12.15.2016

Workout:

I did not workout

Reading:

The Reckoning: Accountants explain their value as providing transparency or clarity of information, but too often they miss rogues or act as aids to fraud.

Notes:

The heat has been out in our home.  We boiled a ton of water hoping to add some humidity and thus increase the heat capacity of our unit.  It worked, strong recommend.

12.14.2016

Workout:

Yoga

Glute Bridges

Resistance Band

Core

3x6 at 80#, 90#, 100#

• Squat
• Reverse Lunge
• SLDL
• Thrusters

Reading:

The Economist Leaders:  on how Donald Trump will be executing deals rather than policies.

12.13.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• Core
• Basketball for 1 hour
• 120-yard shuttles
• EMOM x6

Reading:

The Reckoning: on how accounting was intertwined with American philosophy during the Revolution.  Washington kept detailed accounts of his expenses as general, Benjamin Franklin called for the government to operate open books, and Robert Morris called for businessmen to operate under uniform rules so that accountants from other places could understand.

Railroads created accounting issues.  How do you account for depreciation and known maintenance of the railroad?  How can the public understand this without being trained in accounting?

I finished listening to Trevor Noah's book Born a Crime.  I am a big fan of Trevor and this book is great, I give it a strong recommend.

I launched the Wealth of Humans on audible.  It is basically about how globalization cut costs for big companies allowing them to invest in automation, meanwhile, our population has become more educated and more skilled than ever before, these two forces combine to create tectonic shifts in the future of employment.  It took the author a few minutes to reference Thomas Piketty, below is a list of books I've read that have referenced Thomas Piketty.

This Changes Everything: Naomi Klein

Saving Capitalism: Robert Reich

The Price of Inequality: Joseph Schultz

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus: Douglas Rushkoff

Algorithms to Live by: Brian Christian

The Wealth of Humans: Ryan Avent

12.12.2016

Workout:

I did not workout.

Reading:

I did not read.

Notes:

We are off to a hot start this week!

12.8.2016

Workout:

Yoga

Glute Bridges

Plyos:

• 1 legged slalom 3x50
• squat to lunge 3x8
• seat to jump 4x6
• hurdles 3x6
• 1-2-3 height 4x5
• step up jumps 3x8

Core

Reading:

The Reckoning:  In France under Louis XVI an accountant named Necker wanted the French crown to be as transparent as the British crown.  With the publication of the Compte Rendu they revealed the French crown was operating at a surplus, they also revealed the priorities of the crown.  The distortion between military spending and spending for the poor was so large, the author argues, that it became a driving force behind the French revolution.

Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM5Ljm87V3U

I have been thinking about the idea of "silencing hate" or "not lending legitimacy" to undesirable views.  Not listening to hate speech or removing it from our echo chambers certainly "silences hate" but it does absolutely nothing to reconcile hate, which I am ever more convinced can only be done through engagement.  

"No lending legitimacy" is a different issue to me, because what is legitimate anymore?  People think Breitbart is legitimate.  Fox News is America's most trusted news source.  It feels like fighting the wrong fight.  

"We don't want to lend legitimacy to their views!" 

"Yea but no one in media has legitimacy anymore, so how can they be in the business of lending it out?"

12.7.2016

Workout:

I did not work out

Reading:

The Reckoning: bookkeeping becomes a staple of English education.  "Even girls were allowed to study arithmancy as it pertained to bookkeeping."

12.6.2016

Workout:

Yoga

Glute Bridges

Resistance Band

Planks

Basketball

• 90 minutes

Reading:

The Reckoning

The author outlines how the British adoption of accounting principles allowed the empire to grow.  Specifically the involvement of Lord Walpole in implementing time value of money to the planning procedures of the the Empire which alone was able to dramatically reduce their expenses.

12.5.2016

Workout:

Yoga

Glute Bridges

Resistance Band

Planks

• I am adding planks to the warm-up.  I have been doing 45 seconds on 30 seconds off for five minutes

Freeweights ((80#, 90#, 100#) x5)

• Squats
• Reverse Lunge
• SLDL
• Thrusters

((80#, 90#, 100#) x3)

• RFE Squat

Reading:

The Reckoning: The Sun God

Colbert was Louis XIV's accountant.  Colbert worked to teach Louis how to audit his own books and would constantly harass Louis about frivolous spending and useless wars wasting his wealth.  Louis was not a big fan of this pressure.  When Colbert died Louis did not appoint a new accountant to the position - it is the author's take that this is the beginning of the end of the French Empire.

Notes:

I have finished relistening to Algorithms - I find that rereading a book is often better than reading it the first time.  After one read I may have scored this book a 6, now I feel like it is an 8.

12.1.2016

Workout:

Yoga

Glute Briges

Plyos

• 1 legged slalom 4x75
• squat to lunge 4x8
• seat to jump 4x6
• hurdles 4x6
• 3 step heigh jumps 2x5
• step up jumps 3x8

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 11: Sumner outlines his thoughts on the rise of socialism and facism in the wake of financial crises.  Although Bernie is socialism light and Trump is facism ultra-light it is hard to not draw the comparison.

11.30.2016

Workout:

Yoga
Glute Bridges
Resistance Band
Treadmill

• At 8 minute pace
• 1 min on
• at 5:30 minute pace
• 1 minute on 1 minute off x4
• 30 sec on 30 sec off x3

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 11

Sumner has spent a lot of time ripping on Keynesians and Monetarists.  It's always pretty amusing when someone exposes an apparent "either or" choice as a "neither" answer.

