The Cost of Fitness

I like this one - link to a posting on the DragonDoor message board, a
nice rant about how whatever money you put into fitness now is likely to
be money well spent in comparison to many of the other ways we all spend
our money. Excerpt:

"There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
their body shuts down. that is sad, to watch some one who is not even in
their 50's start to fall apart.

No body pays me anything for any product or service, so its not in my
interest that anybody buys any particular thing. But i do think that
more people need to put their money in better places. The question more
people should ask is not "how much does all that stuff cost?" but "how
much will it cost me not to do that?" I know it will cost you around a
150 bucks to swing a kettlebell, but it may cost you $100,000 dollars
not to if you need some crazy back surgery at 45 because you blow out
your back and 3 disks bringing in your stuff from the super market."

Sounds right to me. You can read the full posting via the link below.

http://forum.dragondoor.com/training...4846&kbid=1022

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

"Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote in message
news:5ios4gF3pihguU1@mid.individual.net...
>I like this one - link to a posting on the DragonDoor message board, a nice
>rant about how whatever money you put into fitness now is likely to be
>money well spent in comparison to many of the other ways we all spend our
>money. Excerpt:
>
> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything later
> on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in their
> body shuts down. that is sad, to watch some one who is not even in their
> 50's start to fall apart....

Couldn't agree more. I was quite fit in my 30s (nowhere near Steve Friedes,
though) but I let a series of bad events get me down and by last year I'd
ballooned to about 220. And I had all the maladies that accompany obesity,
the worst of which was a bad case of sleep apnea, a miserable condition that
leaves you waking up numerous times in the middle of the night gasping for
air because your airway has collapsed, thus you're unable to get a good
night's sleep, and it inexorably leads to really bad things like heart
attack, stroke, even greater obesity, etc. I also thought that I might have
contracted Type II diabetes, which turned out to be a false alarm. The
conditions occasioned by obesity are extremely expensive. I had insurance
but if I ever lost it I'd have been uninsurable. This, and the fact that
there was a good likelihood that in the direction I was heading I'd die
before my little girl reached her teens, was a real wake-up call.

I turn 49 next month and while I have a ways to go, I feel the best I've
been in about 10 years. I'm fit for my age now, my apnea's reversing itself,
and I had the first completely normal lipid profile that I can *ever*
remember. My worst physical complaint nowadays is getting sore from pushing
harder in my workouts, but that's a good kind of sore. I recently switched
doctors to one who specializes in sports medicine, because my focus is now
improving my health/fitness rather than fight off all the bad shit that
comes to middle-aged sedentary people.

The thing that's so hard for people when they get out of shape is the
feeling of hopelessness that goes with it. When I was at my fattest I'd look
in the mirror and think how bad I'd fucked my body up and that I could never
get back into shape at that point in my life. When I decided I had to get
myself to the gym, it felt terrible to be amongst people in much better
shape, struggling to lift pathetically light weights, being out of breath
after a couple minutes of light cardio, feeling sore as hell for days
afterward, and not seeing anything to show for it in the beginning. I had to
look at just getting myself to the gym and staying there for 20 minutes as a
victory, and appreciate those small steps that would lead somewhere better.
Yeh, it's great when you finally go from having to will yourself to get off
your fat, lazy ass to go to the gym to looking forward to going there and
reveling in the very things that caused you much pain and discomfort just a
few months earlier.

Steve Freides wrote:
> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>

Oh, you spamming son of a...

> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
> their body shuts down. <snip>

And then there's Jim Fixx.

