The dawn will take you all [Endor]

[Endor]

The dawn will take you all

 

 

Spring is upon us here in Australia and I'm beginning to feel my funk lift, but I'm not out of the woods yet so I'm staying in the temple for another challenge, very grateful for the encouragement the monks have provided. 

 

Goals

1. Positives.

At least once a week list out some positive things that happened that week. 

 

2. Rehab/Mobility.

2 hours of rehab/mobility per week. This I'm planning as 10 mins per day of exercises for my recovering back and 2 x 30 min mobility sessions  of some sort (yoga/swimming/stretching etc.)

 

3. Calorie Counting.

This is one of my least favourite things but it's very effective and I need to do it to shed my 'winter coat'

Starting weight: TBA on Monday...

Calorie goal per day

 

4. Learning Python.

3 hours per week of coding Python. I bought a raspberry pi recently to learn Python with, largely as a distraction from playing addictive video games and because I enjoy it so this should be a fun goal. 

 

Things to look forward to:

- I'm going to Europe for 2.5 weeks in November

- I've booked 2 nights in a pub in the Peak District (An area of natural beauty in the UK) and will be spending the weekend with only my brother. We've never done this before and I don't really know him that well so this is a chance for us to hang out and get to know each other better.

- I will get to see my good friends in London and Berlin

- I get to spend 4 days intensively learning some cool new technology

 

[The Most Loathed]

1 hour ago, Endor said:

3 hours per week of coding Python. I bought a raspberry pi recently to learn Python with, largely as a distraction from playing addictive video games and because I enjoy it so this should be a fun goal. 

If it helps, you can literally code your own game. I spent a while working on Minesweeper from scratch. There's also the PyGame module out there for, you guessed it, games. Reddit recently did a code-along of a rogue like. The supporting blog should be findable with a modicum of googling.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Hey there, good to see you doing a challenge.

[DarK_RaideR]

7 hours ago, Endor said:

4. Learning Python.

[Lara]

Thoughtful challenge.

It is still so weird when you mention seasons and it's the opposite over here

[Kishi]

Sounds like a good, slow challenge that'll let you rest and recover and get back to feeling better. Which I hope you do! It looks like you have things that are genuinely going to help you, as opposed to the Box stretches which did not.

 

Also, you'll get to travel! That's exciting. You'll have to tell us how it goes!

[Endor]

I've conveniently forgotten to count calories so far....guess I will start today.

 

I haven't trained for 10 days and decided not to until Monday next week. My back is very slowly recovering, I think it's going to take a while, back at physio later today. 

 

Got my 3 hrs+ of Python in and my web scraper is working, just need to figure out how to extract tables now and reformat them then email to myself. 

 

The exercises my physio gave me have been helping I think, they take about 15 mins so I'll try to do them every day to meet my goal. Not doing any other stretching at the moment, too worried I'll do something stupid and trash my back. 

 

Positivies:

- I got a standing ticket to the Foo Fighters in January  

- I was kind of bummed because my friend said they were too expensive so he didn't get one. Then another friend who I met diving said she wanted to come with her husband and I managed to get 2 more tix so now I don't have to go on my own! 

- Not much work on this week so getting some rest

- Meeting up with an old friend for lunch on Friday. I've been worried about him lately so I'm glad I managed to get some time with him to ask if he's ok. 

 

[Toshimi]

On 9/14/2017 at 3:24 PM, Endor said:

I bought a raspberry pi recently to learn Python with, largely as a distraction from playing addictive video games and because I enjoy it so this should be a fun goal. 

 

I've never done anything with the pi's we have, but they are really useful (we're now on our 3rd pi around the house)  

 

Hope your back continues to get better!

[Lara]

How is it going? Give us an awesome update, Endor!

[Kishi]

Yeah, dude, what's up?

[DarK_RaideR]

It's ok to forfeit a PvP due to injury, no reason to hide away in shame

[Endor]

On 20/09/2017 at 12:17 PM, Toshimi said:

 

I've never done anything with the pi's we have, but they are really useful (we're now on our 3rd pi around the house)  

 

Hope your back continues to get better!

Thank you  

 

 

 

On 27/09/2017 at 8:41 PM, zenLara said:

How is it going? Give us an awesome update, Endor!

