Author name: Focker

A Grand Old Focker

, , , , , , , , , / Leave a Comment / Milford, The Grit Mill / By
, , , , , , , , ,

DATE: 14 JUNE 2023

QIC: Focker

YHC took the Q today on the 248th birthday of the United States Army and the day we honor the flag of this great nation. The warm up consisted of 6 exercises for 14 repetitions since today is 6/14. The beatdown consisted of 8 exercises for 31 repetitions each for a total of 248 repetitions to honor the 248th birthday of the US Army. After completion of all 8 exercises we did a short lap in the parking lot. After the last round of exercises we completed a long lap and ended the beatdown with a Sherlock Shuffle. We completed 3 rounds of the 8 exercises. Upon completion of the COT all HIM present lined up and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

WARM-O-RAMA:

Hip Circles – 7 each direction

Moroccan Night Club – 14 IC

Turn & Bounce – 14 IC

Cherry Pickers – 14 IC

Windmill – 14 IC

SSH – 14 IC

THE THANG:

MERKINS – 31

SQUATS – 31

LBCs – 31

DIPs – 31

CALF RAISES – 31

FLUTTER KICKS – 31 IC

WIDE ARM MERKINS – 31

PLANK JACKS – 31

LAP

3 RD F:

The U.S. ARMY BIRTHDAY

America’s Revolutionary War began on 19 April 1775 with exchanges of musketry between British regulars and Massachusetts militiamen at Lexington and Concord. As their fellow citizen soldiers from New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island responded to the alarm, a state of war existed between the four colonies and the British government. Called the Army of Observation, a force of New Englanders surrounded Boston and had the British troops who occupied it under siege, but they needed help. They appealed to delegates who represented all thirteen colonies to join them in the struggle for American liberty.

When the delegates to the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia on 10 May, they soon learned that armed men commanded by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had captured the British forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake Champlain in New York. The constitutional crisis, in which Americans sought a redress of grievances from the British king and Parliament, had become open hostilities. The delegates realized that even though many desired reconciliation, they would now have to address the new military situation. The Congress took the next step that eventually transformed a local rebellion into a war for independence when it established the Continental Army: the force we know today as the U.S. Army.

On 14 June 1775, Congress “Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen, be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia… [and] as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.”

The delegates then prescribed an oath of enlistment that required the soldiers to swear:

“I have, this day, voluntarily enlisted myself, as a soldier, in the American continental army, for one year, unless sooner discharged: And I do bind myself to conform, in all instances, to such rules and regulations, as are, or shall be, established for the government of the said. Army.”

The next day Congress voted to appoint George Washington “to command all the Continental forces” and began laying the foundation for “the American army.”

The Origins of Flag Day

That the flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation. 

This was the resolution adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The resolution was made following the report of a special committee which had been assigned to suggest the flag’s design.  A flag of this design was first carried into battle on September 11, 1777, in the Battle of the Brandywine. The American flag was first saluted by foreign naval vessels on February 14, 1778, when the Ranger, bearing the Stars and Stripes and under the command of Captain Paul Jones, arrived in a French port. The flag first flew over a foreign territory in early 1778 at Nassau, Bahama Islands, where Americans captured a British fort.

Both President Wilson, in 1916, and President Coolidge, in 1927, issued proclamations asking for June 14 to be observed as the National Flag Day. But it wasn’t until August 3, 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law.

NUMBER-RAMA:

NAME-O-RAMA:

COT / BOM:

Announcements: Labor Day beatdown at the boardwalk on Labor Day. Sherlock will post more about kickball tournament. Prayer requests: Quattros father-in-law and family, Ruxpins M and family, my son and his upcoming surgery. All the unspoken needs and intentions of all HIM present and the HIM in our group.

FOLLOWING FATE FOR FITNESS

, , / Leave a Comment / Milford, The Grit Mill / By

PAX: MacDaddy, Ruxpin, Focker

DATE: 18 MAY 2023

QIC: FOCKER

YHC took his Q today at the Grit Mill with 2 other HIM who won the first battle of the day and posted for a beatdown. The PAX who posted circled up and took turns pulling out 5 cards from the workout deck. Todays 3rd F highlighted the life of Medal of Honor recipient Ty Carter.