Notes:

Relistening to Algorithms:  The optimal sort is to just pile your papers if you use a paper return it to the top of the pile, and that's that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGNLlMbYe1g
Liberals will say Trevor won, Conservatives will say Tomi won.  Sometimes I wonder if there is anything to be gained from these kinds of discussions.  Tomi isn't interested in changing her position because she makes a livelihood depends on it, Trevor isn't interested in changing his position because his livelihood depends on it.  Mark Twain would say never argue with a fool, Hamilton would say if you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.

11.29.2016

Workout:

I did not workout.

Reading:

Mias Paradox Chapter 10

Notes:

I attended a Minnesota Ultimate Board meeting last night.  The board is trying to establish their Strategies and Objectives that will be posted on the website and shared with anyone who interacts with the Board professionally.  We spent an hour and a half debating word choice and sentence structure for 5 sentences.  I have a new found respect for how much effort, word-smithing, and the seriousness with which board members approach setting these statements.

Sidenote:  a revenue base is where you are able to draw revenues from.  It is not revenues that you have drawn and placed into a "war chest".

11.28.2016

Workout:

Yoga warm-up

Free Weights

• 5x5 at 60#, 70#, 80#, 90#, 100#
• Squats
• Reverse Lunges
• 5x3 at 60#, 70#, 80#, 90#, 100#
• SLDL
• Thrusters
• 3x3 at 50#, 50#, 50#
• RFE

The goal was to do 5x5 of each exercise at 60#, 70#, 80#, 90#, 100#.  Alas, this was harder than it looked and I had to tone it down in order to finish.  Additionally, this took much longer than I wanted.  Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to try to work into 5x5 and then 5x8.

Reading:

The Economist: "The Leaders", "Buttonwood", and "Schumpeter".  I have been fretting that my president Trump is appointing a climate change denier to the head of the EPA, good news is the economics of climate change is on our side.  Oil prices are too low to warrant new drilling sites, the cost of kWh for solar is falling, there are more future jobs in solar than there are in oil, batteries are improving and getting cheaper, India has to take a stand against climate change or risk losing massive pieces of land, and China is going to continue working toward renewables with or without the US.

Notes:

Ray is way ahead of me in the race to programming "god status".  I need to put up more of a fight here.

I am comfortable listening to audiobooks at 2x speed, time to start working toward 3x speed.

"Throwing rocks at the google bus" is an okay audiobook - your time is better spent reading "Capital in the 21st century"

"Algorithms to live by" is a strong recommend.

New audiobook strat.  Listen to three, then relisten to my favorite of the three.  After time elapses I can then relisten to any of the other two, how much time is the question.  

11.22.2016

Workout:

I did not workout

Reading:

Midas Paradox - Chapter 10

Notes:

I work on the eighth floor.  I read as I walked up and down the stairs.  I went down twice and up three times, it was great.

11.21.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Front Squats
• 40# x10
• 70# x8
• 100# x5
• Reverse Lunges
• 90# x5
• 90# x5
• 90# x5
• Thrusters
• 40# x5
• 70# x5
• 90# x5
• Steps Ups
• 100# x5
• 100# x5
• 100# x5
• Core

Reading:

I did not read anything

Notes:

I got married on Saturday - what a time to be alive

I passed all of the CPA exams

Things are on the up and up

11.15.2016

Workout:

I didn't workout

Reading:

I didn't read

Notes:

It's hilarious that I rib Machine players for "not loving" ultimate yet I can't even keep a workout streak going.

I met with Minnesota Ultimate Board - hoping to hop on as the treasurer.

11.14.2016

Workout:

Footwork Ladder:

• 2 in 1 out x8
• lateral 2 in 2 out x8

150s

• 4 sets at 1:2 rest

Reading:

I read through the leaders of "The Economist".  

• With the Brexit and Trump elections the future of liberal globalism has never been bleaker.

Notes:

4 days until I get married

2 days logged at my new job

The world turns relentlessly, look away for a minute and you are six days behind

11.10.2016-11.13.2016

I did not read or workout any of these days.

Notes:

I have a new found respect for anyone who travels for work and still manages to be ready for tryouts.

11.9.2016

Workout:

I did not workout.

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 7.

Notes:

I had a headache for most of today.

11.8.2016

Workout:

I did not workout.

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 6

Notes:

What a world we live in.  Wow.

11.7.2016

Workout:

I didn't workout - it's looking like I won't work out at all this week.

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 5 - Yes this was a reread.

Notes:

Happy election day!

11.5.2016 - 11.6.2016

Saturday

Workout:

I did not workout, I meant to do plyos but didn't because I am a loser.

Reading:

I did not read.

Sunday

Workout:

I did not workout.

Reading:

I drove to Chicago today and listened to "Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus" on audible.  If you're already a left-leaning blow hard then this book will pump you up, if you are moderate or a right-leaner then this book is not going to convince you of anything.

11.4.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridge
• Resistance Band
• Footwork
• 2 in 1 out x6
• 1 in 2 out x6
• 150s
• 2 reps 2:1 rest
• 31s
• 32s
• lateral 2 in 2 out x6
• Muhammad Ali x6
• 2 reps 2:1 rest
• 35s
• 35s
• lateral 2 in 2 out x6
• Muhammad Ali x6
• 2 reps 2:1 rest
• 35s
• 35s
• reverse 2 in 1 out x6
• reverse 1 in 2 out x6

I want to say this wasn't that hard, but if it wasn't hard how come I was clocking 35s 150s?

Reading:

The Reckoning Chapter 3 and 4

On the rise and fall of the Medici family and King Philip of Spain introducing double entry into his books in order to keep his empire organized.

