Back

The desire to get my butt into the gym regularly seems to finally be overcoming my desire to sit on my ass and be lazy. I’ve been slowly getting back into the gym on a more consistent basis.

OY, my muscles ache! Even doing super light weights, I almost couldn’t walk the next day after my chest workout. [1]If you wan’t to maximize the release of growth hormones for that lovely buff chest, you better be doing at least 1 squat exercise on chest day. The posterior chain is the largest muscle group … Continue reading I’ve even been getting up in the mornings to go before work! If that doesn’t signal how my motivation is returning, nothing will. haha Joking aside, I really have missed it. I walk into the gym and I instantly feel better. I look around and see others working out and I’m inspired. Plus, I miss the tightness my muscles used to have. Nothing is sagging or dragging but everything has clearly ‘settled’ and I hate it.

I wouldn’t say I’m back on a completely consistent schedule yet, but I’m on my way. Speaking of, I knew I’d be weak but boy was I ever. Doing a full 3 sets of a measly 135 lbs left me weak. (That is one 45 on each side of a 45 lb bar.)

You should expect more posts about my progress, and a few pics too. I tend to post quick pics to Instagram these days. So if you follow me there, you’ll see more pics.

Wish me fat-ass luck!

References

References
↑1 If you wan’t to maximize the release of growth hormones for that lovely buff chest, you better be doing at least 1 squat exercise on chest day. The posterior chain is the largest muscle group on the body.

Crave

Ever get in one of those moods where you just crave a certain food for days?PotPie

Last week I had a craving for a potpie. It hounded me to the point where I finally gave in. I grew up with the little Swanson ones that used to come in the metal tins. They were crust meat, veggies, and sauce. You threw’em in the oven for about 30-40 mins and presto! Delicious gooey and never good for you. haha  Fast forward to today and potpies are disgusting globs of over overly processed dough, very little filler, and a tiny bit of veggies and meat in an effort to accommodate the microwave. You can get larger ones that taste better, but those are so high in sodium and fat you’re doomed either way.

To offset my desire for such heart-killing food, I threw in fresh cut tomatoes, roasted chicken, extra mixed veggies, and spinach. The new unholy concoction was so tasty and no where near as bad for me. hehe  You can’t even really see the potpie at all. Well, if you look close, you can see some crust mixed in there. I had said feast three days straight until I sated the beast!

Thankfully, the craving was calmed and I moved on. It was odd though because it reminded me of growing up and making them. There were a few years between when my foster mom passed away and my dad remarried. Being a bachelor with kids, he tended to focus on food that was easy to make. Potpies fit that bill nicely. There were plenty of nights where I would beg him to have potpies and he was all too ready to agree as it meant no cooking for him. I’d start the oven, grab the pies and shove’em in the oven as soon as it dinged.  I never once failed to not burn my fingers. lol

It sort of hit me that it been a comfort food for me. So while I won’t be bringing back as a staple in my diet, it was a nice walk down memory lane.

Helpless

My little brother had a medical scare recently and I watched as his FB profile filled up with ‘prayers​.’ My first thought was to be angry. The I remembered most people grow up being conditioned to accept their religion as-is. It is just part of the "known" to be filed away and referenced when needed. [1]The brother is doing fine. He is getting treatment for a blockage

Afterwards, I began to ponder why people always want to pray for everything. And I don’t mean people who are devoutly religious. I’m talking about every-day folks who offer to "pray for you" anytime life isn’t going your way. The obvious answer is they feel helpless to do anything. Therefore it is to be turned over to the [insert made up deity of choice here] to handle and take responsibility. The act allows said person to feel like they’ve done something, no matter how meaningless the act may be. It also means they don’t have to feel guilty over the outcome.

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Religion spans back to the earliest days of human existence. It spawned from our inability to explain the unknown forces around us. If you’ve looked at the origins of religion of any culture you see similar history trails. It is perfectly understandable in human nature even today; in the absence of knowledge, many will fill in the details with an explanation. And having no concrete denial or refutal, that theory becomes truth. Is it really that hard of a stretch to realize we simply turned our gods (the moon, sun, and stars) into beings, then into a being.