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • X20 IC SSH                           
  • X20 IC Cherry Pickers
  • X20 IC Moroccan Night Clubs
  • X20 IC Windmill                   

THE THANG:

PAX circled up in the parking lot approximately 20ft away from workout deck placed in the middle of the circle. PAX instructed to Bear Crawl to the center and for each round of exercises PAX would draw 5 cards then all Crawl Bear back to positions and perform exercise listed on card: From cards 2-9 Reps would be the card number +10, Face Cards 25 Reps, and Aces 100 Reps. For any cards calling for sprints PAX would complete 1 short parking lot lap Mosey.

ROUND ONE:

  • 60 SEC LOW PLANK
  • X19 SLOW SQUAT
  • X25 SMURF JACKS
  • 100M ALT LUNGE WALK
  • BEAR CRAWL AROUND CIRCLE END WHERE YOU STARTED

ROUND TWO:

  • 100 CALF RAISES
  • X14 CAROLINA DRY DOCK
  • X12 WWII SITUP
  • X25 SHOULDER TAPS
  • X20 BUTT KICKS
  • X25 PLANK JACKS

3RD F

ROUND THREE:

  • 100 ARM CIRCLES
  • X16 STANDING LUNGES
  • X13 SUMO SQUATS
  • X17 LBC
  • X1 MOSEY SHORT LAP

ROUND FOUR:

  • X13 CHUCK NORRIS MERKIN
  • X12 HAND CLAP MERKIN
  • KARAOKE AROUND THE CIRCLE END WHERE YOU STARTED
  • X25 FREDDIE MERCURY
  • X1 MOSEY SHORT LAP

3 RD F:

Ty Michael Carter was born in Spokane, Wash., in January 1980. Carter enlisted in the Marine Corps Oct. 13 1998, and attended the Marine Corps Combat Engineer School. He later served in Okinawa, Japan, as an intelligence clerk.  until 2002, when he was reduced in rank to lance corporal for fighting with another Marine. Shortly after his reduction in rank Carter was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, Oct. 12, 2002.

After this enlistment, Carter enrolled in college and studied biology at Los Medonos Community College in California. After his first daughter’s birth and some time traveling the United States, Carter realized he was destined for further service in the military.

Carter enlisted in the U.S. Army Jan. 3, 2008 and became a Cavalry Scout at Fort Lewis, Washington.

In May 2009, he deployed to Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, where he engaged in the Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating.

COP Keating was the site of the bloodiest battles of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was a 12-hour firefight against a force of 300 Taliban fighters and ended with eight U.S. Forces killed in action and 22 wounded. Where Ty Carter earned the Medal of Honor.

Specialist Ty M. Carter distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Scout with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3, 2009. On that morning, Specialist Carter and his comrades awakened to an attack of an estimated 300 enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of Combat Outpost Keating, employing concentrated fire from recoilless rifles, rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft machine guns, mortars, and small arms fire. Specialist Carter reinforced a forward battle position, ran twice through a 100-meter gauntlet of enemy fire to resupply ammunition and voluntarily remained there to defend the isolated position. Armed with only an M4 carbine rifle, Specialist Carter placed accurate, deadly fire on the enemy, beating back the assault force and preventing the position from being overrun, over the course of several hours. With complete disregard for his own safety and in spite of his own wounds, he ran through a hail of enemy rocket propelled grenade and machine gun fire to rescue a critically wounded comrade who had been pinned down in an exposed position. Specialist Carter rendered life extending first aid and carried the Soldier to cover. On his own initiative, Specialist Carter again maneuvered through enemy fire to check on a fallen Soldier and recovered the squad’s radio, which allowed them to coordinate their evacuation with fellow Soldiers. With teammates providing covering fire, Specialist Carter assisted in moving the wounded Soldier 100 meters through withering enemy fire to the aid station and before returning to the fight. Specialist Carter’s heroic actions and tactical skill were critical to the defense of Combat Outpost Keating, preventing the enemy from capturing the position and saving the lives of his fellow Soldiers.

Carter’s story stands as testament that many people do make mistakes in their careers, but not only can they recover from those mistakes, they can go on to do incredible things for their brothers and sisters on the battlefield, including risking their own lives.

