War Journal: EMISGOD Workout & Diet Archive

[EMISGOD]

Some of you may be familiar with how I do Logs from the various product Logs I have done previously (10 so far). As there is very little out there that I feel motivated to run Logs on at the moment (this may and probably will change in the future), I have elected to move the workouts here, since I find those inordinately helpful as a referential aid.

For those who are not familiar, the format is roughly as follows:

Workout: {Muscle Group Here}
Exercises Used: {This is one of the parts I find most helpful as I can track which are most productive and which need to be switched out. It is also useful in terms of me finding stalls.}

Quality Level: {There are 5 Workout rankings here, ranging from Outstanding (have had exactly one of these workouts since joining bb.com) to **** (have not had one of those in multiple years). A lot of this I've developed decades ago, in terms of rankings. This is mostly for my own reference. I formerly tracked workout time also, but that seems to me to be increasingly pointless for Lifting workouts, though I probably will for Cardio, since there is more of a performance-related aspect to that.}

Diet:
Calories:
Total carbs:
Total fat:
Total protein:
Score: {This is all pretty self-explanatory. Rankings are the same here as for the workouts. Again, that is mostly for me, but if anyone is interested, it can be charted against the progress in my physical dimensions, which I update somewhat regularly in the BodySpace section. There are also dietary targets, which I will get to a bit later on. The percentages are all approximation and there is a +/- 5% margin of error on the totals, due to labeling inconsistencies, etc.}

Observations/Intel: {This is where I will comment on things like the stealth PWO formulation I'm still testing, though I will only comment on how it is reacting and not at all as regards what is in it. Any supplements I'm taking, aside from those related directly to the PWO formulation, will be updated again in my BodySpace.}

I've been reluctant to mention this next part. On one hand, it is extremely gratifying that people think enough of me to follow my Log, but on the other hand, things can spiral really easily. While I welcome anyone who is inclined to check this out and ask questions (as long as it does not pertain to the contents of the PWO formulation) or post encouragement or whatever, if so moved, I would like to keep this as focused as possible, since I intend it primarily as a reference guide. I didn't put this in my BodyBLOG or Workout Tracker, because I ultimately do welcome commentary, but I would appreciate it if things were kept on an even keel, at least in this particular Log.

[EMISGOD]

Workout: Shoulders
Exercises Used:

Cuban Press/Half-Rotations = 3 Warm-up sets
Nautilus Lateral Raise Machine = 4 Work sets (110X10, 130X5, 120X6, 100X10)
Overhead Press Machine = 4 Work sets (140X7,5, 130X5)
High Rear Delt Cable Row* = 4 Work sets (100X10, 160X6, 150,145X8)
Plate Lateral Raise = 1 Work set (25sX5)
Standing Overhead DB Flys = 2 Work sets (30sX8, 40sX3)

* = Changed machines. I tried to modify the bench on a seated row machine to focus on Shoulders, but it did not go low enough to my suiting, so I switched to the Tricep Push-Down tower.

Quality Level: Good. Strength was down, but that was to be expected, with a slight layoff, due to a minor, yet nagging, illness and a diet that went straight to Hell and stayed there for a week. Amazingly, I still lost weight over that time frame, but it was perhaps not all fat...certainly some of it was, though. I anticipate being back at full strength by the last week of this month, perhaps sooner.

Diet:
Calories: ~2114
Total carbs: 98g or ~18.5%
Total fat: 83g or ~35.5%
Total protein: 250g or ~46.5%
Score: 100% (5 of 5 goals) Good. Part of this was slop, though that will be going away starting Wednesday. Lunch during the week has always been a weak point, but I have finally worked out a solution to that, so diet will be looking a lot better.

Observations/Intel: While I feel well enough to resume working out, I still am not quite 100%. I have slight bouts of dizziness sporadically and the daylight savings time bull**** could not have come at a worse time, as it tends to throw my body rhythm off a great deal and makes me feel tired until I re-adjust to that stupid idiotic dumbass and sheer pointless change. However, I don't feel there is anything any longer to be gained by keeping out of the gym and I need to play catch-up to restore myself to prior levels.

[Beejis60]

Call me signed on, but I don't know how closely I'll be following.... Don't hate me!!

