When I read the stats…and realized that I’d be among the last 10 percent of the population to be vaccinated…it felt bad.
It feels worse now…especially when I am bugged about jury duty (got it moved to June but I won’t go if I am not vaccinated by then) bugged by the red cross, etc.
Yes, as I said before…I “get” why… I don’t have to like it.
I know..enough of my channeling my “inner toddler”…
Well, maybe not quite…I saw this when I got home:
My poor bat finally died.
And my wife leaves these for me to take in, though she is she one that uses it.
And that is how our marriage has gone; I’ve taken her to the hospital or doctor tons of times..I lift the things she can’t, etc.
And now..she is the one protected from COVID, so, in a sense, for the first prolonged time, I am in need of more protection that she does.
So, I’ll savor that I am physically stronger ..in terms of being able to carry things. Grumble.
Yes, I was weepy when she got shot 2 but..I am just not used to the fact that when she goes out, she wears a mask…to protect me.
I am just not used to that.
That was the walk. some pain from 2.5 miles onward. Not severe.
No, my shoulder is NOT well and my piriformis still is troublesome, though it is honestly better than last week…these 5K walks appear to hit the sweet spot…25 km per week.
And today’s walk, while at a decent pace (not fast) had a pleasant surprise:
Cassie is on the comeback tail and took a detour from her run to say “hi” as she passed me; I was about mile 1 into my walk.
The walk…perfect conditions, was not that bad.
This came after deadlifting:
Warm up: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 3 x 224 (low)
Working sets: 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 260, 3 x 265 (low handle): about 3-5 minutes of rest between each, and they weren’t that hard.
High handle: 3 x 285, 3 x 301 (best)
That is pretty good for me; but I am such a head case I wonder if the Naproxen is helping me out.
Some shoulder pain upon waking up; did some band work downstairs (can tie it to the squat racks); deadlifting did not bother it.
The 285 “felt” easy so I decided to try 301 for multiple reps. It wasn’t that hard. Ok, it WAS work.
Deadlift progression:
ugust 5, 2019: managed a High Handle hex dead 225 (1 rep) August: typical sets were 4 x 175, 4 x 195 (handles up) September: 4 x 205 head dead (handles up) November: got 4 x 225 hex dead, handles DOWN December: got 1 x 225 bar dead, then 4 x 225 December 20, 2019: got 1 x 230 bar deadlift DEcember 25: got 1 x 233 bar deadlift (home) Dec 27: got 1 x 235 dead Dec 29: got 1 x 240 dead (bar)
2020 Jan 11: got 245 hex dead (handles down) Jan 25: got 255, then 260 conventional dead Feb 1: got 255, 260 Sumo, 6 x 233 conventional Feb 8: got 266 conventional, 5 x 238 Sumo. April 5, 5 x 244 April 18: 5 x 244
Gap for sore back: switched to low handle trap deads
May 23: 10 x 206 June 7: 10 x 217 June 20 1 x 250 trap July 4: 10 x 222 August 1: 4 x 250 (trap, low handle)
Gap for Virtual ultra (24 hour)
August 22: 4 x 254 (trap..low handle) August 29 1 x 274 (trap, low handle)
September 5: switched to full stop deadlifts: sets with 244 September 12: 10 x 222 (full stop) September 27 4 x 254 5 x 244 (full stop) October 4deficit: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 5 x 224 regular: 2 x 259; didn’t try a 3’rd rep as I felt a tug in my right hamstring (high)high handles: 10 x 224: October 17: High handle: 5 x 254, 5 x 264 (fairly easy)Low handle, neutral: 5 x 244 October 24: High handle: 5 x 264, 5 x 274, low handle: 10 x 224
October 31: 1 x 254, High Handle 1 x 284, 1 x 274
November 7: High Handle: 5 x 274, Low Handle: 5 x 249
November 14: Low Handle: 1 x 254, High Handle: 1 x 289, 1 x 294, Low Handle: 10 x 224
November 18; High handle 10 x 234 (by accident; added an extra 5 to each side)
November 21: Low Handle deficit: 1 x 254. High handle 1 x 301, 10 x 244. Low Handle: 10 x 224.