When the job gets tough and life brings you down, be a person of action. Be like Ty Carter. Make your life about the people, the mission, and the family around you.

The Outpost (2020) is a movie about the battle that took place at COP Keating and NETFLIX has a series about 8 Medal of Honor recipients titled Medal of Honor that features Ty Carters story.

NUMBER-RAMA:

NAME-O-RAMA:

COT / BOM:

Announcement included: RovingRuckFest in The Boro tomorrow and the Memorial Day CSAUP I think it might be on a Monday this year.

Prayers were lifted up for MacDaddy and his family with unexpected burdens and for safe travels, for Ruxpins M and family, and for YHC as his family continues to cleanup and repair from the tornado in April and with changes to my work schedule with earlier longer days but less days per week. Also lifted up any prayers not voiced and the needs and intentions of all our brothers in F3 First State.

FOCKER OUT!

Benvenuto Boob Job

, , , , , / Leave a Comment / Milford, The Grit Mill / By
, , , , ,

DATE: 9 MARCH 2023

QIC: Focker

YHC took his Q today on day 65 of his 75 Hard and his 50th workout of the year. Being that it is March Merkin Madness in the F3 First State my workout was focused on merkins and leg work. A daily principle of 75 Hard is reading 10 pages of a self help book and I chose to share from a book I’ve been reading titled ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear for the focus of my 3rd F.

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • X15 IC SSH
  • x15 IC Imperial Walkers
  • x10  Fwd Arm Circles
  • x10  Bwd Arm Circles
  • x10 Hip Circles each direction
  • x10 Knee Circles each direction
  • x15 IC Seal Claps

THE THANG:

  • x10 OYO Merkins
  • x10 OYO Diamond Merkins
  • — x15 IC SSH —
  • x10 OYO HR Merkins
  • x10 OYO Wide Merkins
  • — x15 IC Imperial Walkers —
  • x10 OYO Ranger Merkins
  • x10 OYO Crucible Merkins
  • — x15 IC Squats —
  • x10 OYO R Stagger Merkins
  • x10 OYO L Stagger Merkins

x15 each OYO:

  • Chinook Squats (3 overhead arm circles then squat)
  • Alt. Lunges
  • Jump Squats
  • Dead Lifts

Repeat all of the above x3
Total 240 Merkins, x225 Leg Exercises

3 RD F:

5 Life-Changing Lessons From Atomic Habits

Atomic Habits by James Clear is an excellent resource when it comes to guides on habit and behavior change.

In this book, Clear provides a highly effective, practical, and step-by-step framework to how to start good habits and how to end bad habits. This framework is based on the best techniques from behavioral science.

The purpose of the book is to help you achieve remarkable results more efficiently and methodically. It is filled with countless examples from smoking, reading, meditating, exercising, writing, biting nails, drinking more water, managing social media, sleep, and more.

If you’re looking to upgrade yourself and move towards becoming the best version of yourself, then Atomic Habits is a read for you.

1 — The Power of Compounding

“1% better every day for a year will compound to nearly 38 times better”.

1% really does matters over time. Clear begins the book with a very compelling story of a cycling coach who helped the British cycling team make lots of very small improvements which added up to big results.

Tiny changes in our habits can change the trajectory of our lives in ways that we can’t even notice until many years into the future looking back. In both good ways and bad. You are your habits. Far too often, we convince ourselves of one-night miracles or that massive success is only possible through massive actions. However, it is the tiny improvements, that aren’t even noticeable at first, that create incredible change.

If you make a very small 1% improvement in your health, your time management, or your relationships and keep that improvement over the next year or 365 days, that 1% improvement can really pay off. This can take off exponentially if you make a 1% improvement today, and then make another additional 1% improvement tomorrow, and repeat making these small improvements over the next year.

Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day and yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous.

2 — Goals vs Systems

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of the systems”.

The way we generally think about goals is slightly flawed. We want to achieve something and hence go ahead and set a goal for ourselves, but we don’t think beyond. Often, we are so tunnel-visioned that we forget how to set up steps to achieve our goals and sometimes when we do reach our goals we don’t know what to do next.

Both successful and unsuccessful people have the same goals but only a select few achieve them. So then the question is what’s the difference between them and how important is setting up the right goals?

