Good news / good deeds / 2021 positivity thread

[djflex2]

In a world of crap, post anything you feel is positive...


Check out this article from USA TODAY:

Officer buys holiday dinner for grocery theft suspects: 'I just did what I felt was right'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ts/4114304001/

[ChazWood]

Good Dude. $250 wow...

As for me, I gotta say that I often feel like I'm just hanging on; with all that's going on. I put a lot of effort into being positive and not getting dragged down by all the insanity.

So my story is one of hope. Hope that I have the strength to keep being positive; try to give ppl the benefit of the doubt, and do what I can locally to be of use to others.

I believe that now more than ever we need to join together in working to once and for all eliminate the world of canadian geese. Fuk those rotten, good for nothing fowl.

Can we all unite behind that?!?!?! Please!

[PhDPepper1111]

Made it another year around the sun.
Despite the crazyness of the past year, we made it.
Personally, a lot happened with loss and growth, but generally, shoot, I'm doing better now than at the start of last year!
Lots of blather, but true, and I hope more to come this year!

Chaz, I'd help out, and I do have a migration that uses the pond/swamp on my property as a rest stop... but those aren't the fowl I'm allowed to shoot and eat!

[ChazWood]

Made it another year around the sun.
Despite the crazyness of the past year, we made it.
Personally, a lot happened with loss and growth, but generally, shoot, I'm doing better now than at the start of last year!
Lots of blather, but true, and I hope more to come this year!

Chaz, I'd help out, and I do have a migration that uses the pond/swamp on my property as a rest stop... but those aren't the fowl I'm allowed to shoot and eat!

Attaway, brother! A wise dude who used to hang out here and post a lot of dickbutt memes once said: "Persistence not perfection".

and while I'm certainly not advocating breaking any local laws by blasting those hell-spawn fowl into oblivion, that doesn't mean you can't conjure up ways to mess with them while freeloading and pooping on your property. Bonus points for creativity.

[mtpockets]

[djflex2]

Sometimes good deeds can be just the little common courtesies that are often lacking today. I encourage all to make just a tiny difference if you can...

[djflex2]

I accomplished no good deeds today...


Anyone do anything to be a better citizen?

[champ07]

I buy McDonalds value meals and give them to random homeless people a couple times a month.

[Mark1T]

The good news is that I cannot see anyone for miles.

The bad news is that I cannot see anyone for miles.

[djflex2]

I know one thing im trying to do is support local business whenever possible and i try to buy whatever i can in person rather than just order off amazon

[ChazWood]

Go Browns!

[jtaylor2010]

I know one thing im trying to do is support local business whenever possible and i try to buy whatever i can in person rather than just order off amazon

This is probably one of the best pieces of advice. Help support your neighbors and keep the tax money in your county.

[ChazWood]

WOODWORKING: A SILVER LINING IN MY ALS CLOUD

If anyone lives by the motto “No white flags,” it’s Dave Clarke from Sandy, Oregon. A retired firefighter and mountain rescue volunteer, Dave was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease) in 2018. Once an avid skier and cyclist, Dave said his balance, gait and speech have mostly been affected by the disease so far. But every cloud has a silver lining and Dave’s was the push to revisit a long-postponed hobby: woodworking.

Inspiring dude!

[induced_drag]

Love this. Life is really good and I am a fan of trying to make a difference on the micro scale. The macro seems so impossible and there are lots of little things to us we all can do that have a HUGE impact on others.

Look for those opportunities. As of late, I have found little ways to say 'thank you' to those in my kids life who make a difference.

[djflex2]

Love this. Life is really good and I am a fan of trying to make a difference on the micro scale. The macro seems so impossible and there are lots of little things to us we all can do that have a HUGE impact on others.

Look for those opportunities. As of late, I have found little ways to say 'thank you' to those in my kids life who make a difference.

One small act per day is the way!

[induced_drag]

One small act per day is the way!

A bunch of guys on here would laugh at this one. But I was approached by a younger guy 28 with two young kids, who asked me if I would be his 'life coach'. It may not be obvious to people here, but I try to touch people's lives and show them the possibilities life can have. I have also walked a less than conventional path to my life that most people on here would not believe. What is has given me is a perspective and a message that many people find inspiring. Just to clarify, this has nothing to do with working out. The guy is not a 'gym' type dude. More of an aspiring business man.

Anyway....now that you have puked from laughing too hard, be the people that affect change one life at a time.

[ajdahlheimer]

The guy is not a 'gym' type dude.

You might as well help change that too, bro. Couldn't hurt anything.

[induced_drag]

You might as well help change that too, bro. Couldn't hurt anything.

