The Incredible Difficulty of Everything.

I am coming to the conclusion that almost everything is incredibly more difficult than we believe it to be.  I am starting to see it from two sides at once:  from the perspective of someone who has succeeded at something difficult, and also from the perspective of someone totally "lost at sea" and unable to achieve something I did not expect to be so hard.

I know with a pretty high degree of accuracy what it takes to get the human body in a certain kind of muscular shape, at a certain relatively low body fat level.  And I see all kinds of clueless people in the gym, nominally with these same body transformation goals in mind, but unaware that they are completely doomed by their misguided efforts and lack of intensity.  Year after year, they work out in the same way, at the same very low intensity level.  If they are expecting to grow, they are disappointed, because year after year they look a little softer and a little smaller.

Sometimes I just want to shake them and tell them:  That's not going to work!  You're doing it wrong!  What do you expect to achieve with that miserable effort?

I watched an old episode of Hoarders last night on Netflix, with my daughter.  I like the show, because I am basically one of them.  I am not as bad off as most of the people on the show (or am I?).  But I have definitely been lying to myself about the level of dedication and effort it is going to take for me to shake myself loose of all the junk I've accumulated over the years.  My new efforts at cleaning the basement, for instance, come in fits and starts.  I will have zeal about it for a day or two, and then apathy takes over.  I somehow think that my tiny, miserable, sacrifice-limiting efforts will result in the removal of my basement clutter.  But in truth, I am making neglible progress.  At this rate, the basement and garage will not be clean ever in my life, not even if I live to be 100.

Any normal person would look at my basement, and shake his head in exactly the way I shake my head at clueless gym members.  Right now, I don't have any answers to this, just the single observation that everything is way harder than we had anticipated.

New IFBB Pro Bodybuilders Crowned at Masters Nationals

I had a great trip to Pittsburgh, PA, for the NPC Teen, Collegiate, and Masters Nationals this weekend.  This year, they divided the contest so that all the women's events were on Friday, and all the men's events were on Saturday.  I think it worked really well.

I was really happy to see Janet Kaufman win her class and turn pro!  I interviewed Janet for this blog last year.

I was also glad to see Bonnie Pappas turn pro.  She and her family sat next to me and my son at the men's pre-judging on Saturday morning.  She seems like a really great person.

Pittsburgh was delightful.  We didn't wander too far from the host hotel (except to visit Allegheny Cemetery), but it was great to spend Saturday night down by the river, with the colored fountains and the fireworks from the ballgame across the river.

Sunday, we attended church again at Grace Church, Mt. Washington, but that is a subject for another blog entry.

A Great Song About My Favorite Car: Mercury!!!

Check it out!!

2011 NPC Teen, Collegiate, & Masters National Championships

"Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. ... Even those who travel to attend physique competitions are under considerable economic stress in this period in history."

Yes, I have had to skip a few bodybuilding shows already this year, and won't be making it to many more.  But, I will be attending the NPC Masters Nationals in Pittsburgh.  And one competitor I will be excited to see onstage again is Sherri Gray.  If her conditioning in this video is any indication, I think she is going to do really well!

A while back, I interviewed Sherri for this blog.  And posted this entry also.

My Daughter's Christian Kitsch Art!

I blogged earlier about the Christian "kitsch" art of a lady named Flo Boatright.

A few months later, I think it was for Father's Day, my daughter made me very happy by crafting a similar piece of art for me.  I couldn't be more pleased with it.  Well, maybe I would be slightly more pleased if she had used more than two dogs.  But I love it; it really captures the spirit of the work of Flo Boatright.  And, thus, I am going to "pull rank" this Christmas, and demand that this be hung on our tree in a prominent location!

The story which inspired this work of art is, of course, found in 2 Kings, the 9th Chapter:

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.

And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

Hot Rod Anglican T-Shirt Sale (2011)!!!

*** Not available in stores! ***

Available in Men's Medium-Large-XL sizes (Hanes Beefy-T), and Women's Cap Sleeve T (M-L-XL - see size chart below, because they run small!) ...

 

If you're ready to order, please click on the convenient PayPal button below ...

Style

Hanes Men's T-shirt - M Hanes Men's T-shirt - L Hanes Men's T-shirt - XL Ladies Cap Sleeve - M Ladies Cap Sleeve - L Ladies Cap Sleeve - XL

Here is the sizing chart for the Ladies' T-shirts:



And here is the lovely Tracy, modeling one of these fine shirts!

2011 Avanti Awards - Eliot Erlandson - Summa Cum Laude!

Two years ago, I blogged about my son Eliot's Magna Cum Laude award in the 2009 Avanti Awards.  The Avanti Awards is a competition for young automotive designers.  It is conducted under the auspices of Stellar Scholars (see link for more information).

In some years (such as in 2009) the Avanti Awards is an open competition.  In other years, students who have shown aptitude in automotive design are selected and commissioned to produce a new design.  The designs are to capture the spirit and some of the essence of the Studebaker Avanti, which was an incredible, forward-thinking automobile which premiered in the 1963 model year.

For 2011, my son Eliot Erlandson was offered the Avanti Awards commission, and he accepted eagerly and gratefully.  After his best efforts were turned in, a "star committee" of automotive enthusiasts rated his design in terms of rendering, practicality and function, and originality.  The level of the award is determined by the committee members' ratings.

I am pleased to announce that Eliot's design won the Summa Cum Laude award for the 2011 Avanti Awards!  Here is the write-up at the Stellar Scholars site (click on "Avanti Awards", then scroll to the bottom), and here is the announcment on the Avanti website.

Here are the three views of the design which Eliot submitted.

(background photo credit:  Philip Dattilo)

A brief awards ceremony was held at the Henry Ford Centennial Library in Dearborn.  Ms. Patricia Emery (Stellar Scholars Co-Chair) made the presentation.  The trophy is truly a thing of beauty, and Eliot will treasure it for a lifetime.