[jsweetness]

Call me signed on, but I don't know how closely I'll be following.... Don't hate me!!

x2, lol.

[extremenergy3]

Cutting still?

[Mr.Farang]

Count Mr. Farang, who uses NO HOMO so called man purses, in this one. LMAO!!!

I am not sure how frequent/how often I'll check it in here due to a few things going on for me at this time right now.

Don't hate me.......just love me much!!! and I will return you my lovez fo sho......

[Sldge]

Im in.

[EMISGOD]

Call me signed on, but I don't know how closely I'll be following.... Don't hate me!!

Hated.

x2, lol.

Hated.

Cutting still?

Yes. Weigh-in today was 208. One year ago, roughly, I was 248, though I should observe that the cut really did not officially start until April and did not realistically start until sometime in June.

I'm not going to make a Log post today, since I think I will restrain myself to days when I actually work out, but I'm going to continue cutting until at least May and then re-assess.

Count Mr. Farang, who uses NO HOMO so called man purses, in this one. LMAO!!!

I am not sure how frequent/how often I'll check it in here due to a few things going on for me at this time right now.

Don't hate me.......just love me much!!! and I will return you my lovez fo sho......

Hated.

Im in.

Good to see you, Matt.

[EMISGOD]

Workout: OFF
Exercises Used: OFF
Quality Level: OFF

Diet: Not counted. This week has been marked since the last post by a cleanliness in the diet that almost borders on obsessive, if I were obsessive about such things. I've just now got everything lined up so that I would intentionally have to exert effort to eat crap, which makes things both much tidier and easier.

Observations/Intel: On the bad side, again a resurgence of the head fog and congestion (not exactly doing wonders for the new Log, eh?), which may or may not be weather-related. I'd like to think it is, since the only alternative I can come up with is an abscess somewhere, which would really be irritating. I am going to assume it is not the latter, since my brother is also having similar problems and he is nearly all the way across the country.

Moving right along, I went through band rehearsal yesterday and predictably blew my voice to shreds. It was also great Cardio and I was sweating like a maniac at the end. In a trend that is also not very helpful, I easily overran 1g of caffeine yesterday and am pushing it hard today. One more day of stim thermos and I'm taking a week off, since the constant pounding on my CNS is incredibly not helpful. I am exhibiting every single sign of adrenal burnout, so after tomorrow, that **** is going to be cut out for a good solid week minimum...I'm hoping I can resume training at some point this weekend, but things are very difficult for me to predict accurately at the moment, aside from me pushing through for work and the band regardless of the physical symptoms I may be exhibiting.

[HC]

wooot! in on page 1 Em


Good to see you back

[EMISGOD]

wooot! in on page 1 Em

Good to see you back

Nice to see you, as always...

I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to workout today...unamusingly, I've been plagued by an incredibly nasty headache all day...

[HC]

Nice to see you, as always...

I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to workout today...unamusingly, I've been plagued by an incredibly nasty headache all day...

I was due for cardio today but opted not to...

I am playing hockey tomorrow evening for the first time since october

I am both nervous and excited...

sorry about the headach...they are the pitts..

[EMISGOD]

Workout: Chest/Back
Exercises Used:

BB Flat Press = 3 Warm-up sets
Vertical Bench Press Machine (upper focus) = 3 Work sets (185X4, 170X5, 155X6)
Lat Tower = 3 Warm-up sets + 2 Work sets (175X4, 160X6)
Dips = 1 Work set (BWX7)
1-Armed Seated Row Machine = 1 Work set, Per Arm (135X5)

Quality Level: Aborted. I was fighting, unsuccessfully, a headache all day as well as some degree of dizziness, neither of which was helped by driving through a snowstorm to get to the gym. The headache destroyed any intensity, as if I drove the weights too high, it would increase the pressure to near-unbearable levels. The dizziness was a minor distraction, but I could have done without it, just the same. I fought through that for a while, but once the nausea kicked in, that was it pretty much. I'm still somewhat queasy as I write this...more on that later. Energy was also pretty crappy for this and strength also took a nosedive.

Diet: Not counted, but the numbers were all low today.