 

 

On 27/09/2017 at 10:54 PM, Kishi said:

Yeah, dude, what's up?

 

On 28/09/2017 at 5:31 PM, DarK_RaideR said:

It's ok to forfeit a PvP due to injury, no reason to hide away in shame

 

[Endor]

10 days between updates...what a slacker. I fell off the wagon again and have had a rather debauched 2 weeks  with no training at all and lots of boozing. 

 

Now what were those goals again...? 

 

1. Positives.

At least once a week list out some positive things that happened that week. 

- I met my friend and he's fine just working really hard. He's going away for 6 weeks so he let me use his apartment in Sydney while he's away

- I booked the accomodation and flights for my weekend away with my brother. We're going to Bakewell in the Peak District for the weekend. A little nervous but also looking forward to seeing him. 

- I found out 2 guys I know through work are also going to Berlin and one of them I'll happily have a few beers with so should be some fun times. 

- I'm back at the gym this last week

 

 

2. Rehab/Mobility.

2 hours of rehab/mobility per week. This I'm planning as 10 mins per day of exercises for my recovering back and 2 x 30 min mobility sessions  of some sort (yoga/swimming/stretching etc.)

- this has turned into 30 min training session 3 times a week then doing my physio exercises afterwards. Taking the training very slowly, mostly just bodyweigt for now. My back is much better but I really don't want to re-injure it. 

 

3. Calorie Counting.

This is one of my least favourite things but it's very effective and I need to do it to shed my 'winter coat'

Starting weight: TBA on Monday...

Calorie goal per day

- Yeah, no.

 

4. Learning Python.

3 hours per week of coding Python. I bought a raspberry pi recently to learn Python with, largely as a distraction from playing addictive video games and because I enjoy it so this should be a fun goal. 

- Been playing my stupid game again and not doing my python but I did get over the problem I had retrieving the data. I need to focus now to do the next part where I format the data.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Tomorrow is 1st October.My wife and I are going to do Sober October. I'm actually looking forward to it. 

 

[Yuen]

Hey Endor,

 

I'm glad to hear your back injury is recovering. What is the working diagnosis? Disc bulge/herniation?

 

Gogo sober October! That is going to help with your calorie goal

 

Also what stupid addictive video game are you playing?

[Lara]

Glad to see you back! Good that back feels better  

[Kishi]

Sounds like a lot of rest. Not necessarily compromised, but not necessarily in concert with what you wanted to do originally either.

 

So. At this point, do you think that it might be wise to change up those goals that you aren't pursuing? Or do you need to put some additional leverage in place to make them matter more?

[Endor]

On 30/09/2017 at 1:39 PM, Yuen said:

Hey Endor,

 

I'm glad to hear your back injury is recovering. What is the working diagnosis? Disc bulge/herniation?

 

Gogo sober October! That is going to help with your calorie goal

 

Also what stupid addictive video game are you playing?

Thanks, nice to hear from you,  long time no see  

 

GP reckoned based on symptoms  was muscular and no bone damage. Hoping she was right....have not had any scans etc. 

 

Sober October is working out well so far, 2 days done!

 

Star Wars Battlefront........the new one goes Beta tomorrow but I deliberately haven't bought it so I can't take part until Friday, if I do at all. I'm trying to resist as it's consumed way too much of my time over the last year or so. 

 

On 30/09/2017 at 7:39 PM, zenLara said:

Glad to see you back! Good that back feels better  

Thanks!

 

On 01/10/2017 at 6:43 AM, Kishi said:

Sounds like a lot of rest. Not necessarily compromised, but not necessarily in concert with what you wanted to do originally either.

 

So. At this point, do you think that it might be wise to change up those goals that you aren't pursuing? Or do you need to put some additional leverage in place to make them matter more?

It is a lot of rest and I don't want that much rest but I needed it unfortunately. I'm gradually coming back but coach cancelled my training today, little annoying but hey I just cancelled 2 weeks on him so I can't complain too much. 

 

I think you're right, I'm not going to calorie count after all because it sucks.....I'll replace that with Sober October, no alcohol for whole of Oct except 1 day, the start of the football season and first home derby game this Saturday.  I'm probably not going to do the stretching as much as I would have liked but it's still a good target. 

[Endor]

October is going really well so far...

 

1st - 6km walk, no booze.

2nd - 6km walk, no booze.

