Head-dibs

Got a behind due to nearly two months of illness or bad weather, but today was the day! A few years ago a neighbor was of the opinion that he could break into my shed and steal my tiller (this was before we moved to our present location) so I didn't garden much after that. This year I determined to get SOMETHING into the ground (still without a tiller). After a nice breakfast, I grabbed my shovel, rake, wheelbarrow and seeds (ok, and some bagged garden soil, too) and got busy. Nearly half-way finished turning the soil Three hours and four pounds of shed water weight later, the garden is secure! Got my workout in, let me tell ya! Finished turning. Now to hand-till, make rows and plant. Just gimme a shovel and rake and some seeds Mini-Garden 2017 is "secure"! One row of zucchini, one row of cucumbers, one row of watermelon and a row of bell peppers. Whew! Oh, and we found a bird's nest above the front door. Had to get out the big ladder so I ...

I would rather work a puzzle than play a game and here’s why:  puzzles lead to solutions and games end with a judgment;  puzzles cultivate will and games exploit weakness;  puzzles foster cooperation and games nurture rivalry;  puzzles elevate, encourage, bring completion and satisfaction to everyone who participates while in games thrive castigation, discouragement, irresolution and dissatisfaction. (disclaimer: CrossFit is the only exception to games because it's a lifestyle.) The difference between puzzles and games may also be seen by considering what it means to “win.” G. K. Chesterton published in 1910, “There is no such thing as backing a winner. There is no such thing as fighting on the winning side. One fights to find out which is the winning side.” (In “Part One: The Homelessness of Man,”  What’s Wrong with the World .)  The Far Side by Gary Larson Who is The Brave Man? Socrates wondered if this was the one who with assistance ...

Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) gave us this ditty called "The Mad Gardener's Song." He thought he saw an Elephant That practised on a fife: He looked again, and found it was A letter from his wife. 'At length I realize,' he said, 'The bitterness of Life!' He thought he saw a Buffalo Upon the chimney-piece: He looked again, and found it was His Sister's Husband's Niece. 'Unless you leave this house,' he said, 'I'll send for the Police!' He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek: He looked again, and found it as The Middle of Next Week. 'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!' He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk Descending from the 'bus: He looked again, and found it was A Hippopotamus. 'If this should stay to dine,' he said, 'There won't be much for us!' He thought he saw a Kangaroo That worked a coffee-mill: He looked again, and found it was A Veget...

I missed my noon-time training today due to a meetings, so I went later in the day. On the way to the gym I stopped to check on one of the guys who trains with me, to make sure he was still alive mostly. While visiting with him for a moment, another co-worker (she leads of ladies training group) stopped by and said, "how come every time I check on you guys, your'e always laying on the floor?" "Because 'CrossFit'! That's why!" Hey, when you put out all you got and can't stand at the end, then you deserve to lay where ya fall. Ok, no way to arrange those pics to look like I'm not broken. Anyway, today's dog food was "Death By Clean and Jerk." (see where the laying down aka "Deadman's Pose" in Yoga comes in?) Setting a timer to go off every minute, using a 95# Dumbbell, did: 1 Clean and Jerk the 1st minute 2 Clean and Jerks the 2nd minute 3 Clean and Jerks the 3rd minute 4 Clean and Jerks the 4th minu...

Bear Bait! Hoss! Grab yer packs! The mountains are calling! Sometime next month I hope to have climbed Sassafrass Mountain (at 3,563 feet) and Table Rock Mountain (3,425). These are two of the highest peaks in a mountains chain found along the 80 mile  Foothills Trail  that runs along the border of North and South Carolina . Haven't decided yet if this is going to be a two day hike (hike a section and end on the highest peaks) or do more days and shoot for the whole 80 miles. For a "cross section" map of the elevations covering the entire trail,  click here  (and don't forget to scroll down as the map is in two parts).  Doing the Black Crest Trail a couple years ago, we took two days. I lost 6 pounds and was taken to the borders of my existence climbing the highest peak in NC (at 6,683 feet). This year's trip would bring us to the highest peak in SC (3,120 shorter than Mitchell), completing a significantly longer trail. I'll be 50 th...

Was up late doing a little writing when I got the munchies. Kinda looks like Millenni-ham Falcon. Wonder if it's flown by Ham Solo . . . ? Better go . . . before it gets Chewy.  I crack me up. 

M. Scott Peck in the 1978 book that made him famous, The Road Less Traveled describes (in so many words) life as terrain, so we need a “map”. Immediately one ruffles through the mental index, checking all the metaphors used to describe life: strange; a dream; a seed; a river; a box of chocolates; a mountain railway; a highway; a journey; a beautiful ride; a cereal, and so forth. Solomon Rabinovich (better known as Sholem Aleichem, author of “Fiddler On The Roof”, a beautifully tragic portrayal of life in it’s own way) is credited with saying that, “Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.” So what is life? Peck assumes that life is territory to be explored and in order to find our way, we need a kind of representation, a chart that reveals the arrangement of the area, or what he calls, a “route to reality.” Peck holds that we are born without maps so we must make them and the more effort dedicated to its formation, the m...