Observations/Intel: Headaches are somewhat the bane of my existence. Oftentimes, they will rob my vision or severely and negatively impact it. At times, it will also play Hell with my sensitivity to light. Since my adrenals are fried at the moment, I also had a lot of myokymia going on, which has seemed to rather consistently limit itself to my left eye. Today, the headache eventually wound up in nausea, which was probably triggered by me attempting to push in the gym. Sometimes it does this by itself. They nearly always tend to impact my motivation. Fortunately, they are infrequent enough for me not to need medication, as my sister does. I should probably have taken some Excedrin, but I was trying not to send myself into a stim-crash, which happened anyway somewhat before I left for the gym and went all the way over. That, combined with the nausea, was really problematic.

Stims, excepting the tea I like to drink, as mentioned earlier, are going to be taking a leave of absence for at least the next week.

On a more positive front, I feel mostly recovered now (the nausea, dizziness, etc. was related to the headache and the myokymia to the adrenal burnout) and was thinking today how much I really need to get back to doing Cardio. Unlike nearly everyone else I know, I do not do it for the "fat-burning" properties, but rather for performance, mostly. I really do need to re-emphasize this part as the benefits are directly related to both vocals and on-stage dramatics and we probably will be doing live shows again much sooner rather than later. Drop sets also help with this, especially in terms of ratcheting up the intensity.

[EMISGOD]

Workout: Legs/Arms
Exercises Used:

BB Squats = 2 Warm-up sets
Gravity Leg Press = 4 Work sets (360,450X8, 540X6, 500X8)
Glute-Ham Raises = 4 Work sets (BWX8, +20X5, +25X4, BWX8)
Seated Calf Raises = 4 Work sets (180,225,225,180X10) supersetted with
Standing Calf Raises = 4 Work sets (240,270,255X10, 240X8)
Close-Grip Cable Curls = 3 Work sets (145X6, 130X7, 115X8) supersetted with
Standing Calf Raises = 3 Work sets (145X6, 130X7, 115X8)

Quality Level: Average. Strength was off considerably. Energy was not very good today, either, but that is somewhat to be expected. Hopefully, I will be back to normal levels by the end of the month.

Diet: Not counted. Numbers are much closer to on-target today.

Observations/Intel: I went to bed last night shortly after the last post and skipped even my PWO drink since I was crashing pretty crazily. Lots of upper body soreness today as a result.

I tried VPX's Redline Power Rush today, which is a shot drink somewhat similar in type to the 5 Hour Energy drinks. It tasted ok, but given that my adrenals are fried, even taking it on an empty stomach did nothing. I'll re-test it again next weekend after I take the week off stims and see how things are.

I find myself once again exhausted...

[HC]

Nice workout Em..sorry your strength was not what you expected.

What is your PWO drink?

I had a GREAT hockey game tonight !!! I am better, stronger and faster than I was in october - it's all in my log...

I took three tryptophans tonight...and will post any wake ups in that log.

I am shutting down for the night...must get my kids into bed now

Have a pleasant night, Em

[Beejis60]

What is your PWO drink?

x2!! I've been waiting for this one for awhile

[EMISGOD]

Nice workout Em..sorry your strength was not what you expected.

It was a little under what I was expected, but not hugely out of whack...I didn't think I would come in at full strength.

I had a GREAT hockey game tonight !!! I am better, stronger and faster than I was in october - it's all in my log...

I took three tryptophans tonight...and will post any wake ups in that log.

I am shutting down for the night...must get my kids into bed now

Have a pleasant night, Em

I did read those... Good work! And a pleasant evening to you also...hopefully you don't wake up to read this until a more appropriate time.

x2!! I've been waiting for this one for awhile

You will continue waiting. Testing is still in progress and if it holds as well as it has been, who knows, perhaps it will wind up available on shelves somewhere...

[EMISGOD]

Workout: Shoulders
Exercises Used:

Cuban Press/Half-Rotations = 3 Warm-up sets
Nautilus Lateral Raise Machine = 4 Work sets (100X10, 140X4, 130X6, 120X7)
Overhead Press Machine = 4 Work sets (155X8, 185X2, 170X4, 150X5)
High Rear Delt Cable Row = 4 Work sets (135X8, 140X6, 130,120X8)
Overhead Crossovers = 4 Work sets (70X5, 75X3, 60X6, 55X7)

Quality Level: Very Good. Strength rebounded very well today and even though I went in pretty much tired, I was able to perform at a solid, although somewhat slower than normal, performance level. I believe I will be back at full strength next week.

