Naturalist Maneuvers on the Beach

I will often pre-excuse myself by declaring that I don't, or haven't had time for one undertaking or another, when it would be more precise to state that I haven't taken the time. So now that you know where I'm going with this... on with the show.


Freedom Year is nearly a month gone. Contrary to the way the event might seem, Freedom Year began at noon on December 16th, 2016 - my official last day of work. There were exit procedures to attend to which delayed my departure by several weeks, however I did make it out and on January 10th of 2017 I landed in Fort Lauderdale to officially begin the next leg of this adventure.

My timing, as usual, was fairly lucky - I believe that luck runs in our family. Legend has it that our (my cousins, siblings and I) great grandfather was struck dead by lightening. In my imagination, real or not, his sacrifice has cast a blanket of good fortune upon us for countless generations forward. Most of that luck is a matter of timing. I arrived at Fort Lauderdale International airport several days after the shootout took place. I also missed Southern Florida's two-day winter, during which, I am told by a friend, she had to don her thermals.

I didn't know what to expect when I got down here - I wasn't thinking that specifically. I've had two new experiences - one planned, the other more of an opportunity. On the 12th of January I caught my first (well second) ever moon rise. This was the first one on the beach. I caught it on video, however it's not as good as I could have been. I have to gain a bit more experience with my equipment. I have a remake, remix, myself into a photographer again... as well as a videographer.

Second new experience was chillin' out on a nude beach - well clothing optional - I went full Monty however. People have commented about it being liberating. I didn't find it especially liberating. I didn't even find it out of the ordinary after a while. It was nice to be outside naked... so now maybe my bottom half will catch up with the top half in depth of color.

Nudity is such a taboo - or has been - but it probably still is, in this Judaeo-Christian, Puritan culture that whatever we (or, I) consciously want to think and/or believe is over-ridden by what we've been conditioned to believe, how we behave and how judge others on their behaviour. So in that sense maybe it is liberated and perhaps I haven't been completely liberated yet? Or, conversely, I didn't need to sit out on a nude beach to become any more liberated. Either way, I thin

Mary Kay, Friend, Fan, Follower

k I'll go back.

Don't ask for any pictures... although I was going to take a selfie and record an update, one never knows who will be caught with their pants down... quite literally... in the background.

I have yet to explore the City Miami. I have a few spots I want to go and at least one friend I want to catch up with. But there's time for that... maybe. I plan to exit Florida around the first of February, but I might stay longer. I am on a mission and I have promises and an itinerary to keep. Although it doesn't sound like freedom I still believe it is. I am exercising the freedom to fulfill the promises I made.

So, today... I got two workouts in. I can do this here a couple of times a week, probably. I'm feeling the soreness now, probably from the one this morning - it was all body weight and movement.. like the animal movement, low to the ground, crawing... low game, I call it. I haven't graduated to creeping... very low to the ground, yet, but that will come. I want and need to do more work on my arms... balance, handstands, etc. Maybe once a week... on the first day after a break. I will continue the 500s - that, I believe it doing wonders for the Bod.

Okay.. I think I can wrap this up. In fact I need to, I am sore and need to stretch.

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..

Brexit Paradox - Bizarro Dream #122016

I don't have the energy to recount the entire dream for you in this blog. Suffice to say it was wrought with symbolism which no doubt dealt with myself and those around me. Transitioning is a delicate way of describing what's happening this year with several of my friends, and I'm surprised that I am taking it a little harder than I might have as recently as five years ago.

Melrose Diner, 15th & Snyder Av. Philly, Today

Apathy shall set you free, I always tell people. I am not one to get attached to ideas, institutions, concepts, dogma or even relationships. I like it that way, or so I tell myself.

Anyway this dream started in Philly and ended in Los Angeles where I am under a pile of Millennials who are creating a human sculpture. I am somewhere on the bottom holding everyone up. They dig me even though I have lived many years longer than them.

Anyway the end of the dream gets pretty silly, however at some point an actual adult picks up a cell phone left on a desk and asks "Who is Brexit Paradox?" That was my name in the dream. I think it's a pretty cool name. I may come up with a character for that name. I wonder if it means anything to anyone.

