Osu

[Urgan]

34 minutes ago, Mistr said:

Yep. That is the universal reaction to using a Neti pot for the first time. FYI, it is smart to use distilled water when flushing your sinuses. Tap water may contain bacteria or minerals that are bad for you. There has been at least one case of a person getting some horrible microbe that killed them.

 

Ouch. What a way to go. Not a risk you think of when using a new neti pot. That must have made for a helluva click-bait title on an article somewhere.... "MAN MURDERED BY MICROBIAL MUG." Errbody do the panic. 

[Kishi]

4 hours ago, Machete said:

 

Studies show that it don't seem like it be but it do.

 

It do, tho.

 

4 hours ago, Mistr said:

Yep. That is the universal reaction to using a Neti pot for the first time. FYI, it is smart to use distilled water when flushing your sinuses. Tap water may contain bacteria or minerals that are bad for you. There has been at least one case of a person getting some horrible microbe that killed them.

 

4 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

Ouch. What a way to go. Not a risk you think of when using a new neti pot. That must have made for a helluva click-bait title on an article somewhere.... "MAN MURDERED BY MICROBIAL MUG." Errbody do the panic. 

 

Yup! Fortunately I've got a couple gallons of distilled water from the hurricane prep last year, with easy access to more. Besides, it's not like I've got time or a pan for boiling water to make it more potable.

 

4 hours ago, Mistr said:

Yay for personal development!

 

Thanks!

[Urgan]

1 minute ago, Kishi said:

Yup! Fortunately I've got a couple gallons of distilled water from the hurricane prep last year, with easy access to more. Besides, it's not like I've got time or a pan for boiling water to make it more potable.

 

This amused me more than you can possibly know.

[Kishi]

19 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

This amused me more than you can possibly know.

 

I'm happy when I can make other people happy.

 

*

 

Another quiet day, just what the doctor ordered. Symptoms took a major turn for the better yesterday, and while I'm still not running on all 8 cylinders yet I'm definitely doing better. I'm kind of livid that I'll have to take a week off of hard training, but it's as good an opportunity as any to explore time constraints and finally, finally begin the yoga program.

 

I hit up the warrior diet yesterday and wound up with a super-satisfying 1800 calorie meal at the end of it. I'd forgot how good it feels to eat when hungry.

 

Anyway, the recovery continues today. Hanging out with the Side Gig Crew today to get some more work done, and don't really know what's going to happen today. Suppose we'll see.

[Kishi]

Woo, Monday. Let's catch this all up.

 

Saturday, went off to go hang with Side Gig Crew. Did work. It was great. Genuinely so, had a lot of fun sitting in a coffee/macaroon/sammich place doing work that I like to do with people I like to be with. Was very productive.

 

Then the Dramatic Friend posted about a Dramatic Problem in our group chat and I proceeded to be useless in helping... and I didn't care. It was a relational problem, and I genuinely didn't know how to talk about it without drawing attention to me off of her, and I didn't think that'd be fair. And I also didn't care, beyond thinking Were you seriously stupid enough to set yourself up for this problem, and are you stupid enough to think that what you want to do is the right answer? I was forced to conclude yes and yes, and proceeded to wash my hands of the whole thing. It was a relief.

 

Although, thinking back on it, I could have probably provided some help, but she was swamped in support as it was and I was just Done With It, so.

 

I chilled on Saturday. Sunday I did more Side Gig stuff with the friend whom I'm low-key supervising on it. We talked about life and stuff afterward. It was pretty great. Otherwise, more chillage.

 

In terms of the Warrior Diet, I'm pleased to report that 1800 calories is apparently a low point for me. I've decided to boost my intake to maintenance levels which is 2400-2500 or so and planned my nutrition so that I take in food around my training with the majority of it in that last big meal. I haven't gone to train, but I've eaten that last big meal with "training budget" in place and even then I'm eating about 2000-2200 or so per day. Which is good. I know that I've done y'all a concern from time to time with how low I've gone, but I'm actively disinterested in doing something like that given what it could do to my thyroid. I'm working to find ways not to overfeed, but I don't want to underfeed either. So far, this feels like a nice balance. Time will tell.