Diet: Not counted. It's kind of nice to take a break from doing this incessantly, though I think I might need to spot check again. Everything is very clean, but I believe I am coming under target for overall calories. It strikes me that I am falling into a pattern of being somewhat obsessive about what I'm eating until I get home and I break the pattern of ultra-cleanness by grabbing either 4 or 5 grasshopper cookies or maybe half a dozen little Dove dark chocolate squares. While that is not particularly detrimental in and of itself, it is preventing me from having things that are probably more necessary, such as protein shakes...I really need to do a weigh-in again, though I believe it to be holding pretty steady at 208...

Observations/Intel: Part of that is because I'm feeling tired, a sort of bone-weariness where it feels like I can measure in decades the time since I last had any decent sleep rather than what is probably a matter of days and certainly no more than weeks. This is not, alas, uncommon territory for me and indicates to me how fully I've blown my CNS to bits. I'm not sleeping particularly well, granted, but I think I'm going to take next week off from stim thermos also...I'm going to be doing an ErgoPharm AMP2 log coming up, so I may as well recharge until it starts, which will probably be March 29, at this rate.

My Legs are somewhat sore still, but nothing huge. The PWO shake wiped out any residual soreness in all of my Uppers, though. Had I not felt nauseous and actually take it PWO on Saturday, I think I would probably have had zero soreness in my Legs. I still have 2 more elements I'm going to start testing (also next week) and should have alpha testing done by the end of April. At that point, I will move into beta and depending on what happens there, perhaps see about making it commercially available.

I intend on restarting Cardio next week. My shape is still improving, as might be expected. My Cardio blows right now, though and I seem to be experiencing some rather constant phlegminess, most of which is confined, oddly, to my left nostril. The discharge is clear, so I believe the infection that was likely residing there has mostly or fully passed...

Based on my current schedule, I have to move my Lifting workouts so that they are back to back on consecutive days, in order to keep my current split. This week, Monday was OFF and Friday will also be OFF, which means Lifting both days this weekend as well as today and tomorrow. Thursday, of course, is band practice. Next week will probably see the start of zero OFF days, unless I decide I really need it, in which case, I'll likely take Fridays.

Back tomorrow.

[Beejis60]

You will continue waiting. Testing is still in progress and if it holds as well as it has been, who knows, perhaps it will wind up available on shelves somewhere...

NICE!!

I break the pattern of ultra-cleanness by grabbing either 4 or 5 grasshopper cookies or maybe half a dozen little Dove dark chocolate squares.

Those dove thingys are money, but what the hell are grasshopper cookies?

[Sldge]

Workout: Shoulders
Exercises Used:

Cuban Press/Half-Rotations = 3 Warm-up sets
Nautilus Lateral Raise Machine = 4 Work sets (100X10, 140X4, 130X6, 120X7)
Overhead Press Machine = 4 Work sets (155X8, 185X2, 170X4, 150X5)
High Rear Delt Cable Row = 4 Work sets (135X8, 140X6, 130,120X8)
Overhead Crossovers = 4 Work sets (70X5, 75X3, 60X6, 55X7)

Quality Level: Very Good. Strength rebounded very well today and even though I went in pretty much tired, I was able to perform at a solid, although somewhat slower than normal, performance level. I believe I will be back at full strength next week.

Diet: Not counted. It's kind of nice to take a break from doing this incessantly, though I think I might need to spot check again. Everything is very clean, but I believe I am coming under target for overall calories. It strikes me that I am falling into a pattern of being somewhat obsessive about what I'm eating until I get home and I break the pattern of ultra-cleanness by grabbing either 4 or 5 grasshopper cookies or maybe half a dozen little Dove dark chocolate squares. While that is not particularly detrimental in and of itself, it is preventing me from having things that are probably more necessary, such as protein shakes...I really need to do a weigh-in again, though I believe it to be holding pretty steady at 208...

Observations/Intel: Part of that is because I'm feeling tired, a sort of bone-weariness where it feels like I can measure in decades the time since I last had any decent sleep rather than what is probably a matter of days and certainly no more than weeks. This is not, alas, uncommon territory for me and indicates to me how fully I've blown my CNS to bits. I'm not sleeping particularly well, granted, but I think I'm going to take next week off from stim thermos also...I'm going to be doing an ErgoPharm AMP2 log coming up, so I may as well recharge until it starts, which will probably be March 29, at this rate.