Fundamentally goals are about the results you want but systems are about the process that leads to it. Our systems can replace motivation with routine. For example, instead of telling yourself “I should do some exercise to get fit”, you’re saying “It’s Monday — time to exercise”.

3 — Change Your Identity

The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but on who you wish to become.

The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity. True behavior change is identity change. The ultimate aim for any habit is to change your identity into something you want to become. So instead of an outcome-driven habit or action, you need to shift towards an identity-driven habit system

The Three Layers of Behavior Change:

  1. Outcomes: changing your results, e.g. losing weight. Most of the goals you set are at this level
  2. Process: changing your habits and systems, e.g. developing a meditation practice. Most of the habits you build live at this level
  3. Identity: changing your beliefs, e.g. your worldview or self-image. Most of the beliefs, assumptions, and biases you hold are associated with this level

4 — The Habit Loop

A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic. Their ultimate purpose is to solve problems on an auto-pilot mode (with as little energy and thought as possible).

Any habit is essentially a feedback loop of four phases:

1 — Cue (Make it obvious): The starting point or simply, what triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. The bit of information that predicts a reward.

2 — Craving (Make it attractive): the motivational force behind every habit. You don’t crave the habit itself, but the change in state it leads to or the pleasure associated with it (e.g. you do not crave smoking a cigarette, you crave the feeling of relief it provides).

3 — Response (Make it easy): the actual habit/action you perform, as a thought or action. Whether a response occurs depends on how motivated you are and the amount of friction associated with the behavior. If the motivation is greater than the friction you need to overcome to perform the action this phase will be initiated.

4 — Reward (Make it satisfying): the end goal of every habit. We chase rewards because they satisfy our cravings and teach us which actions are worth remembering in the future.

Let’s apply these practical tips to someone who is looking to work out consistently.

Set your athletic clothes, shoes, water bottle and bag somewhere they are clearly visible in your room (cue). Follow a simple workout routine that’s fun and efficient that fits within your schedule (craving). Train at home, or choose a gym that is as close to home as possible (response). Log the workout in your journal or calendar. Progress makes you feel good (Reward).

5 — The Goldilocks Rule

“Start small, be consistent and keep moving”

It is important for us to not get carried away when setting goals and targets. Human motivation peaks right at the edge of comfort, just slightly challenging from their present abilities, neither too hard nor too easy. Therefore, it is important that whenever you are starting a new habit, the set expectations are not too insane. Build up slowly so that these new challenges keep you engaged and motivated.

Atomic Habits is useful to you if you want to develop better habits, quit bad ones or find ways to increase your motivation.

NUMBER-RAMA:

NAME-O-RAMA:

COT / BOM:

Announcements included: RovingRuckFest in The Boro tomorrow, Memorial Day is coming up, and the F3 Family ShamRuck on Friday March 17th in Lewes, meeting at the Library with a ruck to Dairy Queen. See Deez’ post on group me for further details.

Prayers were lifted up for our brother T-Rex and his father, Sherlock and his father, Fireplex and his father. Additional grace and strength was requested for all the unspoken needs for all HIM of F3 First State to continue to be men of leadership in their homes and communities.

FOCKER OUT!

FOCKER can HIIT

, , , , , , , , , , / Leave a Comment / Milford, The Grit Mill / By
, , , , , , , , , ,


DATE: 15 February 2023
QIC: Focker
11 PAX won the first battle of the day by getting out of bed and posting in the gloom for a beatdown. YHC has been undertaking the 75 Hard for 43 days now and has been doing extra workouts using the iFit app at home, which inspired todays HIIT beatdown. The beatdown uses a 5:1 work to rest ratio doing 50 seconds of an exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. The PAX will perform 5 exercises for 4 rounds.
WARM-O-RAMA:
• HIP CIRCLES OYO – 10 EACH DIRECTION
• TURN AND BOUNCE – 15 IC
• CHERRY PICKERS – 20 IC
• SSH – 25 IC
• IMPERIAL WALKERS – 20 IC
• STARTING AT BENVENUTO ENTRANCE MOSEY DOWN AND BACK TO THE ENTRANCE LANE (0.1 MILE) WOSEY TO CORNER OF BUILDING AND BACK (0.05 MILE)

