SeaWorld Sucks

"We have created an extraordinary opportunity for people to get an up-close, personal experience and be inspired and connect with marine life in a way they cannot do anywhere else in the world"
Jim Atchison, President SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment

I think Atchison is a lying corporate hack.  SeaWorld is about charging stupid people $78.95 (hey, kids 3-9 are only $68.95) a shot to sell them sugar laden fat saturated crap, and plop their fat asses in seats to watch Orcas in tutus do circus tricks which they learned to keep from going insane.  SeaWorld corporate is already blaming it on Ms. Brancheau for not "following protocol."  God forbid anyone look to the root, a bull yanked from the wild, stuck in a bathtub taught to do tricks, kills three along the way.  Maybe they ought to let him go ?  Ya' kidding, he has fathered eleven calves in captivity; no way he goes free.

From 2002 to 2006, we spent about a hundred hours on Monterey Bay with Heidi & Steph from Sanctuary Cruises.  http://www.sanctuarycruises.com/  That's Ian above, the blond kid in the bow with the SeaWorld sweatshirt (from our one and only trip), looking the other way as a common dolphin surfaced under his nose.  I am sure he was looking at another not in frame.  Point is that Atchison wrong: there are plenty of places where you can get close enough to be awestruck.  The notion that SeaWorld is unique is fucking laughable.  It is a canned, processed experience spoon fed to lemmings.
Ian has a great eye and a fine appreciation for the natural world.  He is curious, knowledgeable and quiet.  One of the few things I am absolutely sure of is that had he spent 100 hours sitting in a plastic SeaWorld seat sucking on sugar laden drinks rather than in the bow of Sanctuary with the wind in his hair and the salt spray in his nose, he would not have that eye.
Yeah, we went to SeaWorld once.  The San Diego outlet.  It was a freebie from a client who got a good settlement and decided to go to Hawaii instead.  It was a nice gesture, but the trip sucked.  The coolest thing we saw were bottlenose dolphins from the balcony of the hotel, just along the surfline.  Very cool.  You can see the same thing from Baker beach in SF three days out of seven if you know what to look for.  When the striped bass are running its like the fourth of July.

Connect with Marine life ?  Wanna see Orcas ?  Get real.  http://www.youtube.om/watch?v=5uCiDbdjAIg  They come, give you a gift, and leave on their terms.  Be inspired and up close ?  You bet.  For a hell of a lot less money and calories per day.  Corny home movie from seven years ago; sorry, but the video is pretty cool, apologies for the quality on the upload, full version would not go.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8hw4G1Oe0o

Wednesday, five miles in the am, then MH flow class.  Hammies shot from 32kg swings day before, so shaky but ok.
Thursday, 2.5 miles in am and TRX core work.  Evening, 5 comes over, goes like this:
Swing ladder:
10 16kg, 20kg, 24kg up, 30 sec rest,
Snatches down, 60 sec rest
5x
3 60 sec plank
16kg single leg rows
5+5 24kg press, to 3+3 32kg push press
3x
Not a long workout, but needed.
Nothing today, downtime.
SeaWorld sucks.  Blows.  Big time.

Staying Up Late and Stewing

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music" 

Aldous Huxley

The Olympics can be brutal.  Ice Dancing, always thought it was really dumb and have not watched in years.  It's gotten better.  Brigid, Barry and I had to stay up late watching and a little rocky today.  There was also the sort of schlocky filler I usually hate, a "human interest" piece about snowboarder Kevin Pearce who suffered a brain injury training and his ongoing rehab.  His family is remarkable and about halfway through they introduce his brother David who has Down Syndrome.  Kevin's mom is going on about how having David completely prepared her for Kevin's rehab and all I could think was "right on."  Having a kid with disability is extraordinarily difficult on a number of levels and these folks have handled it spectacularly; if I could only do half as well.

In sharp contrast to Sarah Palin who pisses me off royally every time she shamelessly trots out Trig for political gain.  It makes me want to scream.

Brigid says we have to get in the habit of bringing Barry on marsh walks and she is right on.  He spends way too much time amusing himself; but that he chooses music and the music he chooses gives some solace: his taste is extraordinary.  And he clearly loves it.

Saturday, MH 90 minute class, that's it.  Feeling beat up, dog disappointed.