 

I'm still thinking up the training schedule, and right now it's playing mind games with me over how scant it looks. Beyond some weight training on Mondays and Fridays along the scheduled parameters (and handstand practice on Fridays because I'm still stoked about that), it looks like nothing but yoga and martial arts. It's a curious look. Reminds me of the old Primal Blueprint approach, minus the sprinting, which TBH I probably don't need. Means lots more time for bagwork and shadowboxing, which... honestly, I'm pretty cool with.

 

Of course, we have to get better before we can start running this. I'm giving myself clearance on Wednesday, but it looks like I'll be hitting up the Night Market again on Thursday (which I'm doing because I want to as I had a good time last time with the friend I went with and it's not like an extra easy night is gonna hurt me any). So, Friday looks like that's when we'll start. Knowing me, I'll probably run the two strength days back to back before spreading them out again. These are being done under Soviet guidelines, though, so it should be okay.

 

Anyway. Another slow night tonight. Will be starting in on yoga, but don't need the gym for that.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

21 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Then the Dramatic Friend posted about a Dramatic Problem in our group chat and I proceeded to be useless in helping... and I didn't care. It was a relational problem, and I genuinely didn't know how to talk about it without drawing attention to me off of her, and I didn't think that'd be fair. And I also didn't care, beyond thinking Were you seriously stupid enough to set yourself up for this problem, and are you stupid enough to think that what you want to do is the right answer? I was forced to conclude yes and yes, and proceeded to wash my hands of the whole thing. It was a relief.

 

Although, thinking back on it, I could have probably provided some help, but she was swamped in support as it was and I was just Done With It, so.

I am so very proud of you. Well done.

[Urgan]

23 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Then the Dramatic Friend posted about a Dramatic Problem in our group chat and I proceeded to be useless in helping... and I didn't care. It was a relational problem, and I genuinely didn't know how to talk about it without drawing attention to me off of her, and I didn't think that'd be fair. And I also didn't care, beyond thinking Were you seriously stupid enough to set yourself up for this problem, and are you stupid enough to think that what you want to do is the right answer? I was forced to conclude yes and yes, and proceeded to wash my hands of the whole thing. It was a relief.

 

Although, thinking back on it, I could have probably provided some help, but she was swamped in support as it was and I was just Done With It, so.

 

2 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I am so very proud of you. Well done.

 

Seconding. Winning at Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should: Get Between an Emotional Acquaintance and Their Bad Life Choices Edition™.  

[Mistr]

I agree with Tank and Urgan, good job not getting sucked into The Drama.

 

3 hours ago, Kishi said:

Saturday, went off to go hang with Side Gig Crew. Did work. It was great. Genuinely so, had a lot of fun sitting in a coffee/macaroon/sammich place doing work that I like to do with people I like to be with. Was very productive.

 

I chilled on Saturday. Sunday I did more Side Gig stuff with the friend whom I'm low-key supervising on it. We talked about life and stuff afterward. It was pretty great. Otherwise, more chillage.

 

Sounds like the Side Gig is working out really well. You can put a little polish on that for your job hunt. Especially the supervising part.

 

3 hours ago, Kishi said:

I'm still thinking up the training schedule, and right now it's playing mind games with me over how scant it looks. Beyond some weight training on Mondays and Fridays along the scheduled parameters (and handstand practice on Fridays because I'm still stoked about that), it looks like nothing but yoga and martial arts. It's a curious look. Reminds me of the old Primal Blueprint approach, minus the sprinting, which TBH I probably don't need. Means lots more time for bagwork and shadowboxing, which... honestly, I'm pretty cool with.

 

You know, you haven't tried just yoga and martial arts yet. That means it counts as a new training methodology for you. Just sayin.

[Kishi]

21 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I am so very proud of you. Well done.

 

21 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

 

Seconding. Winning at Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should: Get Between an Emotional Acquaintance and Their Bad Life Choices Edition™.  

