LEGxercises For Skinny Legs [From The BlackBerry Chronicles]

"What work outs r good to develop legs including mass and muscle? I work my legs but they're still skinny"

Sidenote: I've been getting a lot of questions that have fermented into blog posts. If you have a question or blog you want me to write about, shoot me an email @ rrchitect@gmail.com

Rule of thumb #1: For building strength and mass, do more sets, few reps, heavier weights. Ex: instead of squatting 3 sets of 10 reps with 145 lbs, do 5 sets of 3-5 reps with 190 lbs

Rule of thumb #2: For tone, definition, fat burn and lean mass gain, do high reps with less weight. Ex: squat 3-4 sets of 25 reps with your own body weight and or 100-125 lbs.

Sidenote: Don't sleep on calesthetics. You can build some serious muscle, strength, definition, mass and lose a lot of weight by just using bodyweight exercises.

Rule of thumb #3: You need enough water, protein, calories and nutrition to support your muscle growth. Cant stress nutrition enough. Building muscle mass without protein is like putting up a concrete building without cement (architectural nerd moment - eff you Denisha! :)). Water is the same as water in the analogy. If your caloric intake doesn't meet or exceed your workout, you'll get skinnier and end up losing weight or muscle mass [hint for ppl trying to lose weight, just invert that theory]. Simple workout formula: calories in vs calories out. Whichever one is greater, wins.

Rule of thumb #4: Don't HALF-ass the workout. Get the FULL ass....I mean, workout. What does that mean? You hear the cliches "slow and controlled lifts" and after that ppl tend to just drop the weights. Think about this, if you lift a sofa up a flight of stair, do you do it "slow and steady" then drop it when you're done? NO! For more strength and favorable results, lift fast/quickly (but still controlled) and on the drops, return the weight, slow and controlled (these are called negatives). Focus more on the negatives. I promise you, this will cut your max in half for any workout at first, but long term you will see waaaaaaay more results than the "jerk and drop method" that you see most ppl do in the gym. Reason being, you exercise, work and develop the FULL extent of your muscles and tendons and more important in both directions. It will do you no good to lift something if you cant hold it for very long. Not to mention your entire body strengthens as you struggle for stability.

Rule of thumb #5: For building strength and mass, free weights trump machines, hands down. Some exceptions, like bowflexes, cables and other machines, are equally effective.....or almost as.

EXERCISES:

Using this philosophy, here are some of the best leg workouts I found....rather, most effective for quick results as well as long term muscle, strength and endurance gain.

SQUATS.
As much as I hate them, no leg regimen is complete without it. This is also probably one of the greatest total body workouts and along with the bench (great for abs, and back as well), should be the cornerstone of your workout routine. I recommend you start with bodyweight squats until you've perfected your form and body alignment. Caution is key bc this is probably the easiest workout to seriously injure your self doing. Easy when goin up in weight and when you get into heavy weights (180 and up) I strongly recommend investing in a good pair of work out gloves and a good lifting belt. You dont need a bar for this. You can get a great workout with dumb bells, plates or any type of weight (I used to do sumo squats with paint buckets or cinder blocks). For increased challenge and resistance, eventually graduate to one legged squats.

LUNGES.
Hands down my least favorite. I stopped bc my thighs and butt were getting too big and I need my slacks to fit, so ladies, yall can have this one. Another workout that can be done with body weight until balance is perfected, then upgraded to bells or a bar. Once you're body weight becomes too easy, challenge yourself by resting one leg behind you on a chair (imagine you're stepping down from a chair but one foot is still caught on the chair) and do one legged lunges.

Sidenote: When I star gaining weight in places I don't want it, I refuse to buy bigger sizes. That subliminal psychological acceptance is the beginning of the end. 2 lbs here......2 lbs there.........then you wonder where that 20 lbs came from? Doesn't happen over night....I digress.

Deadlifts
This is one where you absolutely need weights and unless its 80lbs or more, you're wasting your time. there are 2 types, one where you keep your legs straight and lift with your back solely. It's important to keep your back straight and never curl the spine. Second, you keep your back straightened and lift with your legs.

Standing Calve Raises
Moreso to isolate and develop the calves. Great for developing your calves to balance out your build and symmetry. I'd recommend 3 sets each with your calve pointed straight forward, in, then out.

Last rule (for mass gain) do not waste your time with seated leg exercises. Three reasons, first, when do you ever have to use your legs while seated unless you plan to kick the dog or cat across the room? For more effective workouts, stick to exercises that emulate real life actions (picking someone up, lifting a sofa, carrying a person, pulling something up). Personally, imagine things like body slamming ppl, pulling myself up from a cliff or pulling someone off a ledge, lifting a fallen beam, being on the Sprartan front line in "300," or any other action flick type, rescue, superhero stuff. :)

Second reason, extending your legs with resistance while seated add unnecessary unnatural stresses on your knees. Try this, sit down and press your palms tightly on your knees then try to extend it. If you feel a click or discomfort, that wobbly thing (your patella) is not supposed to move in that motion and that's what you're doing with weight (like leg extensions).