Notes:

I have passed FAR, REG, and AUD.  I took BEC and expect my score on November 22nd, I am pretty sure that I passed.  I am currently planning on spending a year teaching myself to code, at the end of that year I will dive in the CFA - hopefully, Rabuck will be ready at the same time I am.

11.2.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridge
• Resistance Band
• Kettlebell
• EMOM Squats x10 for 5 minutes
• EMOM Reverse Lunge x10 for 6 minutes
• EMOM SLDL x10 for 6 minutes
• EMOM Swings x10 for 5 minutes

7/10.  These are tough, I must have terrible form on my swings because my back is always killing me afterward.  I foam rolled my back and could have recorded a symphony of muscle pops and ligament cracks.

Reading:

Chapter 3 of The Reckoning:

Datini was an Italian merchant who built his wealth from partnerships and used Arabic numerals to simplify his books.  Datini might be the first "westerner" to have built his wealth as a capitalist.

Notes:

Now that the Cubs have won the world series I am devoid of excuses.

11.1.2016

Workout:

• 1 leg 4 star drill 3x10
• 1 leg ankle bounce 3x75
• Tuck jumps 3x15
• low box side to side 3x10
• broad jump 3x5
• stationary squat jumps 3x15
• 1-2-3 jump 3x5

6/10.

I threw for the first time in a couple weeks today, throwing is chicken soup for the soul.

Reading:

I read the first two chapters of The Reckoning which gives a history of accounting.  Caesar Augustus maintained a full double-entry accounting system.

10.31.2016

Workout:

150s x2
90s x4
60s x4
120s x2

The goal was to run as many 150s under 30 seconds with full rest as I could until double failure.  I clocked 31s and 31s on my first two.  Walden says that finishing above 30s is a highly dishonorable act.

Went EMOM for the 90s and 60s.

Was frustrated for how slow I was moving that I tossed in the 120s.

I think I should ramp up the "conditioning" aspects of working out to definitely 2 times a week rather than "sometimes 1"

Reading:

I read through the Economist.  This week was a briefing on Canada and how our friends to the north are now the ones upholding liberal values for the world.

10.30.2016

Workout:

Fall League

Reading:

None

Notes:

I meant to start doing about 5 minutes of planks every day - this hasn't happened yet.

10.29.2016

No workout or reading

10.28.2016

Workout:

I did not workout

Reasing:

Chapter 8 of Midas Paradox

10.27.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• Ladder into 30 yard sprint
• 2 in 1 out x4
• 1 in 2 out x4
• lateral 2 in 2 out x8
• muhammad ali x8
• reverse 2 in 1 out x4
• reverse 1 in 2 out x4

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 7: A discussion on how Roosevelt's plan to depreciate the dollar was a good thing.

10.26.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• Plyos
• 1-legged 4 star drill 3x10
• 1 legged ankle bounce 3v75
• Tuck jumps 3x10
• low box side to side 3x10
• Broad Jumps 3x5
• 1-2-3 jumps 3x5
• Stationary Squat jumps 3x15

Reading:

Chapter 6 of The Midas Paradox

Notes how the National Industrial Recovery Act and the National Recovery Act increased wages and forced prices higher than equilibrium extending the life of the Great Depression.

10.25.2016

Workout:

• Yoga
• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• 45 lb Kettlebell
• Goblet Squats 3x15
• Reverse Lunge 6x10
• SLDL 6x10
• Swings 5x10

Brutal workout today.  I am not sure why, but I had very little "hustle horse" mojo today.  Below are some reasons why:

• improvement is not linear
• performance is subject to a normal variance
• I did not workout yesterday
• I sat around a lot today
• I am tired - this is a bad reason I sleep a ton I'm just always tired.
• I had bad form on early exercises taxing me down the line in the workout

Reading:

I read this week's The Economist.

Notes:

I am grinding through an audiobook called "Throwing Rock's at the Google Bus, I find myself emotionally arguing with the author in some chapters and emphatically applauding him in others.

10.24.2016

I did not workout or read today.

Notes:

I took my fourth CPA exam today.  I am waiting on results for two of the exams, this is the first time I haven't had something to be studying for since December 1 of 2015.

I went to basketball today, there was a book fair covering the courts so we went home.  I have to do conditioning sometime later this week.

10.23.2016

I did not workout or read today.

10.22.2016

Workout:

• Quick yoga

• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• Plyos
• 1 legged 4 star drill 2x10
• 1 legged ankle bounce 2x75
• Tuck jumps 2x15
• low box side bounce 2x10
• broad jumps 2x5
• 1-2-3 jumps 2x5

5/10, I am ready for next week when the volume goes through the roof.

Reading:

I did not read.

Notes:

I walked almost ten hours around the city showing my friends what was what.

10.21.2016

Workout:

• 5 mile jog

Not a hard jog, but sometimes a jog is all I need to chill out a bit.

Reading:

• Midas Paradox Chapter 5

Notes:

I listened to Freakanomics self-improvement month.  "10,000 hours of deliberate practice is the way to be great at something."

10.20.2016

Workout:

• WarmUp
• Footwork into 30 yard sprint
• 2 in 1 out x6
• 1 in 2 out x6
• lateral 2 in 2 out x6
• muhammad ali x6
• backward 2 in 1 out x6

7/10

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 4

10.19.2016

Workout:

• Quick yoga
• Glute Bridges
• Resistance Band
• Plyos
• 1 legged 4 star drill 2x10
• 1 legged ankle bounce 2x75
• Tuck jumps 2x15
• low box side bounce 2x10
• broad jumps 2x5
• 1-2-3 jumps 2x5

Reading:

Midas Paradox Chapter 3: How the German economic climate played a role in the Great Depression.