But why did religion persist? Why do we continue to cling to it in abject fear of having it taken away? IMO, at our core, we cannot reconcile the idea of mortality with our own awareness. To do that would mean admitting in the grand scheme of creation we mean very little. If humanity disappeared today, the universe would not even notice. And instead of realizing how precious that makes us, we fear and resent it. And instead of valuing life that much more, we turn to making up fables to inflate our importance.

On a different tact, I also think for many it is a cop-out. They really don’t want to help or be involved. Your drama is yours and they want no part of it. So the easiest answer is, ‘I’ll pray for you.‘ How convenient? I’ll just mumble some words into the ether and a magical being will hear me and fix whatever is wrong with you. Totes logical, right?

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In my eyes, religion is no longer a benefit to humanity. It routinely does more harm than good and continues to do so in an exponential manner. It is time for us to shed our fears and grow up as a society. I realize it won’t happen anytime soon. However, the more we talk, learn, and grow, the more the idea will catch on. We can no longer hide our own failings behind misguided (and often blatant bias) religion. We cannot cloak our hatred and fear of others in belief. We cannot continue on this path if we hope to survive.

References

References
↑1 The brother is doing fine. He is getting treatment for a blockage

Moved

You didn’t even notice it but I switched my domain manager and web host recently. Actually, I switched last month. After my rant about my old host, I got several emails asking why I was still with them. I started asking myself the same question. They weren’t bad, we just weren’t a good fit. 

I guess after my 1 and 1 disaster, I had extremely low expectations. hehehe  After some searching, I settled on InMotion. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am with the switch. As happy as I was to be away from 1 and 1, I’m that much happier to have a host I feel is a really good fit. First, they deal a lot with WordPress, so can answer many related questions w/o delay. They also offered a discount on my first year of service so ended up cheaper than my previous host. After the first year, they’ll be pretty much the same price. They also offer 24/7 tech support by phone, web chat, an email. They transferred all my existing data, blog included, for free. I was a bit shocked when I read that part. They even transferred existing emails. [1]I always use IMAP instead of POP3 so had plenty of emails on the server.  I’ve never had a host do that! I had a tiny snafu with an internal domain configuration and they fixed it on the spot when I called.

Speaking of domains, I decided to have Google manage my actual domains. I transferred all but one from Tucows and the process was pretty easy. The Google domain management tool is pretty easy. They even offer email forwarding for domain only accounts. Email for a domain usually requires a host to physically store it. Google apparently allows you to create forwarders for no extra charge.

So, I’m all settled with the new host and so far extremely happy. 

References

References
↑1 I always use IMAP instead of POP3 so had plenty of emails on the server.

Destiny

I’m totally hooked on this game. Ugh! It has been over a year and I still play

Destiny, The Game
Destiny, The Game

it at least once a week. Bungie’s goal was to create a game that would be a francize for up to 10 years. I think they might have succeeded. The game is continually updated every 3-6 months with new DLC (downloadable content) to expand its maps. It also incorporates online play, alone or with others.

I’ve always been a gamer who plays for fun. While I am competitive, I prefer to do so with fun in mind. I have never been someone who focused solely on winning. The developers have managed to capture aspects of both types of game play, competitive and fun, to reach a very broad range of players. If you are a competitive player, you have to reach a certain level thru the campaigns, but once you do you can be as competitive as you like. There are whole segments that deal solely with competing. You can play in a group of friends against the game or against other players. If you’re like me and you enjoy campaign modes, there is plenty to keep you busy.

I judge my games by 1) if I finish it, 2) how many times I finish or continue to play it. The game by its nature is designed to never end. Well, not anytime soon anyway. hahaha  New content expands the breadth of the game all while tying into what you already know. I have to say the developers did a good job of building a game that will indeed last for a decade.