Third, its ineffective for strength bc it doesn't take into account your full body weight and your cores ability to balance and stabilize the weight. Seated squats (a lazy mans joke) will never compare to standing squats. Not to mention while seated you're pushing off you back and arms and adding back stress that's normally not there. I can seat squat 400 lbs 10x no problem but my max standing was around 300 without any of the knee problems I got with seated machines. The worse hands down is the seated calve raises or as a trainer once called them "a worthless inefficient workout that will give you enough of a pointless burn to make you feel like you actually accomplished something."

Sorry for the essay, but its not a simple question and there is no simple answer. Time, consistency and discipline are the final factors. Without them all this text is useless. I'll leave off on the last most important note: Become a student, and RE-learn every exercise. I learned most exercises in my teens and mostly with inaccurate or bad form. To avoid some serious, severe, irreparable damaging injuries, take some time online watching videos that teach you the correct form and RE-LEARN every exercise..........no matter how well you think you already know it.

I recommend www.BodyBuilding.com supersite - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/index.html

ps, Leg exercise also increases your libido [GIGGITY!!] bc of the increase in testosterone production in your lower body. Also, it will radically improve your build and upper body strength. I didn't believe this trainer when he told me it would help me increase my bench, but it did.

Sent via The Rrchitect

Dont Fall for The AT&T Okie Doke!! [From the Blackberry Chronicles]

I'm always amazed how ape-shit ppl go over new Apple products. You couldn't even load the att website when the new iphone was announced bc all the iphone feens crashed the sight. Att is hilarious. They realized that they are utterly incapable of keeping up with the massive demands caused by the Iphone, so in an attempt fix it, their solution is..............stop using the network so much or we'll nickel and dime you out. But since they cant exactly cut your service against your will, they had to come up with a more alluring, seductive way to do pull this off.

If I believed in the market, I would have invested heavily in att about a month ago when they announced that they were no longer offering unlimited data to new users and revealed the new tiered data structure. Smart users will save a lot of money, but ppl who use their phone ignorantly will get raped. Once I get my new phone that will do all the things I currently don't do, the data calculator estimated me at 4.45 gigs a month. Att's "high end" plan is 2gs and $10 for every 1g over you go. Couple that with them raising the early termination fees on smartphones, (therefore, if you jumped ship just for the Iphone and are dissatisfied with terrible service, you're trapped or have to part ways with a kidney to go back to your old provider) att stands to make a killing.

Remember at one point, phone companies discontinued the unlimited nights and weekends (unless you already had it) bc of usage congestion and only offered 1000 nights and weekends. Remember when long distance wasn't included in your anytime minutes? Calling your neighboring state...and in some cases town, was an additional charge.

Sidenote: My first ever cellphone plan was 200 anytime minutes, long distance not included, unlimited nights and weekends, and I had it for a year before I ever went over (relationships are costly). My first txt msg plan was 200 msg... I average 1200-1700 txt msgs a month now. Can we agree that time and habits change?

Idunno about yall, but I would hold on to a grandfathered unlimited data plan (which they are discontinuing). At first glance, a $15 blackberry plan looks very enticing, but who knows what the internet will look like in 1-3 yrs. Look out for a few things here and on the horizon that will forever alter the next generation of cellphones. Here are a few reasons why you should hold onto your unlimited plan.

Video Calling: Although its currently choppy at best, if you can even connect a call, this is going to be the next mega-craze for smartphone usage. The Evo, Iphone 4 and a small handful others are a few that can video chat now. The quality is about as poor as pre-T1 speed webcam chat but will only get better. Soon, it will be as common as having a camera on your phone. You can't even find a phone today without a camera (they even have flashes that rival your actual camera). I would have preferred companies spent more R&D and fine tuned the concept first, but I credit these folks who pushed to be the first.

Tethering: It's bad enough that att charges you additional fees to do this, while other providers don't but with the tethering option, coupled with an unlimited data plan, you could make a wireless hotspot right at home without a cable or dsl internet plan. You can even use it anywhere with your laptop like an air card. You would definitely need an unlimited plan for this, otherwise whats the point? You think cell phone internet eats a lot of data imagine your computer internet usage? It transfers information to and from your computer even when you're not doing anything.

Video Texting: Att has a phone called "The Shine" and there are a few others that can already insert video into a txt message. Not a hyperlink, not an attachment. Yes. The actual video as streamline as those messages with pictures in it. After thinking "how fricken cool is that?" my inner nerd (shut up Denisha! He's inner I say!) couldn't help but think "that is going to consume a lot of data. Email can't even do that yet w/o youtube.

