New Beginnings, Building Bridges at The Ballroom

Preamble – New Beginnings

When The Ballroom moved from its founding location behind The Mirror Room on Gold Hill Rd to Pleasant Knoll Elementary School down the road, then to PKMS, it was both exciting and sad for many. A shiny new pair of shoes is always nice, but sometimes those old ones fit just right. The spirit of F3 was cultivated and spread in the grounds there. Many a PAX laid alot of sweat marks all around the old locale, some not as much as others but enough to leave a mark. Some merlot was donated to the groundwater supply as well. There were alot of painful and fun 1st F beatdowns, moderate or not, administered there. We celebrated there. We consoled there. We held each other up in times of need there. We supported and pushed each other there. We made each other better there. We converged there and sent a much loved young man away to serve his country abroad there. We welcomed many new faces there. There were alot of great 2nd and 3rd Fs forged there. Iron was sharpened there. Leaders were invigorated there.  Part of the fabric of F3 nation was woven there. The old locale will always have a special place for those who were there.

As is the same with Fort Mill itself, F3 is always expanding. Always improving. Always evolving. You will never reach new grounds until you commit to pushing off of the dock. Too much traffic and congestion, it was becoming dangerous for the PAX. It was time to find a new AO locale for The Ballroom. First it was Pleasant Knoll Elementary School (PKES). A few workouts were held there, led by some great Qs. But for anyone who has driven by the sparkling new Pleasant Knoll Middle School (PKMS) from its initial ground clearing through construction to completion, it was obvious this was going to be the crown jewel of middle schools (for now) in Fort Mill’s outstanding school system. Make no doubts about it, we were all hoping this would become an AO.  It was reconned one morning. The new site is incredible – HUGE, brand new still with that new construction smell, and FULL of options to challenge the PAX in many ways. The decision was made. This was it. PKMS was to be the new AO for The Ballroom – and it may get a new name as well. New site, new F3 memories to come. New Beginnings.

Time to Git ‘Er Dun

When Cake Boss asked me to Q a WO at The Ballroom, I could not say Aye quick enough. I showed up at a little after 5, and there were quite a few folks already there, ready to get after it. A great turnout of great PAX. Alot of good conversation building up to the start. It is a great group of PAX here. A few late stragglers came in right at the buzzer. Time to git ‘er dun!

No FNGs, disclaimer was made, and off we went….

Mosey from the main parking lot meandering around the long, curving driveway. Slow a bit for some toy soldiers, then gather at an intersection near the new football field. COP:

  • SSH x 20
  • WM x 20
  • Imperial-Hillbilly Walker – start w IW w one leg, plant leg back down then do HW w same leg – right leg up to left elbow, back down, right leg up to right elbow, back down counts as one rep. Did 10 or so reps .
  • MNC x 20
  • Peter Parker x 10
  • Parker Peter x 10

Quick discussion on on discipline (see NMM). Mosey over to the football field. Vernon’s playground. Blows my mind that this is a middle school field!! Incredible. Vernon made sure to keep us off the new track and not mess up the turf too bad. It was clear, dark, and the stars were out. It was amazing. This is part of the reason why many of us love the early morning routines.

Main Event

On the artificial turf football field. It sets goals and boundaries. Starting right at the 0 yd goal line at one corner post, do an exercise OYO, transition to another exercise. Total of 5 exercises at 20yds apart, moderate HIIT style. Aim is to get to the other goal line 100yds away. Exercises and transitions:

  1. 100 yds – Merkins
  2. Lunge walk transition
  3. 80 yds – LBCs
  4. Bear crawl transition
  5. 60 yds – LSS
  6. Crab walk transition
  7. 40 yds – CDDs
  8. Lunge walk
  9. 20 yds – AHs
  10. Sprint AYG to goal

> Start at 20 reps of each exercise OYO. No stopping until you get to the end. 10 second breather then mosey over in various ways to other side of field. Repeat cycle in decreasing reps 15, then 10, then 5. In the end the PAX did 50 of each exercise and transitioned 400 yds.

