Sloth: The Man with the Hammer

[Sloth the Enduring]

tonight I went out to see some music.  A friend was playing an early show about a mile from my house at my favorite brew pub.  I had no excuse to not go.  I drank a couple of Belgium stouts that were about as strong as vodka.  As always I got awkward during the afterwards standing around and talking part of the evening. Some lady I didn't know was doing the lean in close and touch your arm thing so I just left. 

 

Today was Native Appreciation Day in our district.  I got someone to cover my first class and went to the breakfast at my kid's school.  I was asked to come up front and speak.  The thing is I don't really feel that Native because I grew up in a suburb that was 99.9% white, probably about 90% blond.  I don't really feel white either. Anyway, I got through it, but I got awkward. 

 

The last three days I've woken up to doggy diarrhea and spent my work out time cleaning floors, dog beds, and dogs.  I told myself I'd work out after school, but I never follow through with that sort of thing.  Today my morning meeting got cancelled so I trained at school. 

 

My positivity goal isn't going well.  In the aftermath of this last week I started using my "I'm the big dog around here" persona to help keep quell chaos.  I don't like acting that way, but I'm getting good at it. We have three more days until Thanskgiving break and then I'll be able to have a fresh start. 

 

Training: 

Half-ass Yoga flow and full warm up at home.

Bent Knee Raise: 3X20.

Close squats: 1X20. These replicate biking really well, but they put my back in the danger zone.  I shut them down and skipped lunges too.  Next time I'll squat to a box so I don't go so low.  If that doesn't work I'll only do lunges. 

Push-Ups: 3X(3,5,7). Blah.

Inverted Rows: 3X5.  I'll probably do ladders next time to get more volume. 

[EricMN]

 

10 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

 

19 hours ago, EricMN said:

Warrior Dash MN is on the same day as the Palmerton Spartan Super in PA so, for the 50th consecutive year, I will not be able to make it. :/

 

But you could always come down to Welch Village on June 24 and STFU with my people in green...

 

 if we aren't road tripping, that would be a good weekend.  STFU, shut the fuck up?!?  I really think OCRs are my sport, what I've been preparing for all my life, but I don't want to give up mountain biking and I don't have the recovery for both. 

 

 

I never tell people to shut up, it's rude. I will tell them to close their pie holes. Somehow that's different. This is a different STFU.

 

Also, was involved in a conversation last night and Spartan will most likely be switching the date of the MN Sprint to August 12. Look for that to become public in the next couple days. With Wausau happening at the end of July, you'd have two whole weeks to recover/STFU, right?

[Sloth the Enduring]

August 12 would be a great weekend to do an OCR. I wouldn't be in running shape though.

11/18/16

I'm hung over. It's not that I drank too much, well maybe a bit too much, but hat I had very dark beer. Every so often I need to relearn that I can't drink dark beer or red wine without wanting to die the next day.

Foster Dog, she now goes by the name Salacious Crumb for her ears and scruffy hair, is still sick. I let her out every hour until 3:30 last night. I still woke up to an unholy mess. I'm getting pretty worried about her. That kept me from doing my cardio this morning. The hang over would have done that anyway.



Tonight's big plan is to rent a rug cleaner.

[jstanlick]

12 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

I dont think I could survive teaching in a red state. By all accounts teachers aren't treated very well there.

 

It's true. My sister and BiL are both teachers. They liked teaching a lot better before the current governor was elected.

[Sloth the Enduring]

On 11/18/2016 at 10:53 AM, jstanlick said:

 

It's true. My sister and BiL are both teachers. They liked teaching a lot better before the current governor was elected.

 

I could go on a long tirade about the terrible things happening to public education in Wisconsin, but I won't.  I'm going to try to go back to keeping my political beliefs to myself.  If anyone is curious about them just think what would a Scandinavian Socialist support, on social things put me somewhere in between a legalize-it Libertarian and a Burning Man attendee.

[peelout]

From my perspective, feel free to get political.  I love hearing diverse opinions.  As a social liberal fiscal conservative, I'm confused concerning who to vote for all the time.  

[Sloth the Enduring]

The last few days have been hampered by back pain.  On Saturday I was shampooing the rugs and the bending over, lifting and twisting made something go snap.  It hurt as bad as it ever has.  Since then I've done my Yoga-type stuff and not much else.  Today I'm going to try to do upper-body work.

 

Saturday: Besides a ton of domestic rangering (I even moved the fridge and vacuumed), I went to the rescue and picked up a pug.  That brings us up to three dogs.  We didn't want another one, but we love pugs and we thought it'd get adopted right away.  However, he came from a hoarder and is in rough shape and needs some vetting.  We'll have him until New Year's.