Wifi: If your wondering why you walk around with 2 spare batteries and bring your charger EVERYWHERE, its bc you probably have your WAP or wifi set to "on". Wifi is much faster than 3G (since its using a different network than what you use for voice) and can handle greater data transfers. This is perfect if you're trying to save $$ bc you can opt out of a data plan and just pick up a reliable wifi signal just like you do with your laptop. So what's the Achilles heal here? See first statement: since its doing more work and constantly checking for more reliable networks, its exorbitantly taxing on battery life, rendering it an unattractive option. As networks get faster and faster, unless companies do something to improve power management, more and more ppl will rely more on their data plans.

Blackberry Messenger: Yall know by now that if bbm was a woman, I'd massage her feet daily. I'm seriously about to get rid of or lower my txt msg plan (I haven't bc I had a conversation similar to this with myself) bc everyone I talk to most is on bbm. You can already have group chats, conference chatting, file sharing, send images, files and even record voice notes back and forth (how's that for a spin on free international conversations; feel free to steal that; you're welcome) its only a matter of time before video chatting is an option.

Multi Media Messages: Show of hands, how many ppl have more than 3 megapixels on their phone cam? Ok, now how many ppl have a phone cam that rivals most digital camera's? I remember when 3.0mp came out in the art/graphics/photography world, that was the death of "point and click" cameras and the 5.0+ was the nail in the coffin for film (outside of industry preference). Now they are making 5-10mp HD cameras on cell phones. Better quality = larger files = more data required to send those picture msg we send so frequently, a la "hey I bought some bomb ass new shoes - CLICK:::SNAP:::SEND- see!!??" You may not exceed 2gigs a month NOW, but 2 phones down the line you may. Which leads me to my last point:

Most users are oblivious of their data usage: Can anyone quantify the txt equivalent of 20 bytes of data?.......... The Final Jeopardy answer, "how are you?" I know this bc I had extensive conversations when trying to figure out an international data plan. Images and attached files are easy bc they tell you the file size but how much data is a 2 minute streaming video, Facebook page or even this blog? Plus these newer phones can do more like view flash, allowing you to watch hulu or netflix on your phone.

Sidenote: wifi and netflix kills my laptop battery life what pillage and desecration will it do to my poor wee lil cell phone battery?

Rumor has it that other carriers are looking to follow suite with the tiered data pricing. If history repeats itself, they may eventually bring back the unlimited plans as data/network supply catches up to consumption demands.....but what if we don't. Do we as consumers need to usher into a new era of limits, restriction, become more cognizant (thanks lady in red) and responsible and considerate about our data ussage?.............................................................MAAAAAAAAAAN, [UGHFFF] DAT!!! As much as we're over charged?!! Shooooot, I'll take a picture of my hand giving a middle finger, attach a voicenote of me singing "lalala," type "how are you" 100 times, and bbm that bitch to Mars if I damn well please!

Sent via The RrChitect by Some provider I refuse to advertise for.

I HATE SIT-UPS! How Can I trim My belly? :(

DISCLAIMER FOR BELLY ENTHUSIASTS: The tummy is probably fitness' greatest quagmire. There is no magic dust to get rid of it. Interview 10 of your slimmest belly friends and outside of the anomalies who look naturally slim (with their clothes on, dont be fooled) they'll all probably tell you the same things. Everyone has some degree of tummiage, moreso as we get older, especially females as you naturally have higher bmi than men. I'm not denouncing the tummy so save the wtf-ery. The following is only for ppl who do not have a loving relationship with the tummy, have reached irreconcilable differences and would rather part ways.

Do you hate sit ups? I don't blame you. They are quite possibly the worse, least efficient exercise ever invented. I had a convo of late and realized, I HATE sit-ups (those who know me know that I hate the word "hate" so I use it sparingly). I'm not even a big fan of crunches. Whenever I confess this I get the obligatory, "oh shut up, you have abs and blah blah blah," hater chat. Which makes sense in the face of what appears to be a blaring contradiction. So here's the next question that almost always follows:

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR CORE IN SHAPE IF YOU DON'T DO SIT-UP?

#1 You flatten your stomach in the KITCHEN, not the gym. Broken record, I know. I've managed to miraculously maintain a relatively slim waistline and core the last year despite not having a gym based on a few dietary disciplines I've developed over the years. This one is simply a reminder, for more details, re-visit:
Staying Motivated in the Gym..........Part 3

Staying Motivated in the Gym.......Part 2

Staying Motivated in the Gym....Part 1

#2 You don't need to build abs, you need to burn fat. I know some really muscular guys who have kegs for bellies (we call that the "prison build"). Thats bc they only focus on muscle development and don't compliment with fat burning. I hate traditional cardio, I prefer activities. I hate treadmills, I'd rather play basketball or run in the park, up a hill, mountain, etc. I hate stairmasters, I'd rather run up and down stairs with a pair of 10-20-40-50 lb dumbells, depending on how "Spartan" I'm feeling that particular day. Elypticals are the devil. Why use a stationary bike? Putting in all this effort and going nowhere.....literally, physically and metaphorically. Buy an actual bike.

