Whats a slof? That's a simple question. It stands for Summer List of Fun! It is a list that you make which contains activities you want to do before the summer ends. This term, I believed, was coined by Suzanne Magante (or perhaps one of her friends). Anyways, Suzie has convinced me to create a slof of my own. This post will not be so much about my slof but more on why you should also make a slof of your own!
By the way Suzie was also the one who started the "ice cream cone" joke which is slowly growing in popularity. For those of you who have used it, make sure to give her credit. And for those who've never heard of it... pretty much you just go up to someone, make a fist put it underneath their chin (like your holding an ice cream cone) and say "ICE CREAM CONE". It is like their head is the ice-cream and your hand is the cone. I know it sounds lame but it is actually a little funnier if you see it in person. Also if they are fat, you can hold up both hands under their chins and yell "DOUBLE ICE CREAM CONE". I made that last part up myself.
So anyways, I don't know about you guys but I personally love crossing things off of a list after I complete them. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I usually only make them when I have a lot of stuff to do or to study for the day but I would generally include things such as eating or lifting in order to increase the length of the list, so that the satisfaction of finishing it would be that much greater. Basically a SLOF will not only give you the great satisfaction of finishing a season long list but will also give you the happiness in doing all those fun activities. In addition, I am a bit tired and sick of drinking everyday and I'm pretty sure you are too. So when you're sitting at home trying to think of something to do which doesn't involved getting wasted again, why not have a handy pre-thought out list of fun summer activities?
Things on a SLOF should be group activities which you don't do often. Such as going fishing or rollerblading or biking or paint balling etc. Its up to you! So go out there, jump on the new band wagon and make your slof today! If you need friends to help you check things off your list, feel free to ask me. Together, through teamwork, we can finish our slofs together!
also feel free to leave questions and comments
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Summer
I just got back to Irvine from a family trip. My dad booked a trip with some Chinese tour bus company which takes us around the mid-west and back in 7 days in a bus, hitting up tourist locations along the way. Long story short, this trip was extremely grueling. Everyday we got up at 6 am, got on the bus, drove around to different tourist locations, usually ate lunch at a gas station, and arrived at a new motel at around 11pm. I think we drove approximately 700 miles every day; for those of you who don't know how far that is, it is like driving from norcal to LA and back. I don't know how the bus driver didn't shoot himself by the end of the week. Anyways, the trip was whatevers, my parents mainly wanted to go on this trip to spend time together as a family so I guess it was cool. I already knew going into it that it was going to be extremely boring so I don't really have anything to complain about. But I did have a lot of time to myself on the bus rides and I thought a lot about what I want to be doing in the future.
I made a huge list of stuff I was going to be doing when I got back which included stuff like run more, read more, improve my hygeine, and etc. I have a lot of small personal improvements I hope to make this summer. The main one I hope to achieve is to lose my beer belly. For those of you who know me well, you probably know that I am relatively superficial and always laughed at fat people... that is, until I became one. I still remember, almost to the exact day, when I started developing this little belly of mine. It was my second year and I had just bought the 40 count pack of capri sun from costco. I killed that shit in like 3 days, and soon enough, it began developing. It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it. Haha just kidding, but on a serious note, hopefully I will lose this belly and it will become okay for me to start laughing at fat people again.
On the bus, I also had a lot of time to think about what I want to do with my carreer. Ocassionally my parents and brother took turns talking to me about what I was going to be doing. They weren't exactly being intrusive, but it was getting pretty annoying. (Sorry Will). They kept saying firefighter this and firefighter that, and how firefighting is dangerous and how you can't really go onto other things with it. I guess some of what they say is true, but I just didnt really want to discuss it with them. Theres really like so many things I want to do in the next few years and I really don't know what I should do first. I also started playing with the idea of becoming a volunteer firefighter instead and being like some sort of awesome business man. I don't know. I just know I want to be rich. The last stop on the tour around America was in Vegas. I saw some old man smoking a cigar and gambling many $500 chips at once in blackjack. I decided I want to be as rich as him. I know for sure I will be rich in the future, I just don't know how I'm gonna get there. I have complete faith I will figure it out eventually, so I guess I'll just worry about my short term goals for now. Like how I'm going to be losing this belly this summer. hah hah...
BTW. side note. HMONGS really know how to party. I went to Jerry's graduation this weekend. I got so owned by his family. hahaha fun party
Also, I plan on updating my blog at least once a week now so feel free to check back in next week.