 

Sunday: The day's a fog.

 

Monday: Still foggy.  The pain has made it hard to focus and think... The kids don't have circus classes this week.  I thought American Ninja Warriors would be on TV and we were going to watch it, but something called The Voice was on instead.  I may never get a chance to watch the show.  Maybe it isn't even a thing anymore.

[Sylvaa]

http://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2016/9/15/12923742/team-ninja-warrior-college-madness-new-generation-of-american-ninja-warriors

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Sorry your back went out again. You think the fridge moving had anything to do with it?

[Elastigirl]

That sucks about your back. Doesn't really seem like the cortisone did much good then. I mean, it was better for a bit, but not really very long.  

[Xena]

between the sick dog and back pain, things aren't looking too fun in sloth-land. Hope the holiday can give you a big reset. Hang in there!

[Muscle Professor]

Hey sloth! I have not posted in you battle log in a very log time and thought I would stop by. How have things been? My screen name used to be Lanithroe just in case your wondering who I am. 

[The Most Loathed]

Ugh, back outage. You'd think with all the people that struggle with this that someone, somewhere would have it knocked but it doesn't seem that they do. Heal well and soon.

[jstanlick]

Oh, man, say it ain't so! Not the back! I hope it feels better soon, cuz back injuries are the worst. 

[LouCarJo]

Sorry about the back.

[Sloth the Enduring]

On November 22, 2016 at 1:18 PM, peelout said:

From my perspective, feel free to get political.  I love hearing diverse opinions.  As a social liberal fiscal conservative, I'm confused concerning who to vote for all the time.  

 

Thanks, but my Facebook is so full of of political crap, I need a break. I have a few (very few) socially conservative FB friends and they happily post pictures of themselves at gay weddings and other social gatherings that don't make sense.  The socially liberals have won, it just hasn't finished playing out yet. Oops, I'm starting to do it again. 

 

On November 22, 2016 at 1:29 PM, Sylvaa said:

http://www.americanninjawarriornation.com/2016/9/15/12923742/team-ninja-warrior-college-madness-new-generation-of-american-ninja-warriors

 

Esquire network? I don't have cable, for some reason I thought it was on NBC. I'll have to check Netflix for an old season. 

 

On November 22, 2016 at 5:07 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Sorry your back went out again. You think the fridge moving had anything to do with it?

 

Thanks.  It's been on a cycle of going out and getting seemingly better for a few weeks. There is a strong correlation with domestic rangering. 

 

On November 22, 2016 at 7:19 PM, Elastigirl said:

That sucks about your back. Doesn't really seem like the cortisone did much good then. I mean, it was better for a bit, but not really very long.  

 

I still think it helped.  I think I need the shot in my SI joint though and the back guy thinks I need something else in my facets to deal with arthritis. I've got two more shots available. 

 

On November 22, 2016 at 10:12 PM, Xena said:

between the sick dog and back pain, things aren't looking too fun in sloth-land. Hope the holiday can give you a big reset. Hang in there!

 

Nah, things are good here.  All that stuff is just life, we're getting through things fine. Thanks

 

positivity   I genuinely feel good about things. That's a lot different than a few years ago when I first found NF land. Y'all are good for my well-being. 

 

On November 23, 2016 at 2:19 AM, Muscle Professor said:

Hey sloth! I have not posted in you battle log in a very log time and thought I would stop by. How have things been? My screen name used to be Lanithroe just in case your wondering who I am. 

 

Whoa.  Nice to see you again brother.  I hope you're still killing it. 

 

On November 23, 2016 at 7:01 AM, The Most Loathed said:

Ugh, back outage. You'd think with all the people that struggle with this that someone, somewhere would have it knocked but it doesn't seem that they do. Heal well and soon.

 

I I want a cybernetic back. 

 

 

I couldn't find the image I wanted, but there's one of his back all steely, and cablely that I visualize when I do the Roman chair. 

 

 

23 hours ago, jstanlick said:

Oh, man, say it ain't so! Not the back! I hope it feels better soon, cuz back injuries are the worst. 

 

Thanks. It'll be better soon.

 

4 hours ago, LouCarJo said:

Sorry about the back.

 

Thanks.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Tuesday was a Good DayTM.  I still wasn't able to train past the Yoga and warm up.  My students were good, the day before a long break is usually a difficult one.  Some of them are in unstable situations and their fear comes out in ugly ways.  We had a block party in the my hallway at the end of the day.  As is traditional (twice now) I brought in a big tub of Legos and KNex for my little peeps who don't like to socialize. It was about 10 of them.  Playing quietly around the corner from everyone else.  