My Legs are somewhat sore still, but nothing huge. The PWO shake wiped out any residual soreness in all of my Uppers, though. Had I not felt nauseous and actually take it PWO on Saturday, I think I would probably have had zero soreness in my Legs. I still have 2 more elements I'm going to start testing (also next week) and should have alpha testing done by the end of April. At that point, I will move into beta and depending on what happens there, perhaps see about making it commercially available.

I intend on restarting Cardio next week. My shape is still improving, as might be expected. My Cardio blows right now, though and I seem to be experiencing some rather constant phlegminess, most of which is confined, oddly, to my left nostril. The discharge is clear, so I believe the infection that was likely residing there has mostly or fully passed...

Based on my current schedule, I have to move my Lifting workouts so that they are back to back on consecutive days, in order to keep my current split. This week, Monday was OFF and Friday will also be OFF, which means Lifting both days this weekend as well as today and tomorrow. Thursday, of course, is band practice. Next week will probably see the start of zero OFF days, unless I decide I really need it, in which case, I'll likely take Fridays.

Back tomorrow.

I think your CNS needs more then 2 weeks off. You need a serious rest and break, which should also include some time off from the gym.

[HC]

Hey Em...glad you had a better workout...don't push it too fast..if you need a break, take one

[EMISGOD]

NICE!!

Those dove thingys are money, but what the hell are grasshopper cookies?

Chocolate mint.

I think your CNS needs more then 2 weeks off. You need a serious rest and break, which should also include some time off from the gym.

I might not start Cardio next week, possibly, but nothing feels out of the ordinary from how thing usually are when I beat the crap out of my CNS...in a confusing development, I'm still not at all adjusted to the daylight savings time, which means my sleep can best be described as chaotic and that, more than anything, is what I think is contributing to the lowered speed of a return to normalcy. While I do believe you may have a point as to how much longer my CNS needs some time off, there is a greater issue here and that is my state of mental well-being, which will take a very solid (and undesirable) hit if I discontinue workouts entirely, so I will have to find some happy medium, even if it means the further delay of Cardio...I'm probably going to extend a weekend at some point in the near future, which always seems to help. Once again, I have a lot of mental pressure, though enough things are finally progressing so that I'm able to keep an even keel. There were some very recent dark days and I'd really rather not experience that again, so if the workouts are helping my state of mind, I find it in my best interest to keep them around, even if it costs me in terms of CNS recovery speed. Tacking in the Glycine once again seems to be doing its usual helpful bit and the PWO shake from yesterday wiped ALL residual muscle soreness, as well as preventing any in the Shoulders that I worked yesterday, so once I get sleep back in hand, it will enable me to better assess things...

Hey Em...glad you had a better workout...don't push it too fast..if you need a break, take one

My methodology in the gym prevents me from pushing too far too fast. Even when I was at full strength (not long now), if I did not feel I was using good form, I would either drop the weight or the exercise entirely. It is this mindset that has prevented me from ever having a workout-related injury, I feel and this is now slightly over 2 decades running, though, admittedly, it has only been continuous for maybe the last 6 and only approaching what I would call seriousness for maybe the last 2 or 3...

[pu12en12g]

Woot !

[EMISGOD]

Workout: Back
Exercises Used:

Lat Tower = 3 Warm-up sets
Hammer Row Machine, Per Arm = 4 Work sets (100,115X8, 135X6, 115X8)
Hammer High Row = 3 Work sets (200X8, 220X6, 210X8)
T-Bar Rows = 2 Work sets (200,225X8, 250XFX2)
Pull-Ups = 3 Work sets (BWX3)
Yates Cable Rows = 3 Work sets (215[MM]X8,9,10)

Quality Level: Very Good. I could feel energy sliding, so I had to lay back a bit so I could complete the workout and cut the sets per exercise down considerably. The T-Bars were weird in that I could get 250 up with no problem, but could not control it at all once I got it there. I found that really annoying and confusing and after two attempts, just abandoned the exercise entirely. Putting pull-ups towards the end of the workout was a pretty humbling experience, but this was sort of a "gauge" workout, to let me know where I am now and how far I have to go, so I was both trying to work the muscle group as well as see where the ceiling currently is. I also need to move the Hypers to Sunday, as putting them in front of band rehearsal is a horrible idear...