--
Curt

"Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46c76670$0$18818$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "Steve Freides" <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote in message
> news:5ios4gF3pihguU1@mid.individual.net...
>>I like this one - link to a posting on the DragonDoor message board, a
>>nice rant about how whatever money you put into fitness now is likely to
>>be money well spent in comparison to many of the other ways we all spend
>>our money. Excerpt:
>>
>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>> their body shuts down. that is sad, to watch some one who is not even in
>> their 50's start to fall apart....
>
> Couldn't agree more. I was quite fit in my 30s (nowhere near Steve
> Friedes, though) but I let a series of bad events get me down and by last
> year I'd ballooned to about 220. And I had all the maladies that accompany
> obesity, the worst of which was a bad case of sleep apnea, a miserable
> condition that leaves you waking up numerous times in the middle of the
> night gasping for air because your airway has collapsed, thus you're
> unable to get a good night's sleep, and it inexorably leads to really bad
> things like heart attack, stroke, even greater obesity, etc. I also
> thought that I might have contracted Type II diabetes, which turned out to
> be a false alarm. The conditions occasioned by obesity are extremely
> expensive. I had insurance but if I ever lost it I'd have been
> uninsurable. This, and the fact that there was a good likelihood that in
> the direction I was heading I'd die before my little girl reached her
> teens, was a real wake-up call.
>
> I turn 49 next month and while I have a ways to go, I feel the best I've
> been in about 10 years. I'm fit for my age now, my apnea's reversing
> itself, and I had the first completely normal lipid profile that I can
> *ever* remember. My worst physical complaint nowadays is getting sore from
> pushing harder in my workouts, but that's a good kind of sore. I recently
> switched doctors to one who specializes in sports medicine, because my
> focus is now improving my health/fitness rather than fight off all the bad
> shit that comes to middle-aged sedentary people.
>
> The thing that's so hard for people when they get out of shape is the
> feeling of hopelessness that goes with it. When I was at my fattest I'd
> look in the mirror and think how bad I'd fucked my body up and that I
> could never get back into shape at that point in my life. When I decided I
> had to get myself to the gym, it felt terrible to be amongst people in
> much better shape, struggling to lift pathetically light weights, being
> out of breath after a couple minutes of light cardio, feeling sore as hell
> for days afterward, and not seeing anything to show for it in the
> beginning. I had to look at just getting myself to the gym and staying
> there for 20 minutes as a victory, and appreciate those small steps that
> would lead somewhere better. Yeh, it's great when you finally go from
> having to will yourself to get off your fat, lazy ass to go to the gym to
> looking forward to going there and reveling in the very things that caused
> you much pain and discomfort just a few months earlier.
>
>
>

My wakeup call was Atrial Fibrillation a year and a half ago. My worst enemy
was alcohol. My triglycerides were high. The medication messed up my HDL. I
started doing aerobic walking and reduced my medication 12 weeks ago. My BP
is now down to 112/75. My weight was down to 125 I have gotten it up to 145
my goal is 155 and 12% body fat. Friday I find out how my lipids are. The
last hospital visit cost my insurance $10,000 for 16 hours in intensive
care.

Bob

Bob

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:35 -0000, Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:

>Steve Freides wrote:
>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>
>Oh, you spamming son of a...
>
>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>
>And then there's Jim Fixx.

Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.

"d wells" <d.wells40@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:6o7jc31g2k90kg4in4pjffr128cg7odvs7@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:35 -0000, Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Steve Freides wrote:
>>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>>
>>Oh, you spamming son of a...
>>
>>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>>
>>And then there's Jim Fixx.
>
> Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.

Yes. Jim Fixx died in his mid to early 50s. But his father was sedentary and
had died of a heart attack at a much younger age. Some claim Fixx was likely
to die at a relatively young age but that running prolonged his life by a
few years.

Zen Cohen wrote:
> "d wells" wrote
> > Curt wrote:
> >>Steve Freides wrote:
> >>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>
> >>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
> >>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
> >>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
> >>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>
> >>And then there's Jim Fixx.
>
> > Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.
>
> Yes. Jim Fixx died in his mid to early 50s. But his father was sedentary and
> had died of a heart attack at a much younger age. Some claim Fixx was likely
> to die at a relatively young age but that running prolonged his life by a
> few years.

That's what I heard, too.

Wiki offers more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx

And from that web page:

"The autopsy revealed that atherosclerosis had blocked one coronary
artery 95%, a second 85%, and a third 50%."

Curious if, given his father's heart attacks at age 35 and then 42,
could Fixx have done a preventative look-see at his coronary arteries
by way of prevention or first-strike balloon angioplasty?

--
Curt

For many years the largest fitness cost personally was the 50% to 100%
extra calories I needed for areobic activities. That cost much more
than
any equipment or supplies I used.

But still a lot cheaper than doctors visits and diseases if I ddnt
work out.

"Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46c9a949$0$31895$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "d wells" <d.wells40@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:6o7jc31g2k90kg4in4pjffr128cg7odvs7@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:35 -0000, Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Steve Freides wrote:
>>>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>>>
>>>Oh, you spamming son of a...
>>>
>>>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>>>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>>>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>>>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>>>
>>>And then there's Jim Fixx.
>>
>> Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.
>
> Yes. Jim Fixx died in his mid to early 50s. But his father was sedentary
> and had died of a heart attack at a much younger age. Some claim Fixx was
> likely to die at a relatively young age but that running prolonged his
> life by a few years.
>

http://www.arthurdevany.com/enduranc...jury_and_risk/

"ATP*" <waxwingslain@azurepane.com> wrote in message
news:7ppyi.73$HB3.7@newsfe12.lga...
>
> "Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:46c9a949$0$31895$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>>
>> "d wells" <d.wells40@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:6o7jc31g2k90kg4in4pjffr128cg7odvs7@4ax.com...
>>> On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:35 -0000, Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Steve Freides wrote:
>>>>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>>>>
>>>>Oh, you spamming son of a...
>>>>
>>>>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>>>>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>>>>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>>>>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>>>>
>>>>And then there's Jim Fixx.
>>>
>>> Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.
>>
>> Yes. Jim Fixx died in his mid to early 50s. But his father was sedentary
>> and had died of a heart attack at a much younger age. Some claim Fixx was
>> likely to die at a relatively young age but that running prolonged his
>> life by a few years.
>>
>
> http://www.arthurdevany.com/enduranc...jury_and_risk/

Thanks. I spent about an hour rooting around that site. I've been wondering
about the negative consequences of doing long, hard endurance workouts for
middle-aged guys and he has some interesting ideas.

"Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46ca64fd$0$4092$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "ATP*" <waxwingslain@azurepane.com> wrote in message
> news:7ppyi.73$HB3.7@newsfe12.lga...
>>
>> "Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:46c9a949$0$31895$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>>>
>>> "d wells" <d.wells40@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:6o7jc31g2k90kg4in4pjffr128cg7odvs7@4ax.com...
>>>> On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:35 -0000, Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Steve Freides wrote:
>>>>>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>>>>>
>>>>>Oh, you spamming son of a...
>>>>>
>>>>>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>>>>>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>>>>>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>>>>>
>>>>>And then there's Jim Fixx.
>>>>
>>>> Didn't he have a heart condition? I don't remember all the details.
>>>
>>> Yes. Jim Fixx died in his mid to early 50s. But his father was sedentary
>>> and had died of a heart attack at a much younger age. Some claim Fixx
>>> was likely to die at a relatively young age but that running prolonged
>>> his life by a few years.
>>>
>>
>> http://www.arthurdevany.com/enduranc...jury_and_risk/
>
> Thanks. I spent about an hour rooting around that site. I've been
> wondering about the negative consequences of doing long, hard endurance
> workouts for middle-aged guys and he has some interesting ideas.

I think the concept that the human body is not meant to be worked like a
machine, at a constant output for extended periods, is valid. in addition,
there must be some limit to the number of cycles our joints can sustain (not
a static numerical limit, but some function that takes into account
intensity and individual factors). Some moderately long bicycle rides thrown
into the mix are probably beneficial, IMHO, maybe 60 miles or so, depending
on the terrain. Ultramarathon training doesn't make much sense.

Steve Freides wrote:
> I like this one - link to a posting on the DragonDoor message board, a
> nice rant about how whatever money you put into fitness now is likely to
> be money well spent in comparison to many of the other ways we all spend
> our money. Excerpt:
>
> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
> their body shuts down. that is sad, to watch some one who is not even in
> their 50's start to fall apart.
>
> No body pays me anything for any product or service, so its not in my
> interest that anybody buys any particular thing. But i do think that
> more people need to put their money in better places. The question more
> people should ask is not "how much does all that stuff cost?" but "how
> much will it cost me not to do that?" I know it will cost you around a
> 150 bucks to swing a kettlebell, but it may cost you $100,000 dollars
> not to if you need some crazy back surgery at 45 because you blow out
> your back and 3 disks bringing in your stuff from the super market."
>
> Sounds right to me. You can read the full posting via the link below.
>
> http://forum.dragondoor.com/training...4846&kbid=1022
>
> -S-
> http://www.kbnj.com
>
>

The "cost" can be as little as $0 to get fit or you can spend what you
want, up to the individual. In my case a co-worker gave me a cheap bench
with 150 lbs of weights, 2 dumbell shafts and a barbell that was
gathering dust in his garage, cost = $0. I added some cast iron plates
to get more weight and also so I wasnt always switching plates between
the BB and DB's cost - about $25-$30, $.50 per pound at a used sports
equipment place.

