Over a month ago, I was terminated from my job.  I haven’t really discussed this outside of my friends.  Long story short, I fucked up.  I did properly lock out the unit I was working on, which is a safety violation.  At the time, of course I was furious.  Not so much about not having a job, and not towards any of the management that had to do what was done.  I was more furious with myself, for making such a mistake.

Time and reflections, while not changing what was done, does add some perspective.  I was bored.  Plain and simple.  For the most part, these units only break down in a certain number of ways, and there was no thought process or challenge to the brain.  In short, since I had no challenge, I just didn’t care.

I’ve done a lot of things, put up with a lot, and always manage to come out ahead of where I want to be.    Somehow I always come on top.  I’d been wanting to figure out how to juggle work and school, and couldn’t get the hours of the day to add up, specially for the degree I want.  Business Admin is something I could do online or at night, but I would be bored with that again.  The heavy sciences require actually dedicating time to it, and during the day courses.  So it never put my plans in action.  So job gets lost, run through the finances.  The lovely wife and I can make it with me going to school full time.  May require some tightening of the belts here and there, but it can be done.  And it will be done.

As my Great Uncle put it “You are the only guy I know, that can dive headfirst into a pile of shit, and still come out smelling like a rose.”

So I’m basically now making a new life for myself, a new path.  The gears inside the brain are getting the rust cracked off of them, and I’m working on becoming what I always should have been.

With all this, I have boiled down my guiding principle:

Do what you like.  Like what you do.

I can not justify going against it again.  I’ve done it for far too long.

Endurance.  I’ve been neglecting here, I know, just a lot going on.  Had tournament, did fairly well.  Kept on trucking about, working on swimming more, and running.  I did an ultimate endurance workout for me.

800 meter swim, 6.5 mile run, and TKD class almost immediately after.

I made great time on the runs, splitting it off in a 4.5 mile block (averaging 7:30/mile) and 2 mile block (averaging 7:00/mile)  I was extremely proud of that fact figuring I just swam half a mile.  Had a lot of pain, charlie horses and mental hurdles to overcome, but it has been done.

TKD focused a lot on turning side kicks, so I spent most of the class on one leg.  It wasn’t too bad, mainly because early on my legs went numb so I didn’t feel anything.  No worries at least.

I managed to do the rest of the workout on Thursday that I alluded to.   After the lunch TKD workout and swim, I did run from my house to TKD.  This is just shy of a 5 mile run, and I only did 4 1/4 miles of actual running (4 miles, jogging, hovering above a 7 minute pace, although unsure of truly of time due to having to stop at stoplights) and then gave my legs a cool down break, and water (there is a park I run through just after I hit 4 miles)  Then a much faster paced (5:45 minute) for a 1/4 mile.  No I wasn’t sprinting it, that workout will be sometime again shortly, and I’ll want to cry.

Haganah was a blast, even went out to the parking lot and did some practice there in shoes.  It was fun watching some people do this in flip flops.  Me I always wear my trusted hiking sandals, so I know how to move in them.  He also added some running in the mix, to get used to doing some of the moves under stress.  Very enjoyable.  After that helped the beginner’s in TKD.  Some basics for the most part, getting the new onesteps and watching there.  But also got to work on some hip throws, and that is always fun.  There is no greater love than having someone nearly twice your size, just be thrown off of you, with relative ease.  But he also sent my flying several times learning the technique.  Glad I can fall.

Friday (May 7th) I hit up another workout in the pool (my only workout, trying to save my legs a little)  I did a 700m workout, and really pushed myself in certain aspects.  I’m proud to report my rest time in between a set has gone down from almost a minute to maybe 10-15 seconds.  Also, the other milestone.  200m swim, non-stop, no touching the walls, or sides, or little lane markers.  Not bad for not even being able to make it 25 meters a month ago.

My legs off course, are painful, make me want to cry, and probably did at one point.  I cut short my swim workout, mainly because my eyes were extremely painful (I still haven’t found my goggles.)  Also, took some time alternating between a cold plunge and a hot tub.  That made the legs feel numb, but wonderful.  It’s at least keeping me from going crazy this Saturday morning.

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Well, there have not been that many work out write ups, mainly because there have not been that many workouts.  2 weeks ago, I was fired from my day job.  The way my mind and body works, I had to come to terms with that, before I could do anything with it.  On the plus side, I have a new direction for my life, that I haven’t had in a long time.

First thing is first, I’m heading up to school, and utilizing the lovely benefits for my time spent in the Corps.  I will end up taking a part time job somewhere, but as of yet, unsure of where.  Although me taking a part time job, has nothing to do with money to live on, so that is a very good thing.

So what am I heading to school for, well, Physics actually.  I enjoyed my job, for the most part, but it was mind numbing.  I can do much better, and I will.

I managed to at least keep up with workouts for TKD during the hiatus on posting, with the exception of the day I was fired.  As of last Friday, I have started back on my swim training.  I still despise it, but I despise it less.

Slowly I will start transitioning away from just my workout posts, and get more involved in actual writing of ideas and what not, but that will come in time.

Yup.  Still sink in water.

But at the very least I am making headway in the swim.  Finding that Good Shepherd had some pull buoys yesterday, really helped me devise the training plan.  Namely, my cheap ass won’t have to buy one until I really feel the want for it.  I’ve never been a fish, and while yes I have swam a mile in a flight suit and boots, it was an… interesting endeavor.  Plus, that was over 8 years ago, and I’ve stayed away from pools ever since.