If you’re reading this and are a more hardcore gamer, you’re probably familiar with much of the drama that has unfolded in social media and Bungie’s own forums. Frankly, I find it a bit childish and counter-productive. First and foremost, developers rarely give the level of interaction and feedback to players that Bungie has with this game. Maybe they’ve given too much because many have taken to acting all butt-hurt and entitled because the game didn’t live up to some of the promises put forward before the game was released. One, the game wasn’t designed solely for the  hardcore player. It was designed to appeal to all manner of players. Two, if the game was such a disappointment, don’t play it.

Anyhoo, I’m still addicted to it. It has captured my attention like no game before it. Even more than the original Prototype and the Dead Space series. I eagerly await the next set of expansions.

WeMo

Does anyone else use these? I’ve been using the Belkin home automation line called WeMo and I kind of  like them. I’m only using the outlets so far but they apparently offer a range of different products. The premise is anything plugged into the WeMo outlet can be turned on/off remotely via the app. You can also develop rules or schedules as well.

The first one I got was a little finicky. I think they were still too new back then as it had several bugs. Over the span of a few years and multiple flash updates, they’ve gotten better. I’ve read good and bad reviews on them. Most of the bad reviews seem to revolved around more robust use. I’m wondering if it is a software limitation of too many devices.

I’m up to only 3 now and they still work just fine. The one thing I really like is the app doesn’t require a bunch of users or account log-ins. If you have the app installed and are on the same wifi network as the devices, you can see and manipulate them.

I’m considering moving to light switches as well now. I’d love feedback from anyone else who has mixed devices on a network.

Trifecta

You may have noticed some changes to the theme. You might have also Triquetranoticed there are new links to my other domains.

Each has it’s purpose and I’m working on integrating them together so they look and feel the same. My goal is one seamless look that blends all three sites together. Eventually, I hope to have floating or scrolling tabs instead of links. However, said tabs require some tinkering and testing of the theme and/or CSS. I’m not quite advanced enough to write it from scratch so I’ll have to find an example that I like and incorporate it here. [1]The image above is actually referred to as a Celtic Triquerta but it is often referenced incorrectly as a trifecta

Sfmoby.us
Of course, this will continue to be the blog. The only changes here are a new background image and links to the other domains.

Sfmoby.com
I’ve already started this one and it will continue to be a repository for photos and social media stuff. Basically, if I post it anywhere on social media, regardless of platform, I want it to show here. It is trickier than it sounds. Not all platforms export directly to WordPress. I think the exception will be twitter. I’ve pulled away from twitter a lot. I’m just tired of the idea of micro-blogging. Of course, I say that now. I may change my mind. There are plenty of widgets that drag in twitter feeds.

Sfmoby.net
Is new and will be a repository for some of my stories. Did you know I used to write short stories? I did. I was told often that I was pretty good at it. Even in high school, I got high marks for creative fiction. I might also try to fold in a dream journal. I’m not sure how dedicated I am to the idea though. haha  I’m still tinkering w/ideas on this domain but I definitely want it to be a more creative outlet than a journal.

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I remember saying once back when I was still new to blogging that I wanted my blog to be a central hub for my online life. I even built a few website templates for it. Then came along social networking and I got sort of side-tracked. The idea of a central hub has stayed with me an I find I’m coming full circle again. I got a little down on myself for awhile because I tried to force too much into my regular blogging. As the need to tackle personal growth waned, I felt pressured to fill the void.  I think on some level I even rebelled a bit.

Anyway, feel free to check’em out.

References

References
↑1 The image above is actually referred to as a Celtic Triquerta but it is often referenced incorrectly as a trifecta

Random

One of those random thought posts today.

I’m developing a real skill at putting in my contacts. You have to keep your hands clean, have a dry cloth that doesn’t shed, and look straight at the finger while inserting. haha  It sounds corny but when I look away, I almost always screw up getting into my eye. It ends up folded over my finger. I’ve also learned that if your eyes feel cruddy or irritated in anyway, it is best to skip putting in contacts till they feel more normal.