Sunday, to RKC cert for victim fun and assigned to a nice but not bright guy.  He was knowledgeable about training in general and he spotted some things.  It was good to be in a room full of fanatics and I am pretty sure I could do this if I could put the time in.  But I don't think I have it and I for damn sure have more important things to spend dollars on.  Love the iron.

Yesterday, five miles in the am, then 

5+5x2 pushups to 24kg renegade rows, been awhile for these and felt great

Double 16 clean to press to rack to squat, 5x

5+5 24kg press, to 3+3 32kg push press, these stronger all the time

8+8 16kg single leg deads

3x

10+10 windmill, 16kg upper,12kg lower

2+2x2 24kg TGU

5+5  TRX y to w

10+10 TRX woodchoppers

3x

No ballistic stuff, saving for today.

Today, three miles in am, and 20 minutes of TRX stretches after watching JH doing as a cool down. Her form is perfect, she should be doing videos, but hey at 25 . . .

5 comes over and hill swing routine:

10 20kg+10 24kg + 10 32kg, 30 seconds rest, back down, 60 seconds rest.

x5, so 300 swings.

Then an additional 100 swings in sets of 30, 20kg.

15 over hand sit ups x3

3 60 second planks.

Big fun; Brigid incredulous as she works on her Woodstock report.  5 looking better.

 

Flat Water

"Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals."

T.E. Lawrence

Don't know jack about generals; they always seem like politicians not wanting to be.  But Kingfishers are cool as hell.  Ornery. Little fuckers over water with sharp beaks and a quick dive.  Can't live like that, but an arrow in the quiver.

Tuesday, nothing in the am, Brooks video in the pm, with 5.  Gut busting workout, 5 in the driveway puking halfway through.  Me, joyously not quite sucking wind.

Wednesday, six miles, can't get to MH class in pm, just not there.

Thursday, am, getting prepped for  evening session with 5, goes like this

15 hindu push-ups

10 double 16kg squat to press, to 10+10 alternating press

5+5 clean to press, 24kg; 3+3 32kg push press

12 step back lunges, 40lb barbell on shoulders

3x

PM, JB yoga class.  She is improving.  Great dolphin to plank series.  Still not MH but she comes over and presses down while I am in child's pose, whispers, "you are doing very well", she is hot, not all real but still hot and I am male and therefore stupidly appreciative.  5 bails in pm, a bit disappointing.

Today, ripping am swing/tgu/snatchfest

20 24kg swings

1+1 24kg tgu

5+5 16kg snatches, 5+5 24kg snatches

1+1 24kg tgu

x10, yowza.

Long fucking day, get on 4:55 boat.  Flat bay, beautiful.  Ride up, ripping client that has bounced large check, reaming him big time and hating the release.

Get home, Brigid is channeling Parker Posey in Waiting for Guffman as her MSA audition piece.  I lose it on the DQ, giggling, trying not to sound hysterical..  Ian and I settle in with the dog and Lawrence of Arabia.  Epic relaxation.

Looking forward to yoga in am, oh yeah. 

 

February 15, 2010

"The people of the United States are the rightful masters of both Congress and the Courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." 

Abraham Lincoln

Who would be the members of the 5-4 majority who decided Citizens United v. FEC.  Say what you will about Obama, but he was right to castigate the Supremes.  If Jay were still alive he would be 83 today and wondering why the citizenry is not in the streets with pitchforks.  Some inversions are not innocent; this one was not even insidious.   The Supremes were bald faced conspirators prostituting the First Amendment.  All those sci-fi movies pitching the unwashed masses against the cold power of corporate profiteers took one giant step toward reality, with a corresponding leap back for mankind.  Fuck, the effect of the Bush "legacy" has not yet begun to manifest itself.

Friday, three miles in the am, that's it.  Saturday, 90 minute MH class, another hour on TRX and doing stupid human tricks on a swiss ball.  Three miles in the marsh after.  Wanted to do a Kbell session but napped instead.  Get over it.

Sunday, three miles in the marsh with Ian and Brigid.  No fighting; they were thick as thieves and chuckle at the dissertations on effects pedals and evolution of rock and roll.  Ian, knowledgeably quizzing her about the Ramones.  Then into SF for CT group flogging.  Seven sets of 14+14 swings, to 5+5 press to 3+3 squats, then whatever punch kick combo she made up.