10.18.2016

Workout:

• Quick Yoga
• Glute Bridge
• Resistance Band
• 15 reps every 90 seconds
• Goblet Squats x2
• SLDL x2
• Reverse Lunge x2
• Deadlift x2
• Swings x2
• Step Ups x2
• Snatch x2
• 40 s planks x3

Brutal today, 9/10, I couldn't have done more if I wanted.  I need to find a way to get the "work" portion of my workout down to 20 minutes.  In order to hit 300 I have to get to 15 reps every minute.

Reading:

Midas Paradox - Chapter 2.  I hope Rabuck is following the threads of this book because I might need a reread in order to trace it end to end.

10.17.2016

Workout:

• Quick Yoga
• Glute bridges
• Resistance band
• Shuffling
• 90 minutes of basketball
• 120-yard shuttles x6 every minute on the minute

I think I am getting into better shape, next time I will do 8 120 yard shuttles.  6/10

I've been balling with Rose's cousins, two of them know how to play and three of them don't.  In the early days, those of who knew how to play could just set up a high-post pick-and-roll and totally crush it because the defense had no idea how to switch or close the gaps.  After a couple of weeks, they started getting smart on us and now they are capable of defending it very well.  

Their improvement pushed me to switch from playing a high-post to a low-post.  I am the only one of the six of us who likes (can?) play the low post so it does set me up to utilize my strengths.  My goal is to set a strong side triangle, but I never shared the plan with the guys so sometimes the off-ball wing will randomly run to the weak side and blow the whole operation.  To fix this I started setting up on the wing, no one else will set up on the low post so by doing this we are invariably starting three wide.  From the wing I'll make a cut to the basket then I stop and set the post on the strong side thus dictating how I want the formation to set up.  I am liking this strategy a lot, during the cut it is easy to get on the defenders back and once at the basket it is shockingly easy to slip in front of them to set a post.  If I want I can cut back and get either a weak side face-up or better yet an in-rhythm three.  If my opposite wing decides to do something weird, I'll just continue the cut through the basket and finish either at the opposite corner, wing, or up top for a ball screen.

One of them did figure out that I was always cutting to the basket so he just stood at the basket waiting for me, a few threes forced him to abandon this strat.

Reading:

• Midas Paradox Chapter 1

Rabuck and I are launching a "book club" about econ books, anyone want to be a guest?

Notes:

I have decided what I want my money maker to be.  I want to be a "hustle horse".  Am I naturally inclined to be a hustle horse?  Am I exploiting my full potential pursuing this route?  No.  So why hustle horse? Sports are way more fun when you feel like you can haul it.

10.16.2016

Workout:

Fall League.  

Does Fall league count?  It feels like it shouldn't. 1/10

Reading:

I did not read today.

Notes:

Over the weekend I ate some cake.  I am doing well with less sugar, but it is still a total battle.  

At church there were some donut holes staring me down, I walked over to eat one about 5 separate times and each time pulled away at nearly the last second.  

At the grocery store all the cakes, cupcakes, cookies are decorated orange for halloween, I love cakes and I love orange and I almost filled the cart up with garbage, alas I had Rose to save me from myself.

10.15.2016

Workout:

None

Reading:

Book VI: Chapter 8: The Grey Havens

I am now finished with Lord of the Rings - rereading a good book is never a waste of time.

10.14.2016

Workout:

Quick Yoga
Glute Bridges x30
Resistance Band

• Ankle Jumps 3x75
• 4 Star Drill 3x10
• Alternating Lunges 3x20
• Jump Squats 3x20
• Slalom 3x50
• Lunge Jumps 3x10
• Low squat ankle jumps 3x30

Reading:

Book VI: Chapter 8 The Scouring of the Shire

Notes:

I ate a McFlurry today.

10.13.2016

Workout:

• Quick Yoga
• Resistance Band
• Footwork into 30-yard sprint
• The last step of the footwork drill is the first step of a 30-yard sprint
• Straight 30 x4
• 2 in 1 out x4
• lateral shuffle x8
• backward 2 in 1 out x4
• 5 jump squats x4
• Straight 30 x4

4/10 - I felt like I could have hammered out about 6 150s after this, maybe I should have.

Reading:

Book VI: Chapters 5 and 6

Notes:

Today I voted.  I voted for Hillary.

Some quick thoughts on voting.  First, your vote doesn't matter because there are 320 million people in the US.  Second, your vote does matter because it signals to politicians what you care about and can therefore potentially create a shift in their policies.  (See Hillary's shift left to appeal to Bernie supporters.)  

Choosing to not vote is a choice.  A choice that a thoughtful politician, like Barack Obama, will read as evidence that American's lack faith in politics.  Unfortunately most politicians are not this thoughtful and may misinterpret the message you are trying the send by not voting.

In the case of this election going third-party is essentially a nonvote.  Personally for me to "throw away" a vote by casting for a third-party candidate their ideology must align perfectly with mine (admittedly a higher standard is held for these candidates than for a candidate with a chance of winning).  Alas Gary Johnson doesn't think the US has a role to play in foreign politics and Jill Stein thinks vaccines give children down syndrome.

*Remember in America we have "freedom of choice", not "freedom from criticism".