Yea. In 'normal' clothes, a lot of people probably dont even know I work out. Especially in colder months. He is a younger guy I met from our car group. I know it may seem hard for people on here to realize this, but my life is not centered on working out.

I encourage a lot of people to pursue active lifestyles. Activity comes in all forms, and weight training is one small avenue. I just make them feel at ease to open up and be honest about what it is they want. The first line is usually "I am not looking to get big muscles". A lot of people see me and think I will be all 'hardcorez'. I like to put people at ease and usually do that in a self-deprecating way.

I have helped a bunch of people from all walks of live over the years achieve healthy weight loss. I help people cut through the BS and teach them how easy it is to manage their weight. People tell me I should be a 'trainer', but I cant charge people money for this. I would rather give them my time for nothing. I think I get as much out of it as they do.

[ajdahlheimer]

I have helped a bunch of people from all walks of live over the years achieve healthy weight loss. I help people cut through the BS and teach them how easy it is to manage their weight.

I get it. I have friend who is 51 and weighs 340 at the moment and desperately seeking advice for a lifestyle change. I gave him the basics on healthier clean eating as well as just calories in vs calories out knowledge. Told him the weight should melt off quickly just sticking to a diet and walking. I also told him I am not interested in showing him anything as far as weight training goes---until he shows me he can get down to 300 or so on his own.

[induced_drag]

I get it. I have friend who is 51 and weighs 340 at the moment and desperately seeking advice for a lifestyle change. I gave him the basics on healthier clean eating as well as just calories in vs calories out knowledge. Told him the weight should melt off quickly just sticking to a diet and walking. I also told him I am not interested in showing him anything as far as weight training goes---until he shows me he can get down to 300 or so on his own.

Very cool. It really pains me to see how people are so confused. It is the fault of all the stupid, self promoting fitness and nutrition gurus. They overly complicate 'fitness' so it seems like their way is some secret system. REALLY annoys me.

For that bigger dude, even just some mild walking would be a great start! I am sure he will be strong as hell from carrying around that weight for so long. Helped a dude out about 5 years ago drop from 320 to 215. Guy was a BEAST. His wife had left him and he had ZERO self esteem. Really good guy. And he did all the work. Was even dating last time I saw him.

I will tell you one thing... He had the BEST calves I have ever seen!

[ajdahlheimer]

. Helped a dude out about 5 years ago drop from 320 to 215. Guy was a BEAST. His wife had left him and he had ZERO self esteem. Really good guy. And he did all the work. Was even dating last time I saw him.

Wow, that seems like the exact situation with this guy. Went through a bad divorce and got very depressed. Eating, heavy drinking, smoking, etc. This guy is 6-2 or so and you can tell has some muscle base under his fat (I've arm wrestled him). Anyway, I think he would look and feel decent even at ~250 pounds. I am just trying to get it through his head that it is going to take some time when you are talking about losing ~100 pounds. It isn't like an already in shape person leaning out for the summer (which still takes a lot longer than one would think if done correctly). It is damn cold here this time of year, so tough to walk outside until April or so. He picked out a recumbent bike that I helped him assemble last week.

[induced_drag]

Wow, that seems like the exact situation with this guy. Went through a bad divorce and got very depressed. Eating, heavy drinking, smoking, etc. This guy is 6-2 or so and you can tell has some muscle base under his fat (I've arm wrestled him). Anyway, I think he would look and feel decent even at ~250 pounds. I am just trying to get it through his head that it is going to take some time when you are talking about losing ~100 pounds. It isn't like an already in shape person leaning out for the summer (which still takes a lot longer than one would think if done correctly). It is damn cold here this time of year, so tough to walk outside until April or so. He picked out a recumbent bike that I helped him assemble last week.

Saw this. Will respond back in detail. Got to get some work done today

[djflex2]

Good posts in here!

[induced_drag]

Wow, that seems like the exact situation with this guy.

So when I met my guy, he was about 2 month into his journey. He was overworking and had all kinds of weird ideas of what was necessary.

He was strong and already benching 315 2 months into training. He had the weight training part down.

I looked at how he was eating and suggested a few changes. I felt like at his weight he could do a 1000 cal deficit. He also like cardio. So on top of our calculated deficit he was incline walking about 60 min 3-4 times a week. This was probably good for another 1500-1800 cal at his body mass.

After taking with him, I also give him an informal carb cycling. Which in essence just allowed him to eat some food that he otherwise would not fit in and broke up the monotony of a diet of eating the same stuff all the time. The carb cycling was not necessary, but the ability for him to have a few 'treats' a week was great motivation for him. We also worked in some whisky in the evenings.

