Weightlifting

Routines and Systems – Planning: First and Last Routines

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sif’s Day!

Yesterday I determined my various foci for my life and this week is going to be all about figuring out which routines are needed and what systems need to be put in place. The real challenge is as a third shifter morning and evening are very relative for me. So the real issue is more of ‘what is the best time or most productive time for this. Coming up with names to describe it is a little more difficult. It’s not a morning /evening situation. It’s not a wake-up/go-to-sleep situation Eventually I went First and Last.

The First Routine is done right after I get up. So the focus is the best part of my day being used for things that are probably creative in nature I can see my writing/reading and YouTube Stuff falling in this slot. This also would involve anything that is about the philosophical application to life. It is also about Love, Family, and Lifestyle. So it involves relationships and cleaning for the most part. This is where I reset my apartment from a cleaning point of view and then get ready for work on a workday or move into the last routine if it is a day off. This is the big routine but once I get it going it will be pretty much automatic once I get out of bed.

The Last Routine is more about health and perhaps a few other things. But mostly health and doing it for the most part right after work or when off that day right after the First. I get off work and go to the gym, and talk a walk if the weather permits. Get something to eat and head to bed.

I change the focus name of Money to Lifestyle because then it is a little broader. That’s applying philosophy to various aspects of life, not just money although money is included.

I am going to try my best to put everything I can into these two routines. But what doe not fit usually becomes a system and systems are used for the routines. The issue is if I can get it into a routine I am more likely to do it and have it become a habit. Stacking habits together is important for this process.

What remains is that for the next six days, I will be taking the six areas of focus and figuring out what goes in each routine and where. I need to get this as close to right as possible but I know adjustments need to be made and I am starting this with a lot of knowledge of the past.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Learning to Focus

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Freya’s Day!

Right now I have the time to step back and regain my focus. I have certain areas of my life that I am trying to improve on and I need to refocus on them. So this post will be listing them and saying a few words to clarify for both you the gentle reader and myself.

  1. Writing – There are basically two habits I need to put in place and that is the writing itself, and no good writer is worth anything without also being a reader. But in reading I don’t want to read as much as I want to study the book I am reading. Quality of quantity.
  2. Media Presence – In this case Youtube Channel and all that goes with it. I figure at two videos a week I should be good. But that requires a regular system of recording, editing, and presenting.
  3. Health – Lifting, hiking, and dieting.
  4. Money – Multiple income streams. I need my job currently to make ends meet but I need more streams of income to pay off debt and get my cabin in the woods eventually. Minimalism and being a Stoic NNV following Viking are my means to this end and the subject of my Youtube channel.
  5. Love – I am not very good on my own. I need to fall in love again and have that woman in my life that makes me better. That said my system here is to simply be who I am and put that out there.
  6. Family – need to come up with a system that improves my communication with my kids and keeps it more regular.

So there are a lot of habits and systems to create here. I need to overlap and build them into morning and evening routines and other systems. Things need to overlap and support each other.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

The Gym Life (Short Post)

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day!

One of my goals yesterday was to set up a training regimen and in the end, I decided against it. The fact is that I now go to the gym, and think to myself – what haven’t I done in a while? This becomes the target and it also helps with the fact that it can be hard to always get the equipment you want with other people. So this sale that problem and I can either jump ahead or work on something I feel needs to be worked on more intensely. I have come a long way from needing every set and rep planned out like in the past. So, I guess the main thing is to show up and do some work.

To-Do List 1-30-23:

  1. I need to write a workout plan for a five-day rotation. I hope it gets warmer by March – walking. (repeat) – no plan but an overview of the process – this works better for now.
  2. Need to move forward with the apartment as much as possible – this goal is contingent on others’ actions so it might be her a while. – troubling – I have sent some emails but no response.

To-Do List: 1-31-23

  1. Keep checking on the apartment
  2. World Building for my fantasy serial. I can do this at work.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

The New Year: “Be It Resolved…”

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day!!!

Anyone who knows me also knows that I do not hold much to New Year’s Resolutions. I do however believe in a quarterly assessment of my goals and vision for myself. If the new year is valuable to me it is in the assessment of progress and a change of course that is planned. A course correction and seeing I am completely off course, time to chart from where I am at to where I would like to be next year. I think this year I will head in the direction of ‘be it resolved by the end of 2023, I will…” Then list the needed things to change.

1 – Be it resolved that by the end of 2023, my morning routine will be well established.” My routine every morning will help with a lot of my coping mechanisms. In fact, most of it is a list of my coping mechanisms in action. 1) Get Up Early and Make Bed, 2) Meditation on the Nine Noble Virtues (5 min), 3) Full Body Stretch, 4) Weight Lifting, 5) Good Breakfast, 6) Hygiene Routine, 7) Get Dressed, 8) Reading – 3 chapters, 9) Write – Rough Draft or Edit and Post for the Blog. Yes, I will be writing every other day from now on. The main focus here is me and keeping my depression from hitting me by keeping myself healthy and mentally focused.