THE THANG:
HIIT BEATDOWN 5:1 WORK REST RATIO (50 SECONDS EXERCISE AND 10 SECONDS REST) 5 MOVEMENTS FOR 4 ROUNDS
• LATERAL HOP / HIGH KNEE ALTERNATING LEFT / RIGHT
• INCH WORM – WALK OUT TO PLANK TO GROUND OR MERKIN THEN WALK BACK UP
• ALTERNATING REVERSE LUNGES
• HEEL TAP (4) / ALTERNATING SIDE STEP JACK OR SSH
• PLANK WITH ALTERNATING STEP FORWARD OR JUMP IN AND BACK OUT
After two rounds YHC circled the PAX up for his 3rd F. Upon completion of the 3rd F all PAX circled up and completed the remaining 2 rounds.

3 RD F:
OVERCOMING DISAPPOINTMENT
“I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5
Let’s face it, there is no way around it, we will all experience disappointment. It is a natural and normal part of life. We have high expectations for ourselves and others, but often, we don’t live up to those expectations.
Debbie is disappointed that she didn’t get the job that she thought was a perfect fit for her skills. She is disappointed in herself, the company and the process. Her disappointment turned into discouragement.
Bill is disappointed that after the undefeated season his baseball team enjoyed, they lost in the finals to a team they should have beaten. Bill is disappointed in himself, his teammates and coaches. He questioned whether he should return nex t season.
Sue thought she and Tom had the perfect marriage until the day Tom announced he was leaving her and the kids because he had fallen in love with his secretary. Sue’s disappointment turned quickly to depression and desperation.
Brian anxiously awaited the results from his surgery. He was disappointed when the surgeon told him that the cancer was worse than they expected. He was disappointed with the doctor and discouraged and angry with God.
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” –Martin Luther King,Jr.
Yes, we will all experience disappointment.
So what can we do when we experience disappointment? And, how do we keep from becoming discouraged or depressed?
Here are some thoughts:
Take some time to grieve. Often these disappointments are devastating. They require time to heal, to reflect, and to try to understand. Know, however, as St. Paul tells us in Romans, We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (8:28)
Examine our Perspective and expectations. We have high expectations for others. And, often time’s people won’t live up to our vision of them. This is especially true for family members. We sometimes have unrealistic expectations for our children, spouses and parents. It has been said that when you have high expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Put your expectations into their proper perspective.
Turn toward and not away from God. When people are discouraged they often make the mistake of blaming God, of going into a shell, no longer attending church and they stop praying. These are times to turn toward our Lord. To gain strength from His promise to us, that He is with us always, that He will never abandon us, that He will see us through the problem and gives us a way out.
Focus on hope. We need to put our faith in God that he will give us a reason to hope. If we dwell on our Lord, and not on the disappointment we will begin to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And, that light begins with our hope.
“Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.” –Romans 12:12
Be grateful for the good things in our lives. Often we spend so much time on our problems and disappointments that we fail to take a look at the blessings. We may have lost out on that job, but there will be other opportunities and we still have the God given skills. We may be disappointed at losing the big game, but we still have a season full of good memories to motivate us next year. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. –1Thessalonians 5:18

We will all face disappointments during our lives. Dealing with disappointments by trusting in God and His promises will go along way to improving your mental health and happiness.
DROWNING RATS EXPERIMENT
YHC discussed and experiment that was conducted in the 1950s where a scientist put rats in a bucket of water and after a few minutes they would drown and die. However, during his experiment at the moment when the rats had given up and about to die he pulled them out of the water and revived them in his hand. Once they were recovered he placed them back into the water and they continued to swim for over 60 hours before drowning. The scientist surmised that because they were saved once before the rats had hope for being saved again and with that hope they were able to swim longer.

NUMBER-RAMA: 11 – PAX

NAME-O-RAMA:
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Roving ruckfest this Friday in Georgetown. New AO in Lewes beginning next week 2/22/2023 at Beacon Middle School. Sherlock will be taking the helm of NANTAN while our ever faithful leader Chappie has to step away to handle his affairs. The Grit Mill is in need of a new Site Q.

COT / BOM:
We lift Chappie up with our prayers as well as Woodstocks mother as she undergoes a surgical procedure today. Also offered up in prayer were all the unspoken needs and attentions of all HIM present and those not present.

