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.
As a seasoned Psychiatrist, he ought to know the signs but few can doctor themselves. Listen to the tone of this post: And Death Shall Have Its Dominion
Maybe he should not have retired, but that's what Brits do. It's their culture, to be pensioners. His post-retirement career, as commenter and thinker, has been a fine contribution to the world.
I know what he needs, and it's not pills. He needs to get to the gym and to begin working out hard. Rage, rage....One hour of intense physical effort daily is good for attitude and mental health, and fends off the feeling of aging along with some of its physical effects.
Pic is the gym at our hotel last month in Puerto de la Cruz after we disembarked: the comfortable Hotel Botanico. After we hiked all over town for four hours, I spent a "relaxing" hour and a half in there before dinner. Nice gym. No gym music.
On our sailing ship in November, there was an Open Bridge policy. You could go there any time -24 hrs/day - and hang out and ask questions about the sail-handling, ship-handling, collision-avoidance, and general navigation. Always one mate and one watchman on duty, along with the 15-minute buzzer-button to prevent on-watch sleep.
3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
3:2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3:3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
3:4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;
3:6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Yesterday was a bluebird day in Yankeeland. A couple of pals and I spent the morning fly-fishing with great results - a beautiful few hours that turned out to be practicing casting rather than catching fish. It matters little. Fly-fishing and catching are not the same thing. We know there are big trout there, but they weren't interested. It ain't shopping - it's outdoor life.
After take-out ham, brie, and honey mustard sammiches and Cokes, with some Cape Cod tater chips, we pursued pheasants for three hours with my buddy's 2 hunting Labs (barely seen in my photo). That pursuit was more productive in the meat department, and hanging out and hiking with hunt dogs in fields and brush is one of the finer things in life. Basically, joyful.
At least one reader is interested in the topic, so I'll tell you what I had to do Friday morning at 5 am for my Friday Fun heavy calisthenics day.
After my usual 3-minute elliptical warm-up, my master strapped a 20# weight vest on me (I call it the jihad suicide vest because it might kill me). With that on, I went through cycles of these, repeated until an hour was up, approx 1-2 minutes of each with minimal (30-40 second) but necessary breath-catching time, thus about 6 cycles:
Jumping step-ups Squat-presses Kettle-ball swings Heavy ball smashes Complex agility ladder games Rope smashes Planks
Like Crossfit. I was drenched and incapacitated. But not dead yet. Feeling strong now? Nope. Feeling like a wreck. As you can see, this sequence is more about endurance, explosive effort, and intense cardio than strength-building. It would burn fat too, but I don't have much left to burn. I could not have completed this hour's sequence 5 months ago.
Noonan: The First Amendment Needs Your Prayers - Jumping on anyone who publicly expressed a religious feeling after the San Bernardino massacre. Where are we heading?
Indignation is always selective, it cannot be otherwise; but because it is so pleasant and self-satisfying an emotion there is always the temptation to simulate it. It can be a genuinely generous emotion where it is in response to the outright injustice, cruelty, or neglect of others, but it can also be used to justify one’s own bad behavior (throwing bottles in the Place de la République) and to exile the locus of one’s moral concern from one’s own conduct to that of matters far beyond one’s personal control. In other words, purity in the world, libertinism in one’s life.
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Cardio plus total body stress - and fat-destruction if needed. Masochist that I am, and over 45, I like the stress and mental challenge of total body calisthenics. They do not build strength, but they require that you build strength to do them. They build fitness and endurance, and it feels good when you stop. If you can breathe. Humbling, painful, and a source of despair. Good stuff.
Notice how prosperous people in the US look strong and trim into their 70s and 80s? It's not automatic. They work at it to stay fit for life, and they do not pig out despite wanting to give in to comfortable slobbery like the last generation. Giving up on vitality because of lack of will and effort (aka laziness). Sex life, too.
Jumping rope and jumping jacks are great calisthenics that belong in any fitness routine, but it's the heavier, intense ones that test your body and character, that try to kill you. What fails to kill you makes you fitter.
My program (and Mrs. BD's program which is roughly the same but she does yoga too) includes 3 sets of squat/presses, or burpees, or heavy ball smashes, or lunges with weights, or step-ups with presses - all with planks between sets. That's a Superset. Looks easy but it's a killer. Doing 3 sets of one or more of the above five days/week adds good intensity and variety to a fitness program. Thing is, you have to push it to the limit and that takes mental discipline because it is HARD WORK and IT HURTS and YOU WANT TO STOP. Thus the character factor.
No pain, no gain.
Right now, for example, I do the squat-presses with a 30 lb. heavy ball. If you can easily do 20 reps, raise the weight and God bless. Take a 1-minute plank to "rest" between sets and get right back to it.
(nb, As I have said, we do mainly heavy weights 2 days/wk for an hour, heavy calisthenics 1 day/wk for an hour, and cardio intervals 4 days/wk for 40-70 minutes depending on how much time I have free. To ramp up intensity, my boss wants 3 of any one of these supersets daily. Call me insane. It pays off. I fit into my age 32 tux except the shoulders are tight now. If it kills me, I'll be a fit corpse.)
Nothing much to do or see in Casablanca so we took the long drive to Marrakesh. Hours of farm fields, scattered herds of goats or sheep with shepherds. Almost desert. An occasional mud hut or minor kasbah scattered around, and some large farm towns. Plenty of donkeys working, few tractors.
I understand the historical reasons that Christmas is on the winter solstice/Saturnalia in western Christianity, but I'd like it later. That's just one thing. Most of my grinchiness has to do with the feeling of pressure to pack everything in. I hate pressure and hassle, love serenity.