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I broke my Z3 while I was down in L.A. I was 2 days past my jump date when it happened too. [1]I’m on the Tmobile Jump! plan, which lets me upgrade every 6 months  I really loved the battery life on the Z3. The not being able to root it as easily as other devices didn’t bother me as much because the battery was so good.  Since all the signs are pointing that Tmo may not actually bring Lollipop to the Z3f, I opted to go back to Samsung and get the S6. I’ve always liked the S-series with Sammy, the S6 is no different. Sadly, it has a much poorer battery life than the Z3. It’s even a tiny bit worse than the S5. I guess I got spoiled on the Z3 because my expectations are very high now.‘

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In a bit of scandalous news, I’m inching closer to being debt-free again! I decided to sell the land my dad left me to one of my nephews. This way it will stay in the family and go to good use. I’ll never live there again and I got a pretty decent price for it. I’m working on a few loos ends but if everything goes well, I’ll be debt-free in a matter of months. Ironically, a big chunk of my debt came from getting some of the legal problems surrounding my dad’s will sorted out. If you’ve ever crawled out from under a large amount of debt, you’ll know how awesome it is! More to come later on this little tidbit of news.

References

References
↑1 I’m on the Tmobile Jump! plan, which lets me upgrade every 6 months

Error

Has anyone else noticed a decline in the overall quality of news as of late? I seem to be noticing more and more that traditional publications (online and off) are just getting sloppy.

I keep up with a variety of news and tech sites. Almost every day I read or see gross incompetence glaring errors in published articles. Be it, the title is inappropriately devoid of punctuation, random typos, or flat out bad reporting, it is more and more common. Part of me wonders if the encroachment of blo​gging and other non-traditional platforms are the reason. Maybe the traditional media outlets feel pressured to get news out quickly and catching errors is an afterthought. That would at least explain the punctuation and typos. However, it does not explain the bad reporting.

A couple of my favorite news sites for all things Android are just going from bad to worse lately. One site posted a review between the S6 and the M9 based solely on the specs. No actual hands on review, just the specs. And the author admitted as much it the article. Sadly, his review was just flat out wrong. Specs can be impressive but anyone who has owned multiple smartphones can tell you higher specs doesn’t always mean better. Said site seems to be getting worse in this area. I’m to the point of just removing it from my news feed.

The other site posted a link, retracted it, changed a few facts and the title, and then pushed it out again. [1]I do this one a lot in error so can relate I guess they forgot that their RSS feed pushes out notifications. I opt for the ‘full text’ option on RSS updates so I had a birds-eye view of the corrections. At least the updated article had corrected several errors and inaccuracies. I emailed the author politely to let him know and he acted like I was being a dick! I mean, how dare I point out his stupid mistake so he can avoid it in the future?

I’ll be the first to admit my writing style is not perfect. I use a lot of deliberate slang and colloquialisms in my writing style. I am not trying to be overly critical as much as point out the declining accuracy in the written text. I tend to overlook the casual error but if I am being completely honest, I tend to not trust articles that are so poorly written. If you can’t be bothered to proof-read your work, how am I supposed to trust the content?

References

References
↑1 I do this one a lot in error so can relate

Deep

Someone asked me the other day, “why I don’t talk about deep subjects like I used to.”  Well, I guess the answer is I grew up. lol

My blog started all those years ago as a coping mechanism. It turned into a path to enlightenment. And it worked! I confronted, challenged, and defeated many of my childhood insecurities and failings. I put them in their proper place in my id and moved on with life. Don’t get me wrong, I still have some but they aren’t the overwhelming plague they used to be.

I got a good birds-eye view of some of my old writings while I was merging the old and new blog together. I always like reading my past rants. It’s almost like reading a different person in some ways. It brings perspective to  where I am now compared to where I was.

Anyway, I’m sure there are still a few “deep” subjects left in me. hehehe  If one surfaces, I’ll be sure to put it all out there. Ironically, for someone who didn’t feel very moral, I find these days I tend to comment more on the failing morals of society at large. There’s a kick to the rubber pants if there ever was one.