Simple but Sufficient

, , , , , , , / Leave a Comment / DE, Milford, The Grit Mill / By
DATE: 19 October 2022

QIC: Focker

WARM-O-RAMA:

It was a bit chilly this morning so a good warm up was called for but with YHC still dealing with a sprained ankle the choice of exercises was limited but got the job done.

Bat Wings: Done to a 4 count cadence. 20 Forward arm circles HOLD 20 Backward arm circles HOLD 20 Seal claps HOLD 20 Overhead claps

Mountain Climbers 20 IC

Turn and Bounce 20 IC

Cherry Pickers 20 IC

Hairy Rockettes 20 IC

Moroccan Nightclub 20 IC

BOLT 45s

After getting sufficiently warmed up all PAX moseyed to the Arena’s parking lot.

THE THANG:

Once all PAX arrived to the parking lot we formed a circle approximately 30 feet around a speaker and the F3 Workout deck. PAX were informed that we would Bearcrawl to the deck YHC would pick 5 cards then we would Crawlbear back to original position do the stated exercises on the cards with the following guidance: Cards 2-10 would be the card value plus 10 repetitions, Royals – 25 repetitions, ACE – 50 repetitions. Upon completion of the round PAX would Bearcrawl back and another PAX identified by YHC would choose 5 more cards and repeat as time allowed.

ROUND ONE:

Plank Jacks – 25

Standing Lunges – 20 each leg

Diamond Merkins – 25

Flutter Kicks – 20 IC OYO (supposed to Rosalitas but no one knew what that was)

Lunge Walk – rotated the circle until back to original position

ROUND TWO: Chosen by Spreader

Flutter Kicks – 50 IC OYO

Calf Raises – 50

Dips – 25

Hand Release Merkins – 15

Squats – 13 (Card was WOJO Squats but again we improvised for the unknown)

THIRD F:

The Fisherman and the Businessman

Once upon a time there was a businessman who was sitting on the beach in a small Italian village.

As he sat, taking a brief break from the stress of his daily schedule, he saw a fisherman rowing a small boat back into the harbour. In the boat were a few large fish.

Impressed, the businessman asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?” To which he replied “Oh, not so long.”

The businessman was confused, “Why don’t you fish for longer to catch even more?”

“More? This is enough to feed my entire family and even offer some to my neighbours,” the fisherman said.

“So what do you do for the rest of your day?” Enquired the businessman.

The fisherman replied, “Well, I’ve usually have caught my fish by late morning, at which point I go home, kiss my wife, and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap and read. In the evening, I go to the village to have a drink with my friends, play guitar, sing, and dance into the night!”

Putting his entrepreneurial hat on, the businessman offered a suggestion.

“I have a PhD in business! I can help you become much more successful. From now on, you should spend longer at sea and catch as many fish as possible. When you’ve saved enough money, buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish. From there, you’ll soon be able to buy more boats, set up your own company, build a production plant to can the fish and control distribution, and move to the city to control your other branches.”

To this, the fisherman asks, “And after that?”

The businessman laughs, “After that, you’ll be able to live like a king, take your company public, float your shares and be rich!”

“And after that?” Asks the fisherman once more.

“After that, you can retire, move to a house by the sea, wake up early in the morning to go fishing, then return home to play with your kids, kiss your wife, take a nap in the afternoon and join your friends in the village to drink, play guitar and dance into the night!”

Puzzled, the fisherman replies, “But isn’t that what I’m doing already?”

Moral of the story:

Be content with what you have. Do you really need to keep pushing for more? Stress is often a choice. There’s joy and peace in simplicity.

Philippians 4: 6-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

After the 3rd F all PAX moseyed pack to the Grit Mill.

COT:

Announcements: Roving Ruck at Aegis this Friday

Prayer requests: Sherlocks father, YHCs family with his 2.0s being sick and his brother and nephews as the year anniversary of their wife and mother tragically passing away approaches.

BOM:

Visting Focker Falls in Milford, DE

, , , , , , , , , , , / Leave a Comment / Milford, The Grit Mill / By

DATE: 24 AUGUST 2022

QIC: Focker

YHC had a better planned Q this morning than last month! I was really looking forward to this beatdown so that we could get more burpees and school supplies collected. I am grateful for the 11 other HIMs who showed up this morning to include 2 FNGs and 3 unicorns.