So, pull buoys.  What the hell are they, and why are they useful.  Well, basically it’s a lovely set of foam you put on your hips, and squeeze it there.  This allows you to stay afloat on the back side, while keeping your legs perfectly still.  So that means, focus on form, form, and more form on the arm drills.  Today I even limped along the length of the pool only using each individual arm as the only part of me moving.  Needless to say, it kicked the living day lights out of me.

I can’t say I’m not in shape.  In fact I’m in top form or damn close to it as I ever have been in my life.  But swimmers.  Man I have a newly found respect for them.  But, I’ll be up there as well in due time.

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Did not do a morning work out. Legs needed at least some break from the torture I put on them the day prior.

Afternoon workout I hit the pool again. Another 300 meter workout. Each 25 meter section seemed easier yet all so much harder. But that’s because training was different than just a swim. Details will be below in the write up.

After leaving the pool did some relaxation in a restorative yoga class. Some nice easy stretching and loosening up before the beginners tkd class.

Got the class all warmed up and worked a little basics in stance work and kicks. Mr Azar had them working movement and float drills in a mock sparring. I was able to get a workout in there as one of the minors needed a partner. It is nice being able to help one on one. His round kicks are coming a long way. Read the rest of this entry »

Woo. Second work out down.
Dropped off clothing and gear at the studio. Drove home then ran to class. Stretched a bit then tae kwon do.

TKD focused a cardio warmup followed by pattern drills and once all sweat had again poured out of my body time for sparring.

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Early f’in morning. 5:30 actually, in the pool. This is the part of the triathlon I am dreading the most. Yes I never update this blog and I’ve got it in my head that I will become a triathlete.

So this blog will be a training log. One it will keep me honest with myself. I can track progress without issue. Two it hopefully will serve as some help to others later on.

At any rate the swim is what I dread the most. I sink even in salt water. Yesterday I did about 150 meters total just to get back in the water. This morning I got 300 meters in. Read the rest of this entry »

My muse is a sadistic little bitch, no point in sugar coating it.

I have plenty of things to do, and she is going off on her own little world, new idea after new idea, and royally messing up my thought process.  Problem though with her, is when I switch focus to something she has been playing with, she instantly draws ideas to something else, and I’m left fumbling around working several projects at once, and getting no where whatsoever on them, due to the ineptitude of concentration.

At the very least her getting me wanting to draw is coming along fairly smoothly, and I’m thoroughly impressed with how well my drawing has come even in the past 6 months.  I would show off a side by side comparison, but honestly, I took down the stuff on this blog from before, because I’m now ashamed of the quality.  I’ve done nothing but rough sketches, but am happy with it, my technique is getting better, and the vision as well.  The eventual goal, is to get into practice well enough, and put online a webcomic or graphic novel, we shall see if my muse lets me.

The Harbinger.  You are my bane and you are my love.  The beginning and the end were beautiful, but the middle nothing but mush.  So muse, what pray tell do you want to do about it? Complete rewrite, from a completely different angle, keeping the high points, and removing the mush.  It can be cleaned up into another story later.  Problem with The Harbinger and my muse is this: I’ve been working so long on this world, had so many rewrites, and story ideas, that it’s not just a novel, it’s an entire saga.  I have about 8-9 stories that I want to tell in this world, and just can’t get the first one out.  But it is coming, slowly, although I can’t say surely.

I’ve found myself focusing on minimalism in computing, and think it may be helpful to me.  Not only in computing, but in life.  If you take a look at my current work area, it is too much stuff going on.  Now, while here I can’t do anything about it, I am moving very soon, and I’m debating changing how I have everything setup.  I want a room where it’s bare minimum, where I can create, and I’m honestly thinking that I will attempt to do so.  We already know we will have a room that is just set for relaxing, and reading, with the only technology being music in there.  I may try to turn the extra bedroom into a creative den, but not be a clutter bomb.

Music.  My  muse is getting further wanting to get back into music.  I love music, it’s very well known, and I want to get back to playing.  Problem is always time.  It may be time however to sit down, shut up, suck it up, and make the time.  No guarantees there.

In more lines of artwork, my muse wants to really start painting.  That’s another of my main reasons getting back into drawing.  If I can get my creative room done, shouldn’t be a problem to also add in to do some painting, but that issue is more than just time, that one gets involved in lots of money that I’m being too frugal to spend.

I’ve noticed I’m slowly shying away from video games, especially MMO’s.  I think it’s mainly because I’m wanting to spend more time in my own imaginary worlds, and not another.  I’ve had more fun going back to the old school style, than I have in the latest generic grindfest. I doubt I’m  moving on, I’m still a gamer, but there is much more to do.

There are of course tons of other projects on hand that she wants to do and try, and it leaves me feeling odd and overwhelmed.  I expect a knock down, drag out fight shortly, and maybe the little sadistic one and I can come to terms with each other and work loads.

I’ve just been busy as heck. My drawing are still coming along, almost daily, and I’m enjoying it, although it is really basics right now, not even sensible work so it’s not getting shown.

The Harbinger Saga, I’m happy with the beginning, and happy with the end, but the middle does not flow where I want it to. I’m not giving any estimates on when the first book is, but it IS getting worked on.

Music wise, I have not been able to put in the time plucking around on my bass like I want, it’s collecting some dust and is begging me to play, but I just can’t find as much time.

I’ve fancied the Mouse Guard RPG, wrote a review for Chaos Grenade, and I’m happy with it. Need to find some more gamers in the area, but they are few and far between.

Work has been busy, but fun, as always.

I hope to unveil some more excerpts soon, either from Harbinger, some drawings, or a few yet unnamed projects.

-T.