The PAX did great! Alot of mumblechatter, laughter, and pushing and encouraging each other on. This is what it is all about. Thank you all for starting each other’s day off right.

After we brushed off the little black rubber pellets that seemed to get all over us (which Old Bay did not seem too fond of),  we moseyed back towards the school. Up and around to the back of the school where there is a long, tall, well-lit wall that is just PERFECT for wall work.

  • People’s chair to slow 10 count, 3 reps
  • BTTW  to slow 10 count, 3 reps

Behind the school next to where we did the wall work is something quite unique for this school…..a long steel and concrete foot bridge from the school proper to the athletic fields that crosses a large, deep ravine. This is quite symbolic for the theme of the month in my opinion. We stopped in the middle of the bridge to drive home my point on discipline. See NMM. We then moseyed back in a two line slow Indian run back to the COT. After AP&P, Cake Boss led us out with an amazing prayer as is usual for him.

Announcements, Prayers, and Praises:.
* Read your newsletter!
* CAH Guidance back to Saturdays starting on 9/2 at 4pm
* CAH Burpee Challenge – almost $3K collected!! Still some outstanding commitments. Please pay what you’ve pledged.
* Nun Run coming up – if you are not aware of Speed for Need, please read up. An AMAZING initiative. Vuvuzela’s son, among others, will experience the pure joy it brings. An incredible thing. Consider participating, or at the least donating to this worthy cause.
* Prayers for Cornerstone’s Emma as well as his M.
* Prayers for other M’s going through various struggles
* Prayers for injured and struggling PAX
* Prayers for kids going back to school
* Praises for PAX pushing themselves to get better in whatever way

NMM – Building Bridges

The theme of this dwindling month is discipline. It’s a strong word that affects many aspects of our lives. There is discipline of guidance, teaching, or mentoring others in order to attain desired behavior or help foster positive growth in others. There is also the idea of having discipline or self-discipline and holding yourself accountable to an established standard, doctrine or expectation. To me, it is how you structure your mind, heart, and soul. Discipline gives you the boundaries in which you operate, much like the gridiron football field we were on for this workout. It provides the structure through which you build upon in order to achieve. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.

Keep in mind the ‘goals’ and ‘accomplishments’ are not just worldly pursuits such as winning a game, getting a degree, completing a marathon, making more money, or getting a promotion at work. Yes, greater applied discipline will definitely help in those pursuits. But they could be more inter/intra-personal, spiritual goals of:

  • Having a better relationship with God
  • Living the word of The Gospel more
  • Having a better relationship with your parents, M,  2.0’s, family, and/or friends
  • Becoming more reliable, accountable for others in your life
  • Having a better control over your ‘demons’ so to speak, however you may define that word
  • Overcoming personal obstacles towards improvement of your mind, body, heart, soul

As we stood on that bridge at the school, I again mentioned to the PAX that discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments. I challenged the PAX to examine their lives, think of any goal(s) of where they want to be, and see what bridges they need to build, what structure do they need in order to get there. In the past I have been told I have good self discipline, but I know I have some bridges that people don’t see that need to be built. I have self confidence issues, I can be socially insecure, I do not have as good of a relationship with God as I would like, I am not as open and available to family and friends as I used to be, I could be a better husband to my M, I still have some anger issues that arise every now and then, and I could be a better disciplinarian to my own kids. The introduction of F3 in my life has helped me immensely in those areas, but there is still work to do. If you look deep and get past the wall of denial, we all have bridges to build or restore.

If you set a goal, no matter how lofty it may seem, it will be the bridge of discipline that will help get you there. Plus, those accomplishments are easier to attain when you have help, and you will never be alone if you have Sky Q in your heart and soul. Having the self-restraint, courage and perseverance which comes from the pursuit and strength provided by God is true, everlasting discipline. The bridges you will build will last forever.

Let’s build some bridges.

