WTB Hours
Seriously. I need about 6-8 extra hours in the day to do what I want to do. Coincidentally, I spend 8 hours at a job that, while I don't actually dislike it (I like the people), doesn't allow me to use the skills I actually WANT to learn. So... I don't sharpen those skills. But when I get home, I want to take it easy and enjoy my time, so I read books, play games, and just generally chill out. I also want to sharpen my work-related skills, but after doing stuff that's busywork all day, it's hard to want to even do the FUN stuff that resembles work when I get home.
I also want to get in shape. I don't mean be "buff" or anything, but get rid of the last vestiges of my gut. I've lost a lot of weight (more than I like acknowledging was available to be lost, really), but I'm at the point now where I simply don't have the necessary muscle mass to burn the calories I bring in, and I don't bring in a lot. I bring in probably slightly less than the 2,000 you're recommended and I'm hovering at the high-end of what I should weight. Technically, I'm not considered overweight anymore, but I'm just not happy with the way I look and feel. I mean, being the next Brad Pitt isn't TOO much to ask for, is it? O:-) Seriously though, I don't have any desire to be cut, ripped, or anything else that implies working out for more than health reasons. If it happens by accident, I'll take it, but it's definitely not something I'm aiming for.
To that end, I'm really trying to find something fun to do that's both active and keeps me from drooling in boredom (ie - weight training). I've heard rumors of 3 local dojos that teach Japanese swordplay (sparring with wooden swords (bokken), not the bamboo blades used in kendo (shinai).. maybe just kenjutsu?), though I'm forgetting the name of the art. If I do that in addition to running or something... might be fun enough to keep me coming back and working out. It's never the effort involved, since I like the feeling I get after working out... it's just the boredom factor. Unfortunately, the cost involved in doing this thing "right" is akin to just buying a used bowflex or something. $9-30 for the actual bokken, depending on if I want to buy one that is made of a more impact-resistant wood (or even $45 for a suburi, or heavy-weighted bokken used in solo-practice to build up muscle). Probably a couple so that I always have a spare, in case one does break. Then $400-500 for the bogu (armor), plus whatever various other things you need to support the effort (sports bag, bandages, splints, medical bills... whatever). Exciting. Presumably when I finally check out the dojos I'll find that I don't actually get to duel for a while anyway, so that the bogu set is relatively unnecessary for a while. That and I'm going to become a known lurker at the local Play-It-Again Sports style stores, trying to find a Bowflexy type thing; newspaper adds, too.
I also still want to learn another language. Chinese or Japanese would be my preference, but Spanish is probably more immediately useful. But that really is academic, since I really don't have time =( Maybe if I found a good used elliptical machine I could learn a language while exercising... that would be nice.
I also want to get in shape. I don't mean be "buff" or anything, but get rid of the last vestiges of my gut. I've lost a lot of weight (more than I like acknowledging was available to be lost, really), but I'm at the point now where I simply don't have the necessary muscle mass to burn the calories I bring in, and I don't bring in a lot. I bring in probably slightly less than the 2,000 you're recommended and I'm hovering at the high-end of what I should weight. Technically, I'm not considered overweight anymore, but I'm just not happy with the way I look and feel. I mean, being the next Brad Pitt isn't TOO much to ask for, is it? O:-) Seriously though, I don't have any desire to be cut, ripped, or anything else that implies working out for more than health reasons. If it happens by accident, I'll take it, but it's definitely not something I'm aiming for.
To that end, I'm really trying to find something fun to do that's both active and keeps me from drooling in boredom (ie - weight training). I've heard rumors of 3 local dojos that teach Japanese swordplay (sparring with wooden swords (bokken), not the bamboo blades used in kendo (shinai).. maybe just kenjutsu?), though I'm forgetting the name of the art. If I do that in addition to running or something... might be fun enough to keep me coming back and working out. It's never the effort involved, since I like the feeling I get after working out... it's just the boredom factor. Unfortunately, the cost involved in doing this thing "right" is akin to just buying a used bowflex or something. $9-30 for the actual bokken, depending on if I want to buy one that is made of a more impact-resistant wood (or even $45 for a suburi, or heavy-weighted bokken used in solo-practice to build up muscle). Probably a couple so that I always have a spare, in case one does break. Then $400-500 for the bogu (armor), plus whatever various other things you need to support the effort (sports bag, bandages, splints, medical bills... whatever). Exciting. Presumably when I finally check out the dojos I'll find that I don't actually get to duel for a while anyway, so that the bogu set is relatively unnecessary for a while. That and I'm going to become a known lurker at the local Play-It-Again Sports style stores, trying to find a Bowflexy type thing; newspaper adds, too.
I also still want to learn another language. Chinese or Japanese would be my preference, but Spanish is probably more immediately useful. But that really is academic, since I really don't have time =( Maybe if I found a good used elliptical machine I could learn a language while exercising... that would be nice.