Diet:
Calories: ~2045
Total carbs: 100g or ~19.5%
Total fat: 66.5g or ~29%
Total protein: 259g or ~50.5%
Score: 100% (5 of 5 goals) Outstanding. Everything well in line, though I need to think about pushing total calories higher. Always good to check, though.

Observations/Intel: A bunch of stuff today. Weigh-in was 211, which is a fairly typical mid-week fluctuation. I will check again this weekend (assuming I remember). Also this weekend will be 1 of the last two potentials for the PWO formula. I finally remembered to get a pill crusher this weekend, so I'll be able to use it in the proposed final condition.

Nothing was sore today prior to going in to the gym. For a while, I was running between 750mg - 1.0g+ of caffeine before I pulled the stim thermos on Saturday. Immediately thereafter, I dropped down to below 100mg daily, excepting Lifting workout days, which are probably closer to 300mg for the day. Normally, this would send me into headache fits, but so far, it has not at all. Aside from somewhat sporadic dizziness, there is seemingly no effect with that steep of a drop. I find that somewhat puzzling, but I'm happy there are no headaches.

About the CNS beating that Matt observed earlier...one thing I forgot to mention in my reply to him was that last year, there was a good period of time, lasting a little over a month, wherein I was not able to get anywhere near a gym, let alone into one. That will be coming this year, sooner rather than later and so part of my motivation is to get into the best possible shape I can before that eventuality occurs.

Finally, resuming the sleep issue, it is not always such a great thing to have the vivid imagination that I do. It is great for writing and creativity, but there is a downside. I have lately been plagued by nightmares and not the ones that wake you up and then vanish once you're awake, to be dispelled entirely so that you can resume sleep and perhaps not remember. No, this is the recurring kind that wakes one up so that one can spend a lot of time trying to figure out where they are, before it dawns on them that it is the same bedroom that one has been in for about 2 years. It is the kind that makes all those extraneous night noises siren calls to alarm and has one caressing the black handle of the ready, waiting and willing Louisville Slugger, that trusty companion always present by the side of the bed. It is the kind that leaves one actively on guard and looking for the things from the dream to follow one into consciousness and forces one to prepare for the attack.

When I was younger, I sometimes had this thing happen, the kind of dream that I would force myself awake from and which would then recur over and over every time I tried to back to sleep until I finally gave up and rode it out. Back then, I would be almost frightened to get fully into that one activity I loved so much, sleeping, for fear that the dreams, which almost always carried the risk of death, would recur and bring their unbearable mindkilling tendencies with them. It would take until I was borne and carried forth on a sea of exhaustion before I would finally succumb and ride the damn thing out, at which point it would vanish permanently. One of those was centered around "The Howling" movie, something I cackle at now. This most recent one seems largely influenced by the Resident Evil 4 videogame. I don't know if that is what is ((perhaps subconsciously) screwing up my ability to go to sleep or to resume it once I wake up, but it very definitely is the dream that is playing havoc with my slumber and is forcing my heart to bang around in my ribcage once I find myself again pulled from sleep...

[HC]

Morning Em!!

I took 4 of those tryps last night...passed out withing 20 mins of taking and slept 7 straight hours!! slept dead as a rock! ok - yes I was totally exhausted - but even exhausted I don't sleep through without meds....

and I woke refreshed and aleart

[pu12en12g]

This most recent one seems largely influenced by the Resident Evil 4 videogame.

I keep having this awesome dream that if I jump (and concentrate hard enough) I can fly for short distances. It's bad ass, and I wish I could get the color version

[EMISGOD]

Morning Em!!

I took 4 of those tryps last night...passed out withing 20 mins of taking and slept 7 straight hours!! slept dead as a rock! ok - yes I was totally exhausted - but even exhausted I don't sleep through without meds....

and I woke refreshed and aleart

Interesting...I wound up with an unscheduled night off tonight, so I will be taking both today and tomorrow off from the gym and see what's what...