2. Be it resolved that by the end of 2023, I will return to Michigan. I need to get back to a place where my depression bothers me less. It is closer to family and hiking, camping, etc. I love. Michigan people are my people. Houston just incites my depression. too much

3. Be it resolved that by the end of 2023, I will change careers from teaching to something less stressful and just as or more lucrative. I need to finish my contract, but after that, I am done. This means everything currently must be up to snuff as far as credentials, professional development, training, etc. Then on to what? I don’t know that yet. Kind of like returning to the land you left to find out what has changed that you can take advantage of. I guess part of the challenge will be the discovery.

4. Be it resolved that by the end of 2023, I will more actively pursue my new love – my shieldmaiden – if she will have me. I need to find her first. But something tells me the way to attract such a woman would be simply to be the best man I can be and see who is attracted to that. I think the only thing I am going to do here is, move to Michigan and then just be me. I do think I am going to be growing a full beard. Something like the gentleman below but my coloring will be different. Going to make myself into the healthiest, most masculine, and the sexiest old man I can be and see which female warrior is attracted to that. Time for this Odin avatar to find his Frigg.

5. Be it resolved that by the end of 2023, I will be at peace with myself in better ways. 1) I need to write beyond the blog., 2) I need to find that outlet I need to be a voice. The Rabyd Atheist was my pulpit for a couple years, but I stopped because I realized how dangerous it is to have social media career and be a teacher. I actually am taking a bit of risk even with this blog. This is probably one other good reason to change to something that does not have that risk. 3) Have paid off as much debt as possible by the end of the year. The move is going to take money, but I think most of the small bills will be gone by February, and then it is my car. If I move back to Michigan with nothing but student loans, I will be in good shape.

So there it is – my five – “Be it resolved”. Should be an interesting year.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

Not a Great Week (Summer Planning)

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sif’s Day!

From a Discipline standpoint, this wasn’t a great week. I am about to shift my life for the next couple of months, but mostly it is a sickness that has kept me from having a lot of energy. Between the end of the school year and this illness, I have been tired and lacking in focus.

That said excuses are not something that sits well with me. So I am looking at using the summer to make adjustments and move forward in a different way. So my summer plans have a lot to do with gaining knowledge, getting back in shape, and getting more consistent with my habits. So with that in mind, I am heading to Michigan for a couple months.

  1. Time to get some walking and hiking on the trials. Part of getting back in shape and getting some fresh air away from the city.
  2. I have teacher training to finish to be fully certified and for professional development.
  3. I and the gym need to get reacquainted – more getting in shape.
  4. Summer Reading List
  5. Camping out – getting back to minimalism and living in a tent for the summer should get me a little different perspective. Hopefully, this will carry over into other things.
  6. I am going to think about teaching but in the broadest terms about class management mostly but also an overall approach to the curriculum.
  7. I am looking at my Atheist activism with more of an overall approach and hoping this will give me some better ideas.

Time to sail home for a bit and regroup. Then come back for another year of pillaging Houston.

I remain.

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

Skal!!!

“Exercise and Nutrition” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sol’s Day!

Exercise an Nutrition are a large part of my vision points. The issue here is to keep things real and have them be something that I can execute. Overall the vision is of a strong, leaned out body that has a good deal of endurance and overall health.

Exercise:

Stretching – Flexabilty is soemthing I place a daily importance on as it is the first thing I do after getting up and putting in my contacts so I can see. It also has the aspect of mentally and emotionally starting off stable and meditative leading into the time of looking at virtues and setting my sights on the goals for the day.

Weightlifiting – I have adjusted things a bit here, but it is really always a work in progress. Mostly, I am more of a bodybuilder for health reason so I don’t go too heavy but heavy enough on the last set to bring change. Four sets of 8-10 mostly with a simple split: Chest/Delts, Back/Traps, Biceps/Triceps/ Forearms, Legs. Because I work out at the gym, I go in with a rough idea of the exercises I am going to do but I remain flexable in case the equipment I need is being used by someone else. I know a lot of exercises, so its OK.

Walking – I do a lot of walking at work. That said, I think by doing an hour a day on my days off on top of that might be that little bit that makes things go slightly better. To walk constantly for an hour is a little different than what I do at work.

Nutrition:

Nutritionally, my plan is sitll up in the air. There are a few elements I want. Lower carbs, higher protien and an assortment of good fats. I tend toward the Paleo rather than the Keto end of the spectrum but I can see how elements of both are effective and useful. What I might do will be a hybrid of the two that fits my lifestyle and what works for me. Mostly right now, I just want to make weekly changes that get me to where I need to be. One step at a time in the right direction.

I need some lifestyle habits here that stick so doing what works and is enjoyable to me is important.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Work Day Routine” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day!

With the Morning Routine Set, it is tme to engage the rest of the day. The way I do things I seperate a Work Day from a Rest Day. During Work Days the object is to get as much possible done both at my job and in life. With my vision points being a much smaller number than the old Bucket list and goals system, I can focus more attention on them individually. So looking at them again.

Vision Points:

Vision Point : Maintain my YouTube Channel with at least two videos uploaded a week and reach the goal of 100 subscribers.