10.12.2016

Workout:

WarmUp - I pretty much always do the same WarmUp:

• Quick Yoga
• I do this every day even if I don't workout, I like to do it as part of my morning routine, I'll outline it here and moving forward just refer to it as "quick yoga"
• Toe Touch
• Crawl into cobra
• Lift into down dog
• Left leg up into 3-leg Chaturanga
• Swing Left leg through and raise up into a lunge
• Step up into left leg balance
• Maintaining left leg balance - Right legged swinging knee drives - about five
• Still balancing on left leg - Right knee up and hold
• Flow into warrior three
• Right knee swing through into one legged jump and stick with left leg
• Reverse lunge and return to downward dog
• Right leg up into 3 leg Chaturanga
• repeat above series to establish symmetry
• Resistance Band
• I like to stand in "athletic position" and move my knees together and apart about 10 times
• Lateral steps down 10 and back
• Drop step 10 times
• Glute Bridges
• 30times

Work:

• Ankle Jumps 3x75
• 4 Star Drill 3x10
• Alternating Lunges 3x20
• Jump Squats 3x20
• Slalom 3x50
• Lunge Jumps 3x10
• Low squat ankle jumps 3x30

Reading:

• Book VI: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4

The ring is destroyed and Sauron has collapsed.  

10.11.2016

Workout:

1. Glute Bridges x15
2. Resistance band
3. Broad Jumps x5
1. 45 lb deadlift x5
4. Star Jump x5
1. 95 lb deadlift x5
5. Squat Jump x5
1. 135 lb deadlift x5
6. Over and back bar jumps x5
1. 135 lb deadlift x5
7. Broad Jump x5
1. 135 lb deadlift x5
8. Bosu ball balancing series

I almost wrote "No Workout" today because I am embarrassed about this workout, alas this is what I did today. 2/10.

I went to snap fitness.  Snap fitness' are a real hit or miss.  Not all gyms are created equal, some will throw your entire day off.

Reading:

Book VI: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Samwise has saved Frodo and the pair has arrived at the foot of Mount Doom.

Notes:

Today I registered to vote, I am hoping to "vote early" by end of the week.

I have taken three CPA exams, I have passed two and am waiting for my results on the third which I should have November 14th.  My fourth and final exam is October 24th - I am hoping that after my first go through I will have passed at least 3 and then will only have to study for one next spring.

10.10.2016

Workout:

• Every minute on the minute 10 reps of:
• Goblet Squats x3
• Deadlifts x3
• Reverse Lunge x3
• Step ups x3
• Swings x3
• Lateral Squats x3
• Snatch x3
• 240 movements in 24 minutes

This was tough, definitely a 7/10 - I feel more than ever that the goal of 300 is possible.

Reading:

I did not read.

Notes:

One of the obstacles to improvement that a "bad" team faces is that the players don't think they belong on a "bad team".

To flesh this out consider a mid-region team of 20 individuals.  12 of them think they can make one of the nationals teams nearby, 3 of them actually can.  The 9 "delusional" players blame their teammates for the mediocrity of their program, they think to themselves "I am too good for this garbage", and they hemorrhage opportunities to grow both as players and as individuals.  The r-squared relationship between the improvement of these 9 players and the improvement of their team is something like .95.

(Think they can make a Nationals Team) - (Can make a Nationals Team) = (Ego v. Ability Discrepancy)

The larger a teams Ego v. Ability Discrepancy the worse that team will function as a team.  The way to minimize this discrepancy is to attack it at both ends: first, check people's egos and make them own the reality that they aren't as good as they think they are, second, put in the work so that a larger piece of the squad actually can make a Nationals Team.

10.9.2016

Workout:

4 games to 13 points.

6/10

Reading:

I did not read.

Notes:

Although I did not read this weekend I did listen to all of Nudge on audiobook during my trip from MPLS to MKE.

Nudge, Misbehaving, Blink, and Thinking Fast and Slow are all basically the same story told in marginally different ways.  The emphasis Nudge tries to make is that since humans suffer from a "status quo bias" we can nudge them into "preferred behavior" through good "choice architecture".  Basically, we set preferred behaviors as the default.

Example:  If a company wants to encourage their employees to save 15% (or whatever) in their 401(k), then make that the default and give them the freedom to change it by filling out paperwork.

This is commonly referred to as Liberal Paternalism, it is paternalistic in that we nudge you into saving for retirement (an objectively good thing) but it is liberal in that you have the freedom to make whatever choice you want (if you are convinced that saving is not subjectively good for your situation).

Strong recommend on all four of these books, I think ideally one would read one a year over the course of four years so that the ideas are reinforced over a long timescale and hopefully stick throughout life.

10.8.2016

Workout:

6 - 45 minutes games of ultimate

3/10

Reading:

I did not read.

10.7.2016

Workout:

• Ankle Jump x50x3
• 4 Star Drill x10x2
• Alternating Lunge x20x3
• Jump Squats x20x3
• Slalom Jumps x50x3
• Lunge Jumps x10x3
• Low Squat Ankle Jump x30x3

I thought about not working out today because of the No Wisco this weekend, but then I thought No Wisco is a step to take not a line to cross.

7/10 - these things are not easy.

Reading:

Book V: Chapter 9: The Black Gate Opens

Pippin killed a Troll.

The story, as most people care about it, is pretty much over.  It takes 3 chapters of Book VI to wrap up Frodo's storyline.  

Notes:

In the state of Minnesota, a landlord is not obligated to turn the heat on until October 15th.  #8days

10.6.2016

Workout:

• Resistance Band Warm-Up
• Speed Ladder
• 1 in x8
• 2 in 1 out x8
• 1-2-3-4-1 x8
• EMOM
• See layout below

. 

• Speed ladder into 25-yard sprint
• 2 in 1 out x10

I am not sure if I am getting into better shape or if I am a major slacker: 4/10

Reading:

Book V: Chapter 8: The House of Healing and Chapter 9: The Last Debate

There is nothing left to do other than march upon the Black Gate.

