Labor on Labor Day

The other day I thought about making an exercise contraption in my backyard for doing chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, rows, and sit-ups. I thought about it for a while, developed a plan, went to Lowe's for some materials, and then over Labor Day, I put it all together. It came out just the way I had planned.

It was fun building and I was pleased to get the angles square and level. Part of the fun is simply taking an idea from my head and making it a reality. Dips and pull-ups are tough exercises. I like that they employ several muscles at one time. They build real world strength. There is no gimmick to a dip or a pull-up. Either you do it or you don't.

This morning, I did a set of dips and then I threw the ball for Bear. I repeated that a few times and really enjoyed it. I like the fact that I am working out outdoors. At the gym I do 3 or 4 sets of 12 dips and I am up to about 4 pull-ups. With my backyard torture rack I can do them all day long. I am going to shoot for 10 or more sets on a weekend day.

Since I have been laid up from running, I have been going to the gym and working my upper body. Now that I am getting back to the running, I don't have the time to work the upper body. Now with my exercise station, I can have the best of both worlds.

The first photo is of the materials I used to make the dip/chin station.

The Materials

The finished product. Notice the sit up bench I made. It rests on the bottom pipe. The middle pipes slide out of the way so I can do pull-ups or chin-ups.

The plan comes together

At the top of the exercise station is a brace with special meaning. As a surprise a few years ago, mom and Rocky brought me their piano from Missouri. Rocky had it packed really good and the two screwed together 2x4’s were part of that packing. Now they serve to add stability to my machine. So he is with me in spirit and I know he would be happy to be a part of something that makes people stronger.

A piece of Rocky

So that's what I did on my Labor Day weekend. It was fun building and now I have a nice piece of outdoor workout equipment.

Until the next time
John Strain

Role Models

You may have missed it, but the greatest moment in the Little League World Series took place after the walk off homerun that won the game. The Japanese players were in the middle of the infield devastated at the sudden loss and unable to hide their pain. Some of them were crying; most hung their heads. A few feet away, the celebrating team from Warner Robins, Georgia took notice of their opponent’s pain.

A celebration morphed into a display of compassion for the vanquished. Our American boys offered hugs and kind words. Such a sight to behold; I thought about how I wished our Major Leaguers would take a lesson from those boys. Baseball is a business sure, but it was a game first and the little leaguers demonstrated just how beautiful it could be.

An act of kindness so pure and true to the meaning of sport was displayed for all to see, but the headlines focused on the winning homer. The greatest moment was missed by many. Had my son hit the winning homerun; it would not have swelled my chest with pride like the hugs offered to console the pain of losing.

So hats off to those boys - may their kind gesture only foreshadow even better things to come in their lives.

Until the next time
John Strain

Love the iMac

One of the most enjoyable things in life is opening a brand new piece of electronics. My iMac came in on Friday, but I waited until Saturday AM to take it out of the box. I had plenty of time to soak in the experience. It gives me the same feeling I had Christmas morning as a kid.

Moving up to the latest stuff is always a thrill. My old Mac tower was a 2001 model. It served me well, but I have moved on.

I can't wait to translate all of that computing power into neat stuff on the old blog.

But for now, Bear needs to go pee on a few bushes around the neighborhood.

Until the next time
John Strain

Deja vu

I doubt I am the only one to feel pangs of PTSD with this latest tropical storm out in the Atlantic. Dean is a couple of weeks out, but I know what it can become. Fortunately now the forecasters are having it travel far south of my humble abode.

When I saw it was headed this way, my brain started thinking of the prep work I needed to do. Katrina is almost a two year memory now, but she left a vivid impression.

This weekend I am going to fill my gas cans, get some chainsaw supplies, and make sure the liquor closet is stocked up. I think if more people had stocked up on booze, they wouldn’t have been killing and looting so much. Just my opinion.

The peak of hurricane season is September 14. From now until about the 28th of September is when most of the tropical activity takes place. Just imagine a rodeo cowboy sitting on the bucking bronco in the chute, those of us on the Gulf Coast are tying our hand to the saddle horn. Last year we made it the 8 seconds and the clown successfully distracted the wild beast from launching us from the arena.

What will this season bring? I guess I will find out, but as the days fall from the calendar my sense of trepidation rises. I know what I’ll do; I’ll go to the iTunes store and download another classic rock album from my childhood. That’s what I call fighting fire with fire. One bad memory matched with a good one. In the end, they cancel each other out.

Whatever.

Have you noticed the morning star in the east just before dawn? Old Venus was shining brightly this morning in my neighborhood. It seems like a short time ago Venus was the evening star. She rose in the west just after dusk. For those keeping score at home, that was in March.

Enjoy your Thursday.

Until the next time
John Strain

Another day in paradise

As the trash truck screams on into the muggy sub 7:00 am air, I am sitting here cooling down from my workout at the gym. A Styrofoam cup holds nectar of the gods better known as coffee. I grab a cup of the free swill on my way out the door. I just read my email and Apple has notified me that my new iMac is in route from China. I hope they don't use any lead paint on it, because I have a tendency to chew on computer casings.

Bear is munching down his daily meal and soon he will be sitting behind me staring with his eyes that long to move me outdoors to throw his beloved football. I can't resist the call of those eyes. No matter what else happens today, I will know beyond any doubt that I have made another living thing happy. If people would jump around with appreciation like dogs, folks might do more good just to see the gyrations.

I have new job prospects. I won't jinx them by going into it now, but I will talk about it after I sign on the dotted line - if there is to be one.

But for now, it is time to refill the little white cup and go back into the oven that was once the outdoors and put Bear through his paces.

Check out the new iTunes widget in my sidebar. It shows you how I have been spending my money. I buy the classic rock and Barbara buys the contemporary Christian music. Go figure.

Have a great day,

Until the next time
John Strain