Wednesday, May 31, 2006

May 31, 06

Another month over!

Had a good leg workout today. I will do my back workout tomorrow because I won't be home for the weekend. I'll be running in the mornings while I'm at a training with the kids.

Keep lifting, keep running!!!

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

May 30, 06

My nieces birthday was yesterday. My sister's today, and my nephew's tomorrow!

I ran 20 minutes on Saturday and Sunday. Going out on Friday really wiped out my Saturday workout, but it was fun and needed. I didn't sleep well on Saturday night so Sunday's workout was a little tough too.

My lifting on Monday went well. Tomorrow is leg day!

* * *
Worked on the swamp cooler and had the kids band do rehearsal. Participated in a couple of cookouts. That was fun and also very needed!!!

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Another cool quote via email

"There is no passion to be found in playing small - in settling for a life that is less than what you are capable of living."


Nelson Mandela

Friday, May 26, 2006

Another Reason to Make Love!

Make Love, Calm Down

Do your palms sweat, knees shake, and lips quiver at the thought of giving a presentation?

The key to keeping your jitters at bay may lie between the sheets. According to a recent study, having sex before a stressful event, such as giving a speech or going on an interview, can greatly reduce anxiety. And the calming effect can last up to a week. Of course, an easier way to ensure a smooth performance is to simply know your stuff.

No, really, I'm not making this up. Read Here

Plus a good quote for today from BillyBoydFan

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.


Mother Teresa

May 26, 06

Yeah! Another weekend!!!

Started lifting again on Monday. I'm sore as f*ck! I'm walking funny, my arms aren't fully functional, and today was back day. Tomorrow and Sunday its off to the track to get my laps in. I have NO sense, but I'm having a blast anyway.

I'll keep working at it until I get it right!

Keep Lifting, Keep Running!!!!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Mas "Tips" Para Hoy

The Mirror May Be Lying

Do you see yourself as fat or frumpy? Blame it on your brain.

Here's why: Your brain routinely maps your body using visual cues and signals from your skin, joints, and muscles. But snags in this system can distort the image and make you mentally overestimate or underestimate your actual body size. So if you want an objective view of your body, don't rely on only your eyes; use your bathroom scale and the way your clothes fit as well.

Your Body's No Fool

Trying to lose weight? Consider avoiding this combination: high-calorie sodas or fruit drinks and dietetic desserts.

The research is preliminary, but a study suggests that this combination may leave your body's appetite control center dazed and confused. Your body naturally thinks that watery drinks (skim milk, coffee, tea) are low-cal, and that sweet, creamy, dense foods are crammed with calories. Switching it up with high-calorie drinks and artificially sweetened desserts may corrupt your body's natural calorie calculator and lead to overeating.

http://www.realage.com

Tote That Shrub, Lift That Kale

If you'd like to build strong bones without joining a gym, consider planting a garden.

In an analysis of several different physical activities, only yard work and weight lifting turned out to be good bone builders. In fact, raking mulch, planting bushes, and pulling weeds -- or doing whatever your green space takes -- were even better for bones than jogging. Researchers suspect that the digging, squatting, lifting, and pushing that yard work entails easily equals a weight workout.

May 24, 06

Back from recuperation!

My 'Jita's Quinceañera went well. I'll look for pictures to post later.

Haven't ran since Friday. I will run again this weekend. I'm sore from my Monday bench workout. I'll be working out light this week and next. Then I'll get brave and try a 5 way split for most of June. Then I'll adjust from there. I may workout twice a day on some days - a weight workout in the morning and running at night.

* * *
I'm hoping to work with the kids more on harmonizing, scales and theory over the summer. Summer trips and all that keep them from working during the busiest time of the year, but I'm trying to let them be kids as well.

Thanks for the compliment RW!

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Friday, May 19, 2006

May 19th, 2006

Woooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Went for the body fat check today, and FINALLY it's down. I went from 24.8% to 22.1%. I got to 166.1 lbs. and my goal was 166, how cool is that!

Took my best-friend with me. She was worried; felt like she gained weight and stuff, but I thought she was full of it. But I didn't think she'd listen to me. So I kept my mouth shut. She maintained weight but dropped some good points in bodyfat, so she's building muscle. I'm very proud of her. AND it is her birthday, so what a great present to find out you're losing bodyfat on your birthday! Congratulations homegirl!!!

* * *
Monday I start lifting again and I'm going to take a week off of running. I'll have to keep very strict to good eating and continuing to exercise. June will be my workouts from hell month. Then hopefully in July I can try and rest a little more.