I made a huge list of stuff I was going to be doing when I got back which included stuff like run more, read more, improve my hygeine, and etc. I have a lot of small personal improvements I hope to make this summer. The main one I hope to achieve is to lose my beer belly. For those of you who know me well, you probably know that I am relatively superficial and always laughed at fat people... that is, until I became one. I still remember, almost to the exact day, when I started developing this little belly of mine. It was my second year and I had just bought the 40 count pack of capri sun from costco. I killed that shit in like 3 days, and soon enough, it began developing. It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it. Haha just kidding, but on a serious note, hopefully I will lose this belly and it will become okay for me to start laughing at fat people again.
On the bus, I also had a lot of time to think about what I want to do with my carreer. Ocassionally my parents and brother took turns talking to me about what I was going to be doing. They weren't exactly being intrusive, but it was getting pretty annoying. (Sorry Will). They kept saying firefighter this and firefighter that, and how firefighting is dangerous and how you can't really go onto other things with it. I guess some of what they say is true, but I just didnt really want to discuss it with them. Theres really like so many things I want to do in the next few years and I really don't know what I should do first. I also started playing with the idea of becoming a volunteer firefighter instead and being like some sort of awesome business man. I don't know. I just know I want to be rich. The last stop on the tour around America was in Vegas. I saw some old man smoking a cigar and gambling many $500 chips at once in blackjack. I decided I want to be as rich as him. I know for sure I will be rich in the future, I just don't know how I'm gonna get there. I have complete faith I will figure it out eventually, so I guess I'll just worry about my short term goals for now. Like how I'm going to be losing this belly this summer. hah hah...
BTW. side note. HMONGS really know how to party. I went to Jerry's graduation this weekend. I got so owned by his family. hahaha fun party
Also, I plan on updating my blog at least once a week now so feel free to check back in next week.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Training
This post goes out to all the guys who go to the gym a lot and maybe also for those who don't.
Now, I'm not very big, buff, cut, ripped, fast or coordinated but there is one thing I can say that I am with confidence. I am strong. The reason I am saying this is because that is why I lift, to become stronger. Both mentally and physically. To put myself to the test every week and to improve myself pound by pound.
"Isn't that why everyone goes to the gym?"
No. It really isn't. I'll admit when I started "working out" it was because I was crazy skinny and I was tired of getting punked on. I got a membership at 24 and started dumbbell curling away. After a few months my biceps got a little bigger, chest got more defined, and I loved taking off my shirt whenever I could. Everyone goes through this phase, I know. But its only a fucking phase. You need to grow out of it. When I go to the arc now probably like 6 out of every 10 guys I see are like this. So many douchebags have big biceps, big chest and... nothing else. Their calves are smaller than their arms, with a skinny pencil neck, and no back, no shoulders no nothing. Now, dont get me wrong, I'm not talking about beginners who just started lifting. I'm talking about guys who've lifted long enough to be drinking pre-workout mixes, wear bodybuilding.com shirts, and hold 15 minute conversations about supplements with their douchebag friends. Why do I have no respect for these people? Because they're lifting for the wrong reasons.
Which brings me to the next point, what are the right reasons? Or why should you lift? Better yet... Why do I lift? Yes, I lift to get stronger, but what is it really for? I feel like the quest to becoming strong is a very natrual thing for humans or even animals in general. Yes, we now live a techonological world and even skinny emo guys can get laid and the usefulness of physical strength is slowly declining. But nothing in the world can replace the physical strength of a man. A few weeks ago my 6 foot, 195 pound good friend was invovled in a motorcycle accident. He hit a car head on, flew over his handlebars, hit the car's windshield and skidded on the pavement. He was only wearing a helmet, t-shirt and jeans. Luckily, he survived this accident with only a broken wrist, fractured neck and a few stitches. But was it really lucky? What if it was someone else in his position? Perhaps a 6 foot 145 pound emo kid (wearing skinny jeans). Would his chances of survival be dramatically smaller? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say yes. My bulky friend's life was saved because of his... well, bulkiness. For those of you who know me or talk to me a lot about lifting. I have probably asked you, how is weak man going to protect his girlfriend, be a role model for his son, fight off a mugger etc etc. (Ideas I've gotten from Jason Ferruggia* a trainer and author of Muscle Gaining Secrets) And most of you hear this and laugh it off like it will never happen or I'm being ridiculous. But my friend here is a prime example of where being strong really matters.