#3 Break your routine. I know ppl who have been going to the gym for years and you'd never know outside of them constantly complaining and bragging about it. Why do you have a gym membership more than 6 months and see no noticeable progress? Easy, you're doing the same things over and over. Your body adapts and adjust to the only way to prevent it from plateauing is to keep fluctuating your routine. Retire all those machines I just mentioned. Learn the schedule and attend all the classes. Go swimming. Play racket ball, soccer (most physically demanding sport ever IMO). Don't like the gym, take some dance classes (dancing has always been my second favorite cardio of all time ::GIGGITY!::).

#4 Get/use a pull up bar. Ever wish there was a way to get the same effect of sit-ups and crunches without laying on the floor and hurting your back? Funny you should ask. MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE AND MOST EFFECTIVE CORE WORKOUT: Hanging leg raises. Personally, I like to hang from the bar as I do this, to strengthen my grip and upper body as well, but if you're not there yet, you can get a pair of pullup straps to hang from. Any sports store or online shop would have em. For starters, just try to pull your legs up to a "chair" position, then as you advance you can pull your knees to your chest and eventually do it straight legged. I can go on for another blog on this exercise...like bicycles, oblique lifts, clock rotations, alternating legs, 90 degree extensions - get creative....but take it easy bc you will burn in ways you've never hurt before.

#5 Full body workouts. Staying away from machines adds a new dimension to your workout by working out your core as well as whatever muscle you're on.. Try this. Any exercise you do on a machine:
-figure a way to do it with free weights. Start off light. Balance and proper form are the most important aspects here.
-figure out a way to do it on one leg, then alternate to the other leg.
By doing this, you add two variables, your own body weight and gravity and by doing this, you work parts of your core you can't easily target with traditional floor exercises. My favorite workouts that also target your core: deadlifts, squats and vertical rows.

#6 Take a picture of the belly. Draw a face on it. Make it talk. Confront it. Name it. As long as you treat it like a pink elephant and mask it in peasant dresses and bionic structural hosiery, its going nowhere. And if you're fine with that, cool, this article is not for you. But if you have a bit of tummy you'd care to part with, the most important step is to confront it.

I have to get to work. I just acquired a new image of where I want to go with my core, so I have a bit of work ahead of me. If you can implement some self discipline, I just saved you hundreds of dollars in personal training and infomercial dvd packs.

PC vs MAC...My $0.02

Today's Corn and Cheese: "Just like my profile pic, I'm back!"

Good news/Bad news:

Good: I got a new laptop after a long and extensive search!!!
Bad: I've upgraded to Windows 7 from XP.

Dont get me wrong, 7 is awesome, for new users, but I feel like it forgets us fossils who have been using windows for 20 yrs. This is only bad bc I feel like a digital encino man, emerging from some comatose hibernation. I successfully avoided windows vista like the plague, and after years of usage and comparative analysis, I can't convince myself to shell out MAC money. I'm sorry, but I refuse to pay Vacay money on hardware for sex appeal. To me, more than half the joy in anything I own is the crackhead price I more than likely paid for it (ask me how much it costs or is worth, not how much I paid for it). I've used both platforms at the highest level of performance (video capture and editing, sound editing, audio production, CAD, 3D modelling and rendering, downloading and viewing porn, web surfing, digital photography, graphic design and video gaming to name a few) and despite what the quirky nerdy, yet lovably cool guy in the commercials would have you believe, MACs have just as much problems as pc's and will crap out on you just the same at the least opportune time. In fact, it may prove even more problematic bc when your mac does have problems, you have fewer ppl around with the knowledge and tools to fix them (sorry, my pc geek squad is to vast n deep - thats what she said). I have a friend who was without his macbook for over 2 weeks for some simple problem that I could have walked down the block and fixed on a pc.

Since I already discpelled the performance objections, here are the major selling points I keep hearing for macs:

"Macs dont get virus' and spyware" FALSE! Technically, the real answer is "yes and no." If you listen carefully, they tend to say macs are safe from "PC viruses".....which is true. They do in fact get virus' malware and trojans. Although it is rarer to non existent compared to pc's, it does happen and when, or if it does, it can be terminal or infinitely more difficult to fix bc the lack of an antivirus program to differentiate good or bad. Kind of like those cities that shut down for half an inch of snow. However, with the increase in mac users of late, there has been an increase, hence the development of mac antivirus and malware programs like Snow Leapord.
REF: (Since Nicole said I dont do any "blasted research")

http://www.switched.com/2009/09/01/apple-quietly-admits-macs-get-viruses/

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_macs_get_viruses

http://www.betanews.com/article/Macs-dont-get-viruses-myth-dissolves-before-publics-eyes/1251493625

Sidenote: She's absolutely right, I dont do research. Ppl get paid to do that, this is fun. My research is life, and occasionally I find and provide supplimentary documentation....for what I already know.

"You can run a virtual PC/windows emulator on a mac" Stupid question, if you want to run a PC so bad, why not get a flippin PC? SURPRISE BISCUITS! PC's can run mac OS too! (The industry or trade lingo for it is "HACKintosh." I think its kinda cute. Dont endorse hacking so you'll have to look that up on your own).