But we'll see, I'll go by how I feel and look. August is the next check-in on the body fat. Below includes March's picture. This is late. Maybe Tuesday I'll post one that's current.

* * *
The Quinceañera is tomorrow. Hope it all goes well. People in from out of town, lots of activity, should be tons-o-fun!




KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

El Templo

Your own body is a manifestation of God, and if you honor your body everything will change for you. When you practice giving love to every part of your body, you plant seeds of love in your mind, and when they grow, you will love, honor, and respect your body immensely.

Don Miguel Ruiz - "The Four Agreements"

May 17, 2006

Ran today. Still not a full nights sleep. I'm off work for the next four working days to prepare and recouperate from the Quinceanera.

I plan to run a little longer on Thursday and Friday. Friday, I'll get my body fat checked. Wish me luck!

I'm also looking forward to starting to lift again on Monday!!!!

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

May 16, 06

Almost made 3 miles today. We stayed up late because there were cookies to be made for the Quinceañera. I got home at 11:30 and still got up at 5:30 to go running. That's freakin commitment. But I'mdefinitelyy determined to reach my goals. ALL of them!!!

Me and a couple of guys from work talked yesterday about depression, parenting, beating ourselves up, etc... It was interesting. I realized that I identify as someone who beats himself up. Maybe its time to give THAT up!!!

Also talked about trying to get together. The other guys were talking about fishing and camping. To me, nature is a pool hall with a live Chicano band, and a beer light that has a fake waterfall moving with lights.

I also got to talk and bond some with my brother-in-law. The guys ended up watching UFC in the back room.

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Monday, May 15, 2006

5/15/06 Real Age Tips

Walking is Better Than Not!

Wondering if your walking routine is robust enough to really help your heart? Wonder no more.

Research has revealed that walking can do as much to keep you out of heart trouble as more vigorous forms of exercise, such as running, playing tennis, or doing pretty much anything that makes you break a sweat. In one study, women who walked briskly for 2.5 hours per week reaped the same heart disease protection benefits as women who did more intense exercise for the same amount of time.

Eat Chinese Food, but Light on the Soy Sauce

The news is good if you don't do much dairy but get a frequent hankering for Chinese food.

Stir-fry dishes often include staples like broccoli, bok choy, and edamame (soybeans) -- popular veggies that are bursting with bone-strengthening calcium. Even better, these and other Chinese stir-fry favorites have a chemical makeup that allows your body to easily absorb the calcium. Just go easy on the soy sauce -- which is essentially liquid sodium -- because the more salt you take in, the more calcium you're likely to lose.

May 15, 2006

Family functions make it hard on my diet!

OK, no excuses. Let's see if I can actually come in at 166 by Friday. I'll be running Tuesday, Wedensday, Thursday and Friday.

* * *
My son completed his Confirmation on Sunday. Then we had a little gathering at our house, then we went to a party for a Baptism. Way too much food and drink!!!

So, I'll be cleaning up my diet. I'm going to have to go back to being REALLY strict during the week so that the weekends don't mess me up as bad.

I'm looking forward to next week. I'll start lifting weights again. I'll start light and work my way back up, still with the goal of benching 200 lbs by November 22, AND having a six-pack! For those of you who know, it will be much tougher to get that bench at 150 lbs than my current 170. But hopefully more of me will be muscle at that weight!

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Thursday, May 11, 2006

May 11, 06

Ran today for 25 minutes. I'm still not getting enough sleep, but figure I better keep running.

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Feliz Dia de Las Madres - 06

Happy Mothers' Day! May 10th is Mothers Day in México. So to all you Moms, enjoy the day!

* * *
I'm not getting enough sleep. I think I'm going to run as soon as I wake up (usually 4am) and then come back and chill out some at home before work. I'm not losing the weight I thought I would, but I'm also not running as hard. So I'll be running hard for the next 9 days and see if that works.

The Quinceañera is definately causing stress. So is my struggle with figuring out happiness for myself. But I like the notion of myself as a warrior. Not all warriors "win" but there is more dignity in fighting than in giving up.

"It is better to die on your feet
Than to live on your knees"
Emiliano Zapata

KEEP LIFTING, KEEP RUNNING!!!

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Being a warrior...

"At best, being a warrior gives us an opportunity to transcend the dream of the planet, and to change our personal dream to a dream that we call heaven. Just like hell, heaven is a place that exists within our mind. It is a place of joy, a place where we are happy, where we are free to love and to be who we really are. We can reach heaven while we are alive; we don't have to wait until we die. God is always present and the kingdom of heaven is everywhere, but first we need to have the eyes and ears to see and hear that truth..."