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Side Straddle Hop – 20 IC
  • Imperial Walker – 20 IC
  • Turn and Bounce – 20 IC
  • Hairy Rockettes – 20 IC
  • Cherry Picker – 20 IC
  • Moroccan Nightclub – 30 IC
  • Burpees – 10 OYO

Following the warm-o-rama we mosied to the parking lot at Arena’s. On the way the HIMs in attendance were able to witness the glorious Focker Falls where YHC took a misstep in a pothole and had to tuck and roll…I knew this wasn’t a running group!

THE THANG:

Using the four corners of the parking lot, the beatdown would be conducting an exercise at each corner and mosey/sprint between corners. YHC would announce a new set of exercises for each round. Early finishers of the round would plank waiting for the 6. YHC conducted the 3rd F after round 2.

ROUND ONE:

  • Burpees – 10
  • Big Boys – 20
  • Lunges – 20 (10 each leg)
  • Merkings – 10

ROUND TWO:

  • Squats – 20
  • Burpees – 10
  • LBCs – 40
  • Wide Arm Merkins – 10

ROUND THREE:

  • American Hammers – 40 (20 each side single count)
  • Flutter Kicks – 40 (20 each leg single count)
  • Burpees – 10
  • Tie Fighters – 20 (10 Forward Baby Arm Circles right leg lunge, 10 Backward BACs left leg lunge)

ROUND FOUR:

  • Diamond Merkins – 10
  • Freddy Mercury – 40 (20 each leg single count)
  • Alternating Side Squats – 20 (10 each side)
  • Burpees – 10

3RD F: QUIET DESPERATION

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things..”

-Henry David Thoreau

Joe Rogan: “That’s Thoreau’s quote – that ‘most men live lives of quiet desperation’ – that’s one of my favorite quotes ever, because it’s true – and I’ve been that guy. You’re just in this world where you just can’t wait to run away.”

Annie Jacobsen: “And how do people get stuck there – how do you think they get stuck there?”

JR: “Bills and commitment. You have an apartment to pay for, you have a car you leased, you have a wife that you have to feed, you have a child you have to raise. You have your mortgage. You have your this, you have your that…and that’s where it all comes from.”

AJ: “Where do you think opportunity plays into that?”

JR: “Well, the opportunity takes place, usually when you’re young and you have no responsibility. That’s when you have your options. Your options are severely limited the more you gather responsibilities. Like, if I as a 51 year old, father of 3, married man, pays taxes, has a house and  mortgage and a business and all that jazz, if I had to quit everything now and struggle the way I struggled as a standup comedian – it would never work.” 

“The only way I could be this person now is if I took that chance when I was 21, when I was dead broke and had my cars repossessed and all that stuff. That’s the only way that you ever get where you want to go. You have to take a path that’s dangerous and most people want to take the safe path. And the safe path leaves you stuck in ‘quiet desperation’ almost every time. It’s hell. It’s hell. You’re selling insurance or some other shit that you care zero about.”

AJ: “But can people just make that change?”

JR: “Yes, yes you can, but you have to plan it out. The way to make that change is you have to put aside enough money to give yourself a window. And then you have to have a plan, and you have to spend all your waking hours outside of whatever shit job you do planning your escape, and you have to come to the realization very clearly, that you fucked up – you got yourself stuck, so whatever you’re doing you have to do it like your life depends on it.  Whether it is…if you’re going to try and be an author and you’re working 8 hours a day, plus commuting, plus family responsibilities plus whatever else you have, whatever time that you have, you have to attack like you’re trying to save the world, like you’re trying to save your life, you don’t want to drown. That one and a half hours a day that you have to write – god damn – you better be caffeinated and motivated. You gotta go. You gotta get after it. You gotta have discipline – that’s what most people don’t have, those things, most people don’t understand what it’s like to really go for something and to know that the consequences of not doing that are horrific.”

-Joe Rogan Podcast #1299 with Annie Jacobsen, 1:04:00

At the completion of the four rounds of exercises we still had time so we did Bolt 45s on the curb. We then mosied back to the Grit Mill to end the beatdown. When we arrived we still had two minutes so 10 more Burpees were completed. During the COT the train went by so we did 10 more Burpees for a total of 70 Burpees!