 

I also put together a playlist for the dance party room.  I had to consult the top 40 list, compare it to the suggestions from the students and listen and watch the videos to make sure they weren't too inappropriate. I had a couple of clinkers, but generally they really liked the dance room. I really need to get some disco lights. 

 

 

This was a clinker, but man I love this song.  Sometimes I think I should pay more attention to pop culture. 

 

Wednesday.  Also a Good DayTM.  A lot more domestic rangering. It tightened up my back again and again I didn't train past the yoga and warm up.  I think I skipped the warm up too. 

 

Thursday - Happy Thanskgiving to my American friends. Happy Thursday to the rest of you. T Nation had an article in my feed claiming to have the best exercise for bad backs.  It turns out it was walking.  I was disappointed. It did remind me that I have barely walked the dogs since my back started acting up a few weeks ago, so I took them out for a long one. 

 

Thanksgiving was was the immediate family, StepSloth and his partner, my dad and sister.  most people only come to our house once for Thanksgiving.  I think because it doesn't occur to us to turn on the sportsball or the parade and they're a big part of the rest of our family's traditions. It was nice though, big crowds and football would have driven me to the basement anyway.  We played a lot of board games with the kids.  

 

Training: Yoga, full warm up, 1X20 close squats, 1X(3,5,7) push ups, 1X20/20 lunges, 1X(5,5,5) ring rows.  I meant to do 3 rounds but the missus asked my help with something and I didn't get back to it. 

 

 

 

BTW, here's the current crop of dogs.  Rascal, we'll have him until the New Year at least because he needs some vetting.  Bonita, we'll have for a few more days until her vetting and then the adoptees can pick her up, and Arlo our keeper.  They are all people-loving Velcro dogs.  I am constantly stepping on one or the other.  

[LouCarJo]

6 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

 

 They are all people-loving Velcro dogs.  I am constantly stepping on one or the other.  

This made me feel less bad about constantly stepping on my new puppy's foot as he comes to see what I'm up to and I don't see him.

[Mrs Van]

8 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

BTW, here's the current crop of dogs.  Rascal, we'll have him until the New Year at least because he needs some vetting.  Bonita, we'll have for a few more days until her vetting and then the adoptees can pick her up, and Arlo our keeper.  They are all people-loving Velcro dogs.  I am constantly stepping on one or the other.  

Glad you had a good time with the family for Thanksgiving. And of course board games. Its currently a hit in our home again too. I love that song, was listening to it while I read your post. Of course the boys came running and Oldest immediately piped up and said it is going to be in the Trolls movie.

I love all three your little velcro dogs Our biggest dog is also the one that is constantly under feet and that is the Labrador. I sometimes have to step over him in the kitchen (after he's eaten and lying on his back, stretching out his legs) if I want to get things done.

[Marauder]

Did someone say dance party? and dogs...

 

Hope you are well.  I am debating taking up your torch and trying out battle logging rather than challenging (because that is failing me).  How are you enjoying it?

 

And...  thanks for the song.  I needed a little mini dance party.

 

[Mr_Willes]

Ours is constantly resting behind me when i'm doing stuff in the kitchen, to a point a now (most of the times) know that i cautiously have to step back because otherwise i trip over him. I think it has to do to with trust, the dogs trust you to be a good leader and come and lay beside you when you are stationary (cooking).

[jstanlick]

On 11/24/2016 at 9:46 PM, Sloth the Enduring said:

We played a lot of board games with the kids.

Sounds like a great Thanksgiving!

 

4 hours ago, mr_willes said:

I think it has to do to with trust, the dogs trust you to be a good leader and come and lay beside you when you are stationary (cooking).

And here I thought it was because they figured I'd drop some food on the floor when they send me sprawling across the kitchen floor

[Mrs Van]

6 hours ago, mr_willes said:

Ours is constantly resting behind me when i'm doing stuff in the kitchen, to a point a now (most of the times) know that i cautiously have to step back because otherwise i trip over him. I think it has to do to with trust, the dogs trust you to be a good leader and come and lay beside you when you are stationary (cooking).

Trust... sneaking fallen tit-bits into their mouths... maybe saying thank you for the food...

Simba the Lab - 11yrs old

[Sloth the Enduring]

On November 25, 2016 at 4:33 AM, LouCarJo said:

This made me feel less bad about constantly stepping on my new puppy's foot as he comes to see what I'm up to and I don't see him.