I keep having this awesome dream that if I jump (and concentrate hard enough) I can fly for short distances. It's bad ass, and I wish I could get the color version

Flying in dreams, among other things, is never difficult for me. This particularly dream is all kinds of amplified, though it seems to be tapering off now...kind of...there is a new and weirder one apparently taking its place that is sort of defying description at the moment...that one occurs about the time my alarm goes off, which is interesting as I have observed some time after awakening that the alarm noise is being incorporated into the actual dream itself...

[EMISGOD]

Workout: OFF
Exercises Used: OFF
Quality Level: OFF

Diet: Not counted. Again, today was pretty crystal.

Observations/Intel: No band rehearsal, so taking tonight and tomorrow night OFF, at least from the gym. I will get to tonight shortly, but tomorrow I probably will wind up spending an hour or so simultaneously doing my laundry and wondering when it will all end and daydreaming of razors. Did I ever mention how much I hate doing laundry? I should tell you sometime...

As for tonight, this whole thing with gas prices has really been bothering me. My car is getting old and I need to very much do some fixing on it, but the ******t outside temperature is not consistently warm enough to do it, so I have to wait. I will spend more and more time fixing it in the future and don't feel like shopping for a new one. I renewed the lease on the current townhouse because I didn't feel like looking for a new place to live, but that doesn't mean I'm especially happy with either this place or my car.

I digress. This gas thing is really bothering me, so I've been driving a lot less. Part of that had to do with being sick, but now that I'm not any longer, I've also been really kicking around the idea of getting a bike and starting to use that as much as possible. Obviously, I can't use it for band rehearsal (a good 45 miles to that, at least) and probably won't use it much for the gym (this is debatable, though) or for anywhere I need to carry a lot of things, but there is no real need for me to drive a bunch of water bottles around the city. I can definitely ride to and from work, no problem, though I will have to have a bit of a scheduling shift to make it happen. I think I would enjoy doing that, though, so I don't foresee that being too much of a problem. There is also the cardiovascular benefit as well as helping me continue with my cut.

So, tonight, I went and shopped bikes. I found one I wanted online, but when I got to the shop, I was much less than thrilled with it, so I found a performance upgrade, which is probably more to where I am suited anyway. I figure I'm looking at around $500 (somewhat under) for the bike (at the moment, a Trek 7.2FX), helmet (Trek Vapor 3), a locking cable, water bottle rack and a fanny pack (Ronnie Coleman signature edition FTW). It's too cold for me to get into this right now, but next month sometime (or maybe sooner), I'm going to pick it up and start practicing some before I take it into traffic.

It's weird the things I pick up. Part of this comes from a post Sandy made about how much she enjoyed skating/hockey when she was younger and her recent resurgence into it as well as the introduction of a beloved pastime to her children. When I was a kid, I rode everywhere. I fully believe that one reason my Legs have historically been so strong is that I rode this old hand-me down bike incessantly, all the time every day during the summer. It was stuck in high gear, which made starting out (or resuming after slowing down) a royal bitch, but was nice once it got going. I loved riding bikes, since it was one of the few times that I could generate some real speed and be competitive with persons who did not have damaged lungs. I certainly could not do it on foot, unless I employed cunning and timing in large amounts (not the case any longer), but on a bike, the field was leveled and I could not only compete, but often exceed. Later, I discovered cars and my love affair with speed took on an entirely new dimension and level, but I still greatly enjoyed riding bikes just for the sheer pleasure, even without the speed. It was the instrument that opened seemingly everything up at the time. Distance was nothing and for me, living in the countryside with the nearest town miles away, this was a tremendous boon.

More on this as it develops.

[Mr.Farang]

when you guys say "gas" in america/europe, you actually mean petrol/fuel, right? what is the typical octane level?

when we say "gas", we mean CNG used for cars. which is not powerful enough.

our petrol octane level is 95 ~ 98.

[dmangiarelli]

Call me signed on, but I don't know how closely I'll be following.... Don't hate me!!

LOL! Negged!

x2, lol.

Negged x2!

when you guys say "gas" in america/europe, you actually mean petrol/fuel, right? what is the typical octane level?

when we say "gas", we mean CNG used for cars. which is not powerful enough.

our petrol octane level is 95 ~ 98.

When I say gas it generally means a stink odor emanating from my rear! LOL! It is about 150 Octane!