3rd - 6km walk, no booze.

 

Dog got excited on the beach and jarred my back yesterday (he was on a long lead) was super sore but seems to come good overnight roughlly back to where it was, pretty relieved about that. 

 

Some really sad news out of Las Vegas last night, just dreadful. A lot of my colleagues are attending a conference over there and are staying in the Madalay and the Luxor next door, very frightening. I'm grateful they are all ok, some are pretty shaken up by what they have seen and a few coming home rather than staying for the conference. I know it's a controversial topic for Americans but I just don't think Automatic weapons have any place in the hands of ordinary civilians....

 

Positives:

- Going to watch the first match of the soccer season on Saturday with some friends

- Catching up with another friend before the game who I haven't seen for a while

- Spring is in full swing, lovely warm weather and sunshine

- Tidied up the garage yesterday and my lifting platform is now clear and ready to use again

- Bought the new Foo Fighters album and new Paul Weller album

- Got tix to see Paul Weller at the Opera House

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

22 minutes ago, Endor said:

I know it's a controversial topic for Americans but I just don't think Automatic weapons have any place in the hands of ordinary civilians....

Automatic weapons are already illegal for ordinary civilians in the US.

[Endor]

6 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Automatic weapons are already illegal for ordinary civilians in the US.

I guess I should qualify it.... I don't think anyone but military or government staff (police etc.) should have an automatic weapon. I know it might seem strange to Americans who've grown up with weapons like these but to an outsider it's ludicrous.

 

You've probably seen this before but if not it's worth a watch....this is the Aussie take on guns (I live in Australia).

 

 

 

[Kishi]

11 hours ago, Endor said:

Dog got excited on the beach and jarred my back yesterday (he was on a long lead) was super sore but seems to come good overnight roughlly back to where it was, pretty relieved about that.

 

Dogs just seem to do that to people. Manong, the guy who teaches me kali, used to be a runner, until he ran with a heavy dog who pulled him too hard and busted his knee; he's not run since. Dogs are wonderful, yeah, but all the same they can be hard creatures to get along with if you're doing physically harsh things.

 

11 hours ago, Endor said:

Some really sad news out of Las Vegas last night, just dreadful. A lot of my colleagues are attending a conference over there and are staying in the Madalay and the Luxor next door, very frightening. I'm grateful they are all ok, some are pretty shaken up by what they have seen and a few coming home rather than staying for the conference. I know it's a controversial topic for Americans but I just don't think Automatic weapons have any place in the hands of ordinary civilians....

 

So, this is what I've been reading about gun violence in my country lately. It's a fascinating study of the statistics of gun violence, and while these mass shootings absolutely are terrible and symptomatic of our problems, they're a relatively small part the overall casualty count. Out of the ~33,000 or so gun deaths we get annually, 2/3 are actually suicides. 1/3 are homicides, but of that third, mass shootings don't even make up a tenth part of the whole amount.

 

What does that mean? It means two things - one, that mass shootings are a poor lens for understanding gun violence in the States, and two, that any comprehensive solution would have to address a whole host of underlying factors which are manifested via gun violence.

 

Could you take away the guns and make those problems harder to manifest? Certainly. But that's not a realistic solution considering that one, the ratio of armament favors the citizenry about 100:1 versus the police; two, the police are increasingly militarized thanks to the War On Terror and they don't want to give up their guns either; three, citizen armament is enshrined in the Second Amendment.

 

Of these three, I think the Amendment itself presents the most obstacles because it functions essentially to shut down any discussion concerning the disarmament of the citizenry. We regard it with the same fervor one normally reserves for sacred revelation or doctrine, rather than seeing it as something men wrote that can be changed as time goes by. My personal opinion is that we assume that the freedom to do something is divorced from the responsibility to do that thing well. Which is a dangerous way to approach one's actions. I may have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean I can just yell "FIRE!" in a theater or use it to incite violence. I may have the freedom to assemble in demonstration, but that doesn't mean I can just throw a riot. Every action I freely take has consequences associated with them, and I am responsible for what happens because of my actions.

 

I don't think we really remember that. At the very least, it doesn't come up in the civil discourse about these kinds of things.