 

Awww, the puppy loves you.

 

On November 25, 2016 at 6:39 AM, elizevdmerwe said:

Glad you had a good time with the family for Thanksgiving. And of course board games. Its currently a hit in our home again too. I love that song, was listening to it while I read your post. Of course the boys came running and Oldest immediately piped up and said it is going to be in the Trolls movie.

I love all three your little velcro dogs Our biggest dog is also the one that is constantly under feet and that is the Labrador. I sometimes have to step over him in the kitchen (after he's eaten and lying on his back, stretching out his legs) if I want to get things done.

 

Thanks.  I don't remember hearing it before, nor had I heard of the Trolls movie, but now it's everywhere.

 

On November 25, 2016 at 4:56 PM, Marauder said:

Did someone say dance party? and dogs...

 

Hope you are well.  I am debating taking up your torch and trying out battle logging rather than challenging (because that is failing me).  How are you enjoying it?

 

And...  thanks for the song.  I needed a little mini dance party.

 

 

I'm not much for dance parties, but I love dogs.  I think you'd be a good fit for a Battle Log.  Challenges are too much stress and they pass by so quickly.  I'd much rather plod along day after day.

 

6 hours ago, mr_willes said:

Ours is constantly resting behind me when i'm doing stuff in the kitchen, to a point a now (most of the times) know that i cautiously have to step back because otherwise i trip over him. I think it has to do to with trust, the dogs trust you to be a good leader and come and lay beside you when you are stationary (cooking).

 

I'd buy that elsewhere, but not the kitchen.  The dogs especially like to be next to/ on me when I try to do the Yoga-type stuff.

 

1 hour ago, jstanlick said:

Sounds like a great Thanksgiving!

 

And here I thought it was because they figured I'd drop some food on the floor when they send me sprawling across the kitchen floor

 

Thats what I was thinking.  Mrs. Sloth is the cook and they are always under her feet while she cooks.

 

14 minutes ago, elizevdmerwe said:

Trust... sneaking fallen tit-bits into their mouths... maybe saying thank you for the food...

Simba the Lab - 11yrs old

 

Awww, cute.  How can you resist giving him a tidbit.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Geez, I've been lax here.

 

Friday - Black Friday.  This is the day Slothgirl and I take the train down to the mall, eat junk food, and shop for Mrs. Sloth's birthday present.  It was a good day.  It started with my skipping training (cardio).  Which I've admittedly done a lot lately.  Then we went to the Natural History Museum for their garage sale.  They're moving to a new building. I was hoping to buy something squishy in a jar of formaldehyde.  Instead they were selling fixtures and random things.  I almost bought a box of auger bits, a couple of posters, and a life-size foam board silhouette of a shark, but I stood id line a half hour to get in and they had an equally long line to check out and then another equally long line to pay for the purchases.  I just wasn't willing to commit that much time to it.  The mall was nice, hanging out with Slothgirl makes it one of my favorite days of the year.  Afterwards we put up the Christmas tree.

 

 

 

Saturday - I decided this was a good day to sit around.  The whole family just sat, we watched a movie, played games, the kids did art, I read just about everything on NF and caught up with all the mountain bike articles in my reader.  It was a good day.  Except sitting kills my back, Sunday was torturous.

 

 

 

Sunday - I stood all day, stretched a lot, and tried to get my back moving again.  In the late afternoon I went to work out.  Sloth girl was getting wild and was beating up on her brother so I made her come down to the basement with me and take her energy out on her circus equipment.  She hooked up a giant band to the spinny thing and was bouncing and bouncing.  Eventually the eye bolts holding it up pulled out of the joist and she fell down.  She scrapped her head and she bled like Carrie.  It was terribad.  She screamed like a banshee until she finally stopped bleeding.  Luckily she didn't need stitches, we just finished paying for the last set.  I obviously had to stop my workout.  I didn't get back to it, instead I ended up in kid boardgame Hell (Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, etc.) for the next 90 minutes.

 

 

 

Monday -  I did my Yoga and warm up, then I had to get the kids up early to bring to school with me.  I plan on doing the actual workout after school.  I give myself a 50/50 chance of actually doing it.  I checked out a laptop so I could do my busywork, and my NFing, standing up.  My back feels pretty good today.

 

 

 

This doesn't look like it was a good weekend fitness wise, but mentally I turned a corner.  I went from off-season to pre-season.  Is this log cumbersome for y'all? I'm wondering if I should start a new log or keep growing this one.