Procrastination is never a virtue

One in seven voters still persuadable

Or just unable to make up their minds. Despite over-saturation through the media, a small percentage still do not know. Granted, many of these voters are probably educated skeptics who do not want to believe the hype, but I'm pretty sure the vast majority of these voters just don't have a clue. Sadly, the future of our country rests on the un-enthusiastic many who couldn't really care less one way or another. I don't know why the media has taken this group of people as the epitome of the contemporary American election, when they probably represent that sad American stereotype of too lazy to care, but not lazy enough to be vocal about it. More pathetic is that these very same voters are probably most likely to make an uneducated and impulsive decision once November 4 comes around. Do all of us a favor. Make up your mind or don't make it up at all.

Update: James Bond Workout, 2

I have to say, this is one great workout routine. I feel stronger and muscle development is definitely going on. Protein--and lots of it--is definitely a requirement under the program though. It's running everyday and the gym five times a day, so one does get pretty drained in the end of the day. I'm relying heavily on DFAC for sustenance, but it's pretty hard during those days when all they have are fried stuff: fried chicken legs, fried fish, french fries, onion wings, etc. I'm tempted to start doing the salad option with a piece of chicken breast on the side, but salads make me puke and their chicken breasts are dried out as hell. Here's how my diet usually consists of:

Pre-Breakfast, Post-Run Shake - 4g fat, 25g protein, 7g carbs
Breakfast - 4 eggs slightly scrambled, bacon, two slices wheat bread with a teaspoon of butter and jam, a teaspoon ketchup, 400 ml chocolate milk (37g protein, 35.6g fat, 29.8g carbs)
Snack #1 - 1 apple, 1 serving protein shake, 1 ounce cashews, 1 hardboiled egg (23.5g fat, 36.6g protein, 30.2g carbs)
Lunch - Generic lunch (lots of meat, a serving of vegetables, chocolate milk, a serving of beans or chickpeas, ice cream, fruits) (49.2g fat, 57.2g protein, 86.8g carbs)
Snack #2 - 1 apple, 1 serving protein shake, 1 ounce cashews, 1 hardboiled egg (23.5g fat, 36.6g protein, 30.2g carbs)
Dinner - same as lunch (49.2g fat, 57.2g protein, 86.8g carbs)
Post-Workout Shake - 4g fat, 25g protein, 7g carbs

For a total of: 190.4g of fat, 273.2g of protein, 277.8g of carbs. That breaks down to:

My protein intake on one hand definitely has no problems. For a guy weighing 175 pounds, 277.8 grams of protein a day roughly equates to 1.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight. The problem is the carbs. It's taking up too much of my intake. However, it may not be as big a problem as I think it is: despite the presence of such things as ice cream and chocolate milk, most of the carbs are coming from healthy-carb rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and beans. Ice cream I may not give up, because that's the only thing keeping me from gonig over the edge. Chocolate milk on the other hand...I might just go from two bottles to one bottle of chocolate milk and one of low-fat milk. We'll see.

The one thing that I like about this though is it allows me 2 days of no-holds barred. Those days for me are BBQ Sundays and surf and Turf Wednesdays. I can chow-down anything I want, then back to normal days. Good for me, because those are really the only days when I even remotely consider filling up on the offerings from the DFAC.

Does Someone More Powerful Than Most Hate John McCain?

McCain Volunteer admits attack was a Hoax
Obama Leads in Georgia
Joe McCain Does it Again
Bachmann in Really Big Trouble
Goalie Hurt by Palin Walkway

These headlines prove two things: either god really doesn't want another Republican administration, or the media really hates Republicans. i'm kind of torn. All I know is, it's really tough seeing this happen to one of the most principle politicians we have today. He was thrown into real Washington politics, and he definitely sank like a rock.

Update: James Bond Workout

Have been following this plan for a week, and I have to say it is pretty tough. My shoulders are usually my very weakest point, and the constant emphasis on them is surely not making me a very happy man. My diet has been OK. I follow it 99% of the time. I discovered cauliflower as a good substitute to potatoes or rice for dinner. A little S&P and they're good to go. My greatest fiend remains to be sweets, but fruits are slowly taking over that. Unfortunately, fruits here tend to be pretty crappy so the motivation to eat them is definitely not there...yet, at hte very least.

