On Vacation In Philly

Suburban Station, Philadelphia 12-22-16

As I walked home from the train station I was mulling over in my imagination today's contribution. Some key phrases came to mind, but when I rounded the corner I saw a front end loader on the small street a third of a block away from my house and there was a Water Department truck parked across the street. The fact that is was parked, between other parked vehicles suggested it had been there for a while and it would be there a while longer.

My imagination always prepares for its worst case scenario; no running water in my house? Do I have enough stored to make a cup of tea? As I opened the door, what to my ironic eyes should appear? but that little blue envelope that contains the water bill. This Universe business is a bit much for me at times. I think It's stacking the deck, not necessarily against me... but not for me either. It's a rigged game, but I don't expect too much.

SO I get in the house and before I even turn on the requisite music, I check the water - running!! So, of course I make a cup of tea.

Now we can get down to business... Today's Blog.

It's day six and I have come to the realization that I need to stop dining out so much. It's as if I am on vacation... or staycation in my own back yard, but never go inside to eat. But let's get to this day.

Woke early - and couldn't get back to sleep; good sign, so I started the AMX, which was more of the same. There's a lot more balancing on the pushup bars than before. Good sign. I have gotten better conditioned here. I want to say "stronger" but I'm not sure I am stronger over all, just in this particular group of exercises/poses. I may record a few clips for us.

Had to go into the (former) job today to get the retired ID, check out, turn over at least 25% of the balance of my time to the city to withhold for you guessed it... taxes. While I was there a co-worker (well, former now) showed up. We'd scheduled lunch for next Wednesday but decided to go ahead and do a brunch-ish meet-up today. Good timing. We went to the first place I ate when I started on day work; Pagaon's... a salad/food bar where I have a bit of a crush on the lady who works there (slash owns it). She's friendly in general and I have the feeling that even her rather stoic-all business husband detects the mutual attraction - but of course I would never do anything about it... not even introduce myself. Nobody needs that drama.

So Frank and I went over a combination of socio-political drama, economic conspiracy theories and some sci-fi plots that seemed to have come into our reality; and heck, we even discussed if this reality was even reality and that in some dimension of the multi-verse the outcome of the US election had been, well... different.

Then I went to the YMCA. This is around the time I started realizing that I'm pretty much doing the same pattern as I did in Los Angeles, except I got my workout done first thing. I'm a day early for a 500 workout, so I did a mainly body weight workout which including balancing, pulling and lots of leg work. It gets kind of random, but I generally get three or four sets in. I also did dips.. I hate dips so when I do them I need to acknowledge that. I should do more. If I do it will really improve my upper body strength.

At this point I don't really like doing upper body, body work, because I'm not as strong as I'd like to be... however, in order to get stronger I have to do the deed and put my ego on the back burner and not be mad if I can only do six reps instead of 20. I need to keep at it.

This session wiped me out and it didn't even seem like I did that much. Working the legs with the bands ignites different nerves and muscles... those rarely worked, so it gets my cardio-vascular system going... and the brain as well because it's not used to it. I expect some kind of pain tomorrow.

Okay after a goodbye hug from Rebecca, and young girl who sprouted into a young lady while taking my classes (she's also a pretty badass runnner too) I headed into town to meet up with Number One Son, Wolvie. I knew I was in for a loud ride when I saw the Eagles jerseys on the trolley. I am NOT an Eagles fan, but I don't knock anyone who is, so I had no idea they were playing tonight. I won't go into the suburban-kids-in-the-city bit.

I caught up with Wolvie down at suburban station and we headed to a restaurant called James that is still open in the midst of the construction that's going on across the street from it. Once again, I am completely oblivious to what's happening in the city from which I am escaping. Anyway, for three or four weeks, Mika - whom I met several years ago at The Cafe, kept telling me to come by to say farewell on Thursdays after 1600... today I finally got down there are the lace was "closed" for a private party. Humpf!! I got my goodbye hugs in nonetheless and Wolvie and I went in search of some Vietnamese food.

After a decent meal in an empty Vietnamese restaurant, we went for our traditional drink (beers) in Chinatown at a place called Sea Bar. The bartender was funny, she gave us nuts. They didin't have any dark beer on tap so I had to settle for Alagash White, which was pretty good the first time I had it, but now I can taste its bitterness. We have these occasional man-to-man talks about career and life and opportunities and such like that.

I realize through my kids and some of the other "Millennials" I come into contact with, that right now is one of the hardest times in US History to be alive and be young. I was very lucky coming up in the hood, and getting through the military and getting in at the gig when I did. I was raising kids, so there may have been a different kind of hustle and a different kind of tolerance for what kind of job I would accept. Of course I didn't have the same opportunities twenty-somethings have today, so I steer clear of the "when I was your age" speeches.

Once I get this journey of self discovery completed, I might find out that my duty it to create a business that will employ and help secure my childrens' futures... or at least make it a little easier on them.

I'm done at the job, but that will only unleash my creativity. When I find the partner (even if it's me) that can harness, focus and direct that creativity, we'll be in business.

Shot a lil clip for ya... Enjoy..