Anyway, I just gave him an outline. He did all the work. Like clockwork he was losing 2+ lbs a week. He was AWESOMELY motivated and he inspired me. There were times where he said he just wanted to push harder and he would not eat all his allotted carbs for the day. I just made sure he got his protein in and stressed that to him.

It was really amazing. He kept his strength and even improved a little. Toward month 10 he was feeling 'weak' but he pushed through. I think he did hit 100lb mark, but that was right around the time they were closing off the gyms.

It was so cool to get to know him. When I first met him, he was defeated. As time went on, he started to feel better about himself. At about the 60lb mark, he told me there is a woman at his church that he has been friends with and he wanted to ask her on a date stating before, I dont think she would have looked at me. Getting a glimpse into the struggles of others really makes you want to see them succeed.

I just made sure that every time I saw him, I took the time to find out how he was doing. I listened, and offered support. If we were working the same stuff, I might even jump in and have a few sets with him. I told him that I was the same as him. We were fighting the same fight. I shared pics of me when I was not in great shape.

Truth is, I think I got as much out of it as he did. It is one of the things I miss about going to the gym.

Not all people will be willing to put the work in. And much like here, I tell people like it is and dont sugar coat to them. I tell them if they are willing to put the work in, I will help in anyway I can. But if they are just going to complain and go right back to bad habits, save us both time. It probably translates better in person since most people on here think I am dik

Good luck. If you do help him, I think you will really enjoy it! It is nice to take what you have learned and pass it on. Good luck!

[ajdahlheimer]

Not all people will be willing to put the work in. And much like here, I tell people like it is and dont sugar coat to them. I tell them if they are willing to put the work in, I will help in anyway I can. But if they are just going to complain and go right back to bad habits, save us both time.

This has definitely been the pattern with the guy. He's been divorced for over 2 years now. Time to move on and get it together. This isn't the first time I've tried to get him on track w/this. Seems like he makes a little progress, but then I get the "excuses" (which as a dedicated long time lifter like you who never misses a workout--I simply cannot stand). Sounds like your friend was already pretty driven those first couple months before you met him. This guy just isn't like that, though he claims he's lost a lot of weight at other times in his life (which may be true given pictures I've seen of him from 5-10 years ago). I told him in simple terms--the amount of calories required for a person like you to maintain a 340 pound body weight is A LOT. He claims he doesn't even eat that much--just a ton of empty calories from alcohol (Beam and coke guy). Told him he had to cut that out and he said he didn't buy a bottle for 2 weeks--yet he didn't really lose any weight--so he had to of just replaced those cals with food.

I don't know man, I am rooting for the guy and in his corner---but it I really have my doubts of any type of long term success for him. Now bars and restaurants are opening back up here too, so that will be more temptation for bad health decisions for the guy as well.

[jtaylor2010]

A bunch of guys on here would laugh at this one. But I was approached by a younger guy 28 with two young kids, who asked me if I would be his 'life coach'. It may not be obvious to people here, but I try to touch people's lives and show them the possibilities life can have. I have also walked a less than conventional path to my life that most people on here would not believe. What is has given me is a perspective and a message that many people find inspiring. Just to clarify, this has nothing to do with working out. The guy is not a 'gym' type dude. More of an aspiring business man.

Anyway....now that you have puked from laughing too hard, be the people that affect change one life at a time.

Repped for a great post. Somewhere along the way I learned that when you feel that you aren’t doing enough with your life you need to try to broaden your scope of impact, and if you feel overwhelmed like you could never make a significant difference you need to reel in and focus on a smaller area. Using your example, if you coach someone to be healthy and be a better person/husband/father then you can greatly affect many lives through a ripple effect. And who knows, maybe you even prevent someone from getting cancer. You might not cure cancer, but for a person, his wife, and his kids you have basically accomplished the same thing(maybe even better since they never faced the burden at all instead of overcoming it).


Just felt like adding that to your post and encouraging people to take an approach to the world more closely lined up with that view. It makes the good times even better and can give you more strength to push through the dark times we all end up in at some point.

[mtpockets]

[ChazWood]

The balls on this guy....

The Guardian view on Alexei Navalny: such bravery needs backing

Very rare example of courage of convictions. I hope they don't off him.

[PhDPepper1111]

The balls on this guy....

The Guardian view on Alexei Navalny: such bravery needs backing

Very rare example of courage of convictions. I hope they don't off him.

I hope not as well, although that would make him a martyr (never as pleasant for the one being martyred).
Also a reminder that as bad as things are here, lots of other places have it far worse.