggerate), but the fact he keeps willingly submitting himself to experiments and proving that what he says is true is pretty astounding.

 

Anyway, I decided I'd give his a book a read.  Sadly, I wasn't too happy, mainly because it's not really Wim's book.  It's Justin's book with a few tidbits of Wim here and there.  The book splits chapters between the two authors probably about 60/40, but Justin's chapter are longer.  Justin was a young college student who became interested in Wim and the book chronicles his journey of meeting Wim and his journey with cold training.  Wim's chapters more or less chronicles his going-ons during that time and eventually the stories merge up.   

 

The first real beef was that the chapters don't really tie together at all.  It seems to be done sort of chronologically, but I honestly can't be sure that's true.  Second beef was the writing quality was low.  Most of Justin's story telling was really arbitrary.  It had tons of facts that didn't tie in.  I think there was a section about how worried his parents were that he was traveling in every chapter.  It wasn't surprising to learn that the book was edited by Justin and his girlfriend, Brooke.  A lot of the reviews on Amazon have stated the same conclusion I drew.  The last 20-30 pages are the real meat where they cover how to begin training using the cold, and really most of is covered for free if you just look up Wim on the interwebz and/or just use common sense (put ice in a bucket, put your feet in, remove them when it starts to hurt, gradually over time go longer and longer, etc.).  

 

Honest opinion would be to forego this book.  Look into other Wim resources.  

[Rooks]

Book #2 and #3 done.  Finished Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko Friday and knocked out Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis today (it's been a rough few days personally with loads of waiting so had lots of time to read. 

 

Review for Rogue Warrior:  Book covering the life of Richard Marcinko, a Navy SEAL from the Vietnam era all the way up to the late nineties where he was, according to him, exiled from the Navy and pushed into a jail sentence.  The book is exciting, but I can't help but feel it has to have a few elements of embellishment to it.  I'm sure Marcinko was a phenomenal solider, and there were lessons I learned, but the book seems to outline how this man basically threw shit in the face of a load of superior officers but still made it almost 30 years in the Navy.  

 

I first heard his name on the Jocko Podcast (listen here:  https://youtu.be/qZkvWATBwbs?t=1h25m49s).  Ended up finding the book in my parents basement so decided to give it a read.  It was a fun book assuming you like soldier books.  Give it a go.  

 

Review for Mere Christianity:  Honestly, I might need to read this one again with a highlighter and maybe even take some notes.  My brain has been a bit fuzzy (the personal stuff I previously mentioned) and this book is meaty.  Obviously, unless you are person looking to expand your Christian faith or a intellectual looking to learn more about what Christianity is, I'd skip this one.  But wow... Lewis has some stuff in this that hits like a ton of bricks and he's a master at analogies.  I won't so much review, but I'll just write up this one quote from the book.

 

Quote

We must, therefore not be surprised if we find among the Christians some people who are still nasty.  There is even when you come to think it over, a reason why nasty people might bee expected to turn to Christ in greater numbers than ice ones.  That was what people objected to about Christ during His life on earth: He seemed to attract "such awful people." That is what people still object to, and always will.  Do you not see why?  Christ said "Blessed are the poor" and "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom," and no doubt He primarily meant the economically rich and economically poor.  But do not His words also apply to another kind of riches and poverty?  One of the dangers of having a lot of money is that you may be quite satisfied with the kinds of happiness money can give and so fail to realize your need for God.  If everything seems to come simply by signing checks, you may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God.  Now quite plainly, natural gifts cary with them a similar danger.  If you have sound nerves and intelligence and health and popularity and a good upbringing, you are likely to be quite satisfied with your character as it is.  "Why drag God into it?" you may ask.  A certain level of good conduct comes fairly easily to you.  You are not one of those wretched creature who are always being tripped u by sex, or dipsomania, or nervousness, or bad temper.  Everyone says you are a nice chap and (between ourselves) you agree with them  You are quite likely to believe that all this niceness is your own doing: and you may easily not feel the need for any better kind of goodness.  Often people who have all these natural kinds of goodness cannot be brought ot recognize their need for Christ at all until, one day, the natural goodness lets them down and their self-satisfaction is shattered.  In other words, it is had for those who are "rich" in this sense to enter the Kingdom. 

 

[Rooks]

Book #4 done.  It was a quick read and today was a load of sitting around again.  Babyhood by Paul Reiser.  

 

Review:  My brother-in-law gave this to my wife and I when we had our daughter.  I'm finally getting around to actually reading it now.  It was funny.  If you are a parent, give it a read.  It made me laugh which was something I really needed today.  I'll leave it at that.  You'll laugh at loud quite a few times, I guarantee it.  Non-parents, probably not worth reading it.    

 

 

[Elastigirl]

Nice review. I had been thinking about getting the book, Becoming the Ice Man. Now I'll pass, so thanks. I really liked his interview on the Rdella podcast though.  C.S. Lewis is always a good read.

[Rooks]

10 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Nice review. I had been thinking about getting the book, Becoming the Ice Man. Now I'll pass, so thanks. I really liked his interview on the Rdella podcast though.  C.S. Lewis is always a good read.

 

I've already added these 2 to my long-term list in hopes they provide better insight around Wim.  Can't say for certain they will be any better as even the "Becoming the Ice Man" book has 4 stars despite it's really simplistic writing style.  

 

What Doesn't Kill Us:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IIQQF2O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

The Way of the Ice Man:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1UGTF9/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

[Elastigirl]

5 minutes ago, Rooks said:

 

I've already added these 2 to my long-term list in hopes they provide better insight around Wim.  Can't say for certain they will be any better as even the "Becoming the Ice Man" book has 4 stars despite it's really simplistic writing style.  