"Its so much simpler" Remember this, "user friendly" = dumbed down. Yeah, and so is a car, but if you give one to a teenager who can barely drive, doesn't know how to handle the transmission, check the fluids and maintenance the car, keep the payments up, obey traffic laws, park properly and stores a bunch of crap in it, can we agree that the problem MAY....just MAY not lie in the car? We should have defensive PC courses.

Folks, I'm not anti-mac, but heres a selling point a MAC user can never use: PRICE. I know ppl with $2000 table settings/paperweights that will never even use $1000 worth of its capabilities.....but sure looks cool. If you browse the internet, email, use office software, listen to music and store photos, you really shouldn't pay more than $500-700 on a desktop or laptop, AND it'll handle ample porn. MAC's are amazing machines for certain applications, but I'm sorry, I can't justify spending 2k on a low end or base model MAC, when 2k in PC boards, and hardware could build a beast of a computer. If you absolutely have to have the MAC platform, be my guest. To each his own, just buy it for the right reasons and not for fad or this false smear campaign going. Reminds me of the cola wars of the 80's.

Sidenote: I'm not a pervert, I'm a realist. Any straight man who has a computer, on the internet, has porn on his computer. If he denies, he's lying or has some serious social, interpersonal issues. He may not feel comfortable sharing bc society demonizes porn, but I have 3 easy steps to expose anyones pc, even the most horndog MIT summa cum laude. Either that or he's telling the truth bc he streams it straight from the net or keeps it in some hidden external drive.

But now back to this windows 7? It's like walking into your room and somebody cleaned and moved all your stuff and nothing is where you put it or know it to be. Can I get some one on one consultation? Apparently the strategy here was to make it more "user friendly" which is simply industry term for "we dumbed it down for dummies...ya big dummy!"....which is why macs only have one button on the mouse, and come in single units at times, bc God forbid you should be burdened with connecting clearly labeled and color coded cables together (they even have little pictures to show you what plugs into what).

Will you be my windows 7 sponsor, hold my hand and walk me through this? Do I need to get a windows 7 for dummies or a Win7 Rosetta Stone to get up to par? They don't even come with books anymore. Off to the internet I go (GO GREEN!). Has it really been 6 yrs since my last pc? I'm getting through, but it seems like everything takes at least 30% more time to do. Saying all this to say, I've been on some real brain flatulence the last few days while I migrate all my files. When that's done and squared away, I'll resume some of the wholesome blog goodness, gems, thingies that I've had in the cue for a while.

My initial reaction:

Sidenote: Ooooh! Now that I have a laptop, can I be one of those pretentious bloggers who sit in coffeeshops, sip drinks with mocha and appachino in it, and blog in public all day long? Bc there is no better productive environment more conducive to creativity than a loud, public, high traffic public area with hundreds of side conversations and distractions.

Sidernote: GRRRRR!!! WHy is a simple copy and paste so difficult!!

Sidestnote: MMMMMM! I looooooove mocha and appachinooooo aaaarrrgghhghgh!!!

TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how.........Part 2

Previously on "My $0.02"............TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how.

ADDENDA!!! - 04/14/10

So here's a shocker, over a year to the date I originally wrote this, facebook has a whole new interface, look at navigation. YAAAAAAY....pay attention, they took away more rights.

Have you noticed that you're getting more random solicited friend requests and msgs from strangers, stalkers and ex's you've been trying to avoid? Are all the ppl you've tactically blocked finding you? Well, Mr. Zuckerburg and co., who are admitted huge fans of Twitter (insert frowny face emoticon) did away with many of your our privacy settings YET AGAIN. Gee......what a shocker....this is outrageousssss [insert uproar].

Sidenote: Why do I have a feeling that Twitter will bring about the fall of
mankind?

Well have we been violated? Well yeah, if you haven't read TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how. and applied those simple tips to safeguarding your information. For additional not-be-a-moronomics, also revisit: PSA: "Facebook/myspace/twitter/Blackplanet ruined my relationship." However, since the playing field has changed, we must now adapt. Here are a few more pointers that can help safeguard your privacy. Please, feel free to add any that you may have discovered.

Sidenote: The real question or rather commentary to ponder on your way home is, if you decided to make a public personal page on the World Wide Web (www.) then why in Lou Farrigno, are you so concerned about privacy, but I'm not going to be a jerk to point fingers and ask questions. I'm just saying. Personal accountability ppl.

-PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take the year out of your birthday! I know I mentioned taking all biographical information out of your page, but for those reading for the first time (and the hard headed alike) along with your other info....which we encouraged you to take out, this is the last piece of the puzzle for your friendly neighborhood identity thief.

-Re-visit your privacy settings. A lot of them are still there, but have somehow, mystically been set to "public." Most of them are just a click away.