The bench is an el-cheapo, with incline but no decline, but it's good
enough for me. If I find a good deal on a better one I'll grab it, but
I'm in no hurry. For pull ups & chin ups I lashed a chunk of doweling I
found between two trees in my yard.

For cardio I just started to take up running, my first try out I made it
3 kms and felt like I could have gone more, I did 4 last night and was
pretty bagged. I discovered though, that for running the cheapo runners
I always buy from costco dont cut it, so I got some $100 adidas for 40%
off, so now I'm up to $100 total. However I could get the same benefit
from walking lots or cycling, and made do with my other shoes, but I am
finding running surprisingly enjoyable, so running it will be.

So there you have it, around $100 total is my "cost to stay fit", but
even that is more than I needed to spend. I want to add some mass so I
got the weights, but I could stay perfectly fit in a lot of other ways,
just playing recreatinal soccer (well the cleats and shin pads set me
back $50) and cutting firewood etc.. would probably do the trick just
fine.

In my "nice to have" list is a better bench, squat rack and full set of
db's & rack, I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing the costco db set
they had a few years back for $400 (now all they have is $1000
bowflexes) and I can probably build a squatting rack for < $100, but I
can stay fit without these.

Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> writes:

> Steve Freides wrote:
>> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>
> Oh, you spamming son of a...
>
>> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>> their body shuts down. <snip>
>
> And then there's Jim Fixx.

First of all, running isn't particularly healthy. Second of all every
last one of us is going to die. Personally, I am *hoping* for a heart
attack, and a heart attack after a hard workout would at least mean I
died with my boots on.

Watch someone die from diabetes and heart disease starts to look like
a blessing.

Dylan Thomas said it best:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Besides, even if it doesn't make you live longer exercise is fun, and
it certainly improves your health while you are alive.

Jason

On Aug 22, 1:35 pm, Jason Earl <je...@xmission.com> wrote:
> Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> writes:
> > Steve Freides wrote:
> >> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>
> > Oh, you spamming son of a...
>
> >> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
> >> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
> >> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
> >> their body shuts down. <snip>
>
> > And then there's Jim Fixx.
>
> First of all, running isn't particularly healthy.

Oh, you controversial son of a...

> Second of all every last one of us is going to die.

Hold on! Doesn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
believe in the rapture? I guess that's just a born-again Protestants
thing.

> Personally, I am *hoping* for a heart attack, and a heart attack after
> a hard workout would at least mean I died with my boots on.

heh )

I'm hoping for the "90-years-old and shot to death by a jealous
husband" action. Hmm. Okay, forget the shot to death part of that.

> Watch someone die from diabetes and heart disease starts to look like
> a blessing.
>
> Dylan Thomas said it best:
>
> Do not go gentle into that good night,
> Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
> Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
>
> Besides, even if it doesn't make you live longer exercise is fun, and
> it certainly improves your health while you are alive.

Agreed.

Otoh, I made two ladies on the Life Cycles to my left laugh out loud
tonight by exclaiming "EXERCISE SUCKS!" Laughter really is the best
medicine. Followed that up with "I want the Surgeon General to report
that cheese cake and beer will make you live longer!"

Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be here all week. Please drive home safely
and don't forget to tip your waitress!

--
Curt

Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> writes:

> On Aug 22, 1:35 pm, Jason Earl <je...@xmission.com> wrote:
>> Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> writes:
>> > Steve Freides wrote:
>> >> I like this one - link to a posting on the Dra<snip>
>>
>> > Oh, you spamming son of a...
>>
>> >> "There is no better way to spend your money then to put it in to your
>> >> health. The people who don't pay now are the ones who pay everything
>> >> later on hospital bills and operation after operation as everything in
>> >> their body shuts down. <snip>
>>
>> > And then there's Jim Fixx.
>>
>> First of all, running isn't particularly healthy.
>
> Oh, you controversial son of a...
>
>> Second of all every last one of us is going to die.
>
> Hold on! Doesn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
> believe in the rapture? I guess that's just a born-again Protestants
> thing.