 

What Doesn't Kill Us:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IIQQF2O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1Y42FOCLAHP25&coliid=I2UTIMDDJRJVDO

The Way of the Ice Man:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1UGTF9/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1Y42FOCLAHP25&coliid=I3C6T54KCZWLL1

I'm not sure about Wim. Sometimes he sounds a bit out there, but he has been able to train others to do some amazing things, so it interests me. Never done the breathing  though. I'm not sure how healthy it is.

 

 

[Rooks]

16 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

I'm not sure about Wim. Sometimes he sounds a bit out there, but he has been able to train others to do some amazing things, so it interests me. Never done the breathing  though. I'm not sure how healthy it is.

 

Very much agree.  He goes on these bogus claim rants when you hear him on podcasts like Joe Rogan.  I think the one that even Rogan called him out on last time was someone doing 80 push-ups while holding their breath.  But at the same time, you can't argue with some of the results.  He's getting published in actual scientific textbooks about ways to improve health, and being able to control your immune system / body temperature.  

 

I know Brian MacKenzie has developed a breathing seminar around some of Wim's practices that I really wanted to attend since I figured it might be a little more down to earth and give a little more practicality to some of it.  Sadly, $300 isn't in the budget right now.  Sucks cause it's even in my neighborhood in only 2 weeks time (http://powerspeedendurance.com/event/minnesota-art-breath-clinic/).

[Rooks]

This past week I managed to get through Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt.  This one was tough.  It's an economics book so it felt a bit like reading a text book without much numbers.  For logical approach to some fallacies of economics (at least according to Mr. Hazlitt).  The gist of the book is summed in one sentence near the beginning of the book.  

 

Quote

The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups.  

 

Honestly, a friend from college had posted on FB that everyone should read this so I put in on my "To Read" list, especially as you can get a PDF of the book for free on the interwebz.  It's a very pro free market book, but it makes a lot of sense.  Not sure how much I'll ever use, but it at least gave me a better understanding of how certain things work in economics.  

[The Most Loathed]

That's a cool read that's outside of the usual comfort zones.

 

A random thing just popped into my head that you may or may not be interested in. Hennepin County Library contracts with a service called Overdrive who does the checking out of audiobooks to phones. I'm not sure how much into audiobooks you are or how much time you have to listen to them but it's an option. Their selection isn't amazing but especially for your non-fiction stuff, it might be a way to consume more and more variety. 

[Rooks]

Book #6 done. Was actually done last week, but I forgot to post a little blurb about it. Another quick read that was pretty geeky and nerdy. What If? by Randall Munroe, of XKCD fame.  

 

Review: Very funny book where you actually goes through the math and process of some absurd questions, such as what if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? Hint: it basically becomes an atom bomb. It was humorous and a friend of mine said I had to read it so whatever.  I threw it in. Glad I did.

[goodbye_farewell]

Here for the checkboxes...

[Rooks]

Another book down. It's Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny Purmont. This book was one that my wife finished and immediately put onto my shelf and said "You need to read this soon." Fair note, this book is sad. And it hits really close to home since it partially deals with cancer. Nora is also a local Minnesota author, so that made some of the references even more easy to relate to.

 

Basically, the author lost her father, husband, and her 2nd baby (through miscarriage) in the span of about 3 months. It's just her recounted her experiences and talking truth in situations that most people can't fathom. My experience pales in comparison to hers, but you start talking about people dying because of cancer, and I guess it's all but mandatory that if your kid has cancer, you start tearing up because your mind immediately goes to the unthinkingables and you can so easily put yourself in their shoes. 

 

So yeah, I teared up (never got to fully crying). I laughed. I agreed greatly with some sections (primarily dealing with the stupid things people say to you when you are in those situations). I figured I'd leave you with these two excerpts. 

 

Quote

Grief is weird, guys. Most books talk about it in nature terms, like it is a churning ocean, with waves and riptides and eddies that can pull you under. But mine is more like an expert stalker, adept at sneaking up on me undetected and strangling me from behind. He's too slick for most people even notice, but he's there in the shadows, lurking at the edge of my happy Instagram photos, waiting to choke me out.

People want me to grieve. Sort of. They want me to be sad, but not so sad that I get drunk and cry at a stylish bar downtown. They want me to be happy, but not so happy that I go on a date with a man in public and maybe let him kiss me. They want me to move on, but not too quickly, and with one eye trained on the rearview mirror. They want me to grieve but they don't want me to be a downer. Like, bu mostly happy and, if it's not too much to ask, compartmentalize and schedule my grief for convenient times, like, perhaps from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. 

 

Quote

Something like 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriages, and carrying the joy of a secret baby with you doesn't prepare you for the sorrow of a secret loss. If you lose a baby, and nobody knew about it in the first place, does it make a sound? You're damn right it does. It's a deafening loss, in a pitch only your ears can hear. When you open your mouth and tell people about the hole that was punched through the center of your heart, you'll be surprised at who comes to fill it, at how many women raise their hand and say "Me, too". 

...

If you're reading this, you're one of the 80 percent of zygotes who made it all the way into this world. Do you know what that means? it means you did it! You are supposed to be here. You're incredible. You're a fucking miracle. Try every day to remember that , when you are confronted with jerks or people who don't use their turn signals. We all got here. We're alive on this planet, this mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam, against all odds. And also, please use your turn signal.