[*Note, a Google search revealed this; "This is the Brexit paradox: the longer it takes for pragmatism to re-enter the debate, the higher the chance that the chilling effect of the unknown will cause permanent damage to both the United Kingdom and the European Union."] As written by, Ana Palacio, should you care to read the entire commentary. But why would this be in my dream??]

I'm not sure this could be interpreted on the internet. I think it's very specific to what I've been witnessing this year and to an extent what I've been going through. I am about to make my Exit from Philly and Los Angele is one of my stops. It may be my last stop on the continental US... or maybe not.

I keep forgetting what day it is. I do remember the date, but the day of the week keeps slipping my mind.

I went to the YMCA to do the 500s Workout today and realized when Auntie Fran that's we'd done group exercise (GX) yesterday!!!

Today the 500 was more like 450. I over-reached on a few weights, but then again succeeded on a few sets as well.. So here's a quick recap; highlights and low-lights:

Leg Press: I'm starting with 360 lbs now and the first set yielded 20 reps. Not enough to start at the next level (which will probably be 390 instead of 450 because I need to advance slower when I get to higher weights). I half-stepped (adding 50 lbs instead of 90) up to 630 lbs., and decided to see if I could free-push it without the safety of the pegs. I was successful for 8 reps over 2 sets, but felt a slight twinge in my right pectineus (inner, upper thigh). I used a platform to push 680 off the pegs and that's where I maxed out. I had to finish up working down and the final twenty reps were with 270 lbs.

Lesson; sometimes we can't expect to progress all the time. Also, might not have been the best idea to push hard after a GX day (it hadn't been 24 hours since the class.)

I stayed at 100 lbs for the bench press, and didn't get much past twenty reps on the first set. I've noticed my first set is where I get the most reps... the middle sets are maybe 10 - 12 reps fairly consistently and the last set I can get above 12 reps, usually 15... the cleanup set is strong because I am hype to get finished.

Leg extensions were weaker than usual. I used the same weight (130 lbs) and same with the cable row. I had to cheat it a little bit (lower back motion) because I didn't want to lower the weight (105 lbs.)

Cable crunch - this is where I over-reached adding weight... so in this case I dropped reps instead of weight, so I settled for 50... also I was beginning to run late for a meet up.

This session took a little over two hours. There's lots of stretching and resting between sets. When I can up the weight and get the session down under two hours, I will be progressing.


The meet-up calendar is still full. Today we reached back in time to the days of KOLLAGE, Magazine of the Visual Arts and John Leary who we had to the cover back in the mid-1990s; 1994 I think t was, the same year I came up with Noxsoma.

John is still doing his  "John" thing; working on projects and being an advocate and working on visual productions. We met about several projects he's got going and fitness and nutrition etc.

We met up at the Melrose Diner, which is a landmark destination diner in South Philly. As long as I've spent in Philly, this was my first time at the Melrose. It's a pretty nice diner. Nothing outstanding - not to disrespect its legacy. I don't really know how it got its reputation aside from being the place where the local news would often broadcast live from, asking diners their opinions of current events, or the weather, or the badly the local football team was performing. Heck, they don't even have WiFi, free or otherwise. Can't really blame them. Diners are for talking as well as dining.... not so much surfing and camping out in the booths.

Anyway, thanks to our lovely and attentive yet, unobtrusive server, who kept my tea cup filled and didn't get bent out of shape as we sat there for three hours.

This Phlexit is getting real and I may have to curtail some of my social activities and goodbyes in order to get my house in order, to leave.

And that's it for today folks. 

The 500 Workout Explained

Pic of the Day: YMCA

I didn't wake up this morning the way I imagined I would. Well, I didn't imagine I wouldn't wake up... I just pictured it differently. I didn't picture a dark, warm room, and I didn't imagine there'd be frozen rain falling from the sky; or was it snow?

I'm not one for extreme emotions so I didn't do any kind of freedom dance. In fact, I stuck very much to my wake-up ritual, sans the AM exercise, (AMX) and the doom and gloom reports about the economy collapsing and the truth about the geo-political climate in the planet.

There's a lot of newness in my life. It seems like it came suddenly, but it's been brewing for a while now. The only surprise was the laptop replacement. I am getting used to this Dell and slowly but surely logging in to my social networks and obligations from this "new device."

