We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
An interesting podcast below about Americans working past "conventional" retirement age. The first half praises the personal and productivity value of working at least until 70, and the second part has somebody claiming that a later retirement age turns mature adults into slaves.
There is no free lunch. I tend towards working until one can no longer work, but I get some pushback from that view. If I retired, I really do not see what good I would add to the world, to my family, or to my finances. I hate the idea of feeling useless, put out to pasture. However, I have seen lives blossom in retirement, but more often I have seen lives shrink and shrivel in retirement. There can be a tendency for regression. Remember, retirement (government savings plans, social security) is a recent invention, from the 1880s by Otto von Bismarck in Germany.
Sure, to save Social Security (SS is a fait accompli), I'd gladly move "the conventional age" to 70 or 72 rather than, as it is now, the maximum. People live longer and healthier than in the past, and thus have more to offer, and longer. Retirement is not an entitlement. SS is. Of course, despite SS, anybody can work as long as they choose.
“How did we get to the point where the evidence is now that the president was falsely accused of colluding with the Russians, accused of being treasonous and accused of being a Russian agent, and the evidence now is that that was without a basis?” he asked. “And two years of his administration have been dominated by allegations that have now been proven false. But to listen to some of the rhetoric, you would think the Mueller report had found the opposite.”
While I feel bad for Joe and his touchy-feely problem being under attack (not really, I figure he's getting what he deserves for promoting and supporting bad ideas - these idiots all eat their own children and/or parents), he's finding that having a long, storied history is probably going to be harder to overcome than being a creepy uncle.
After all, he was a plagiarist. That cost him a run for the presidency years ago. But now, his racist colors are starting to come out. Yes, it seems Joe was a racist, and even looked to team up with other racists. To stop busing which would help integrate schools. Let's not forget this doozy:
Most Democrats are closet racists. Yeah, they say nice things, and 'feel' the right things. But their practical application of ideas is designed to create, support, and extend servitude of groups they can buy votes from. Which is a practical application of racism.
This guy's leading the polls? It's early. Joe is the gift that keeps on giving. Nothing was better than The Onion series on "Diamond Joe". All satire - but completely believable.
Assumptions, postulates, and premises are what we all stand on when we open a discussion, a debate, or a legal argument. Before getting into the weeds and details of a discussion, it's always wise to identify these foundations of anothers' position.
We all like to think that we are capable of questioning or critiquing our own basic assumptions - but are we? I think most of us are as reluctant to impose cognitive dissonance on ourselves as we are to hit our heads with a hammer.
And when others attempt to challenge (ie threaten) some of our precious basic assumptions, the natural reaction is to be defensive because these thoughts become part of who we are.
Best approach? "I'll question my assumptions if you'll question yours."
If you can handle 6-7 days of 1 hr (or so) workouts weekly, you can try putting in 3 days of heavy weights/ big movements. Never two weights days in a row in our view.
This is a way to get past whatever strength plateau you might have reached, or to jump start a program. Try it as an experiment. It is working for me.
There are all sorts of ways to schedule your routines, but they must be planned. Typical programs are listed here at Old Schoool Trainer.
A regular weights program for me is not for body-building, just for the strength component of general fitness, and to slow down entropy:
Monday: Barbell squats (5X5-8), Bench press (5X5 or 6X10), dumbell row (3X10), pull-down or pullups (3x10)
Thurs: Heavy deadlift (5X5-8), Dumbbell bench (4X10), Seated Row (4X10), pull-downs or pullups (4X10)
Sat - A higher-rep (12-20) but not too-light day for me: Leg press (higher reps), Chest press (higher reps), curls + tricep press downs
Note: the first number does not include warm-up set. Always do a brief warm-up set for any weight exercise to avoid muscle sprain.
I am still giving it time to see whether this is too much for me, considering that on my two calisthenics days I am doing pushups, burpees, body weight squats, kettlebell lunges, box step ups, hand weights, kettlebell swings, kettlebell deads, inclined pulls, etc. - and stair machine on one of my cardio days.
My point concerns what amounts of recovery and nutrition are needed for constructive recovery/rebuilding in my program, given my age (ummm, over 50...but I don't look it). Generally speaking, a cardio day is considered active recovery so it's good to sched. that on a day before big weights.
The time is upon us. That is, spring time. A time of hope, renewal, and (for the last 5 years) the Maggie's Farm Urban Hike.
Each one has had its own persona, as we've explored various parts of NYC. Art, architecture, history, music, food, humor - we do manage to run the gamut of interests and topics. We encourage anyone and everyone to join, the group has always been a great deal of fun to meander with.
There is a 'set' path we follow, and there will be some additional commentary along the way. But we are always willing and open to adding more places based on interests, or hearing additional commentary from our companions, especially if they are familiar with the history/stories of New York (and elsewhere, as the case may be).
The hike is 11 miles this year. That's a little longer than it's been the first few years, though shorter than last year.
Bring comfortable shoes, and rain gear. Right now there is a 50% chance of rain. I have friends in high places, so we'll work on arranging the weather machines to produce some sun. The temperature should be nice, in the 60s.
Meeting at 9am at the Natural History Museum - the statue of Teddy Roosevelt on his horse. There is a Dunkin' around the corner, so if you need coffee and donuts, it's not far.
I receive all these magazines and ads for "summer escapes." I like to explore new places to hike, swim, boat, fish, learn, etc. but I have nothing to "escape."
It is a strange term, isn't it? Thinking past the sale? If my life needs escaping, something is wrong with my life, perhaps? I don't know, just wondering. Escape from routine? I love my routines, because I constructed them to my specifications and I get a kick out of working. A million people each year come to where I live, NYC, to escape something and, in fact, I came here to escape dreary, moldering, rural New England to engage in a richer, more high-energy life. It worked for me.
Actually, nobody visits NYC as an escape. I think they come for the intensity and adventure, and they get their money's worth of those.
"If God only loved those of us who are perfect, He would have no one to love."
Same applies to us, and to our fellow men and women. Best rule of relationships is to forgive eachother's faults and flaws. Best hope for relationships is to hope people do the same for us.
Celebrities are always touting the latest nutritional fads like "clean eating", veganism, etc. Now it's the Fasting Plan. Of course, these people know nothing. In fact, little is known about human nutritional needs but we do know some simple things to prevent starvation. For example, your nutrition requires fats.
There seem to be all sorts of variants of the Fasting Fad, but there may be something useful in it. For example, no adult without an all-day manual labor job (or a heavy lifter or a distance runner) needs three meals/day unless they are underweight. Three meals/day was designed for farmers, just like summer school vacation.
Furthermore, most hunger is what we have described as "false hunger" (meaning it represents no need for significant nutrition) for anybody even 5-10 lbs overweight. Our fat cells are a massive storage battery waiting to be used.
So what about fasting, whether it means just skipping one of the conventional meals or even taking a day or two off from food every week? Not as a weight-loss plan, but just as a plan. Many find it increases their energy.
When you think about it, during almost all of the 300-500,000 years (except the past few thousand agricultural years) of human life and evolution, food scarcity was the norm. Humans are designed for food scarcity rather than for today's abundance. That's why eating is fun rather than necessary.
It's Time to Bring Back Leper Colonies—
If you can handle 6-7 days of 1 hr (or so) workouts weekly, you can try putting in 3 days of heavy weights/ big movements. Never two weights days in a row in our view.
WaPo Writer:
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