-Limited profile. I don't think ppl utilize this feature nearly enough. Some ppl, you just need their contact, but they don't need an all access backstage pass.

-Disable tagged pics. I did this for a project that was under great scrutiny.......but now that the project is over, I think I'll leave it the way it is. I think my photo albums and profile pics are more than enough for someone to identify me.

-Toggle your photo settings. I recently found out that a lot of my albums were reset to public, when a friend told me how her friend spent some time going through my photo albums. Make sure they're all set to "friends only."

-Stop linking accounts. I'm very wary about anything that requires putting a screenname and password from another account. Whats the point of a pseudonym or an avatar if it's linked to your biographical info? Is anonymity the modern duck-billed platypus?

-Disable your wall. What better way to keep raggedy comments off your wall, then to not have a wall? I see more and more ppl doing this..........or maybe they just put me on "limited profile" :-S

If worse comes to worse, I supposed you can delete ppl. I've clicked on contacts before only to find that we were no longer contacts anymore. No fall out or disconnect, they just decided our one or two interactions were not enough to bless me with the honor of their facebook page. Can't blame em. But once again, the greater question is, what are you so afraid of revealing? Are you a douche who goes through great painstaking lengths to conceal it? Hell, if a fugitive can evade authorities while updating his facebook page AND build a fan page with over 10,000 followers, what are YOU worried about simple person?

REF:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/23/uk.fugitive.facebook.prison/index.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-fugitive-taunts-police-while-on-the-run-20091229-lhyn.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10434345-71.html

Sidenote: He probably got caught by signing up to Twitter.
Sidernote: My friend and I have a number of theories where he may be hiding. Remind me to share.

Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 5

Previously in My $0.02................... Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 1

Followed by.................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 2

Then..................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 3

and............................................Why kids today are so DUMB!! Theory 4

Here's a baby. Look at the baby!! LOOK AT THE BABY!! Cute aint she? (Scientific studies of extensive researching stuff state that cute babies are soothing on the eye and make ppl more susceptible to accepting theories) One of my newest cousins. Can you believe this little jerk doesn't like me? YET!? She's one of those stoosh "Imma play shy in front of company" types. But the one in the back is one of my favorite little girls in planet. Now its one thing to be ignored by the newbie (she'll come around sooner or later), but my fav was in another world bc as you can see, she was enthusiastically programming all her contacts into her new cell phone. This led to a very intriguing discussion btwn us about usage and habits of why a 12 old needs a cell phone. Which leads me to theory #5:


Theory #5: Everyone has cell phones

This might seem minoot, but technology impairs our memories. When I was in high school, I had about 40 numbers memorized at the tip of my tongue at any given time. Now, if you lose you phone, you might as well be in a tunnel on Mars. Pop quiz: without looking at your phone, how many phone numbers do you know by heart? PS, you parents or home phone doesn't count. Don't cheat...well it doesn't really matter bc if you are cheating, its pretty self evident that you failed this little social experiment.

I recall correcting a teachers spelling in high school and I always remembered him saying, "wait until you're out of school and have been using spell check for a few years" and I laughed at his warning. Now, how many ppl can get through a document without that red squiggly line? On top of the mental address book, I also had everyone's birthday memorized. These days, if I didn't sign into Facebook, you more than likely won't get a birthday greeting from me.

Kids do not need cell phones for the same reason students don't need calculators. I'm old school so as far as I'm concerned, until letteration starts popping up and your math class starts looking like some english class typos, you don't need a calculator. WHY? Bc you impair, or rather, stunt your learning growth in the embryonic stages of cognitive thinking. Let's be clear. 70% of what you learn up until grade 12 is utter bs and will be of no use to you in life. It's not the content thats important, its the methodology of learning. If you bifurcate the two and focus solely on content, sans the methodology, you birth a generation of droid who basically are programed with RAM (random access memory) and no hard drive (long term storage) mental computation.

I digress.

Why are cell phones problematic? Other than all the reasons I stated above? The brain is like any muscle, and lack of usage leads to atrophy.......after development. Lack of usage before development can lead to impotence if not paralysis (didn't I tell you guys I had no regard for the english language? It's misuse and mishandleage? - quote from my open mic slam days - TEEHEE!). I mastered 258 ways to cheat and not get caught without technology. Who knows what tomwreckery the youtes are doing these days?

I won't even touch on smart phones. When we have a generation that can't answer a questions with any critical discernment bc we've replaced "thinking" with "googling." Sad forecast. An armada of smartphone in the hands of dunce users.

Are you suffering from "Recession Body?"

I've noticed a peculiar trend over the last year. All the ppl who I know to normally be health nuts, fit freaks, gym rats, diet natzis have all slipped and slacked off. Myself included. Could this be another adverse affect of the recession?

"Recession Body" Diagnosis:

• Are ppl spending less time in the gym bc they are spending more time at work?
  
• Second jobs?
  