From "The Four Agreements" - an interesting book that came to me at the right time it seems!

Monday, May 08, 2006

A Gym For Your Mind

Want to have the kind of mind that can recall directions with MapQuest-like accuracy? Get moving.

Take a walk, go for a bike ride, hit the gym. Exercise makes extra space in the "scratch pad" part of your brain, also known as your working memory. It's where you jot down bits of information that you need to act on immediately, such as which street to turn onto or what the chef's daily specials are.

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years younger.

from RealAge.com

5/8/06 - Perspective

Doing OK. Maintaining. Ran 3 miles on Saturday. 1 today. Will start lifting again on May 22nd.

* * *
When people look at my neighborhood they see "The War Zone." I see kids trying to figure out life. Parents working hard to make ends meet. Birds, flowers, trees, and families busting their butts to have a better life.

Sure I see the prostitutes and dealers. But I know I have no right to judge. Doesn't mean that they don't have problems with me. But I still respect them as human beings.

Anyway. Just noticing lately that people are trying to get me to see negative where I see positive and vice versa. The "reality" as far as it feels today is that "I was born alone, and when I go out, I'll go out alone..." For the most part alone is what I want for right now.

* * *
Played a gig in Roswell this weekend. Had a really great crowd response. People wanted autographs, CDs, pictures, etc... It was really cool. I even had a couple of women ask if I was spending the night in Roswell, and one woman offered to give me a ride back to Albuquerque!

KEEP LIFTING!!!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Good News!

Child Labor Down World-Wide!

Freakin A!

May 4, 06

Tomorrow is my brother Shawn's birthday. Wait until I get all of my brother and sisters' birthdays down! LOL!! It will be a weekly thing!

Anyway, I ran 3 miles in 29 minutes and 37 seconds! Almost puked!!! But it was worth it. I'm at 169.2 today. Goal will be to come in under 169.0 on Monday.

Still no lifting and its driving me nuts. But as I start to lose weight it will be great to get feeling better and complimented for looking good.

* * *
Still learning how to fight for what I want. Also learning how to get outside of the box with all the rules and stuff other people gave me in life.

I'm really appreciating the two MRs in my life. And lots of my other friends. Trying hard not to give up on who I am.

KEEP LIFTING & RUNNING!!!

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Los MinuteMensos March Cross Country


Jim at a rally of 40 people.

The group hopes to counter the impact made by the more than 1 million illegal immigrants and their supporters who took to the nation's streets on Monday. Demonstrations by the Minuteman Project that day were scattered and small, often numbering fewer than 100 people per city.

Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist told about 40 supporters before the group left from a park in South Los Angeles that the recent immigration marches were a "declaration of domination."

Full Story

* * *
Wow, 40 people. And at that there were 15 counter-demonstrators. In Albuquerque, the ratio was 6,000 pro-immigrant demonstrators to 7 anti-immigrant demonstrators. Hmmmm.

Quotes for May 3, 06

I don't usually quote "founding fathers" but these quotes are perfect for my mood today!

Patience and perseverance have a magical affect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

John Quincy Adams




Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.

Author Unknown

May 3, 06

Go Ahead, Be Fruity!

You know how tempting all those luscious fruits and berries are at your local farmers' market? Go ahead, buy too much. It could save you from brain damage.
This is good news for fruit lovers, and inspiration for everyone else, because each additional juicy apricot, wedge of cantaloupe, or bowl of strawberries you eat during the day slashes your risk of a brain-crippling stroke by 11 percent. All that fruit lowers your heart attack risk, too. Veggies help as well -- they cut stroke odds by another 3 percent -- but researchers recently found fruit the most protective.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that includes 4 servings of fruit per day can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

* * *
Still waiting for pictures from the event to post will get some up as soon as possible.

KEEP LIFTING!!!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Felizidades Albuquerque!!!

Wow! Thousands came out for the May Day Immigrant Rights event yesterday in Albuquerque!

There were youth performers, speakers, and dancers. It was extremely positive and upbeat. I hope it builds toward a real workers' rights movement in this country, because our unions have their hands tied by laws against general strikes, sympathy strikes and other effective tactics.

My kids' group performed, I spoke a little, and the kids helped keep the peace at the event. I saw lots of people from various areas pulling together and it was just overall wonderful! I'm tired, but happy!

There may have been up to 8,000 people here in Albuquerque, which is great! It would be the largest demonstration that I can remember. It took a half hour to get the whole march out of the park and out to the road. At least 6 border crossings were closed, and there were demonstrations in all kinds of places.

I'll post images as I get them! Here's the Boycott story in the local paper.

KEEP FIGHTING!!!

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