I blame the the whole gym industry for the creation of the pencil neck douchebags. First of all, there isnt really a set way of how to lift. They dont give you a manual when you sign up for the gym. There are many contradicting studies and most muscle magazines and supplement companies are just after your money. Honestly, I feel like even a lot of trainers dont know what they're talking about. Plus a lot of trainers are chicks who don't even lift heavy. They take some class, get certified, and then tell you to do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps of some bitchass isolation excercise and get paid while doing it. Most trainers are great for people who want to get in shape, lose some weight and need some extra motivation, but not for people who want to be big and strong.
Anyways, if you feel like you fall under the biceps and chest guy category, I don't mean to offend you. And if youre not really sure where you fall under, but you've dedicated a whole day to just working out your arms and have never deadlifted before, you most likely fall under this category. It's not too late to change. Also, if you never go to the gym or you've haven't been there for 3 months because youre "too busy with work and school" or whatever. Think about this... you are worse than the biceps and chest guy! Anyways, I hope this motivates everyone to go out and get big and strong. Work hard and dont give up!
PS. if you only care about getting big and dont care about strength (wrong mindset), just focus on getting strong, size will come with it.
*If you need some help on how to start, here is a link to Jason Ferruggia's website. Jason Ferruggia is a motivating writer, trainer and author of an awesome book called Muscle Gaining Secrets. If you're interested, read some of his stuff and buy the book. If you're too cheap but really want to read it, just come talk to me.
http://jasonferruggia.com/
Have fun and thanks for reading!
Now, I'm not very big, buff, cut, ripped, fast or coordinated but there is one thing I can say that I am with confidence. I am strong. The reason I am saying this is because that is why I lift, to become stronger. Both mentally and physically. To put myself to the test every week and to improve myself pound by pound.
"Isn't that why everyone goes to the gym?"
No. It really isn't. I'll admit when I started "working out" it was because I was crazy skinny and I was tired of getting punked on. I got a membership at 24 and started dumbbell curling away. After a few months my biceps got a little bigger, chest got more defined, and I loved taking off my shirt whenever I could. Everyone goes through this phase, I know. But its only a fucking phase. You need to grow out of it. When I go to the arc now probably like 6 out of every 10 guys I see are like this. So many douchebags have big biceps, big chest and... nothing else. Their calves are smaller than their arms, with a skinny pencil neck, and no back, no shoulders no nothing. Now, dont get me wrong, I'm not talking about beginners who just started lifting. I'm talking about guys who've lifted long enough to be drinking pre-workout mixes, wear bodybuilding.com shirts, and hold 15 minute conversations about supplements with their douchebag friends. Why do I have no respect for these people? Because they're lifting for the wrong reasons.
Which brings me to the next point, what are the right reasons? Or why should you lift? Better yet... Why do I lift? Yes, I lift to get stronger, but what is it really for? I feel like the quest to becoming strong is a very natrual thing for humans or even animals in general. Yes, we now live a techonological world and even skinny emo guys can get laid and the usefulness of physical strength is slowly declining. But nothing in the world can replace the physical strength of a man. A few weeks ago my 6 foot, 195 pound good friend was invovled in a motorcycle accident. He hit a car head on, flew over his handlebars, hit the car's windshield and skidded on the pavement. He was only wearing a helmet, t-shirt and jeans. Luckily, he survived this accident with only a broken wrist, fractured neck and a few stitches. But was it really lucky? What if it was someone else in his position? Perhaps a 6 foot 145 pound emo kid (wearing skinny jeans). Would his chances of survival be dramatically smaller? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say yes. My bulky friend's life was saved because of his... well, bulkiness. For those of you who know me or talk to me a lot about lifting. I have probably asked you, how is weak man going to protect his girlfriend, be a role model for his son, fight off a mugger etc etc. (Ideas I've gotten from Jason Ferruggia* a trainer and author of Muscle Gaining Secrets) And most of you hear this and laugh it off like it will never happen or I'm being ridiculous. But my friend here is a prime example of where being strong really matters.
I blame the the whole gym industry for the creation of the pencil neck douchebags. First of all, there isnt really a set way of how to lift. They dont give you a manual when you sign up for the gym. There are many contradicting studies and most muscle magazines and supplement companies are just after your money. Honestly, I feel like even a lot of trainers dont know what they're talking about. Plus a lot of trainers are chicks who don't even lift heavy. They take some class, get certified, and then tell you to do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps of some bitchass isolation excercise and get paid while doing it. Most trainers are great for people who want to get in shape, lose some weight and need some extra motivation, but not for people who want to be big and strong.