• Job searching?
• Are more ppl packing on pounds bc they are home and out of work?
• Are more ppl canceling their gym membership to cut corners in an attempt to save money?
• Are ppl generally less happy, and thus unmotivated to work out?
• Are ppl just so stressed that they are drawn to worry about more pressing matters than their physique?

I had to give myself a stern reminder, my whole get it shape campaign was by no means cosmetically motivated. I actually went through some serious series of events and health issues (I'll stop there in the name of TMIatry) that made me undergo a serious life and health overhaul and think of my life/health in the long run.

The thought first occurred to me during Carnival bc number one, I was not content with how I looked (never again!) and two, a lot of ppl who normally take Carnival serious and go all out to get in shape for it.........for lack of a better word, fell off.

Well fortunately here are two great motivators for fitness: New Years, and the one currently upon us, WARM WEATHER!!! There's just something about warm weather that just makes ppl want to get naked. And with much skin exposed, comes much responsibility. The weather hit 60 in NYC last weekend and you would have sworn it was 80. Ride that momentum and let it take you out of your current slump. The economy may be in shambles, but must you be? If the country is on the up and up towards recovery, how about you?

June 15th 2009 - The Saddest Day EVER!!

A day that will forever live in infamy.

Last summer, I experienced many losses that will stain my heart for years to come. None of which as paramount as this. ............. to paint the picture of anguish and tornment (no its not a typo), I will seek the musical accompaniment of James Blunt. Press play then continue reading:



On June 15th, 2009, The Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Arts, (my alma mata) suddenly and deliberately closed the doors to its old school of engineering building forever....... and with it, my gym. Apparently the new bawla-ass building doesn't have enough space to allocate one to the gym. For 11 yrs, I've tried many "sports clubs," worked out in basement set ups, but the greatest most effective workout environment was my free-with-alumni card, Cooper weight room where I tested and exceeded my physical limits and carved my body to new definition. School was a very stressful time in my life and sometimes my only escape was to hit the gym, aka the dungeon, aka "the basement from Rocky" (as one of my friends dubbed it) for 10-15-30 minutes at a time. This is where I realized that 3 hours in the gym is ridiculous and how much damage you can do with 10-30 minute work outs, as long as you're consistent.

I've tried 4 major sports clubs and none of which gave me the results or enjoyment of my little hole in the wall gym. Don't need machines and lights n music, all I need is 4 walls, free weights, a few cables and benches and I'm good. I'm tired of dudes walking around the locker room booty-butt naked......who quite frankly have no business walking anywhere naked and really need to humble themselves. I'm tired of seeing ppl use the bathroom, not wash their hands and run back into the gym.....to touch equipment. I'm tired of laying on a bench with the sweat of a thousand asses. I'm tired of waiting in line to use the bench. I'm tired of random strangers who feel the need to tell you how much they USE to bench as if you care. I'm tired of "Mr. Fit", who looks like the most he's lifted since high school football was a tv remote, attempting to give me tips or correct my form. I'm tired of the social club that huddles around the benches and chats up a storm while I'm waiting to finish up my rep. I'm tired of the one person wandering around like he lost his keys, has no idea what to do in the gym, but feels the need to be there. I'm tired of never being able to find two 20lb dumb bells. WHY IS EVERYONE ALWAYS USING THE 20lb DUMBBELL!!??

This is the reason why there hasn't been a "Staying Motivated in the Gym" installment in so long, but I really need to break out of it. Fortunately, my disciplines have yielded some long term residual results. I'm not as Spartan-esque as I used to be, but for a person who has been without a gym for 9 months, I think I'm holding up pretty well. I attribute it mostly to my diet, but I see where I've faltered and I know what I have to do to get back. I checked the weather the other day, and the forecast was "GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN THE GYM!!"

Sidenote: I've been telling ppl for years, what you eat is WAAAAY more important that your workout and you could carve and trim down your core/mid section drastically just by changing your eating habits. If you haven't in a while, check out the SMITG series under "fitness" in the labels.

SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT! SHOVEL IT!

This is what happens when a fitness junky, dancer with slight OCD and high energy shovels...............


Most ppl just shovel a walkway. The problem with that is for the next week or so, everytime it melts you have black ice to worry about, which is the real threat....... Sidenote: Ice is clearly clear, so why bc of its dangerous element, it has to be called BLACK ice?!! I always say, "dont do something half ass, get the whole ass - PAUSE."Notice a distinct contrast btwn my sidewalk, driveway and the neighbor's. I'm still mad I missed a few spots. Couple things the photo doesn't tell you:
This photo was taken an hour after I stopped shoveling.
It was still snowing.
I would like to thank dancehall reggae artist/dancer Ding Dong and the Ravers Clavers for this song. I have a shoveling playlists.......it consists of one song that gets looped over and over until I'm done. In case you're dying to learn the "shovel it" dance, here ya go. No that's not me, and no I don't know the guy, but the dance is about 3 yrs old so its kinda hard to find a decent clip of it. Try it next time you're clearing out your sidewalk and driveway....at the exact pace and tempo. Great overall body workout. Rather than freezing, I was breaking a good sweat. Don't curse the snow.....seize the workout opportunity!!

p.s..........I like to have fun...HEEHEE!!