Punches/elbow strikes fun, kicks spastic.  All 16kg, save last set with 20, should have bumped it up earlier but it was a good sweat and energizing.  After to the Marina and watch CT suck down two organic vegan desserts while nursing a very good smoothie; like watching one of those circus acts with 13 clowns piling into a tiny car.  Head north in the dark and watch West Wing with Brigid.

Today, five hour hike on Burdell with Brigid and Rose.  Beautiful day, Brigid a trooper, plied with Safeway chicken wings and gross Sobe dreck.  Halfway through she is in a small oak, giggling, upside down, delighted, asking if I can climb trees; I decline, but only 'cause we need a bigger tree.  Jay would cry if he could see her now, and if he was aware; she is so strong and full of herself.  They loved each other so.

Pigs Will Fly

"If we respected only what is inevitable and what has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets."
Henry David Thoreau
Sometimes a busker will stop you in your tracks.  (and sometimes they don't, even if its Joshua Bell.  Astonishing.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html?sub=AR).  When its really good you hear it from fifty yards away, echoing through a BART station, more than the ragged alto player or johnny cash influenced punk baritone.  And that was it when the Jugtown Pirates settled in at Montgomery Station yesterday morning, lighting it up in front of Peet's Coffee.  These guys were good; and since this is 2010 they have a myspace page with 62,000+ views.  http://www.myspace.com/jugtownpirates  Check out Pigs Will Fly.  Sweet tune.
Paid 5.00 for a cd and Pigs blew the Avett Brothers out the head which, as good as they are, was necessary. Angst gets old and Pigs is sweet slow harmless psychedelic harmony and the Avetts wouldn't leave and were buggin' me.  Back this morning, Pirates were too; requested Pigs and they obliged, right as a train load of disabled folks and their aides disembarked.  So Pigs was kind of interrupted and Meghan the fiddler player looked kinda sheepish.  But those are my kind of people; it was great.  Lotsa smiles and Barry would have loved it.
Yesterday, five miles elliptical/step mill and great MH flow class.
Today AM, three miles, and some TRX fun for 20 minutes.
PM, 5 comes over and its time to work
5+5+5+5 pushups to 20kg renegade rows
5 squat to press with 2 20kg, to alternating overhead press, 3+3.
10+10 28kg rows
10 20kg bootstrap squats
3x
8+8 windmills, 20kg high, 16 low
30 24kg swings
10+10 16kg half get ups
30 20kg snatches
3x
then 10 more snatches and swings to get to 100 each.
Looking forward to the weekend and some work from home time next week.
It'll be hilarious; it'll be hilarious.
 

I and Love and You

“This Machine Surrounds Hate and Forces It to Surrender.”
Pete Seeger's Banjo Head
Every time one clicked on the home page today; news about the latest Sports Illustrated cover model.  In honor of that, two of the most beautiful women alive today:  Gillian Welch and Emmy Lou Harris.
Felt hammered this morning from yesterday.  Not enough yoga lately so resolved to hit EH's 7:00 am.  Drag ass out at 5:45.  Stumble into the studio at 6:50.  EH playing the kind of folk indie dirge I can't seem to grow out of, Avett Brothers' I and Love and You.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p4c3AkhAaw.  Chorus "Brooklyn, Brooklyn . . ." immediately settling in for what turned out to be the day.  Last line of the song:  "three words that became hard to say, I and Love and You."  Good indie angst; we all want those three words to get easier over time, and it doesn't always work that way.  Even at advanced age.
Erika's class great.  Heavy sweat.  Fellow victim and me incredulous in the locker room after: "we just got beat up by a girl."
Sunday, three mile marsh walk before watching the Saints' win.  Flock of blackbirds split in two by a falcon as we were getting into the car, Ian saw it first.  He has a good eye.  Rose oblivious.
Monday, beat the crap out of me.  Five miles in the am, the step mill is vicious; an angry escalator.  Two miles on that, balance on elliptical.
PM
10 TRX crunch to push-ups
10 TRX sprinters starts
5+5 c&p 24kg, 3+3 32kg push press
10+10 TRX bulgarian split squats
3x
10+10 windmills, 16kg high, 12kg low
5+5x3 16/24kg snatches
2+2x2 24kg TGU
30 24kg swings
3x
additional 10 snatches and swings to get each to 100
Some TRX woodchoppers to release the shoulders, down like water falls.

