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Conventional Wisdom versus Personal Desire/Creed/Whatever

     Reddit is famous for its hivemind, and there are plenty of people who will insult you for going against reddit's conventional and accepted wisdom.  If you want acceptance in their group you follow their rules.  Wanna get buff and fit?  Fittit will tell you to run, squat, and deadlift.  You start using machines.  You're the dumbest person on the subreddit.  This attitude is everywhere.  Follow the accepted rules and you're one of us.  Normally advice isn't a big deal.  People told me to do compound lifts and showed tangible evidence why I should.  I followed the advice and felt it did me right.
     Now, I found myself reading through the Male Fashion Advice subreddit.  They talk of fashion as a language of detail and intention.  That you should find your own "voice."  Your voice better harmonize with the rest of the subreddit.  Otherwise you're just an immature boy with no luck with the ladies.
    My point is this.  Advice is great and there is a wealth of knowledge available, but make sure you don't alter your own creed and philosophy in the process.  What essentially makes you...you.
    If I would of continued to follow fittit I would of ended up a bodybuilder worrying about the size of my muscles and pounding down supplements.  I took what they could offer me and decided what I wanted out of lifting weights.  I hit the Iron to become stronger, to pull my weight, to run faster, and be an all around strong and fit person.  Not to have biceps the size of my head.
    The same with Male Fashion Advice.  I won't give up my band t-shirts and aspirations of Simon's core drill necklace, because that doesn't follow their bullshit rules and makes me unworthy of their advice.  Follow the beat of your own drum, and when you want to introduce something new make sure that rhythm always stays yours.

An indefinite hiatus

Writing Class + Some other life things have come up so I'm gonna put the blog on hold.

BUT it isn't gone forever

When it does come back it'll have all sorts of sweet stuff

Logo
Actual URL
Better Hosting
Better Layout
Possible Advertisements (I'm still debating if I want to make money off of it)
A "mission statement" basically what lens or what am I really gonna do with this thing

See you on the other side :D

If you could throw me some comments on what you did and did not like about the blog as a whole.  ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED.  Thanks!

Day Zero Project

Alright, the Day 0 project works like this:  You make a list of 101 things you want to do, and then you have 1001 days to do them (roughly 2.75 years).  This gives you plenty of time to get stuff in order, and a little breathing room.  After I read about the Day 0 project, I jumped all over it.  Spent roughly 4 days putting together my list of 101 things I want to do.  I'll be periodically updating with which goals I completed and a little blurb about them.

(As of January 1st, 2011 I started my project.  I will have all my goals done by: Saturday September 28th, 2013)

Here is my Day 0 List:

1)       -Go to London

2)       -Plan stuff to do in London

3)       -Party with Arty

4)       -Drink Madai under the table

5)       -Fix Motorcycle (or Buy a Motorcycle)

6)       -Get motorcycle endorsement     

7)       -Put 1000 miles on that bike

8)       -Perform a Chinese Fire Drill

9)       -Write a song (Guitar parts and lyrics)

10)   -Write a detailed Zombie Apocalypse Plan

11)   -Learn a Beatles song on guitar

12)   -Save 1000 dollars

13)   Save 3000 dollars

14)   -Design and Name a Cocktail

15)   -Learn how to change the oil in my car

16)   -Skydive

17)   -Reread “Things Fall apart”

18)   -Buy a Gun (Probably a .45)

19)   Shoot said Gun

20)   -Go through all my possessions and get rid of/sell/donate anything deemed unnecessary

21)   –Read “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” “Shogun,” “The Art of War,” and “War and Peace”

22)   –Receive my AA

23)   -Take a road trip of at least 6 states

24)   -Take Martial Arts Classes

25)   -Do a Hash House Harrier Run

26)   -Pay my debts (Student Loans don’t apply)

27)   -Take at least 500 pictures

28)   -Write a 40,000+ word story

29)   –Do a 3 mile+ run at 6:00 o’clock in the morning

30)   –Jump in a lake at 6:00 o’clock in the morning during the winter months

31)   -Party in Amsterdam

32)   -Run a 5k

33)   -Go to Vegas

34)   -Party in Vegas

35)   -Experience Weightlessness

36)   -Get certified as a Bartender (and become a kickass cocktail maker)

37)   -Join or Form a Band

38)   -Learn to enjoy Beer

39)   -Design “My Perfect Home”  (Write it with a few illustrations)

40)   -Play a live show

41)   -Look great naked (and post to /r/gonewild if reddit is still relevant) THAT’S RIGHT IMMA DO IT

42)   -Grow a moustache

43)   -Get my “Carpe Diem” Tattoo

44)   -Go to a psychic

45)   -Go to a gay bar (preferably during a drag show)

46)   -Get my lips pierced

47)   -Take a sip of expensive Brandy

48)   -Buy an expensive bottle of scotch and share it among friends

49)   -Go to the Tillamook factory

50)   -Travel a whole week only on foot or bicycle

51)   -Quit Facebook

52)   -Get 100 points on a USMC PFT Test (Do the test myself)

53)   -Get my own place

54)   -Finally be able to tell people how much I appreciate them

55)   -Donate Blood

56)   -Get a full body massage

57)   -Make a Book Safe (Instructions on the ArtofManliness.com)

58)   -Perform on a street for money

59)   -Give a random person 20 dollars

60)   -Learn to whistle

61)   -Take a Picture of myself every 60 days while on my diet and weightlifting

62)   -Volunteer for some sort of charity or cause

63)   -Own a fitted suit

64)   -Party in Canada

65)   -Ramp up my blogging.  New look, domain name, work on SEO, and all that stuff.