Notes:

When I think about or am aware of my "reading form" (moving my eyes over the words) I am a slower and worse reader than when I am unaware of my "reading form".

10.5.2016

Workout:

45 pound KB

1. Goblet Squats 3x10
2. Reverse Lunges 3x10
3. SLDL 3x10
4. Step ups 3x10
5. Swings 3x10
6. Deadlifts 3x10
7. Lateral Squat 3x10
8. Snatch 1x10

220 - The QuitBeast is a formidable foe.  I'll hit this with a 7/10 I think i could have run a few shuttles afterward, but certainly could not have picked up a heavy object.

Reading:

Book V: Chapters 5 The Ride of the Rohirrim Chapter 6: The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

1. Why isn't Ghan-Buri-Ghan in the films?  I have no recollection of this character, I must have stared blankly at these pages when I was younger.
2. "No man can kill me"
1. "I am no man"

10.4.2016

Workout:

1. Warm up jog
2. Resistance band
3. Shuffling pattern
1. Did the below pattern 8 times
2. Shuffle from 1-2-3-4-1
3. Distance from 1-2 about 10 yards
4. Distance from 1-3 about 10 yards

4. 80 minutes of 3v3 basketball
5. 120 yards shuttles x6 1:2 

Reading:

Return of the King Book V: Chapter 3: The Muster of Rohan and Chapter 4: The Siege of Gondor

This may be the only part where the movie is better than the book, but the movie was still great.  The movie really sets the image that the men of Gondor are getting rocked, this is true but strongly understates how many orcs they take out before retreating.

9.30.2016-10.3.2016

Friday - Sunday

No workout.  No Reading.

Monday

Workout:

Ankle Jump x50x3

4 Star Drill x10x2

Alternating Lunge x20x3

Jump Squats x20x3

Slalom Jumps x50x3

Lunge Jumps x10x3

Low Squat Ankle Jump x30x3

4 Star Drill 10 times is rough, I was dragging myself through the rest of this workout.

Reading:

Book V: Chapter 1: Minas Tirith.

We've done it, we've made it to the last great stronghold of men!

Notes:

I spent the weekend at Club Nationals.  It didn't feel like Nationals, it felt like Rockford.

9.29.2016

Workout:

45 lb Kettlebell

1. Goblet Squats x10x3
2. Reverse Lunges x10x3
3. SLDL x10x3
4. Chair Step Ups x10x3
5. Swings x10x3

150 movements with the Kettlebell, gotta find the mo to get up to 300.

1. Skater jumps x10x3

Is it a bad idea to do skater jumps with a Kettlebell?  If not then I should do that.

Reading:

Two Towers Chapter 10:  The Choices of Master Samwise

Our boy Samwise brings Shelob down but not before she is able to knock poor Frodo out.  If Sam wanted he could carry the ring to the fires of Mount Doom, but his place is by his master.

My memories of the text were that the portions about Frodo struggling to carry the ring were endless, rereading the story I find that those moments are pretty quick and not laborious at all.

Notes:

I am going to Club Nationals tonight, I've never been to Club Nationals.

9.28.2016

Workout:

Ankle Jump x50x2

4 Star Drill x5x2

Alternating Lunge x20x2

Jump Squats x20x2

Slalom Jumps x50x2

Lunge Jumps x10x2

Low Squat Ankle Jump x30x2

This is ripped from the vert bible, although I love making up my own workouts I see no reason why to completely reinvent the wheel.  

6/10 my hammies were feeling it no doubt.

Reading:

Two Towers Chapter 8: Stairs of Cirith Ungol

I thought that the scene where the Witch King and his massive force march past Frodo and Sam while the hobbits hide in the mountains.  Turns out the scene exists in great detail within the text, who would've thunk?

Notes:

1. If you want thunder you have to bring the lightning.

2. Let's say there is a bowl of chips.  The bowl is sitting on your coffee table.  You are watching the first quarter of a USFootball game.  You know that at half time there will be burgers, and you want a burger.  However, if the chips are in front of you then you will eat the chips and spoil your appetite.  If you continue to supply the chips then you will demand the chips.  You know you want the burger, you know the burger is better than the chips, you are looking forward to the burger.

Here's what I know:  The government is capable of taking the chips away in the cupboard.

Here's my question:  Is there a market force capable of putting the chips away in the cupboard?  If so where can I learn more about it?

9.27.2016

Workout:

1. Resistance Band Warm Up
2. Speed Ladder
1. 1 foot each x4
2. Icky shuffle x4
3. Reverse Icky x4
3. Cutting Drill - See image below
1. I was at a tennis court
2. 1-2 x4
3. 1-2-3 x4
4. 1-2-3-4 x4
5. 1-2-3-4-1 x4
4. 2 tennis court widths x3
5. 3 tennis court widths x2
6. 4 tennis court widths x1

Reading:

Two Towers Chapters 6 & 7: The Forbidden Pool and Journey to the Cross-Roads

We have left Faramir and journeyed to the path to Cirith Ungol.  A dark, treacherous climb lies before us.

Notes:

Shouts out to BK for day one of his Jordan year.

9.26.2016

Workout:

45 lb Kettlebell

1. Goblet squats x10x3
2. Reverse lunges x10x3
3. SLDL x10x3
4. Chair step ups x10x3

120 total "movements" with a 45 lb kettlebell, I am trying to get to 300.

Reading:

Two Towers Chapter 5: The Window on The West

Frodo and Sam learn of Boromir's demise and Faramir learns of Isildur's Bane.

Notes:

Is it reasonable to bet against Revolver this weekend?