Later today, after EH sweatfest.
28 blocks up and down Broadway twice to pick up CL bells.
5 comes over, half assed participation in Brooks tape.  Few swings, but rows, push-ups, mountain climbers and cleans are ok.  Need 48 hours rest from Kbell training.  Just need it.  Tomorrow cardio, TRX and more yoga.
Spend more time settling into Avetts.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abQRt6p8T7g&feature=related  Then find this, enough to make me like Springsteen.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmWIxnVBU7w&feature=related
Avetts at the Fox 4/17.  Good date with Barry.  Those three words still easy sometimes.

Your World

"It's your world, and your's and your's and your's . . ."
Gil Scott-Heron
 Gil is playing at Yoshi's in March.  16.00 for the late show, saw a recent photo and he looks like hell and has never kicked his drug demons.
I want to remember him sounding like this . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaiFd9YQzEc&feature=related

Wednesday, four miles in the am, two on elliptical, two on stepmill,back in pm for yoga only mh not there so more elliptical and stepmill for a total of seven.
Thursday
AM, like this
10 TRX decline push-ups
10+10 TRX bulgarian split squats
5+5 3+3 24kg clean to press/32 kg clean to push press
8+8 single leg deads, 16kg
3x
5+5+5+5 snatches,16kg/24kg
24 kg TGU 1+1
20 24kg swings
24 kg TGU 1+1
x5
PM
40min Lauren Brooks video, about 120 swings, plus the rest of the pain
Gassed,Advil is my friend.
Friday, hour long TRX session with JH, after a very productive day.
Saturday,three mile marsh walk with Rose and Gil Scott streaming, then into SF for ct group class,
150 swings plus a bunch of presses and pushups and smorgasboard of good stretches and joint mobility work.  After, inaugural visit to Three Twins with ct and 5; walking around Hayes Valley just loving the City.

She Rocks

"If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball."
Phil Jackson
Brigid sucked for most of three quarters last night. The first two points she scored were for the other team when she forgot which direction they were going on an in bounds play, which put the other team up 20-12 in the third, a wide gap in 7/8th grade park and rec ball.  But it seriously pissed her off, and six minutes later she had single-handedly tied it 20-20 with eight unanswered points, and went on to score the game winners in double over time 28-32, finishing with 14 points (for her team), four assists, and two free throws and some very very good passes, along with three offensive fouls.  She used to get picked off on the deep outsides; now she gets it there so fast you can hardly see it.  Of course few of her team mates can catch it, but that's a different problem.  Have rarely seen her that focused or determined and the entire gym was riveted.  She has stepped up her game big time this season and she was still pissed at herself when they finished, a few girls on the opposing team in tears.  Good girl.
Sunday, three mile marsh walk, just me and the dog greeting our fellow marsh revelers.  Afternoon, into sf  for two hours with Ms. Tom; pleasantly thrashed and fun to see tiny CT barking orders to the class; Cinco's comment was that she is a little Nazi - I prefer drill seargant but whatever, she too kicks ass.
Monday, three miles on the step mill and some TRX core work, shoulders pleasantly humming from Sunday.
Today, circuit work in am
5+5+5+5 pushups to renegade rows, 35lb dumbells to keep form solid, hips and shoulders square and level
5+5+5+5 clean, squat to press, 16/24 kg
10+10+10+10 snatches, 16/24 kg
20 tactical lunges, 16kg
3x
TRX rows, 10
TRX oblique dips, 10
TRX 5Y, 5W, 5low
TRX low to high woodchoppers, 10
3x
45 sec TRX plank, 3x.

HW kicking her client's ass next to me on TRX, really really good coaching  - grown man just sucking wind, speechless.
No bells on second circuit cause Kbell workout with 5 in the eve.
Head back at 4:30 for MH stiff guy class, he is out so its JB, who is ok, but not MH and the class is pretty easy, which is fine given one more bell session on the docket.
By 8:00, 5 is half hour late and I am dog tired.  We fuck around, and put in Lauren Brooks' DVD for some structure.  Yet another small powerful gal; 5 is blown away and dying after 12 minutes and we order one for him on line.  Now completely smoked.
Respect for small women kicking ass and leaving folks in the dust sucking wind; that's my daughter too.