18 Days Left - Update and Random Thoughts

Well it's been a pretty good week. I finished up my running challenge/experiment just before Thanksgiving, Stazja was in town so we hung out at Mom's for Turkey-evening and on Black Friday I DJ'ed "out" (in public) for the first time in about ten years. We played records... well at least I did, exclusively. It was fun, we had a nice audience of friends and there were a few customers who came through for pick up orders.

DJ SOMA - Rybrew November 25, 2016

Rybrew is like a cafe/deli with seating and beer prices that can't be beat - must be low overhead; somehow DJ Zollielama got himself a gig there and I came along for the ride. It reminded me a lot of Cafe Intermezzo (c. 2004) on the bridge that connects Center City and West Philly.

Although I enjoyed myself Black Friday that fire that once burned in my heart, to play (recorded) music; to expose an audience to sounds that have come my way and to move them on the dance floor has - hmmm, not burned out - but it's more of a flicker now. My desires lie elsewhere, although I don't know exactly where. As I pursue those desires I might return to recording mixes for kicks, maybe some photography as well - I have a few ideas - but that will come later.

On another note, sometime around Thanksgiving the home laptop started moving slowly, not responding. It looks like I might need a new device by the time I hit the road. Coincidentally the phone had some issues as well - but maybe that was me? No.. it was the phone. somehow i could not find the instructions to make the phone do what I wanted/needed it to do... ergo - my conclusion is the phone won't do it.

Thanksgiving 2016 Quiet time at Mom's

I think my big mistake was to "migrate" data.. I probably migrated it from the SD card back to the phone. Since I added the SD card and formatted it to the device I should not have another storage issue. As far as I'm concerned - at this point - that Moto G lte (Consumer's Cellular) is the joke phone... like the joke glass that spills the drink on you when you take a sip.

Eighteen days left. Fewer days of actual work, yet still more days left afterwards until I can actually leave the City. It's okay. I can use the free time. Today I was wondering if I could/would go to the YMCA during my final two weeks here. I wonder, if they'll take me off the payroll. If so, I'll come up with an alternative. In any case I'll need to let the coordinator know I can teach on December 19th.

It's better get my list of programs and such in mind, in case I need to replace my laptop. It's funny how I write thee reminders in this blog, but rarely check back. Ha ha. I want to do a bit more... and maybe I will.

DJ Zollielama @ Rybrew

Before I finish this up - is it me or has the social media phenomenon of Facebook lost some of its lure since the election? Of course anything socialis a reflection of its society and I think the division caused by teh various elements that took place during the last two years; through the campaigns, the primaries, debates and the election itself have exhausted people. I feel like it's strained friendships, both real and virtual to the point of indifference... the fabricated protests and (in my opinion) racial false flags notwithstanding.

Breaking at the moment in Ohio, apparently someone went a-slashing people with a machete on the campus of Ohio State... and I was just thinking how there haven't been any false flag attacks lately. Of course, this one might be authentic, but it will have to be proven to me... if i even care to follow it.


PS: Today I was pleasantly surprised at the YMCA when my "groupies" - which is what someone called the regulars who come to my Functional Fitness class - presented me with a moment, a short announcement and a card. It was indeed unexpected, but I should have known... they do this at the Y to show their appreciation. It was a great and memorable moment.

Also, I may have gotten my computer's issues resolved. I download the "CCleaner" program. The system seems to be operating as it did when it was new, but we will see tomorrow when I open'er up again.

The Bod and I are having a battle with a bug. I can feel it trying to take hold. Been downing the Vitamin C, about two grams (2000 mg) at a time. I was a little shaky when I got home and a bit slow in class. I feel sleepy now, but I had to get this computer sorted.

Finally, the waitress at the diner who's always taken good care of me, since I became a semi-regular turns out to be Pisces... Feb. 25. Good stuff. And that's a wrap.

Five!

30 Days of Running

I just finished my 30 days of running "challenge." But I didn't challenge anyone but me. I only ran a mile and it took 14 minutes. I made up a little chart so I could share some stats.

It took me 56 days to run 30 times, a 53.57% completion rate. I was trying to keep it over 50%, which would have been okay too; basically running every other day.

I ran a total of 51 miles.. just under a mile a day.

Oct 4, before pic

I started off strong, most of my runs were two miles and although they were tough they were completed. Then I started hanging out, going on road trips and doing squats nights. All of that stuff got in the way. The squats nights enhanced my legs though. Half way through the process I decided I probably shouldn't be drinking while I'm doing this - it was one of those hang outs and I may have lost the next day.

There was a transit strike during the 56 days - it only affected me for one day and on that day I walked a total of 6.5 miles. It didn't count as a run, but I got the benefits nonetheless.

Somehow sick caught up with me, so I lost a couple of days there. It was a 24 hour bug, and when I emerged victorious my weight bottomed out at 176. I had a few more 176+ days so the illness wasn't the ONLY time I'd gotten that low.

Which was the point of this experiment - I wanted to see if I could lose weight by running. My conclusion is yes - but not that much. How much is not THAT much? I didn't even lose five pounds. However, I did lose weight. In fact, I believe by running on a regular basis I managed to maintain a less than 180 lbs body weight for possibly 90% of the time I was running. A couple of times I popped up over 180, but only by 1/2 a pound.

•  this chart shows fat weight 57 days before the running session and 57 days after. As you can see, i finished where i started, around 28 lbs of fat.
• The fat average during the running was 26.83 lbs. 
• The fat average before running was 28.16 lbs. a difference of 1.33 lbs. which doesn't seem like much, except when you're dealing with averages over a span of time. 
• Muscle weight during the run session was 78.87 lbs. 
• Muscle weight before the run session (No chart for this btw) 79.59 a difference of .72 lbs. This suggests, as does most of my experiments that exercise burns fat at a faster rate than muscle. i just haven't been able to build muscle as I'm shredding fat.
• It looks like fat drops at a fat:muscle ratio of 1.84:1 
• Finally, let's look at overall weight difference (average) 178.63 during the run
• 181.42 before the running a difference of 2.79 (almost 3) lbs.

Above there's a chart that compares the 57 days of running with the 57 days before I started running. The evidence is clear, if not very dynamic... to me at least. The question is; is it worth it? Is it worth the effort and the discipline to run every other day for nearly two months to lose an average of 3 lbs. (And if you're looking at the first day of running vs. the last day, you see the weight is the same.)

During Pic - November 7th @ the YMCA

I have to leave that up to you. For me, the difference between 181.42 and 178.63 isn't that big. However when it comes to BMI... (25.3) vs. (24.9) is the difference between normal over weight and normal. (Keep in mind that BMI - body mass index - is a controversial way to measure "fitness.")

What I did learn along the way is that there are other benefits besides weight loss that might keep me running on a regular basis; mainly the muscle development in my legs and the fat-burn on parts of my torso, including the belly, however it's not as apparent as I'd like it to be, but the sides are showing improvement. I had/have more fat on me than I thought.

So now that I'm done, I may have this running thing in my "soul" or psyche (same thing really). I am convinced that it works, so I may just keep it as part of my routine. If I don't run as often I may be able to run further and further; of course we'll be watching how the body adapts. This will also give me time - the time I have left - to get into the gym and lift again, to see if i can balance out the run, the lift, the body weight training.

I'll have more time after December 16th.