 

One could argue that there are tons of responsible gun owners who aren't killing people, and that's a fair point. But given that we're killing an army's worth of people every year, I don't think that that's good enough. I think a state solution is reasonable, and personally I favor the Swiss approach, where citizen armament is considered less a right and more a duty, and where mental health is easier-accessed than ammunition.

 

Unfortunately, we're not likely to get that or any solution, given that we're super-polarized right now, and our actions are not united. We have not taken the action of unifying in our desire to find a solution; as such, we will all be responsible for what comes next.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

5 hours ago, Endor said:

I guess I should qualify it.... I don't think anyone but military or government staff (police etc.) should have an automatic weapon. I know it might seem strange to Americans who've grown up with weapons like these but to an outsider it's ludicrous.

 

You've probably seen this before but if not it's worth a watch....this is the Aussie take on guns (I live in Australia).

The point I'm trying to make is that automatic weapons are illegal. The man used a weapon that was already illegal for him to own. 

 

I have seen the comedy special and I thought it was hilarious. I agree with Kishi that gun ownership is about responsibility. 

[Endor]

I can understand your points Kishi and it certainly doesn't appear to be a straight forward issue when you look at all the aspects. I hadn't considered that people might not hand in their guns if the law changed and that the police are outnumbered 100-1. I'm not surprised to hear that suicides with guns are the number 1 cause of death, that's reason enough not to let people have them if you ask me. The number of people that go through serious depression and recover that might have killed themselves if they had access to a gun...

 

I really think you need at least some kind of reform. 

 

Remember when this 9 year old girl mowed down her instructor with an Uzi?  (4 years ago)

 

This kind of stuff looks totally mental to an outsider, I just can't get my head around handing an Uzi to a 9 year old (legal from age 8 apparently).

 

 

 

[Kishi]

9 hours ago, Endor said:

I can understand your points Kishi and it certainly doesn't appear to be a straight forward issue when you look at all the aspects. I hadn't considered that people might not hand in their guns if the law changed and that the police are outnumbered 100-1. I'm not surprised to hear that suicides with guns are the number 1 cause of death, that's reason enough not to let people have them if you ask me. The number of people that go through serious depression and recover that might have killed themselves if they had access to a gun...

 

Oh, I agree! Like I said. I've made a passive study of violence, in order to better understand my hobby. The US is not the only country that allows citizen armament, but it is the only country that allows armament to be easier than access to mental health. If memes are to be believed then Japan, for instance, allows its citizens to buy and own rifles, but over there you can't buy a rifle without being part of a shooting club and being known in a community setting for at least six months. Then, when you're vetted as not being crazy, you can buy a gun, but you can't buy ammunition for another period of time. And when you do, the cops have to know what you're buying, where it's stored, and have to be willing to vouch for the efficacy of storage.

 

This controls the distribution of firearms, but not only that - it creates a setting where people are inducted into a true community which will reach out and take care of that person, just as that person can reach out and take care of others. Meaning that if they need help, they're much more likely to get it and not even get their hands on a gun in the first place.

 

And again, like I said, see the Swiss. Over there, my understanding is that they have something like mandatory military service, and while you can buy the gun, you can't get the ammo without the community knowing it and vetting you for it. Also, easier access to mental health care as well as a social safety net to mitigate those forces that make violent solutions so appealing.

 

9 hours ago, Endor said:

I really think you need at least some kind of reform.

 

I agree! And there's overwhelming support for this idea among the people on both sides of our political spectrum. Unfortunately, my country is owned by oligarchs and corporations who have bought and paid for the votes of our politicians. The overlords say that we must have guns. So, guns we shall have.

 

9 hours ago, Endor said:

Remember when this 9 year old girl mowed down her instructor with an Uzi?  (4 years ago)

 

This kind of stuff looks totally mental to an outsider, I just can't get my head around handing an Uzi to a 9 year old (legal from age 8 apparently).

 

Looks mental to us too! But you're seeing this through the lens of a problem that accounts for 1.6% of our casualties, if the statistics are to be believed. Things like that definitely do happen, but they make the news precisely because they're so rare. It definitely needs to be addressed, but any policy changes that managed to solve that problem would be a relatively small win.

[BarefootDawsy]

Hey mate, didn't know you were doing a challenge this month! Of course this is the first time I've logged in in about a year, so that' probably not surprising!

 

How's the Raspberry Pi programming going? Bent it to your will yet?