Thank you Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.
God bless,
– NASA

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Welcome FNG Airwolf and welcome all PAX to the new AO at Pleasant Knoll Elementary. The Ballroom has a new AO and possibly a new name. That is still to be determined. In meantime, 20 PAX and YHC took a tour of the grounds and got disciplined.

Introduced the PAX and away we went.

Mosey around back of school in the pitch black. Lights in the front, party in the back…..I mean dark in the back. Still able to mosey.

  • Lunge walk
  • Shuffle L/R
  • Karoke L/R
  • Mosey to playground

COP:

Weezer came in and led first few excercises

  • Low slow squats
  • ???? can remember 2nd move
  • Moracan nIght Clubs

YHC back at Q

  • SSHs
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Peter Parkers
  • LBCs
  • Mtn Climbers

Count off in 4’s

Rotate stations after group doing swing crunches are done….2 rounds

1″s – Swing Crunches to 15

2’s – Carolina Dry Docks

3’s – LBCs

4’s – Squats

 

Mosey to Wall

Peoples Chair, while PAX bear crawl to end of line

Rinse and Repeat

Mosey to Front of school

  • Round of Dips

Back in groups – 1 group at time runs hill, to steps and back to PAX wile other groups alternate excercises

  • Dips x3
  • Derkinsx3
  • lungesx3
  • sumo squat x3

PAX mosey down main drive. YHC after asking many of the PAX to define discipline, explained that we work hard to train and gain knowledge so that when things get hard, we have the discipline to push through and accomplish what we could not if we were not disciplined. Like facing a long uphill run back to COT. Its not how fast or what others are doing, but what are we willing to push through and get better at??

  • PAX ran back to shovel flag with strong finish
  • Freddy Mercurys
  • Supermans
  • Rosalitas
  • Hello Dollys

COT: Great PAX and Great AO. I’m looking forward to the growth potential at the New AO and the many new Q that went through Q school to get some fresh blood in the mix.

Get disciplined men so that when the storms come in life, you are strong and ready to face them.

Cake Boss out!

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Farewell to Fred Astaire or Goodbye Ballroom

17 gathered to bid farewell to the Ballroom with visits to classic site areas and two games of frogger.  (Written on iPad at 23,000 feet)

 

The thang

 

warm up – no clear recall on what that was

Mosey to Founders parking lot. With partner do two sets of squats and crunches whilst partner runs around building

Mosey to Publix while engaging frogger   50 calf raises and 15 merkins

Mosey to coupon pile with stop for bear crawls and merkins on the very moist grass

With partner and coupon complete curls, presses, one armed rows, and triceps extensions while partner runs up and down hill

Mosey back to warehouse wall while playing frogger across Gold Hill road

With partner wall sits while partner scales two,retaining walls – 2x

Return to COT via retaining walls with finish of 25 SSH

Moleskin:

Freedom means being able to,choose but also requires the acceptance of consequences

 

 

 

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What If

What an amazing day to be in the gloom! 19 Pax exercised their freedom by choosing to post and get better over the fart sack. My man Flacco blessed us with his presence. Seeing him gave me flashbacks of posting at WEP 4 years ago.

The Thang

Mosey to the Postal Route Office’s parking lot:

Warm-Up: Stretches, SSH (30x), IW (20x), WM (15x), Sumo Squats (15x), MC (15x), CDDs (15x), Moroccan Night Clubs/Overhead Claps (15x)

Mosey to Founders Federal Credit Union’s parking Lot:

One partner runs around the islands in the parking lot. The other does exercises then alternate until the team of two has done: Merkins (100x), LBCS (300x), Donkey Kicks (50x)

Mosey to Publix’s parking lot:

Partner up. Wheel Barrells to each side of the parking lot (2x), Partner Big Boy Sit Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Ski Jumps (15x), Partners Push Ups (15x for 2 rounds), Partner Leg Lifts (15x for 2 rounds), Burpees (10x)

Moleskin:

You have the freedom to choose how you react to tough situations. Our faith will be tested and how we respond helps to define us.

We often think of the “what ifs” when we are tested. Those “what ifs” tend to take us on a downward spiral of negativity.

