A bit of the personal, since I focused on the world news for the last post.
I entered my first-ever chili cookoff Saturday, and, amazingly, I placed second. Much bigger crowd than expected, I actually ran out of chili with about half an hour to go, so I wonder what might’ve been had I brought enough to get through, or served just a little less per sample. Then again, the guy who won ran out about an hour before, so I can’t say as it would’ve certainly made a difference in the overall.
Still, I got some great reviews, and people asking for the recipe, so I feel accomplished. I’ve shared my cooking with many people over the years, but never in a competitive sense. It makes me feel a good bit better, especially since it’s a recipe I more and less created. Accomplishments.
So I actually had a productive day Saturday- got up, went to the gym, then the grocery to get last-minute ingredients, then the competition, and, finally, to mass. I was on the go for a good long while, and that’s not too common in my life of late. Sunday, between the rain and cooler temps, I didn’t really do anything. I watched the Niners game at home for the first half, and went to the gym to work out and watch the last few.
Standing question- I can watch an hour of the game on my phone through Fox, but, after that, I have to sign into a paid whatever in order to continue watching. That hour includes all the ads that I have to sit through. So why is it I have to watch ads, from which they’re making money, then I have to turn around and pay more to keep watching? Also, why does that timer keep going even if I close my browser?
I noticed people Saturday decked out like it was already winter, which surprised me. I mean, I wore a sweater and my trenchcoat, but some of these were wearing hats and gloves and the like. My first thought was, dammit, it’s October! Sure, it’s overcast and breezy, but it’s 60 degrees outside! Only reason I brought my coat was in case it rained, as the awards ceremony was outside. It took me a moment to remember that everything is relative. This kind of day in January or February would see people in shorts, assuming that we actually had a cold winter otherwise. I had to remind myself that it was in the 90s just a few days ago, and people are not the quickest to adjust to such things.
And then I saw we’re back in the upper 70s next week, so who knows how people are going to react?
I have an idea for physical fitness- get six or eight guys on treadmills, and connect them to a large screen tv showing a football game. The second one of them- it only takes one- stops or goes below a certain speed, the tv turns off. I’d just like to see how long those guys could keep going, either from desire to watch the game, or else fear they’d be judged/condemned by the others. Tell me that’s not a good motivator.
I’m not talking about the treadmills powering the tv, nothing like that. Just making it clear that, if they want to watch, they have to keep walking/jogging. And make it a progressive thing- maybe they have to start picking up the pace for a few minutes at a time on the second or third game, make it a little harder on them. I’ve seen people do some amazing stuff when sufficiently motivated, so why not this?
I will personally attest to this. Sunday is my wild-card workout day; I have a six-day schedule that I’m running, with one rest day (usually Thursday or Friday), and Sundays are the “whatever you want” day. It’s about keeping the gym energy going, but not doing too focused a set. So I did a little on preacher curls and back work, then hopped on the treadmill and watched the game. Before I knew it (and amid some violent gesticulations at those utterly bullshit penalties on the Browns last drive), I’d been on for 33 minutes, a fairly brisk pace and a decent incline. That’s what happens when you’re properly motivated.
Just like it was Saturday. I knew I had stuff to do, knew I was on limited time and would not be able to make it to the gym, so, about ten in the morning, I was on my way. It wasn’t that I was feeling any better than usual, no higher amount of energy applied, I just knew if I didn’t go, I wouldn’t, so I made it happen. As opposed to right now, where it’s just a minute past two pm, and I still haven’t been.
I will say that my gym attendance has greatly increased over the past three weeks. Five trips last week, five the week before, six the week before that. I turned 43 just short of three weeks ago, and I’m already setting a good course to continuing my development. I admit that I have to wonder if I’m doing enough time per visit- my average time at the gym totals about 35 minutes, depending on availability of equipment and all. I do have an app that I use to time my breaks (one minute between sets) so I know I’m not using much time sitting around doing nothing, but still…
Which leads me to another question.
Why is it, among guys, when you’re talking about your achievements, almost inevitably there’s another guy who either wants to downplay them or brag that they’ve achieved more? Why do we want to compete with one another so much? And I will also admit that I feel the same urge, so I’m asking the question for my own benefit as well as understanding.
Over the past weeks, nearly every time I’ve talked about gym stuff with male friends, that’s come up. If you’re one of those friends, don’t feel like I’m targeting you; it’s been many people. I talk about what I’m able to do and instantly it’s, Oh, I can do x more, that kind of thing. What creates this desire to be superior to one another? I can’t think it’s an inherent thing in our species, because, well, what do you get from knowing that you can lift more than another person? Especially given that most of us don’t work in fields where how much we can lift/push/pull makes a damn bit of a difference.
Brief game interjection, slightly related. Brock Purdy threw his first interception of the season. I was checking the trending items about the game and instantly saw a lot of people saying, Well, there goes Purdy’s MVP chances. Really? Because, for those who haven’t been keeping up, Mahomes has thrown five this year and he’s not considered out of the running. If there’s one major thing I dislike about social media, it’s that it gives everyone the chance to equally display their inner know-it-all.
I suppose that’s the kind of insecurity which also makes people want to promote themselves about gym stuff. I’ve said it before- I go to the gym in order to be better than I was the last time I hit the gym. My sore triceps on Sunday (and still minorly this morning) indicate that I’m continuing to make progress, and that there’s still work to be done. And I do still ask myself why I’m putting in this work, to what end am I working hard on my upper body? I’m not one of those “because it’s there” people, and I’ve never been overly egotistical about the way my body looks. Lord knows I don’t work in a field that requires it.
Still, I go to the gym. I do the work. I like how I look and feel about it, though I’ll admit, as I usually do, that I have a tough time seeing that look in myself. As I’ve written, it was literally years at the gym before I actually noticed that I had pecs, even though people in my life had commented on them before. I suppose we get used to seeing what we’ve seen for so long before.
Final notes- if you’ve not seen from my Facebook posts, I’ve had to create a fundraiser for my housemate’s additional medical costs. Things I’ve learned recently- diabetes is one of the leading causes of amputation worldwide, specifically as a result of diabetic neuropathy and peripheral artery disease. There is an amputation every thirty seconds, and up to 85% of them are due to these. That’s a scary thought.
After spending almost two weeks in hospital with very little movement, my housemate’s legs were extremely swollen, and she had to go back in as a result. She needs some at-home workout equipment to help her maintain her muscles and circulation; in case you were unaware, she is nearly totally blind now, so it’s not like she can just go out for walks or hit the gym safely. And Medicare does not cover these expenses. In addition, she’s got to pay for transportation to and from her medical appointments; I take her when I can, but I can’t afford to take time off work to transport her, and, given that I’m trying for other jobs, full-time jobs, that’s not likely to change.
Neither she nor I are proud of having to ask for help, but, between disability taking months to kick in, and her supplemental income STILL not having even been confirmed, let alone applied, things are tight. So, although I have relatively few readers, I’m still putting the ask out. Anything you can contribute would be incredibly appreciated. Here’s the link to donate, as well as some more info.
Not to add pressure or anything, but I’m already pretty stretched on my abilities to help her get by with her vision being nearly gone. If she loses a limb, well… that’s beyond my abilities, which means she ends up in assisted living.
Hope everyone’s week is going well. Keep taking care of one another.