NUMBER-RAMA

NAME-O-RAMA

COT / BOM:

Welcomed FNG Tom Catalfamo named Tatty Patty and FNG Nick Wright named Nutty Buddy. Also, we had a few unicorns show up. Welcome back Loose Wheel, Silhouette, and Visitante!!!

Reminded the men about the upcoming CSAUP in Rehoboth on Labor Day with more details to be posted to group by Chappie.

Prayer requests for Ruxpins Father in law, Waterfall and his M, Gump and his M, Fireplex and his dad and any needs and requests unspoken.

FOCKER, OUT!

A Twisted Deck of Pain

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , / Leave a Comment / DE, Milford, The Grit Mill / By

DATE: 22 JUNE 2022

QIC: Focker

YHC had his Virgin Q this morning! Thanks to the 17 HIMs who showed up for a record attendance at The Grit Mill! It meant a lot to have such good representation on my first Q. I decided to use fate and the F3 Workout Cards to assist me on the beatdown.

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Disclaimer given
  • Moroccan Nightclub – 20 IC
  • Side Straddle Hob – 20 IC
  • Imperial Walker – 20 IC
  • Cherry Picker – 20 IC

Following the warm-o-rama we mosied to the parking lot at Arena’s and the PAX circled up around the speaker and workout cards.

THE THANG:

YHC broke out his new F3 Workout Cards for this beatdown. With the PAX circled around the cards about 15 feet from the deck of cards. Inspired by T-Rex using music for his beatdown, YHC brought a speaker to play 90’s alternative for the entire beatdown.

Everyone bear crawls to the center where YHC drew five cards for the first set and a different PAX was identified for the subsequent sets. Once cards were drawn, everyone crawl beared back their original position.

Call out for the exercises written on the cards as follows:

  • 2-10: card value + 10 reps for the exercise
  • Royals: 25 reps for the exercise
  • Ace: 50 reps of that exercise

At the completion of the set everyone bear crawls back to the deck for more cards.

Set breakdown:

SET ONE:

14 – Alternating Side Squats

25 – Freddie Mercury’s

12 – Bulgarian Split Squats

18 – Backward lunges

25 – Diamond Merkins

SET TWO:

13 – High, Slow Flutter Kick IC

17 – Monkey Humper

14 – Carolina Dry Dock

Bear crawl 15 feet, Crawl bear 15 feet

20 – Rosalitas

Conducted the 3RD F after the second set:

Continuing the theme of checking on each other and on the people in our lives with whom we haven’t spoken to in a while. YHC shared a personal story of how he was going through a difficult time in his life and felt alone and had received a special message to seek out Psalm 20.

Psalm 20
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.[b]
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

6 Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!

Two days later, YHC met a woman while performing his duties as a nurse, and she was the key to change the direction his life was going in and make everything right in his world. Continue to reach out to each other and to others in your life. You just may be the person to turn their life around for the better!

SET THREE:

16 – Jumping lunges

25 – Monkey Humper

17 – Derkins

18 – Luge

25 – American Hammers

SET FOUR:

14 – Heels to Heaven

20 – Butt Kicks

18 – Merkins

17 – Lil Baby Crunches

15 – Hand Release Merkins

SET FIVE:

19 – Squats

16 – Wide Arm Merkins

50 – Calf Raises

25 – Shoulder Taps

19 – Ranger Merkins 

Mosey back to The Grit Mill to end the beatdown.

NUMBER-RAMA

NAME-O-RAMA

COT/BOM:

  • Welcomed Thomas Lilly FNG nicknamed as Knobs.
  • Announcements: TRexs’ M’s event this weekend at Milton Memorial Park. Roving Ruckf3st Friday will be at The Grit Mill
  • Prayer: For Quattro’s friend who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. For MacDaddy and Taps and the group traveling via bicycles. Prayers for all us HIMs to be the leaders and examples to others in our homes, jobs, and communities. Prayers for all the needs and attentions of those present.

I am honored that so many PAX showed up for my VQ! I was truly grateful and humbled.

Focker, out!

Scroll to Top