We can also respond to tough situations with an optimistic mindset of “God Is.” After all, doesn’t He provide your needs? The answer is undoubtedly “Yes!” You could not have made it out of tough situations in the past without His grace and mercy.

Stop thinking about the “What Ifs” and understand that “God Is.” God is stronger and powerful than your challenges.

Be encouraged and know that “God Is.”

Peace,

Deacon

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Casting Seeds and Shovel Flag Hand-off at The Ballroom

  • QIC: Old Bay
  • When: 06/13/2017
  • Pax: Anchorman, Change Order, QuickBooks, Cotton Eye, Newman, CB, Rebel, Gopher, Pinup, Beacon, Mash, Barry Manilo, Tarantino
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

Great showing of pax on a fairly warm morning. The garbage bin in the parking lot was especially pungent, which was nice. 14 total gathered before YHC issued the disclaimer, and Quickbooks moseyed us out to a remote place for Warm-up. The exact exercises escape me, but it was something like:

– SSH
– Imperial Walkers
– Hill Billy Walkers
– Merkins
– Mountain Climbers
– and several others I can’t call.

At some point, we moseyed to another location to complete the warm up. Like a college student’s memory of the previous weekend, the details are fuzzy.

The Thang
Pax ran to one of the flat parking lots where a cone and lantern were set up, shedding light on a list of eight exercises. About 70 yards away (other side of the parking lot) another cone was placed.

Partner up, size doesn’t matter. Partner 1 was to do a moving exercise from one cone to the second, while partner 2 alternated between a pair of stationary exercises. Once partner 1 reached the second cone, he ran a loop back to the first cone. Also during this time, partner 2 started the moving exercise. Once partner 1 got back from his loop run, he started on the pair of stationary exercises until partner 2 reached the second cone. Rinse and repeat until all pairs of stationary exercises were completed.

The moving exercise was: 1 pair of lunges, 1 broad jump, 1 bombjack. Then 2 of each, then 3…and so on until the second cone was reached (most pax got to about 5-6 before they reached the second cone). The stationary exercise pairs were as follows:

-20 Plank Jacks and 20 Monkey Humpers
-10 Merkins and 10 Box Cutters
-10 Dry Docks and 10 Plank Jacks
-20 Apolo Ohno and 20 Chop Sticks

Pax next ran to the parking lot just below the launch/COT point (next to the wall) for some Crawling Dips with Crab Walks. Explanation: Lining up on the curb, all pax were to hold a dip position. First pax was to crab walk to end of line, while the rest of the pax dip-suffled (kind of a side-ways crab walk on the curb) up to toward the front of the line. We completed one rotation, and several pax modified the crab walk to bear crawls.

Pax then moved to People Chair with Jack Reachers (10 count). Quick repeat of that, then back to COT, with instruction to scale the wall to get there.

Naked Man Moleskin
Today the shovel flag for TheBallroom was handed off. Huge T-Claps to Change Order for launching and leading this very popular Tuesday AO, about 2.5 years ago. It didn’t start out as moderate, but changing it to be so a few months after it launched was a great move. Also T-Claps to CakeBoss for taking over as SiteQ (who was also involved with the launch).

During the workout, discussed the same message I gave at Run-n-Gun last week (CakeBoss was the only one to have to hear it a second time). If you read that backblast, no need to continue reading (#cutandpaste). 1 Corinthians 15 talks about “dead” seeds growing into living, renewed bodies – bodies that we won’t have any idea what will look like until that time. If we take that same concept and apply it to the seeds of Christ’s message that we cast in peoples lives, we also quickly discover that we don’t have any idea how those seeds will grow. After I accepted Christ in college, I returned home and very much wanted my two closest friends back there to have the same relationship with the Lord. I began casting seeds, with a pretty specific plan in mind of how they would grow. But they didn’t follow the path I had planned. Not even close, as a matter of fact. It was disappointing, but God had other plans. During the brief times we had together (college was far from home), I continued to cast seeds, and pray.