401 years ago, the greatest writer of all time died. It goes without saying how marvelously his work thrives still today. Here's a list of 10 movies that you didn't know were based (or loosely based) on his work. So like him or not, you've seen Shakespeare (more or less). Who remembers #7, at the 3:50 mark? Number 4 is one of my favorites. I think it's only fitting as we recognize the longevity of this incredible writer that we take a few minutes to consider what's changed over the years, particularly regarding the speech, the accents and language of Shakespeare's time. Lastly, as thou hast tarrie'd so long, let us relish here the high exposition a duet, a ditty, a rolicking song  of  "Who Doth Inhabit The Primary Position," (as played in the original Elizabethan):

It was 50 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper put the mic's away. That's right! 50 years ago today, the Beatles wrapped up recording what is perhaps one of the greatest albums of all time by putting the finishing touches on "A Day In The Life." I hear through the internet(s) that a 50 year anniversary re-issue of the album is planned for May 26. That would be awesome.

I like The Who and I like Johnny Cash (who doesn't?) but this guy likes both more than anyone I think. Just . . . amazing.  Who'd-a-thunk?  Well, this guy, apparently. 

Try to tell me this isn't amazing. Earth and Fire: Anasazi Style Pottery from Solpin Films on Vimeo .

Today was the Boston Marathon. Congratulations to the winner. But do you remember Martin? He was 8 years old when he died at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 when two bombs exploded. Martin was one of three who died that day. 264 others were injured. A marathon is a long race and it is said that the first "marathon" was run by a Greek soldier who ran to Athens with the news that Greeks had defeated the Persians at The Battle Of Marathon. It was a race to bring good news. An "evangelion," that is, "good news," of sorts. In the video below you'll note that Martin had a message. There's a picture of Martin holding a blue sign that says, "No more hurting people. Peace." Martin believed in peace and he seemed to be vocal about it. That's about all I know about Martin, that he stood for peace. There's a personal thought here though: I'm a father and a grandfather with thoughts and feelings that only a father can have fo...

And a little glimpse of what Heaven:

I'm nearly finished reading Joan Didion's collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem.  The book was discovered through another book I was reading, Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams . If Jon felt this book was good enough to pack along on a mountain climbing expedition, then I'm interested. Took me three tries, but I finally found my copy on Amazon. One of the best book buys I've made. Joan selected the title of this book from William Butler Yeats' classic poem, Second Coming . The book title is shared with one of her larger essays, a record of encounters with people in the 1960's drug culture. Didion's book is divided into three distinct parts: "Life Styles In The Golden Land," a collection of articles capturing the California experience of the 1960's; "Personals," a few of essays of the first-hand nature; and "Seven Places Of The Mind", some thoughts about those parts of California that are now long gone. One essay...

In this Open Culture post, "Lessons From The Screenplay" creator Michael Tucker explores "the nature and tensions of suspense." Click through to: How Quentin Tarantino Creates Suspense in His Favorite Scene, the Tension-Filled Opening Moments of Inglourious Basterds.  (spoiler alert) It doesn't matter if you like Tarantino or not--the truth remains that we are captivated by suspense. Spend the next 15 minutes in this "master class" to better understand the mechanism behind those spell-binding, nail-biting scenes that keep us coming back for more.  Genius. Pure genius. 

τούτου μὲν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐγὼ σοφώτερός εἰμι· κινδυνεύει μὲν γὰρ ἡμῶν οὐδέτερος οὐδὲν καλὸν κἀγαθὸν εἰδέναι, ἀλλ᾽ οὗτος μὲν οἴεταί τι εἰδέναι οὐκ εἰδώς, ἐγὼ δέ, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐκ οἶδα, οὐδὲ οἴομαι· ἔοικα γοῦν τούτου γε σμικρῷ τινι αὐτῷ τούτῳ σοφώτερος εἶναι, ὅτι ἃ μὴ οἶδα οὐδὲ οἴομαι εἰδέναι. “I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know.” (Plato’s, "Apology”) My world is mostly academic. Five years of study has gained both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree and the last 17 years has been filled by my continued employment at a University. We have educated all our children at home and though this is the graduating year for our youngest from High School, this has also been my wife’s freshman year in college....

"After the April 9, 1942, U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II (1939-45), the approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced to make an arduous 65-mile march to prison camps. The marchers made the trek in intense heat and were subjected to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. Thousands perished in what became known as the Bataan Death March." (History.com) Every year, the march is remembered in a high desert memorial event held in White Sands, New Mexico honoring our soldiers who defended our country in the Philippines during World War II. The standard courses is marathon length (26 miles) and may be completed with or without a 35 pound ruck by military personnel and civilians. This year marks the 75 year anniversary of the event and was attended by survivors of the ordeal. Here in South Carolina, I've participated in two memorial runs honoring fallen soldiers as ...

Since I've started using Endomondo as my tracker (some training sessions didn't get logged--a friend of mine says, "they never happened"--some friend, huh?) here's what I've accomplished so far: I like the "trips around the world" and "trips to the Moon" calculator.  I'm on my way!  Nearly 1000 miles on foot! Imagine how far we travel without trackers! Can't get nowhere sittin' on the couch--get out there and play hard!

... it's easy to tune out the noise." (Annie Mist Thorisdottir) When Thor's daughter speaks, one should listen! This is one of my CrossFit heroes. Sure she warms up with my max loads, but that's not what inspires me. That terrifies me, actually. What inspires me is that smile at the end of a WOD. An elite athlete who performs with a disarming ferocity, she's a beast--but what makes her smile is that she gets what she wants. She finishes. There's a laser-beam focus to finish well as she moves through the paces and it's in that focus that she's tuned out the noise. The beat of her own drum drowns out everything else. Keeping her "eye on the prize" as it were. Makes all the difference in the world in anything you do--shutting out the noise. Noise can be deafening, so know what you want and get louder than the noise! Enjoyed a nice WOD today and had reason to smile myself. Started with 4x5 of Back Squats (95#, ending with 150#) then...