Anyways, if you feel like you fall under the biceps and chest guy category, I don't mean to offend you. And if youre not really sure where you fall under, but you've dedicated a whole day to just working out your arms and have never deadlifted before, you most likely fall under this category. It's not too late to change. Also, if you never go to the gym or you've haven't been there for 3 months because youre "too busy with work and school" or whatever. Think about this... you are worse than the biceps and chest guy! Anyways, I hope this motivates everyone to go out and get big and strong. Work hard and dont give up!
PS. if you only care about getting big and dont care about strength (wrong mindset), just focus on getting strong, size will come with it.
*If you need some help on how to start, here is a link to Jason Ferruggia's website. Jason Ferruggia is a motivating writer, trainer and author of an awesome book called Muscle Gaining Secrets. If you're interested, read some of his stuff and buy the book. If you're too cheap but really want to read it, just come talk to me.
http://jasonferruggia.com/
Have fun and thanks for reading!
Never thought the day would come where I would get a blog. I always thought blogs were weird and people who wrote in blogs were weird. I have been thinking about getting a blog for a while but didn't think I would have anything to write about. I actually really don't have much to write about...
So, I am graduating in about 6 days and I just really started thinking about what I want to do with my life. For the last 5 months my response when asked the familiar question "so what are you going to do after you graduate?" was most likely "I'm gonna be a firefighter." I would usually say this with a big smile on my face while looking for the surprise in theirs. Then the conversation usually moved on to how I would be wasting my college degree and I could've been a a firefighter right after high school and so on. Anyways, after having the same conversation with many many people, I started wondering why I even want to be a firefighter. I know the reason I began considering it was because I really didn't want to go through all the job searching and interviews for a business related position. Honestly speaking, after taking all these classes and passing with relatively good grades, I really don't know shit about economics. I actually really don't know shit about anything. Yeah, I read the news and listen to NPR (national public radio 89.3) when I'm in the car, but I really dont know shit. But then again, I don't think a lot of people know shit about anything either, including the people who think they do. People are always saying like the economy this or the economy that but I'm pretty sure they are just repeating stuff they saw on TV. Yeah, I can also probably loosely explain why we're going through a recession right now too but do I really understand it? Maybe, I'm not really sure. Anyways, taking the firefighter path just seems much more of a straight shot and less stressful and also much more awesome. There are many other factors to why I think firefighting trumps any desk job, for example the brotherhood they have, the required physical activity, and (although I've never felt it) the feeling you must get when you save someone's life. Also I know I'm repeating it, but being a fireman would be so damn awesome. Anyways, I'm not having second thoughts about this choice, but I kind of want to do more that just that. I really want to start my own business some day but I cant really see myself doing that if I become a firefighter. What to do, what to do...
So, I am graduating in about 6 days and I just really started thinking about what I want to do with my life. For the last 5 months my response when asked the familiar question "so what are you going to do after you graduate?" was most likely "I'm gonna be a firefighter." I would usually say this with a big smile on my face while looking for the surprise in theirs. Then the conversation usually moved on to how I would be wasting my college degree and I could've been a a firefighter right after high school and so on. Anyways, after having the same conversation with many many people, I started wondering why I even want to be a firefighter. I know the reason I began considering it was because I really didn't want to go through all the job searching and interviews for a business related position. Honestly speaking, after taking all these classes and passing with relatively good grades, I really don't know shit about economics. I actually really don't know shit about anything. Yeah, I read the news and listen to NPR (national public radio 89.3) when I'm in the car, but I really dont know shit. But then again, I don't think a lot of people know shit about anything either, including the people who think they do. People are always saying like the economy this or the economy that but I'm pretty sure they are just repeating stuff they saw on TV. Yeah, I can also probably loosely explain why we're going through a recession right now too but do I really understand it? Maybe, I'm not really sure. Anyways, taking the firefighter path just seems much more of a straight shot and less stressful and also much more awesome. There are many other factors to why I think firefighting trumps any desk job, for example the brotherhood they have, the required physical activity, and (although I've never felt it) the feeling you must get when you save someone's life. Also I know I'm repeating it, but being a fireman would be so damn awesome. Anyways, I'm not having second thoughts about this choice, but I kind of want to do more that just that. I really want to start my own business some day but I cant really see myself doing that if I become a firefighter. What to do, what to do...
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