November 28 Low handle 5 x 254 (no bounce)
December 5 Low Handle 1 x 284, 10 x 229. (no bounce)
December 12 High handle: 1 x 274, 1 x 304 (easier than the 301 2 weeks ago), 1 x 274, 10 x 244 Low handle: 10 x 224
December 19: 5 x 274 high handle, 5 x 254 low handle. (missed 301 low handle 4 times)
December 26: High handle: 1 x 314, 5 x 279, low handle: 5 x 254
2021
Jan 2: 5 x 279 high, 4 x 259 low, 5 x 234 deficit (lots of misses with 319 high)
Jan. 9: High handle: 5 x 279, 5 x 279 (effort) Low handle 5 x 255
Jan. 16: High handle: 5 x 285, 1 x 285, 5 x 274, Low handle: 10 x 224.
Jan 23: High handle: 5 sets of 3 x 274, 1 x 301, Low handle: 10 x 224.
Jan 31: high handle: 5 sets of 3 x 279, 1 set of 1 x 301 low handle 10 x 224
Feb 7: missed 319 badly (high handle); too beat up to do much but 5 sets of 3 x 274 high handle , 10 x 224 low.
Feb 14 regression; found that 260 low was difficult; retreated to 3 sets of 5 x 244 low, 1 set of 5 x 274 high.
Feb 21: 5 sets of 3 with 255 (low), 3 x 279 high, 301 high.
Feb 28: 4 sets of 3 x 255, 1 set of 3 x 260 (low), 3 x 279, 3 x 279 high.
7 March: 4 sets of 3 x 260 low, 1 set of 3 x 265 low, 3 x 285 high, 3 x 301 high.
And yes, sometime next weekend we’ll invite our first guest over to eat with us; yes, she is vaccinated and it will be two weeks plus for her and my wife. And…we are staying close to home to…take care of ME. Imagine that.
The weather is nicer..a lot nicer, the glute injury is feeling a lot better, and even the sore shoulder (maybe 2-3 weeks more?) only keeps me from bench pressing, at least with a full range of motion. I can still deadlift, overhead press, do pull ups, etc.
Walking is better too.
And now I have students in the classroom; not many, but a few..and yes, the course was billed as being online.
So, why the crankiness? Some of it is my “hall monitor” personality; I’ve been super careful but many have not (and some have yes, gotten COVID and it is all I can do to keep from keeping some thoughts to myself.
And some of it is my natural tendency to get nervous toward the end of a challenge. In a marathon, the final 10K…in fact, that final 5K takes FOREVER, even when my pace hasn’t slowed that much. The final stretch of grading takes a long time…finishing a paper takes a long time..
It is a “oh come ON man…let’s finish this already!!!”
I am always most insufferable when the finish line is in sight. And it is in sight.
Shoulder remains sore…though I think, improved a bit?
Emotionally: it was a good day, though I think the pandemic is finally getting to me a bit; I see so many getting vaccinated and I am champing at the bit for mine..knowing all the while that, in the name of fairness AND public health, others should come first.
And yes, others…people I used to like, are starting to grate on me. I suspect my friend’s list will be culled quite a bit afterward, and I know that my days of seeking out crowded events won’t return anytime soon.
Weird times.
And no, I am NOT looking forward to other things.
I know; this is a bit cryptic.
Workout:
rotator cuff and hip hikes.
pull ups; sets of 10 singles (4 sets) then 2 sets of 5, very controlled, and above average quality.
Bench: 10 x 134 half-assed, 10 x 134 decent, 2 x 170; decided to stop there, then 10x 134. Not ready for full benches; maybe try some light pin presses on Tuesday.
rows: 3 sets of 10 x 134 (0k)
shoulder press: 3 sets of 10 x 105 (pretty solid; ok)
curls: used 10 kg plates (perhaps 23 kg total?) 3 sets of 10.
Then: a reasonable walk; 5K at 14:48 mpm. The walk was almost totally pain free.
Note: my pull ups. Given I can do 10 pull ups (not done today, but I can do 10 respectable pull ups), you’d think I’d look better or look more muscular than I do. But I don’t. Sigh…
Ok, I am drinking coffee, getting ready to work out and wondering about what lifts to do (slightly sore shoulder, which IS improved) I’ll cross that bridge at the appropriate time.
So, about the vaccines: I am reading about states (Utah, Indiana) that have lowered the age. Michigan (a sort-of blue state) might do so soon.
Ours: nope. Illinois is a blue state, and ahead of me are ..well, just about everyone else. Reason: I can work remotely and do not have comorbidities (though at 61, I am somewhat of an elevated risk).
But were I say, to regain my weight, I’d be eligible as obesity is a comorbidity.