- Mid-winter gets dreary in New England unless you ski a lot, or go away. A later Christmastime would brighten it all up. They say Jesus was probably born in April anyway.
- We are not too big on giving presents at Christmastime at the Maggie's HQ now that the kids are older - and my extended family has banned them. How about if we all agree to quit with the gift-giving or just limit it to home-made jam, cookies, and pies or a bottle of something, and honor the season by getting together, singing carols, and with gifts to charities and churches? As a compromise, keep kids' stockings for chocolates and candy canes and things like that. Maybe some cash for the older ones.
- Last year, Mrs. BD's present to me was Torture: A trainer 3 days/wk and a 6 day/wk exercise program. Some gift! I have stuck with it, though. She likes to feel the bulging muscle and appreciates the lack of fatigue climbing mountains. A year of squats with presses? At 5 am? Lovely gift!
- Which is worse? Putting the decorations all around the house, or taking them down in a few weeks and packing them away?
- Which is worse? Dragging in and putting up a live dead pagan tree with all of the family mementos on it, or getting rid of it before it burns the house down? (I simplified some of this chore years ago by keeping all tree stuff in drawers in the parlor.)
- Outdoor Christmas lights. They all seem to commit suicide while being stored in the attic, but not before they writhe around in the dark to create annoying tangles. Yes, they are cheery though. I keep mine lit all through January because of the trouble, and just throw them in the trash after.
- Christmas Cards. OK, they are a good way to stay in touch with people we care about. But there is so little time in which to do it, and you have to find a decent photo. Plus updating one's address book is a major pain. We've missed a year or two, and I hope nobody took it personally...
- Parties. Too many, too jammed together. A normal fellow wants just so much social festivities, like one per week - and not more. Party-hopping to fulfill obligations is not really fun, but more like a duty. It is not misanthropy - if I were willing to drink more, it might be jollier. Must admit, though, I do like to touch base with all of my pals, fellow-church people, colleagues, and acquaintances at Christmastime. It might not happen much, otherwise.
- Charity events. Why do so many of them now? Well, having run a large conservation charity for about 12 years (as a semi-involuntary volunteer), I know why: people feel more generous and more festive now - and drink more. So it's about $.
- Mrs. BD has, and goes to, all of these festive Christmas teas and luncheons. I think that's great because guys are not invited. I believe she is in charge of a big fancy luncheon today with dressed-up ladies and carols and, if I heard her right, Santa hats or reindeer horns required to make it less stuffy. You can get them at CVS. Sorry to inform the loony campus feministas, but normal ladies still like to get dolled up for Christmas luncheons and teas, and to enjoy a cocktail or two with their buddies.
- Just one black-tie event per Christmas season is plenty. I will resist two.
- Wife says "Hey, BD, let's throw a casual party here on the Saturday before Christmas. We can invite 70 or 80 of our best friends, and get a pianist." Sheesh. Great idea, in theory. Do I have to vacuum and move furniture?
Does the idea of baby Jesus mean a lot to me? You betcha. To me, it means the promise of a birth, or re-birth, of the spirit of Christ in my heart. There is great power, great significance, in that. I really do come from Yankee Puritan stock, and I guess some of that sticks.
A few stereotype observations from our recent trip:
- They all smoke too much, and everywhere. Strange to see everybody smoking in bars and restaurants. Sort of fun, too.
- They drink too much
- Except for Germans, they tend to be thin. Germans seem to think they look good as overweight people. They do not, and they should not wear thongs or take their clothes off at the beach. Stop that, you Germans.
- Europeans do not work out. Only Americans use gyms. Europeans think going to the spa, stretching, taking a steam bath or a sauna is a work-out.
- Italians do not travel much. But why would they?
- Brits and Germans like to go to sunny climates, get drunk and fall asleep in the sun and burn their pasty skin.
Columbia University has called in the emergency diversity squad after a sorority hosted an Olympics-themed costume party featuring students dressed as members of various nations. You can guess what happened next.
Closed Minds on Campus - Today’s student protesters start with valuable observations, writes John H. McWhorter,
but then they drift into a mistaken idea of what a university—and even a
society—should be
Students
Referred to Counseling Services to Deal With Trauma After Seeing
Confederate Flag - See more at:
http://moonbattery.com/?p=65769#sthash.my6lkdz2.dpuf
I posted about some of the people we met first, because most interesting. We flew to Madrid then Lisbon, spent a couple of days in Lisbon before catching our sailboat in Lisbon harbor.
We took the long tram (trolley) ride out to Belem to look at the monastery. Best pastry in the world, Pasteis de Belem. My pic before sprinkling the powered sugar on it. When the King abolished monasteries, the monks of Belem went into the pastry biz. Damn good coffee too. The place makes 8 million of these custard pastries each year with the monks' secret recipe.
More of my Lisbon and Portugal pics below the fold -
Heading out of the port of Lisbon into the Atlantic at night, at low tide, and with maximum heel to fit under the Lisbon bridge. I think we only had a couple of meters to spare. Mrs. BD thought the drivers on the bridge must have been scared to death. I was not too relaxed, myself.
On departing each port they would blast their "Sail Away" theme music. Leaving port at night under those majestic sails is thrilling:
Sultan: 
At least one reader is interested in the topic, so I'll tell you what I had to do Friday morning at 5 am for my Friday Fun heavy calisthenics day.
Heart disease 
Researchers: 
I understand the historical reasons that Christmas is on the winter solstice/Saturnalia in western Christianity, but I'd like it later. That's just one thing. Most of my grinchiness has to do with the feeling of pressure to pack everything in. I hate pressure and hassle, love serenity. 
Kitchen of Shakespeare’s last home found
From Vanderleun, 
