Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Recently I decided to do my weight training cycles in two-month blocks instead of three months.  Part of it is that you have to change things up from time to time because your body gets used to what you have been doing and you plateau.  By changing things and keeping them new you avoid that.  Weightlifting has some of that built-in by changing the resistance level but changing the exercises, training split and order do a lot in terms of keeping things fresh.  Keeping things challenging so you don’t get complacent is a lot of what I have learned from lifting.

The major change that will start next week is bringing back into my routines one piece of equipment – the barbell.  That means squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. I have avoided these since joining my new gym because of the hiatus before and because I wanted to make sure my body was ready with fewer aches and pains before I began.  I am ready and to be honest I need to do it.

As I look at the problem areas that remain on my body they all related to the three exercises I stated above. Those are the places where fat burn has been lowest and muscle development lightest.  Basically glutes, lower back, and chest.   It is those three missing exercises that would probably get me over the plateau I’m am on now as well and so it is time.

The other issue is walking and hiking. I don’t know but I have this image of me in retirement doing some crazy hiking. Like the United States hiking triple crown which consists of the Appalachian Trail (AT), The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  To do that requires a lot of training walks and shorter hikes as preparation for that.  It’s a few years down the road but I can see it in my head.

There is, of course, the issue of the Self Virtues which is to provide strength over self and provide the ability to overcome weaknesses of self.  That requires discipline, perseverance, and fidelity.  Progress doesn’t just fall out of the sky.

Discipline:

“Discipline is the willingness to be hard on oneself first and then if needed help with the development with others, so that greater purposes may be achieved.”

Principle: Apply discipline to every aspect of life that it can be applied.

Goal: To be following a full Paleo Diet by March 31, 2020.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act on April Fools Day, April 1st, 2020.

Nutrition is also a big issue, Mostly I want right now to go through my apartment and get rid of anything I am not supposed to be doing with Paleo and start right from there.  But my wife isn’t doing it and it wouldn’t be right to impose this on her although I think it would help both of us.  So mostly I am going to have to find ways to do this myself and avoid the temptations in the kitchen.

Mostly though I need to ask the question fo whether discipline can be applied to anything else in my life.

Perseverance:

“Perseverance is the ability to stand up and return from defeat and failure”

Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.

Goal: To engage in an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking, and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.

This week has had a lot of failure and defeat, time to get up and keep trying.

Fidelity: 

“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s Gods and Goddesses, to one’s Folk, to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends was as valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”

Principle: Be loyal to those who have been loyal to me.

Goal: Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation (achieved)

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all by March 18th, 2029.

I don’t know.  Fidelity is complicated.  I am now looking at who I should be loyal to in a lot of areas of my life.  I have a very few friends left because in this latest crisis my ‘friends’ scattered like cockroaches when the light is turned on. In truth, though all my relationships are getting the – ‘OK, I am loyal to you, but why’ question? I am just not sure how much I am going to like the answers.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom:

What is the wise thing to do?  It is my last question on each decision.  After the questions: What is the loving thing to do and what is the just thing to do? I guess there can be those moments where I still don’t have a good answer.   In the meantime, I maintain discipline, keep getting up and maintain Troth. 

Rest Day Routine: 

1. Morning Routine
2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
4. Walking – 1 hour.
5. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
6. Reading – half an hour for enjoyment.

Once I find a full-time job rest days will be at a premium and this will be much more important.  I need to sit down and revise this one more. What I am seeing is that there will be a standard daily routine and a few things that either fall in the Work Day or Rest Day Routine.

Goals and Bucket List Items Achieved (Since Summer 2018):

Goals Achieved: 3

1. Graduated College with a BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business – December 2018
2. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019
3. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation – June 2019

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!