And so it goes with living in a blue state: if you do anything to better yourself, you get kicked in the nuts. (improve the house: taxes go up. Make more money: more state taxes. Show up for jury duty: you get asked again and again…)
Yes, from a public health standpoint, it make sense to vaccinate the prisoners and the obese and..yes, the smokers …before me. Prisoners can’t isolate; the obese and the smokers are more likely to end up in the hospital and spread it to others. Me: personally conservative, remote work options, etc. My risk of infection and of spreading it is low.
And the other states…OMG…yeah, I might be higher on the list there, but as to how they treat people. In Illinois, grocery store clerks (among others) were eligible for the vaccine, *as they should be.* That isn’t true elsewhere..including in states where they are dropping mask mandates.
Sorry..but my being bumped up a little in line isn’t worth it.
Blue states can be annoying. Liberals can be ignorant sanctimonious jerks.
But “cancelling Mr. Potato Head and a few Dr. Seuss books” is not nearly on the same level of viewing people as disposable.
Liberals might yell at me to “check my privilege” (or whatever BS du jour) but at least they’ll do it through a mask.
Note: there is some hope; I’ve read where, in Illinois, professors might be put in 1C and this could happen at the end of March.
Life in general
One of the things I’ve learned in life is how tenuous a “good position” in life can be. And I tend to view common behavior as reckless.
This might mean that I miss out, but this also means that I tend to build up some reserve for “rainy days”…only to be taxed higher to cover those who didn’t. Yes, I live in a blue state. LOL.
But…well, the current Republicans are so frigging incompetent and, well, classless; my chances of becoming one of them is, well, zero.
I’ve watched friends and colleagues get the vaccine. Yes, some of them work remotely, as I was doing for a while.
Yes, with my high risk wife getting vaccinated, I decided to return to the classroom ..ok, for 3 of my 4 classes.
Yes, masks, social distancing, etc…and yes, limited class sizes.
I’d seen my age peers get vaccinated…but some are just a bit older, others live in different states, and still others cannot work remotely or have comorbidities. Even some of my juniors have been vaccinated..but again…comorbidities.
And my place in “the line”: waaaaaaay in the back..as in “90 percent” are ahead of me.
I am old enough to be at somewhat elevated risk, but not old enough to be over the 65 year old threshold.
I was essential enough to work during the lockdown (April) but not essential enough to qualify for an “essential worker” vaccination …and yes, that is fair.
Grocery store clerks, gas station clerks, medical industry people, K-12 teachers..yep, they SHOULD be ahead of me.
But I am also behind: prisoners (ok, yes.. I get it), homeless..(ok, yes, I get it), those in group homes (ok, yes), “special needs” (ok, see the group home thing), the obese (yes, I used be in that category, 26-27 years ago) and…smokers….
So..it appears that I lost places in line because I took better care of myself.
BUT…the reality is, I am less likely to take up room in a hospital and expose medical people so… as unfair as it appears to my immature “what about MEEEEEEE” gut, it is the right decision from a public health standpoint.
So…as someone who, well, I was never treated to “first class”; I was really sort of a “business class/economy plus” type of person (“United Club” or “Media Deck” not “luxury box”, “prime (in between the 30’s) not “premium“, well, being told “you are last” takes a bit of getting used to, EVEN if it is the correct decision.
Grin and bear it…it is only a bit longer. I will remain careful, by choice and yes, I have that choice and I have health …..and I’ve had it better than many. So time to accept my bottom tier status graciously.
On Saturday I heard that “snap, crackle, pop” in the right shoulder that means…it is going to be sore for a while. So I am doing the two Naproxen thing for a week or two and being very careful with weights: do nothing that causes pain.
Yes, I had the “night pain” last night…that usually (doesn’t always) means the shoulder is on the way to healing.
rotator cuff/hip hikes: slowly.
Pull ups: sets of 10 singles and 5 singles, coming to a complete stop and limiting swing. Reps were good and worked the muscles appropriately.
shoulder press: 10 x 94, 10 x 94, 10 x 105 all decent form; slight twinge on reracking the first set.
rows: 3 sets of 10 x 134
curls: 3 sets …very light curl bar and 1 kg collars: 10 with 6 kg plates, then 10 with 8 kg, then 10 with 12 kg. Very strict form.
deadlifts (all low handle); 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 224, pretty easy (Naproxen helped?)
Life of an old goat 