Points for spelling out the entire name of the church.

I am not super conversant with the various beliefs on "the rapture."
The LDS believe that for some people the time between death and
resurrection will be very short (I think that "changed in a twinkling
of an eye" is the phrase used in the scriptures), but that there still
is a difference between being mortal and being raised to immortality.

So yes, I believe everyone dies.

>> Personally, I am *hoping* for a heart attack, and a heart attack
>> after a hard workout would at least mean I died with my boots on.
>
> heh )
>
> I'm hoping for the "90-years-old and shot to death by a jealous
> husband" action. Hmm. Okay, forget the shot to death part of that.

I thought about similar scenarios, but I would rather not put my
family through the anguish of an extra-marital affair, and the idea of
dying while having sex with my wife seems pretty darn creepy. My wife
tends to be hard on herself. I would just as soon that she didn't
feel responsible for my death, even if it was one heck of a send off.

I suppose that if I could script out my death I would hope for
something like Professor Liviu Librescu. Dying at the age of 76 from
a gunshot wound while saving an entire class full of college students
would be just about right. Of course, since we are talking about
fantasy I suppose I would actually rather kick the kid's ass and live.

Which brings us back to death by deadlifting.

>> Watch someone die from diabetes and heart disease starts to look
>> like a blessing.
>>
>> Dylan Thomas said it best:
>>
>> Do not go gentle into that good night,
>> Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
>> Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
>>
>> Besides, even if it doesn't make you live longer exercise is fun,
>> and it certainly improves your health while you are alive.
>
> Agreed.
>
> Otoh, I made two ladies on the Life Cycles to my left laugh out loud
> tonight by exclaiming "EXERCISE SUCKS!" Laughter really is the best
> medicine. Followed that up with "I want the Surgeon General to report
> that cheese cake and beer will make you live longer!"
>
> Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be here all week. Please drive home
> safely and don't forget to tip your waitress!

There's no question that exercise can suck. I've been out trying to
run again, because I have let my conditioning get away from me a bit.
I don't like to run normally, but if running is the price that I have
to pay to be able to run when I do want to, then I suppose I'll
continue to lace up my running shoes.

Lifting, on the other hand, truly is fun for me.

Jason

On Aug 24, 2:57 pm, Jason Earl <je...@xmission.com> wrote:
> Curt <curtja...@gmail.com> writes:
> > On Aug 22, 1:35 pm, Jason Earl <je...@xmission.com> wrote:
[...]

> >> Second of all every last one of us is going to die.
>
> > Hold on! Doesn't the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
> > believe in the rapture? I guess that's just a born-again Protestants
> > thing.
>
> Points for spelling out the entire name of the church.

Sweet. Points rule. I've got my $1.29. Point me towards the coffee!

> I am not super conversant with the various beliefs on "the rapture."
> The LDS believe that for some people the time between death and
> resurrection will be very short (I think that "changed in a twinkling
> of an eye" is the phrase used in the scriptures), but that there still
> is a difference between being mortal and being raised to immortality.
>
> So yes, I believe everyone dies.

Okay.

> >> Personally, I am *hoping* for a heart attack, and a heart attack
> >> after a hard workout would at least mean I died with my boots on.
>
> > heh )
>
> > I'm hoping for the "90-years-old and shot to death by a jealous
> > husband" action. Hmm. Okay, forget the shot to death part of that.
>
> I thought about similar scenarios, but I would rather not put my
> family through the anguish of an extra-marital affair, and the idea of
> dying while having sex with my wife seems pretty darn creepy. My wife
> tends to be hard on herself. I would just as soon that she didn't
> feel responsible for my death, even if it was one heck of a send off.
>
> I suppose that if I could script out my death I would hope for
> something like Professor Liviu Librescu. Dying at the age of 76 from
> a gunshot wound while saving an entire class full of college students
> would be just about right. Of course, since we are talking about
> fantasy I suppose I would actually rather kick the kid's ass and live.

Virginia Tech should name a building after him. It is a shame that
someone didn't have the opportunity to crack the psycho in the nose
and put an end to it immediately and with no more bloodshed than what
leaked out of the boy's nose.

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but maybe not in this ng, but I
worked with a man who said he'd jump into action if anyone tried to
hijack his plane. This was before 9/11, fwiw. I always wondered what
he'd actually do if he was put in a hijack situation. It's easy to say
what you'll do, but it's an entirely different thing to put those
words into action.