 

17 hours ago, Mistr said:

I agree with Tank and Urgan, good job not getting sucked into The Drama.

 

Thanks, y'all. I'm really glad to have some outside validation on this one. It's a Brave New World.

 

17 hours ago, Mistr said:

Sounds like the Side Gig is working out really well. You can put a little polish on that for your job hunt. Especially the supervising part.

 

You know, I hadn't thought about that, but you're right. There's no reason not to use this.

 

17 hours ago, Mistr said:

You know, you haven't tried just yoga and martial arts yet. That means it counts as a new training methodology for you. Just sayin.

 

 I mean, you're not wrong? But strength is just too cool and useful for me to just leave it. I don't just train for myself. I train for others too.

 

*

 

Quiet days continue. Gaming happened. First time I can really remember playing a Bard and managed to do the classic Bard thing of talking my way into and out of a hairy situation. It was fun. I should have started playing a bard a long time ago.

 

Realized there was a flaw in my plan in terms of time after the game is done, because I can't verify that there's always going to be a lot of time afterward. So I think the strength work will have to shift to Tuesday/Saturday, or Tuesday/Friday. Which is a little less ideal, just because it'll mean getting under the weights after some long mat sessions, but. Sometimes that's just life.

 

As it was, I wound up doing yoga and ab work, because I missed ab work too much. Body handled it okay; symptoms are actually better today than they were yesterday. Realized though that my "maintenance" spread is actually too much food for the amount of work I'm doing, based on the fact that I made more food than I could eat. I could throw more work on there (LOL), or I could just bump the calories down a bit on Mondays and listen to what my body's saying. A part of me wants to bring S&S back on rotation, and part of me thinks I'm crazy for wanting that, and part of me wants to wait and see because I'm itching to get back at something.

 

But as it is, another quiet night tonight. Yoga plus abs. Should be good.

[Mistr]

Which yoga are you doing?

 

Some types of yoga have a lot of bodyweight strength hidden under that tranquil veneer. Do you have specific targets you would like to track for strength, mobility, speed, etc?

[Urgan]

47 minutes ago, Mistr said:

Some types of yoga have a lot of bodyweight strength diabolical agony hidden under that tranquil veneer.

 

FIFY.

[Kishi]

3 hours ago, Mistr said:

Which yoga are you doing?

 

Some types of yoga have a lot of bodyweight strength hidden under that tranquil veneer. Do you have specific targets you would like to track for strength, mobility, speed, etc?

 

Well, this might be one such. The system this guy teaches out of is Ashtanga yoga, which apparently has a bit of a reputation. Best get my game face on.

 

The thing is, he teaches within a context that includes calisthenics and handbalancing; yoga is meant as a kind of mobility/restorative practice for him which he's explicitly stated can be tacked on to anything one wants to do. So at least with the yoga, I don't have a strength or speed goal. In terms of mobility, I'd eventually like to work toward feats such as a full split and bridge, but I also want to do so with a certain degree of gentleness, particularly as regards my right hamstring.

 

As far as strength goes, I do want to get my lifts heavier, but I want to do them with control as well. So even though I'm not going to failure, I still want to have a controlled cadence - 1 second up, 1-2 second pause, 3 seconds down. This was an intensely frustrating cadence back in the GB days, but I find that weights go up in response to this, and they do so at a nice, manageable pace.

 

One thing that I'm kind of iffy on is some of the calisthenic equivalent stuff he throws in there. The programmer calls for weighted pull ups and just regular push ups, but lady, you can go places with those. It's something to think about, but if I'm honest about it, given the called-for reps, I'll honestly probably be doing some really heavily assisted moves for a while. Crawl before you walk, etc.

 

Speed... I don't care too much about. I'm a big believer in quality execution of technique, and on the mats, I find that if you try to go faster, the first thing that gets traded is technical proficiency. Do the thing right and eliminate the gaps from one right thing to the next, and speed just happens.