Of course I weighed in; 176 even, 14.4% body fat (less than 25 lbs of fat on the Bod) and 44.5% (78.3 lbs.) of muscle, according to my scale. That's a 3.09:1 ratio. That may not mean much to you yet, unless you've been following the Bajai Boot Camp 6 Sessions. Attaining and maintaining a 3:1 Muscle Mass to Body Fat ratio has been a goal of mine for two years. I figured I'd be able to meet that goal only after I managed to leave the gig. I'm sure it's just a coincidence. The biggest change I've made is a new 2 - 3 times a week workout I call the 500s. I snagged this name from the 300 workout from back in the day, when the movie "The 300" was released. I think that was around the time people started flipping tires and such.

Simply explained, I perform 100 reps of five exercises. They all target big muscle groups and all except one are combination exercises, which involve multiple joint movement. I think today was the fifth session. The theory is sound; although I'm sure I see any results in the mirror, the feedback I am getting from the scale is impressive. [At this point I hope the results continue, otherwise I will be very perplexed.]

Leg press type at the YMCA

So here's the set up. I give myself guidelines for these programs to help keep me honest and injury-free. Ideally I start with the leg press. The challenge is to do 30+ reps on the first set before I can increase the weight. Today I started with 360 lbs., and only got 20 reps. So next time I'll start with 360 lbs again. This way I can gauge my progress. Before today I'd add 90 lbs per set, however that was getting pretty hairy, so I half-stepped in a few sets. I was able to go from 360 lbs to 450 lbs., but had to stop at 500
lbs. before I took it 540. I maxed out at 720 lbs., but kept the safety pegs engaged.

I am a firm believer in legs day. People, especially men, neglect their legs to their detriment. There are quite a few men at the YMCA who are top heavy. They can bench incredible weights, but have no leg development. The way I see it, these gams got to keep me up and walking for a long time.

Next station is the bench press. I started out with the 45 lb. bar the first time out and today I advanced to 100 lbs. The guidelines are different here and for all the rest of the stations - maintain a steady weight and and push 100 reps in as few sets as possible. I don't count sets. I try to get 30 reps in the first set - I have not achieved that as of yet. I get carried away with adding weight, but now that I'm up to an even hundred I may be able to stick around there for a while.

The next station is a leg extension machine. I'm at a good weight, 130 lbs., I've been trying to increase the reps (18) today. I'll stay at this weight for a while.

Seated cable row is the same procedure, only today I realized I can change the grip to make the same weight more challenging as well as hit different muscles in the back. I think I'll explore that.

Cable Crunch

Finally, is a cable crunch. Only today I opted out of the cable... I am very close to racking the bricks on this one so I used a tension band, which provides a very different feeling and I expect a different result as well.

And that was that.

In case you want to try this here are a few items to keep in mind. #1) use lighter than usual weights, (if you're used to lifting weights). #2) This program is time consuming. Break times can range from 30 seconds to several minutes. Sometimes I can feel my heart rate spike (not to dangerous levels) and I have to wait for it to settle down before I do the next set. I also stretch a bit between sets. My main goal is to get 100 reps done and although I haven't had to resort to single rep sets, I think I would do it to complete the task. #3) This isn't a program to be performed daily, or every other day for that matter, (especially if you're just starting out.) This is a full body workout so you have to rest and repair your entire body before you go again, and that generally takes 48 hours. Two days break, I have found to be idea. Three days is too much. I took three days off once (due to circumstances) and I felt I lost the momentum.

Finally, despite the positive results I've gotten and the strength gains I've apparently made (lifting and pulling higher numbers) I find it boring, (but that's just me.) So I am considering doing something like this every so often over 30 days. If you maintain an every third day schedule you'll get ten workouts in. Thirty days is a good duration - you could probably even stretch it out to 90, but I've found that after three weeks, I start to lose any gains (or weight loss) I've achieved. So It's probably a good idea to go for thirty - do something light or fun or aerobic like walking, yoga or Zumba for a week or ten days and then get back into some kind of resistace training.

I will be experimenting with such strategies during the year (2017) and reporting back, either on You Tube,  Facebook (Minimum Wage Fitness), or right here.

Confession: This entry didn't really go the way I'd envisioned it, but it certainly went the way it needed to go. And with that, I bid you adieu.