Jake’s Life

I’ve posted a few simple entries so far, but wanted to clarify for my readers what it is and why I’m doing it. If you’ve read my blog for a while you know my issues with fitness and motivation to get fit. I’ve never been an athletic person, besides a short stint in Tee-ball in the 2nd grade (in which I spent most of my time sitting in center field waiting for something to happen). I had a knee injury in 6th grade and skipped PE in most grades after that. I got fat (6′1” and 265 lbs. in high school) then slimmed down a bit (6′4” and 190 lbs.) in my early 20’s. Now that I am officially 14 days from my 25th birthday, I’m 6′4” and a bit over 200 lbs. (estimated…I hate scales). The only time in my life that I worked out regularly was the eight months I worked at a gym when I was 21 and 22.

I’ve known this was coming for a while. I couldn’t deny it. I think a major catalyst is that Sandro returned from Cancun this week, and while he was definitely a good five shades browner than when he left, he also told me that he is dieting to lose a bit of weight and get a really nice body. So, should I let him so that someone hotter can come around, or do it myself as well? (That was only half serious, by the way).

I think that with my readership, I can count on a few of you to help keep me on track. It’s all up to me, but I know that readers will see when I’ve skipped working out for a while. So here we are, and I’m starting a fitness schedule up again. The gym at my new apartment is huge…literally a huge room with tons of stuff in it. I’ve seen “fitness centers” in apartment homes that have a few machines, half a wall of free weights, and a cycle. This one has a wall of free weights, a wall of cardio machines (cycles, treadmills, and ellipticals), and a good five universal circuit machines. The only issue is it is only open from 9 am to 10 pm, but I think I can fit things in before work or after, in the morning. Either way, I feel pretty committed right now.

• Dumbbell rows (2×15)
• Dumbbell Pullovers (2×10)
• Dumbbell extensions (12)
• Crunches (30)

I have received several comments over the last few days, so I was a bit surprised to see that my site has received no visitors over the last few days. Awstats on my host’s server may be freaking out, as it happened last month for a few days too.

On the bright side, and unlike last year, I remembered to renew my domain name so there won’t be any interruption.

(Not mine, obviously)

• Front planks (30 sec.)
• Side planks (30 sec., right and left)
• Mountain climbers (30)
• Crunches (30)

About a week ago I found a few transactions on my account that were for $24.99 each. No big deal: Internet porn. The problem is I didn’t buy any recently.

First tip off, they have my address in New Jersey. Second, the printed web site doesn’t exist. If you Google “Market Billing Solutions” you’ll find thousands of other people who have had these checks passed through their accounts. Good time of year, with plenty of transactions to hide in, except I don’t buy gifts during the holidays so I caught it right away. As soon as my next paycheck gets deposited I need to close my account and open another. SO check your transactions for this company.

I’m very self-critical: I have expressed this on my blog in the past, either proactively or through my natural writings. Some of you that have talked to me, and all of my friends, know how self-critical I am, but that I balance it with confidence. The main issues I find myself harping on myself for are my weight and fitness, my finances, and my place in life (largely because of my finances).

I’m tall, he’s short: Some of you noticed this from photos of us, but I’m 6’4’’, 200 (-ish) pounds, and Sandro is 5’3’’ and 135. This makes for some interesting looks at us when we’re in public together because I look older than I am, and he looks young enough to be in high school.

I’m an organized chaotic: Everything in my life is organized. For instance, I have a calendar with due dates and amounts for all my bills, I constantly check them online, I have a to-do list on my desk at all times (I recently converted from a notepad to a small dry-erase board), and I set tasks for myself each weekend and constantly monitor them. I do have an issue with procrastinating though, including responding to blog posts and comments. I also have issues with actually completing the tasks instead of staring at them on my list.

I only own one firearm: My pride and joy, a Springfield XD .45 ACP. Classic black, tactical rail standard, 1911 style grip safety and angle, no external hammer (it has a firing pin indicator on the back to show that’s it’s cocked), and a chambered round indicator (a small nub which sticks up on the top of the slide to let you know there’s a round in the pipe). I originally was planning to buy a Glock 22 (.40) but a friend let me shoot his XD and I fell in love with it. I prefer Hydrashok rounds, in case you were wondering. I have been promised a one year anniversary firearm though…hmmm, what to get? (No Adam, an AR-15 is out of the question.)

I love doing nothing: My week usually kicks the crap out of me. You’d think driving around for ten hours is easy, but it’s not. I think the fatigue is more mental because I juggle driving, anticipating others’ driving, radio, cell phone, Nextel, MDT, and am constantly having to be aware of what’s going on around me and my vehicle. By the time I get home my brain is fried. On my weekend, I love sitting around and watching TV, spending time with Sandro, and find it hard to respond to e-mails/blog comments and post comments to others’ blogs because of how much time I spend looking at a computer screen during my week.