I believe that’s what God wants us to do: keep sharing his message and his love through our words and our deeds (casting seeds) and let him take care of the germination. In the case of my two hometown buddies, both of them are now strong followers of Christ, and I feel like I had nothing to do with it. Perhaps some of the seeds I casted helped in some small way…15 years later than I had planned, but exactly the timing God had planned!

Thanks, ChangeOrder, for allowing Quickbooks and me to Q!

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The Ballroom – Dancing with ourselves

  • QIC: Cake Boss
  • When: 05/30/17
  • Pax: Quick Books, Vernon, Barry Manilow, MASH, Deep Dish, Gilmore, Craw-daddy, Hasslehoff, Newman, Spitz, Lug-nut, Change Order, Anchorman
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

14 PAX came together at The Ballroom after a long Memorial Day weekend. Too many Hot Dogs and hamburgers maybe but the PAX were ready to get better and stronger.

I asked the PAX to think about all the PAX around them and that we all come from different backgrounds and careers and experiences however in the COP/COT everything is level and we are all in the same soup together….regardless of speed, strength or demographics. Roll that around for a bit…

The Thang:

Mosey across Gold Hill Road (don’t get killed) to office park for COP

  • Plank
  • SSHs
  • Squats
  • Merkins
  • Big Boy Situps
  • Peter Parkers
  • Hello Dollys
  • Parker Peters
  • LBCs
  • Moracan Night Clubs
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Sumo Squats

Mosey to back of office park and wall sit

Partner up

  • Partner 1 – Run steps and around building and back
  • Partner 2 – Carolina Dry  Docks
  • Wall sits until 6 is in
  • Partner 1 – Run steps and around building and back
  • Partner 2 – Lunges
  • Wall sits until 6 is in
  • Partner 1 – Run steps and around building and back
  • Partner 2 – Freddy Mercurys
  • Wall sits until 6 is in

Mosey down to front of day care

  • Partner 1 – Run up hill to stop sign and back
  • Partner 2 – Dips
  • Wall sits until 6 is in
  • Partner 1 – Run up hill to stop sign and back
  • Partner 2 – Calf Raises
  • Wall sits until 6 is in
  • Partner 1 – Run up hill to stop sign and back
  • Partner 2 – Hello Dollys
  • Wall sits until 6 is in

Mosey back to COT

  • Rosalitas
  • Flutters
  • Superman x 2

Great work by all PAX! Was a good sweat for post holiday weekend and always humbled and honored to Q….thank you Change Order for the lead.

So with all things being level in the COP/COT we really are dancing with ourselves what we think of ourselves. Are we prideful and think we have it all together or are we humble and/or insecure in ourselves and think we don’t deserve to be standing in this COT with these other HIMs. Well I believe most of us fall in the ladder and we should all realize we are fooling ourselves. When we are loved by Sky Q who sent his son to deal with our mess in this life, we should realize everything is level at the foot of the cross and my Audience is the one who did that for me. So I can do as many burpees for him as possible, and be the best husband for him I can, and best father and worker/employer for HIM that I can be……because its all level at the cross! Sky Q sees you as perfect through his Son.

Announcements:

  • June 9 – Foundation for Ft Mill Schools Golf tourney
  • June 10 – Columbia Team Gutters and Gringos Bowling tournament
  • June 17 – Hog and Coyote & CAH floating down the river event

Prayers and Praises:

  • Trucker and his mother in-law
  • Spitz son Eli procedure
  • Praise for Quickbooks parents 50th anniversary

 

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Crossy Road at the Ballroom

  • QIC: Chicken Hawk
  • When: 05/16/17
  • Pax: Twister, Sparkplug, Mash, Fire Marshall Bill, Optimus, Newman, Barry Manilow, Moulder, Smithers, Deep Dish, Gilmore, Quick Books, Bass O matic
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

14 # HIMs enjoying great weather, great fellowship and a moderate work out on this beautiful morning.  It was a great Pax wide discussion on the theme of the month of Maturity.  Thank you to those #HIMs that stepped up to share their perspective on those areas of generational brokenness that they are overcoming and those areas where we continue to struggle even though we see the need for change.