Vision Point:  Start a New Career by January 2021

Vision Point: Write a Book for Publication by December 31, 2021.

Vision Point: Be Debt Free by December 31, 2022.

Vision Point:: To write 1000 words per day during 2021.

Vision Point: Start regular significant donations to The Clergy Project and FFRF.

Vision Point: To develop and follow a results-focused nutritional plan that results in fat loss, muscle gain or maintenance, and a lower A1c with the result of a body fat percentage of 8% or lower and a normal A1c by December 31, 2021.

Vision Point: Impliment a Progam of Exercice that involves regular Weight Training and Walking.

Vision Point: Find a way to get the whole family together for a few days in. Christmas or some other time in 2021.

Now to order the rest of the Routine for Work Day to reflect this.

Work Day Routine.

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Blogging – 30 Min. Less than 500 words.
  3. Ceritification Training – 1 hour.
  4. Weightlifting – After work for 1 hour.
  5. Writing – 1000 words.
  6. Personal Business – email and other business actions.
  7. Make To Do List for Next Day

Looking at this between work and some of the other things this could be about 12 hour day. Still leaves some time at the end of the day to kick back and enjoy life. My main issue then turns to the fact I want my rest days to be truly relaxing and deal with the essentials only. Work Days are about Productivity – Industriousness and Self-Reliance.

At this point, the Rest Day Routine will take care of some other things. But I now also see that for things like Nutrition and Weight Training I am going to have to create some systems to follow.

Another step on the journey finished.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Morning Routine” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Thor’s Day!

OK. With the Vision Points created I need to address my Morning and Daily Routines. These are the tools by which progress is made. If it can been done right away that is what the morning routine is all about. So time to look through the list and see if things can be done first thing in the morning to reach these points.

It should be noted that some things i nthe morning routine are habits already that need to be done just to live life. So not everything will be about reaching my vision points. As it turns out most of the morning routine is about exercise, diet and hygene. It also has a lot to do with getting off to a good start intentionally.

Vision Points:

Vision Point : Maintain my YouTube Channel with at least two videos uploaded a week and reach the goal of 100 subscribers.

Vision Point:  Start a New Career by January 2021

Vision Point: Write a Book for Publication by December 31, 2021.

Vision Point: Be Debt Free by December 31, 2022.

Vision Point:: To write 1000 words per day during 2021.

Vision Point: Start regular significant donations to The Clergy Project and FFRF.

Vision Point: To develop and follow a results-focused nutritional plan that results in fat loss, muscle gain or maintenance, and a lower A1c with the result of a body fat percentage of 8% or lower and a normal A1c by December 31, 2021.

Vision Point: Impliment a Progam of Exercice that involves regular Weight Training and Walking.

Vision Point: Find a way to get the whole family together for a few days in. Christmas or some other time in 2021.

Morning Routine:

  1. Stretching / Yoga
  2. Breakfast, Shower, Personal Hygene, Morning Meds
  3. Reveiw Nine NobleVirtues and Vision Points
  4. Meditation – 3 min.
  5. Check Communications and Email.
  6. Paper Journal: Update To-Do List.
  7. Get Dressed for the Day.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Final Form – Self Virtues” – A Skald’s Life – Self Virtues

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Sif’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

Not going to write too long here as my goals for Self are much the same but the differences are based more on focusing on results.

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 develop and follow a results-focused nutritional plan that results in fat loss, muscle gain or maintenance, and a lower A1c.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act that most Christians would not approve of.

I need a nutritional plan that simply works to d the three main things of fat loss, muscle gain, and sugar control.

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 stretching every day, to follow a practical strength-building program nad to walk 5k three times a week baring weather.

Bucket List: To get a tattoo.

Training is still the same three-fold thing, just more structured.

Fidelity:

“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s moral philosophy, to one’s family, one’s friends, and most important to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends is valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”

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

Goal: To research my family tree to the point I can create a final copy to present to my family.

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all.

Nothing here except to more fully understand heritage.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom:

Just looking for the wisest course for me now. I can’t really think of too much else.

Rest Day Routine: 

  1. Morning Routine
  2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
  3. Reading – 1/7th of a book
  4. Blogging – Organize, revise, post for the next day.  Write a new post for two days out.
  5. Training – 5 hours.
  6. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
  7. Writing – 1000 Words

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

Goals Achieved:

2018-19 – 7 Goals Achieved.

2020 –

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!

“Strong and Defined” – The Rabyd Skald

/ Ed Raby Sr / Leave a comment

Happy Tyr’s Day!

I have been debating about my exercise program for a bit.  There is no argument about my stretching other than I want to add some power yoga moves before the end of the year.  My walking and hiking ill resume as soon as the weather is over 45 degrees at 8 am. It is these strength training and other training outside these that is my concern.

Right now the issue is my gym and I might not see each other for another whole month. So he power yoga thing is more of a necessity than a luxury.  Once this COVID-19 thing is over I thin the issue will be mostly practical strengths and anything that gets muscles more defined. Whatever that takes.

I remain,

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

Skaal!!!