66)   -Study up on motorcycle maintenance and repair

67)   –Buy/Acquire a telecaster or Stratocaster (doesn’t need to be an expensive ass fender)

68)   -Finally get a new Amp

69)   -Practice Singing (Belt out “Can you feel the love tonight”)

70)   -Learn to Throw Knives

71)   -Pierce and Gauge my Ears

72)   -Drive  a Ferrari

73)   -Learn to Dance (Ballroom Dancing?)

74)   -Learn some jazz tunes on guitar

75)   -Take Fencing Classes

76)   -Go to Burning Man

77)   -Enjoy a 100 dollar cigar

78)   -Rock a kick ass pocket watch

79)   -Bench press my Body Weight

80)   -Go to a Mongolian barbeque

81)   -Read Hamlet, Othello, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream.

82)   –Build my own guitar

83)   –Learn 5 balisong tricks (by heart)

84)   -Purchase a New Camera

85)   -Go for two weeks without eating a single microwavable meal, restaurant meal, fast food, of cook-at-home pizza

86)   -Buy a Sword (as legit as necessary)

87)   -Acquire a kickass sombrero

88)   -Run a Half Marathon

89)   -Run a Full Marathon

90)   –Transcribe My journal into Word

91)   -Put together a Mr. Foster and Hunter S. Thompson costume

92)   -Wake board

93)   –Take a day to Seattle and rock it out field trip style.  EMP, Pacific Science Center, and the Space Needle.

94)   –Find a New Job

95)   Design a coat-of-arms and flag for myself

96)   Write a letter to someone I admire

97)   Write a list of 101 things I’ve already achieved in this lifetime

98)   Start my university learning (Preferably Evergreen)

99)   Build a Jazz library

100)                  Learn to 3 ball juggle

101)                  Try Paintball

My Apologies

Between my last bit of college, some actual shifts at work, and working on diet and fitness, I haven't had a great deal of time to provide you guys with reading material.  I'm gonna be doing an expansive post after the Holiday Season.  I've been doing all sorts of interesting research on barefoot running, different fitness philosophies, and all sorts of information I've gleaned from the internet.  Plus, I really want to show you guys how far I've gone taking my own fitness advice (hint:  I'm already down approximately 16 pounds!)

See you guys after New Years with a whole wealth of information!

Zombie Prepardness Plan

Alright, now zombie's are a pretty far and unrealistic threat, but being a nerd I love the idea of surviving in a post apocalyptic world overrun with zombies.  Well not exactly...LOVE..but you get the gist.  Seems like the biggest threat in this situation (other than the zombies) is being unprepared.  So I'm gonna give you guys a breakdown of some amazing skills that will turn you into the baddest dude in the apocalypse.

-Fencing: Sword Skills+Zombies=Silent and Efficient Killing.
-Beer Brewing:  Wanna be everyone's best friend and have everyone owe you favors?  Learn how to provide a decent tasting brew.
-Everything that involves Guns: Shouldn't have to explain that one too much
-Knowlege of Bodyweight Exercises:  Think about it, are you really gonna have access to free weights and benches?  If you master bodyweight exercises than you can work out wherever you are.
     -Parkour:  Running, Jumping, and navigating cityscapes will be a breeze.  Stuck in an alley?  Run up a wall!
-Gardening:  Grow your own food.  Nuff said.
-Automotive Knowlege-Hotwiring Cars and reparing them will save your life in a zombie apocalypse.

Have anything for list?  Hit me up with a comment and I'll add it to the list!

A Clockwork Orange, A Review

    I finished A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess yesterday.  Great book and I enjoyed it, and unfortunately had definitely heard the story before.  I guess that's the price of popularity everyone copies you, and you hear the story before you even read the book.
    I did enjoy how he presented Alex as a character.  By incorporating his slang and speech I felt like I was really listening to Alex tell me everything.  Also, having to read that dialect made me really take my time with the book.  Something I don't get to do very often.
    Being considered a "classic" I was really waiting for the new perspective and lesson.  Guess I had my hopes up that it would be another Anthem or Brave New World (or maybe I'm already bitter enough and couldn't trust the state any less than I do).
    Next Step:  Watch the Movie

Post Some Comments and We'll have a discussion on A Clockwork Orange!


Personal Update:  Been running 3 times a week and I am making great progress!