COP – Thank you to Fire Marshall Bill for stepping up and leading an impromptu lead of the COP.  His cadence was perfect and he lead with purpose.  Beautiful Work!!

The THANG!

Mosey to the parking lot to do a little crossy back and forth across the parking lot width wise then running length wise.

Crossy road

 – Lunge

 – Backwards lunge

        Run lap

 – Broad jump

 – Burpee broad jump

        Run lap

 – Bear crawl

 – Backwards bear crawl

        Run lap

 – spider man/ Alligator walk

 – backwards spider man (Cancelled from winkie)

       Run lap

Curb arama split into two groups Indian run

 – Plank walk

 – toe tap

 – crab walk

Mosey to cinderblocks at the back of the of the Dunkin Donuts parking lot for some impromptu curls, arm extensions and squat extensions

It was a great morning with lots of mumble chatter.  Nice job by all and thank you for the honor of being Q

Aye!

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Ballroom dancing machine

  • QIC: Trucker
  • When: 03/21/17
  • Pax: Deep Dish, Gilmore, MASH, Culture Club, Change Order, Cotton eye, Uncle Cracker, Anchorman, Barry Manilow, Fire Marshall Bill, Mr T, Chicken hawk, McGrufe, Smithers (FNG)
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

This backblast will be as simple as Change Order’s pole dancing – short and odd. We had a FNG show up this morning and as we began to introduce ourselves, Anchorman was questioned why he introduced himself as his F3 name, not hospital name. YHC gave the standard statement and we strolled around the parking lot to halfway down the road towards the warehouses. YHC threw on his ruck and offered a spare, but no PAX accepted. Circled up for:
15 SSH
15 IW
15 good mornings
15 merkins
15 LBCs
25 hello dollies
15 Moroccan nightclubs

lined up in 2 lines. Line 1 did suicides up the hill while line 2 did merkins and LBCs till first line was done, flapjack. Mossy to warehouse wall for wall sits and pass the ruck down the line and back. Ab Lab: LBCs, boxcutters, rosalitas, flutters (crowd pleaser as the cadence changed), and big boy sit ups. Wall sits again with 1 OH press then pass down line and back.

Introduced the FNG to Jack Webbs – only went to 7 since this is a moderate AO. Line up and sprint to/back the length of parking lot.

Mossy to other end of parking lot, wall sits for 2 10-counts, 10 merkins, rinse and repeat. Change Order poll danced on Anchorman and Anchorman felt something hard……

Mossy to storage center and the railings. Was hoping to do reverse pull-ups, but the lower bar interfered so modified. 10 erkins on top bar, 10 declines on lower bar, 10 erkins on lower bar, 10 derkins on top bar. 20 LBCs OYO and 20 flutters, then mossy to COT.

As always an honor to Q the Ballroom. Prayers to Mr. T for finding the fire again to post, YHC M’s Aunt with Lung and Brain cancer, CAH and fostering of kids. Read the newsletter and good luck to the PAX running in the P200.

Trucker

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A Backblast when only 2 Pax show? Absolutely.

  • QIC: Dark Helmet
  • When: 03/14/17
  • Pax: Barry Manilow, Dark Helmet (QIC)
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

When a man fails to show for a workout because of the weather, YHC has been known to look unfavorably on such behavior. This morning was cold (low 30s). It was rainy. And though it didn’t rain during the workout, it was wet and cold and could’ve opened up at any moment beyond the drizzle that was gently covering us in mist (just to make sure we were extra chilled).
Maybe I should have called folks out. Maybe Barry Manilow and I should have packed it in when we were the only ones in the parking lot at 0515. Maybe we should have headed over to Golden Corral and worked out there… We considered all of those things… But we didn’t… we worked as two instead.

Mosey down to the Cul-de-sac
Circle up (line up?) for the following:

  • Windmills x 15
  • Weed Pullers x 15
  • Squats x 10
  • Merkins x 10
  • Richard Simmons x 15

Mosey up the hill and across Gold Hill to Publix.