Accepting Change and Polarity

According to German philosopher Schopenhauer, all change, truths or any thing introduced as new, systemically goes through three stages:

First - Mocked and ridiculed
Second - Violently opposed
Third - Accepted as self evident and truth

That being said, I get a lot of positive feedback from my blogs, and for that we thank you. Subscribe, comment and follow along (and yes, I refer to myself in plural from time to time). HOWEVER, I do on occasion get mocked and ridiculed AND violently opposed. I welcome this, but please, leave the comments here on the blog site. Don't txt me, email or im me these things. So it was no surprise that I received a good amount of violent opposition to my "Why You're Still Single - Ladies I" post, despite my well intentioned "PROLIGUE."

As a writer, creative thinker, its is inevitable to reach some controversy or opposition from your words. Hell, with all the slack shit I been writing, I wonder what took so long. I been calling todays kids "dumb" more than a drunk Bill Cosby, talked about lazy moms and sniping babies!!

One thing I learned years ago was to suspend disbelief when looking at the views of others or simply, not to look at them. I'll never forget my first week at college, a dear friend Ayda Girma asked my opinion on her artwork. Unconfident in my ability to critique, I told her I was an architect and she said, "Who cares. Everyone's opinions are valuable. Even if its a bum on the street, at least listen first........then you can decide, okay you're a bum and I don't agree." Recently, my pal Al advised me that if I look at MSNBC, you have to look at FOX NEWS as well, bc the two are so polarized in viewpoints that it is impossible to find middle ground on either platform. No one is going to be convinced or swayed to the other side by a broadcast of Rush Limbaugh or a Michael Moore film. You either go in with the mindset you have or not at all bc you oppose them. They cater to like minded viewpoints....hence, both are entertaining nonethelessm, but how does that foster growth or change? Its about balance. Thats probably why ppl get so bottlenecked bc you keep getting the same advice from the same sources, the same news and info from the same sources and wonder why nothing changes and certain things never work out.

I simply started this series bc I, personally, am sick of all the man bashing, "no good men left," statistical, boarderline castrating propaganda that we're spoon fed all the time. If there was a spectrum, if there was some sense of self responsibility or variety in the arguments, I'd be fine. The "Why You're Still Single" series will eventually continue, but to be honest, A.D.D. is kicking ass, so I just need to get a few things off my mind before I get back into that. The news has just been oh so FASCINATING of late =)
It's amazing where ppl's hot buttons are.

Why men cat call and will never stop.

[From The Blackberry Chronicles]

Ladies: Its not news that men are notorious for cat-calling, doing and saying anything that comes to mind in an ill-witted attempt to get your attention. I've heard directly and second hand some of the most disrespectful mumbo jumbo spewed at women [the crown goes to overzealous, ambitious teenage boy shouting at random women across the street who walk by, "YO MAH!!!? WANNA FUCK!?" CAN'T make that up guys.]

So the question of paramount interest is simply, "why?" Why do men continue to do this?

No extensive, investigation, research or analysis necessary here. I won't even make this blog that long. I'm about to break it down into three uber simple words which irrelevant of its inexorable truth, some of you will adamantly deny and oppose:

.............because it works!

That's it. That was the reason right there in case anyone missed it or was waiting for something epic. Because it works. If it didn't work, men wouldn't do it. Did I say it works on everyone? Extra "Hell" plus some "nah" but I have seen women drawn in by some of the most backwards disrespectful calls ever. It truly is a fascinating sight when you've had one of these internal dialogues: "There's no way in hell she's going to respond to... OMG she's walking over. She's going to slap him for sure. There's no way any....OMG, is she giving him her number???"

To truly understand this point one must become versed in the Law of Averages, which states (succinctly) if you do something often enough you will develop a margin of success to failure. Aka ratio. Common example, batting average.

Men are hunters by nature and hunters understand this concept very well even if they never heard it packaged as such. If a cheetah can run down 50 buffalo, knowing he may get trampled, he's bound to catch at least one. Do all 50 ever get away? More often than you think. But by maintaining persistence and faith in the law of averages, whether 1 in 50 or 1 in 100 or 1 in 200, at the end of the day 1 is still 1 and that's all the predator cares about. Poor batting average? Perhaps, but according to who? No hall of famer has ever batted over a .3. That means in baseball, if you succeed only 3 out of 10 time, your a multi-millionaire hall of famer.

I don't give two flying soda pop bottles whether its right or wrong, it makes sense. As long as it still works from time to time, there's nothing us good guys can do to help on our end. Sorry, hate to put the onus on you but we tried. The only other option would be for women to stop being appealing or looking nice and I'm sure thats a loss for both sides. What yall need to do is form a "Million Women March"- international convention and decide as a ppl that women globally will never respond again to catcalls. Cus you know what they say about that one bad apple?


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