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Greeting fellow NERDs, So I am the quintessential fat nerd guy. A lot of people do not notice this for two reasons: one, I hide in the dark a lot; and two, I am 6' 5" with an enormous frame. But I know. Yes, I know I'm fat, unhealthy, balding and looking down the barrel of 35. If I'm not in shape by the the time I need prostate exams, I will be very sad. And possibly dead. I'm on disability for a non-physical issue, so money is tight. Also they do not let me drive anymore. So all my workouts should be done at home, with body weight. Since I have 280 lbs of it, I should be able to make a go of it for quite a while using only me as resistance. Looking forward to comparing ideas with all of you. Regards, Arcelas

Some of my friends have a nickname for me: Superman. I have not turned back time by going in reverse, nor have I sacrificed myself to save the universe on any occasion. I haven’t even thrown my insignia at someone and have it turn into dangerous entrapping cellophane. I’m not sure why the name stuck, but it did; maybe it was the dark hair and glasses, maybe it was my dedication to ‘Truth, Justice, and the American Way.’ (pauses for grad school deconstruction of all those words) The fact is that I haven’t felt like Superman. At best, I have felt like Superboy: half the powers of Superman with twice as many problems. But I think that it is about time to change that… The good Superboy: not the bad Superboy: Like any good comic book, I have an origin story which I will term as my 'Smallville' Period. With health problems popping up in my family and just a general unhappiness about myself, I resolved to do something to stave off the end of my Krypton. I spent the summer getting serious about being healthy. I watched everything I ate and walked an hour everyday with weights to and from work. I lost 50lbs. over the course of 5 months, dropping from 240 to 190 pounds. Much like Superman, I was finding out I have powers! But I am still just a farm boy living with his parents. Thus, I resolve to turn Superboy into Superman! This Six Week Challenge is a part of a larger goal as I work towards finishing graduate school in June, but for now, here are my goals for the next six weeks: Physical Goals: 1. Become faster than a speeding bullet – Run a continuous 5K in less than 30 minutes (My current time hovers around 40ish minutes because I have to stop and walk). 2. More Powerful than a Locomotive – Drop down to 185lbs. and do 5 pull ups (I am currently at 195 and can do, well, none). 3. Able to Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Bound – Replace 4/5 cup a day coffee habit with 6 glasses of water and 3 green teas a day. (I can currently leap tall buildings in a single bound, but only with the help of large amounts of coffee. I need to kick the habit because it is messing with my body and mental focus.) Personal Goals: 4. Develop Super hearing – Be a more present listener – Can’t talk as much as I do now if I have super breath, right? 5. Create a secret identity – Clark Kent needs a job (http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/10/23/superman-clark-kent-leaves-daily-planet/#/0) and so do I. By the end of this six week challenge, I need to apply to at least six jobs/fellowships, so I am shooting for one-a-week. Spiritual Goals: 6. Learn the Ways of Krypton – Few people recognize the Jewish roots of Superman! Both his creators were Jewish and designed him to be the ultimate immigrant (He comes from his homeland, which he cannot return back to, and anglicizes his Semitic sound name (Kal-El) to Clark Kent; As he struggles to fit into his new culture, he becomes a nebbishy Jewish stereotype). To honor my Kryptonian roots, I want to learn a prayer week in Judaism that I do not know. (Though according to this article, Superman was a Methodist.<http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Superman.html>) I have got the gear, and the support network (a Justice League if you will, though for Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes would be more appropriate), so I guess the only thing left to say is... UP UP AND AWAY!