I suspect I'd have done what those students might have done - been
startled, wondered "What the..." and then been shot. Good on Librescu,
of course. Rest in Peace.

(And yes, your fantasy is a good one.)

> Which brings us back to death by deadlifting.

Yes.

[...]

> There's no question that exercise can suck. I've been out trying to
> run again, because I have let my conditioning get away from me a bit.
> I don't like to run normally, but if running is the price that I have
> to pay to be able to run when I do want to, then I suppose I'll
> continue to lace up my running shoes.
>
> Lifting, on the other hand, truly is fun for me.

I enjoy it all. Just wanted to make the ladies laugh.

Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."

Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.

--
Curt

In article <1187993199.707284.25280@q3g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:

> Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
> There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
> or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
> novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."
>
> Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.
>
> --
> Curt

I never have listened to music during cardio.
I read the Harry Potter series at the gym as well as Anne Rice and
various Sci fi's.

Books rule. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

"Omelet" <omp_omelet@gmail.com> wrote in message
newsmp_omelet-41F5C1.22225224082007@news.giganews.com...
> In article <1187993199.707284.25280@q3g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
> Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
>> There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
>> or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
>> novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."
>>
>> Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.
>>
>> --
>> Curt
>
> I never have listened to music during cardio.
> I read the Harry Potter series at the gym as well as Anne Rice and
> various Sci fi's.
>
> Books rule. ;-)

I never realized that you were such an intellectual

> --
> Peace, Om
>
> Remove _ to validate e-mails.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack
> Nicholson

In article <46cfa742$0$14825$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au> ,
"David" <forgotwhy@yahoo.com.au> wrote:

> > Books rule. ;-)
>
> I never realized that you were such an intellectual

I live to read.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

"Omelet" <omp_omelet@gmail.com> wrote in message
newsmp_omelet-41F5C1.22225224082007@news.giganews.com...
> In article <1187993199.707284.25280@q3g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
> Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
>> There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
>> or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
>> novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."
>>
>> Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.
>>
>> --
>> Curt
>
> I never have listened to music during cardio.

That's the only thing I can do during cardio. I'm too exerted to comprehend
anything I'm reading.

> I read the Harry Potter series at the gym as well as Anne Rice and
> various Sci fi's.
>
> Books rule. ;-)

Agree, but not at the gym. I get through about a book a month while peeing,
though. I get bored standing there doing nothing. I read about one page per
bathroom break. Yeah, too much information.

In article <46d0c4a6$0$18993$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
"Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote:

> "Omelet" <omp_omelet@gmail.com> wrote in message
> newsmp_omelet-41F5C1.22225224082007@news.giganews.com...
> > In article <1187993199.707284.25280@q3g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
> > Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
> >> There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
> >> or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
> >> novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."
> >>
> >> Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Curt
> >
> > I never have listened to music during cardio.
>
> That's the only thing I can do during cardio. I'm too exerted to comprehend
> anything I'm reading.
>
> > I read the Harry Potter series at the gym as well as Anne Rice and
> > various Sci fi's.
> >
> > Books rule. ;-)
>
> Agree, but not at the gym. I get through about a book a month while peeing,
> though. I get bored standing there doing nothing. I read about one page per
> bathroom break. Yeah, too much information.

Whatever floats your boat. <G>
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

"Omelet" <omp_omelet@gmail.com> wrote in message
newsmp_omelet-41F5C1.22225224082007@news.giganews.com...
> In article <1187993199.707284.25280@q3g2000prf.googlegroups.c om>,
> Curt <curtjames@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Used another favorite on a guy doing treadmill next to me recently.
>> There were people in the row in front of us with iPods, mp3 players,
>> or some music-making gadgets. I turned to him, held up my Lee Child
>> novel, and said, "This is the poor man's iPod."
>>
>> Go ahead and try it. I guarantee a laugh.
>>
>> --
>> Curt
>
> I never have listened to music during cardio.
> I read the Harry Potter series at the gym as well as Anne Rice and
> various Sci fi's.
>
> Books rule. ;-)

I never realized that you were such an intellectual

> --
> Peace, Om
>
> Remove _ to validate e-mails.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack
> Nicholson