 

So... yeah. I'm honestly not trying to think too hard beyond the next cycle and its lifts. We'll see how far I get.

[Kishi]

Another quiet night. Did yoga, which somehow managed to be both easier and harder than I thought it'd be.

 

Decided to change my ab training so that instead of doing lots of crazy stuff, I'll just focus on doing one crazy thing a day really well. Last night, I started on progressions for ab wheel roll-outs. Turns out, did you know, holding a plank on the wheel is actually really hecking difficult? Fun little challenge.  Felt right to do, though, like it fits.

 

Anyway, tonight should be the last official quiet night. I'm still taking off Thursday to go hang at the Night Market. Might cut out of work early to go get some time in with the iron; I've got the hours built up to do it and I don't really care if they like it or not.

 

But that'll be after tonight. No more Chernobyl; I guess it's back to Star Trek Discovery for us. Cool.

[WhiteGhost]

18 hours ago, Kishi said:

Decided to change my ab training so that instead of doing lots of crazy stuff, I'll just focus on doing one crazy thing a day really well

This has kind of been my approach this whole challenge.  I was getting overwhelmed with all of the things I was trying to do, I so have been trying to focus on just a few key priorities.  Harder to do than it sounds

[Kishi]

11 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

This has kind of been my approach this whole challenge.  I was getting overwhelmed with all of the things I was trying to do, I so have been trying to focus on just a few key priorities.  Harder to do than it sounds

 

Right? Fitness FOMO is totally a thing. Gotta remember Sun Tzu, though - the general who tries to protect everything can't protect anything.

 

*

 

So. Forgot that my friend was out of town. I had the night to myself. Realized that a lot of what I wanted to do this weekend would be served best if I got the strength work out of the way sooner. So I cut my quarantine short and got back under the iron.

 

It felt good.  I don't know where the guy gets off saying that this is an abbreviated routine. Those rest times are generous and long. I grant you, I went for a full five sets, but even so.

 

I also found that my initial decision to go for assisted pull ups was not a great one. Just couldn't get comfy in the machine, so I elected to go the rows->pull ups progression route. Found one that I could do for 5 sets of 10 and will progress from there.

 

But, uh, yeah, It was good stuff. I felt good and totally like I hit that sweet spot between progress and failure. Finisher was a kettlebell ladder with a 16. Managed to work up a sweat.

 

Came home and did yoga afterward. Lot of forward flexion on it. I was afraid for my hamstring, but got up feeling okay today. No worries.

 

So, yeah. On the whole, feeling good.

 

Need to figure out what I'm doing for my "Push" movement tomorrow, though. I'm paranoid about the divide between vertical and horizontal presses, so I think what I might do is split the difference and work on the hollow back press again. It'll let me hit both planes of motion and combined with these rest periods, I think it'll work okay.

 

Quiet night tonight, though. My friend who wanted to go the Night Market has had a bout of vertigo, and I don't know if she'll be up for going or not. If she isn't, well, I've got unwashed gi, so no rolling tonight for me. I suppose we'll see what comes.

[Kishi]

So, no night market. Poor dear had been laid up in bed all day. I wished her well and resigned myself to a quiet night.

 

Had a doctor's appointment this morning to get my blood checked. Then heard that the friends whom I'm helping to move tomorrow have some additional work that needs to be done tonight, so the plan is to wrap work early today, hit the gym, and then get over to help them move stuff. I've been staying late enough all week that it won't be any kind of trouble to get this managed.

 

It's gonna be a busy-ass weekend. Seminar in the morning, moving in the afternoon, and Sunday will be whatever it'll be before I go to dinner with my folks for Father's Day.

[Teirin]

Have fun at the seminar!

[Kishi]

15 hours ago, Teirin said:

Have fun at the seminar!

 

Will when it happens!

 

*

 

So, somehow, this thing got moved to next Sunday. For Reasons, I guess; ain't got to talk to anyone yet about it.