4 corners escalator:
Round 1 = 10 reps
Round 2 = 20 reps
Round 3 = 30 reps
Then escalator back down to 10 of each… (30 again, 20, 10 — 6 rounds total)
Corner 1: Merkins
Corner 2: Squats
Corner 3: LBCs
Corner 4: CDDs

Then mosey back for COT.

===========================================

NMM:
When no one was there but me and Barry to work this morning, I initially thought, “this is stupid. I should either go back to bed, get a hot beverage with Barry, or go be around the other pax at a larger workout.” Then this thought lodged itself in my little brain…
What would a LEADER do?
Well crap… That ruined my plans to succumb; my plans to be an object to be acted upon, and not to be a force to act. I committed to lead a workout at a certain time and at a certain place. If I fail to follow through in the small things, then I will more easily fail to follow through in the big things… How you do anything is how you do everything, or so they say…
Later in the day, I thought, “write a Backblast for two people? Sure… then I can complain about things, or bust guys balls for not showing or whatver.” Then, that same thought…
What would a LEADER do?
Crap again. No call outs. No making this about me and whether or not I was butthurt or not over attendance or anything else. No. It’s not about me. It never has been, and I hope that I can do better to make it so it never will be…

Men. I love you all. This cause continues to give me direction and it energizes me to improve every aspect of my life. You are my brothers. You have unknowingly helped me survive some of the worst days of my life over the past 18 months or so, just by being there. By your showing up, and just being you, you have lifted my spirits. By showing up and making workouts terrible, you helped me leave a lot of frustration and angst out in the gloom instead of in my home. I may have missed you this morning, it’s true, but we all have things that keep us out from time to time. I’m not worried about that at all. Just keep coming out. I need you. We all need you. Don’t think that we don’t notice when you aren’t there. And definitely don’t think that your being there doesn’t matter. It does… to you, and to me, and to everyone else that you may come in contact with. This is true not only of the Gloom, but elsewhere also. You showing up makes a difference. Anchorman said to me once that sometimes a guy may come out in the morning and he’s just hoping that there may be someone to talk to about something that’s going on in his life. So we should show because we might be the only one that is there to hear him that day…
You can fake being interested, but you can’t fake being present. SYITG.

Helmet, out.

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Wall of Aces at Ballroom

  • QIC: Old Bay
  • When: 03/07/17
  • Pax: Change Order, Fire Marshall Bill, Mash, Anchorman, Bary Manilow, McGruff, Newman, Short Sale, Culture Club, Deep Dish, Gilmore, Old Bay
  • Posted In: The Ballroom

12 pax gathered at the Ballroom for some fun and games (and music). YHC issued the disclaimer and we cranked out some SSH before moseying down into the business park. We turn onto the road that ends at a fence next to the car dealership for a little warm up. Being that it’s now 4 days after the workout, and I’ve Q’ed another workout since then, my memory may not be 100% on the exercises we did.

Warm-up:

  • Windmills
  • Cherry pickers
  • Hillbilly Walkers
  • Mountain climbers
  • Peter Pointers
  • Peter Parkers

Most pax were not familiar with the Peter Pointers (which is an Assassin speciality). Upon demonstration, one pax said “Are we really doing this?”. Yep, and Anchorman certainly had the best form.

Pax then moseyed to the parking lot below the infamous wall. There, we found a deck of cards and small speaker. Each pax was to take a turn flipping the top card of the shuffled deck. An exercise was done based on the card that was flipped, as per the following:

Spades – Scorpion Dry Docks
Hearts – Hello Dollies
Clubs – Monkey Humpers
Diamonds – Dips

Royalty cards were as follows:
Jacks – 5 Bomb Jacks in place
Queens – Lunges out to parking lot island
Kings – Sprint to road and jog back
Aces – Scale wall and run around

During the workout, pax jammed to enjoyed 80’s rock, a la Spotify over the speaker.

Pax did great, and it was an honor leading. Thanks to ChangeOrder for allowing me to Q!

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