9.25.2016

Workout:

Fall League Game

(2 - 10 yards - 0 - 10 yards - 1 - 10 yards - 3) x6

Working out alone makes it easy for me to convince myself that I am trying hard, but getting on a field and trying to chase people around is a big reminder that everyone is trying hard off the field. H.

Reading:

The Economist: Living in a Low-Interest Rate World.  

Turns out propping up a slumping economy takes more than the Fed, who would've thunk?

Notes:

Nationals prediction: Machine out in Quarters.

9.24.2016

Workout:

None

Reading:

None

9.23.2016

Workout:

• 1/2 mile jog
• 25-yard skips - 
• easy
• knee drive
• for height
• backwards
• lateral push
• lateral pull
• 5 tuck jumps into 25-yard sprint x4
• 10-second foot-fire into 25-yard sprint x4
• Footwork
• 6 yard backpedal
• turn towards one of four cones per partner point
• 25-yard sprint
• every 20 seconds for 5 minutes
• 25-yard fade throws
• 6 tries to get 25 in a row
• repeat with opposite throw
• used Abby and Rose

This felt good while it was happening but my legs were feeling it later that night: 7/10

Reading:

I did not read.

9.22.2016

Workout:

1. 1/2 mile jog
2. (((Stairs (18 steps)) x 6) x 5)

Ezpz day: 2/10

Reading:

Two Towers Chapter 4.  Our boy Sam decides to cook so rabbit and his smoke is spotted by Faramir.  Faramir tells them to sit tight and then goes and rocks so southron servants of the dark lord Oliphaunts (Mumakil) and all.

Notes:

Podcast idea:  Pick a frisbee game and "replace the commentary".  Maybe this is more of a YouTube channel idea.  Advantage of YouTube is that we can rewind, slow down, draw things out, and skip the "dead air" portions

Major issue: potential "copyright" hurdles over footage?

Tier 1: "Low hanging fruit" guests for the show:

Zubair

Yngve

Rabuck

Abby

Adam

Matt West

BK

Sur

Colin

Tier 2: "Convincing required" guests for the show

Walden

Carol

Rose

Chuck

Tier 3: "Long-shot" guests for show:

Stupca

9.21.2016

Workout:

45lb Kettlebell "Circuit" (*I am not rushing from one exercise to another, definitely taking my time).

1. 10 Goblet Squats x3
2. 10 Reverse Lunges x3
3. 10 SLDL x3
4. 10 Chair Step ups x3
5. 2 flights of stairs (32 total steps) x3

This workout was a 4, although the difficulty is low it really pumped me up after yesterday's brutal workout which I forgot to score: it was a 9.

Reading:

Two Towers: Chapters 2 and 3.

Smeagol guides Frodo and Sam through the dead marshes and to the black gate.  I remember this portion of the book being brutally boring, it is not.  

Reading through the text is way easier and clearer this time around than it was when I was a child.  I am not sure whether it is because I am:

• smarter
• older
• have seen the movie
• have read it before
• I use huge text on my kindle because I was inspired by this: www.spreeder.com

Notes:

Have you ever tried to tweet every day for 10 days?  I am routinely shocked by how difficult it is to come up with something worth sharing.

9.20.2016

Workout:

1. Warm Up
1. Short Jog
2. Resistance Band Work
3. Short Yoga
2. Shuffling pattern
1. Did the below pattern 8 times
2. Shuffle from 1-2-3-4-1
3. Distance from 1-2 about 10 yards
4. Distance from 1-3 about 10 yards
3. 90 minutes of basketball

1. 108-yard shuttles
1. Basketball court was about 18 strides wide
2. Run "down and back" 3 times
1. Refer to this as 1 shuttle
2. 1 Shuttle took about 23 seconds
3. Run 1 shuttle every 90 seconds = continue until 6 shuttles are finished

Reading:

The Two Towers: Chapter 11 and 1

We say goodbye to the journey of Gandalf and hello to that of the Ring Bearer.  The entirety of Book 4 is focused on Frodo, Sam, and Gollum.  My memories of reading this Book is that it is a long hard slog through some pretty boring moments, the faster I plow through this the quicker we get to the action of the White Rider as he continues his exercise of futility in the face of overwhelming evil.

Notes:

The greatest barrier to growth is ego.  I have been playing with stepping perpendicular to my target when throwing.  Please note: not stepping perpendicular to my teammate, but perpendicular to the space I am throwing too.  I am currently loving it!  The disc gets where I want it to go with the shape I want it.  The problem is Carol taught me to do this more than a year ago and I ignored her because the patriarchy is real.  Wasted time is a bitter pill to swallow.

9.19.2016

Workout:

30-yard sprints.  Every 20 seconds for 5 minutes.  Untimed break.  Every 20 seconds for 5 minutes.

7/10:  Man did my hammies feel it.

Reading:

The Two Towers Chapter 10: The Voice of Saruman

Every time I play LOTR Trivial Pursuit I get this question wrong:  Who is known for having a dangerous voice?  I always say Wormtongue, maybe now I will remember that it's Saruman.

Notes:

There is another side of the equation that I am ignoring: diet.  I eat a ton of sugar, like tons and tons of sugar, like an entire package of Halloween Oreos in a single sitting.

9.18.2016

Workout:

None.

Reading:

None

Notes:

Two days in a row.

9.17.2016

Workout:

1. 300 meters swimming

I am a bad swimmer.  I give this a 4 out of 10.

Reading:

I read nothing.  How is that possible?  I spent an entire day and didn't read a single thing?

Notes:

Malcolm Gladwell's Podcast "Revisionist History" is very good - strong recommend!