I'm revamping my schedule. 5 straight days of working out isn't working. I'm going on a 2 days on 1 day off routine, which will still give me 5 workout days a week. I discover that giving myself that break every two days give me the requisite energy and rest to keep focus.

Military Life Begets Cinematic Treasures

First off: iOffer, the best thing to happen to classic movies on DVD.

I bought five movies today: Theodora Goes Wild, Stranded, Magnificent Obsession, Spanish Main, and The Passionate Friends. Movies that are not on DVD and somebody either diligently recorded a 16mm copy that they had or more likely, recorded it off of TCM. Nevertheless, I'm excited to see all of them, Theodora Goes Wild specifically, since I remember enjoying it a lot when I first saw it. The most spectacular part of the story however is that the seller offered me a pretty good discount for wearing the uniform and being in the middle of the Islamic world, defending freedom as they say. (Hey, I just pitch the mail.) I know, military discounts, how novel. But never did I think that my cinephilia will be somewhat helped along by my service, despite constant derision from my colleagues of my past decision to study Film in college. Good shit, indeed.

The "Daniel Craig Workout"

Oh god, here I go, doing a workout based on a celebrity's looks. I know, I don't have the kind of resources that he has: masseuse, personal trainer, spa-treatment, etc. And it's downright pathetic. But looking at his workout plan online, it is deceptively easy. The diet is strict but not being overtly so, the workout is a simple 45-minute tour of the gym with an emphasis on compound exercises, and the cardio is simple as well. I know the diet works, because I have done it before. The workout I've tried for the first time, and could vouch the effectiveness of compound exercises, and the cardio I'm bumping up (from 2-mile runs a few times a week to a 5k run everyday). His build is exactly what I'm going for, and I know what my body looks: wide shoulders, arms not too big, and mid-section not too defined. His legs are skinny (thus the omission from the photo), but he only does squats as a lower-body exercise. My quads are naturally big, and they'll get enough exercise from the running. So I'll give it a go, even if it is a little embarassing that I am indeed following fitness tips from "celeb gurus". Somebody kill me pleeeeease...

The Exercises (4 SETS, 10-20 REPS)

The Clean and Jerk
Squat

Bench Press
Pull Ups or Chin Ups

Dips

Barbell Curls

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

DIET
Breakfast: omelets with tomatoes and cheese, fruit, toast, milk
Snack: apple, yogurt, nuts
Lunch: protein, rice or beans, milk
Snack: fruit, nuts
Dinner: protein, salad or vegetables, fruit, milk, no carbs

Before bed: protein

SCHEDULE
0600-0700 PT
0700-0730 Perimeter Run (everyday)
0730-0800 Personal Hygiene, Abs
0800-0900 Breakfast

0900-1630 Work
1630-1830 Workout (M,T,Th,F,S)
1830-1900 Dinner

2000-2030 Personal Hygiene, Abs
2030-0500 Sleep

The regime is actually not very rigorious. A 5-day workout built on compound exercises is very draining and could lead to injuries. I'm also thinking about a 2-mile run in the end of that, but that's probably a good way to overtrain myself. The diet isn't very hard to follow, since DFAC offers quite a few selections other than rice, potatoes, and/or bread. And the schedule, although it looks strict, is actually the natural way things flow during this deployment (during the last 4 months, at least. Let's see what happens on the next 11 months). This is going to be for 2 months, then I'm switching to German Volume Training. It looks enticing, but it looks way too complicated. When it comes to the gym, one should never be too complicated.

Stay tuned, as they say.

Love is so short, forgetting is so long. - Pablo Neruda

But once we forget...then what? Do we then become happy again, or in the process lose our capacity for knowing--experiencing, perceiving, appreciating--happiness? With the pain of separation, do we lose the feel of the small of a lover's back? With the shouts, the sweet whispers or the laughter that is the very definition of happiness? With the calloused hands, the soft lips? I'm in such a hurry to forget--looking forward to meeting other people, experiencing new things--that I cannot help but long for the small moments that made me happy (and happy to be happy), and feel the pain of realizing that they were--and are--fleeting. How can a man love if he forgets?