 

I put in a few hours at work, left, and went to the gym. Did front squats and push ups and full contact twists and face pulls for posture. And shadowboxed. Because one always shadowboxes. Finished with an honest attempt at Dan John's Armor Complex, which was fairly destructive on a personal level. I didn't actually know what the end goal of it was, but now that I do I'll have something to build toward and this is a Very Good Thing. (it's the complex he describes at the bottom).

 

Afterward, got word that the people I was helping to move were trying to get a jump on it, so I got a little food in me and then went to help my friends. Got a load of stuff over to their place. A little less to do today.

 

But yeah, gonna go help them. Afterward... I dunno. I don't really have any training lined up. Still trying to come to grips with what I'm doing now and how much it is for how little it looks like, you know?

[Kishi]

All right, Monday, let's catch you up.

 

So I got out to help my friends in their new place and helped move the heavy stuff in. Good times. There was a housewarming that I was invited to by the Dramatic Friend and Side Gig crew, but I honestly couldn't bring myself to go. Just didn't feel like doing it, especially since they're already looking at moving out due to a roach problem.

 

Father's Day was a lot of fun. Got to go to a good Italian restaurant, caught up on old times. I don't know if I mentioned about my Godfather dealing with his cancer but they've managed to find a med regimen for him as opposed to chemo, and if it takes then he could be back to having years left rather than months. This is a Good Thing, although I can already feel my mind shifting it to a place where I don't have to deal with it or call him or do anything like that.

 

...

 

If I'm frank about it, I was pretty hard on myself this past weekend. I was very lonely for all that I had people to talk to, and I came down pretty hard on myself for my financial problems and the fact that I'm not doing as much with my writing as I want to. I was able to shake it for Sunday; I wrote and trained and did all the things I'd castigated myself for not doing and felt loads better for having done so. I'm probably going to need to swallow my pride and ask for some help from my folks.

 

I also need to check with Ky-sensei and see if I'm paying for classes still. If I am, I'm definitely going back this week, but I'm not sure if I'm in pay status or not. He might decide it's okay for me to come back regardless, but that's something I'd really rather he be okay with and on the same page with me rather than just taking advantage of him.

 

Also, I really, really need to iron out what my actual, for sure, honest to God training schedule is, because catching as catch can is driving me nuts. Right now, I kind of feel like this is what it should be:

 

Monday: Yoga

 

Tuesday: Martial Arts/Pull Day

 

Wednesday: Yoga

 

Thursday: BJJ/Yoga

 

Friday: Push Day/Yoga/Hand Balancing

 

Saturday: Yoga/Martial Arts or rest

 

Sunday: Yoga.

 

I have two additional ab things I want to do in addition to the Hanging Leg Raises and Full Contact Twists - those would be Ab Wheel progressions and Suitcase Holds.

 

Shadowboxing is easy on the strength days because I can do so as an active recovery in between sets. It's a little harder to manage on non-strength days. But I need to. It's good for me.

 

Anyway. I've been eating like an asshole the past few days. The fast feels good today. Gaming and whatever yoga I can do today. I think what I'mma do is hit the gym beforehand and see if I can work shadowboxing alongside bag work. Should be good.

[Mistr]

Good for you for taking action on the things that were bugging you. Also for making a decision to spend your time as you wanted and not feel obligated to go to a social event.

 

I hope your Godfather gets better and you find a good solution to your financial situation.

[Urgan]

Feeling uncomfortable is just a sign something needs to change, right? You've been renegotiating your social arrangements and have changed your training around a good bit. Just needs more tinkering and some commitment to see if it's right for you. Hopefully a workable solution to the money situation presents itself without too much delay. Good your Godfather has a fighting chance for some more quality time, although you definitely should try to reach out. I know it's hard to do with a strained/distant relationship, but if nothing else I sense a self-flogging if he takes a turn and you hadn't gotten around to it. 

[Kishi]

17 hours ago, Mistr said:

Good for you for taking action on the things that were bugging you. Also for making a decision to spend your time as you wanted and not feel obligated to go to a social event.

 

Yeah. It felt good. I might have been lonely, but it was kind of loneliness that needs to be alone.