9.16.2016

Workout:

1/2 mile warmup jog

Skipping series - forward/forward high knee drive/forward for height/backward high knee drive/lateral skips

Cutting:  each of the below patterns 4 times through.  (Distance between 1-2 is 10 yards)

I scored this at a 4 and Rose called it a 2.  I have work to do.

Reading:

The Two Towers: Chapter 8: The Road to Isengard and Chapter 9: Flotsam and Jetsam.

Notes:

Coffee Shop idea - "The Badger's Cup" - The decor rotates seasonally: Ravenclaw Common Room in Winter, Hufflepuff Common Room in Spring, Slytherin Common Room in Summer, and Gryffindor Common Room in the Fall.

Drink name ideas: Godric's Gold, Hagrid's Happy Sauce, Molly's Bad-Day Picker-Upper.

9.15.2016

Workout:

Using a 45 pound Kettle-ball.

10 goblet squats x3

10 reverse lunges x3

5 SLDL x3

10 Chair step ups x3

I am going to start using a 1-10 "intensity" meter as a way to contrast low-intensity days with "high"-intensity days.

I give this workout a 3.

Reading:

Chapter 7 of The Two Towers: Helm's Deep

In the movie Gandalf says "Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day, at dawn look to the east.n first light of the third-day look East"  in the text it says "Gandalf gave no indication as to when or where he would return".

The Warg battle scene - and consequentially the iconic moment when Legolas mounts the horse - is nowhere to be found in the text.

Notes:

"Whatever that is" is a phrase of the lazy who have no interest in understanding something that they wouldn't use on a daily basis.

9.14.2016

Workout:

1. Basketball - 90 minutes

Reading:

The Two Towers Chapter 6: The Golden King

The action is happening in The Two Towers way faster than I remember.  My memory of Wormtongue was that he took forever to oust from the court of Theoden, the reality is that Gandalf shows up turns off the lights and smashes the slippery-tongued snake in Wormtongue's first scene in the text. Bing-bang-boom.

Notes:

I don't plan on going to Wednesday basketball next week.  It ran too late at night and I don't want to have three nights in a row away from home.  Admitting this bears a heavy weight of implication.  In the name of Ultimate, I have certainly chosen to be away from home multiple nights in a row in.  I have stayed up later than 10:30 with a commute home that was much longer than 15 minutes.  I have knowingly taken caffeine late at night in order to have energy for an Ultimate practice only to get home and buzz away in my bed until 4am.  Did I enjoy doing these things? No.  Did I want to do these things? No.  Would I do it again for? For Ultimate yes, for basketball no.

I took pre-workout yesterday.  I tried to take a half-scoop, so probably 90mg, I thought to myself "heck a coffee is about 175mg I should be able to handle 90mg."

7:30 - all my chronic aches and pains are fading away.

7:32 - Brad's old saying "warm-up in a can" pops in my head.

7:33 - the thought of Brad has me laughing uncontrollably

7:35 - I am alone in my house, but I feel no sense of loneliness, I am currently the most exciting person in the world.  No one has ever told nor heard funnier jokes than I told myself.

7:38 - I am god, I can hear the blades of grass talking to each other, I can smell the vibrations of the air.

7:40 - I am panicking, how am I ever going to fall asleep tonight?  I am tweaking more than the master himself.  

The negatives - I took it 3 hours before bedtime and struggled to fall asleep, I felt anxious, nervous, and incredibly thirsty - why was I so thirsty?

Advantageously I noticed that I was able to push myself harder for longer.  Normally when I try to workout at the end of a day my head starts pounding right away, this didn't happen to me tonight (maybe because my CNS was firing out of control -> that sounds like pseudoscience I'll have to consult Brother Ray).  Part of me felt like Might Guy opening the six gates, I was trashing my muscles and couldn't feel it until I got home and was in bed.

I am currently planning on using pre-workout way less than I originally thought I would.  Which leads to an interesting "sunk-cost" discussion (shout out to my favorite economist Billiam Fralich), the cost of purchasing the pre-workout is in the past, the cost of jitters, nervousness, difficulty falling asleep is in the future.  Spent money is not adequate justification to continue to pay in the future.  I believe it is probably that once I start working at my new job I will have less energy and will then be happy I have some pre-workout in my back pocket.

9.13.2016

Workout:

1. 150 yd shuttles x2

2. 75 Minutes of Basketball 

Reading:

Chapter 5 of the Two Towers: The White Rider

Gandalf reunites with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli in the Fangorn Forest.  Something I picked up on that I missed last time, Gandalf says "I am what Saruman was meant to be".

Notes:

It is shocking how tempting it is to lie on this.  Yngve is the only person I am writing this for.  The weight of expectation from one accountabilibuddy was bone crushing alas I choose, to tell the truth, why? Because understating the difficulty of growth can be crippling.

What was I tempted to lie about? I wanted to do 150 yd shuttles x6.  Why didn't I?  I left my home early to go to the court, on my way I was going to swing by the Vitamin Shoppe to grab some pre-workout.  When I got to the Vitamin Shoppe I realized that I had forgotten my wallet at home, so I ran back home to get my wallet, turned around to go to the court, got to basketball late, squeezed in two 150s then threw in the towel and skipped the other four.

I will note that I was shocked at how taxed I felt after just two 150s.  My glutes tightened up 20% of the way through balling and my right ankle, notorious for terrible mobility, wore down and started hurting about 75% of the way through playing ball.

Why am I using pre-workout?  I never used pre-workout before.  I always thought to myself that I didn't want to develop a dependency on it.  Unfortunately, after a day of working/studying/whatever it can be tough to get motivated so if I can spend $1 on some liquid motivation I reckon it's a dollar well spent.