 

17 hours ago, Urgan said:

Feeling uncomfortable is just a sign something needs to change, right? You've been renegotiating your social arrangements and have changed your training around a good bit. Just needs more tinkering and some commitment to see if it's right for you.

 

I figure as much, yeah. It's just that there are some things - particularly my writing - that are thrown into stark relief when someone you care about is dying. Suddenly I think to myself, "Ah, wow, I really haven't progressed in this important thing and in other important things, and it feels like that reflects on me as person." But yeah, you're right, training is a huge cornerstone for me and for it to be so different now is strange. I feel more rested and have more free time; I guess I would use it on angst.

 

17 hours ago, Mistr said:

I hope your Godfather gets better and you find a good solution to your financial situation.

 

17 hours ago, Urgan said:

Hopefully a workable solution to the money situation presents itself without too much delay. Good your Godfather has a fighting chance for some more quality time, although you definitely should try to reach out. I know it's hard to do with a strained/distant relationship, but if nothing else I sense a self-flogging if he takes a turn and you hadn't gotten around to it.

 

Well, as far as the money goes, I just couldn't put away enough to deal with the car repairs, and I've got some money going out to some services that I'm not really using or getting any benefit from. I do keep a credit card near to hand for things like this, but it's near to its limit and I'm not clear enough on what's coming out when to know how much I actually have left.

 

As for my Godfather, yeah, I should definitely reach out more. Need to make the time for that.

 

*

 

So I spoke with Ky-sensei and he's cool with me showing up. I'm not in pay status; he cancelled my payments after I'd told him that life had got hectic to the point that I couldn't train for reasons that we've discussed here. That was a damn decent thing of him to do, and it's damn decent of him to let me back on the mats even though I can't afford to pay right now.

 

So I'm definitely off to do that tonight.

 

Gaming and yoga happened last night. I didn't make it to the gym but I did shadowbox after yoga and also did Suitcase Holds. So it was a productive night.

 

Anyway. Karate and weightlifting tonight. Sweet. Let's get it.

[Urgan]

13 minutes ago, Kishi said:

I feel more rested and have more free time; I guess I would use it on angst.

 

Lol. Sometimes it's easy to bury unease under being so very busy. Slow down and suddenly you're staring down the barrel of a bunch of feelings left on delay.

 

15 minutes ago, Kishi said:

So I spoke with Ky-sensei and he's cool with me showing up. I'm not in pay status; he cancelled my payments after I'd told him that life had got hectic to the point that I couldn't train for reasons that we've discussed here. That was a damn decent thing of him to do, and it's damn decent of him to let me back on the mats even though I can't afford to pay right now.

 

So I'm definitely off to do that tonight.

 

It's nice when people make it easy to know whom to prioritize...from a positive angle this time.

[Kishi]

2 hours ago, Urgan said:

Lol. Sometimes it's easy to bury unease under being so very busy. Slow down and suddenly you're staring down the barrel of a bunch of feelings left on delay.

 

Right. Like one of my long running frustrations is over not having time to deal with my issues, and now I do and I'm frustrated with those instead.

 

2 hours ago, Urgan said:

It's nice when people make it easy to know whom to prioritize...from a positive angle this time.

 

Yeah, for real.

[Kishi]

Tuesday done!

 

Went to Karate. Left at 17:30, even though I got to work a bit late and even though the voice in my head telling me to stay was loud. Did it anyway. I do not regret it. I was remembered.

 

Trained a couple of hours there, then ate a little and went to go gym it up. Deadlifts and straight-legged inverted rows and hanging knee raises. Fun. I'm swinging on the raises, though, which sucks because that means I have to slow down and I only managed two reps as it was. This will be... well, it'll be something.

 

Ran the requisite finisher afterward and was cheerfully delirious at the end of the night. This responded to food.

 

Tonight should be... just yoga, really? Really? Wow. Can live with it but man. So weird to look at the schedule and see only one thing. Might do my ab wheel planks tonight just to feel something.