2017 Clave Boss 5k/10k & Christmas Convergence

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more——Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!!

The largest turn out by far for the Clave Boss 5k/10k was a success. We started on time and as far as I know nobody died. Thank you to all the PAX that ran and had a fun time and fellowship.

For the 5k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. MacGyver
  2. Harry Carry

For the 10k, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Sir Topham Hat
  2. mix of PAX coming from all directions—no idea

For the Ruck, here were are winners of Bundt Cakes

  1. Dark Helmet for 11min pace 5k ruck…..nice work!

Honorable Mention for Anchorman completing the 5k and Barry Manilow being his wingman!

The Convergence kicked off on time and we had Gecko open us up in prayer. We split the groups up and away we went with COT at 0750. Click on links to see the pain that was delivered…..Merry Christmas!

Black Diamond – Longshanks Q – https://t.co/odVJHWCBPS

Bootcamp – Cha Ching Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/christmas-convergence-boot-camp-mixed-w-some-bd/

Noderate – Barry Manilow Q – https://f3thefort.com/2017/12/23/your-moderate-option-at-the-convergence/

COT came together and we had 83 men attend this year.

Welcome FNG – Lake Effect, who is 41 not the 50 that he just shouted out. Classic!

Many announcements:

  • Thank you Site Qs for all your work, dedication and leadership!
  • Serve Saturdays ….reach out to Deacon, Bolt, NASA for info…..HIMs!!
  • Joe Davis Run Jan 6
  • Friday Convergence with 3rdF post beat down Jan 12
  • Rooster CSAUP Jan 20
  • Yeti – February
  • P200 – March

More than a workout!!

Prayers/Praises

  • Dark Helmet shared his sister is in need of prayer. Please remember DH and his family each day in prayer
  • Family visiting is fun and sometimes no so fun. BE HIMs!!
  • Prayers for all the PAX traveling and for peace this week!

Challenge:

I spoke to the PAX about how 2000 years ago Sky Q sent his son into the world in the form of a baby. When looking for a place to come in from the cold there WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN. I believe we all fall into this trap and put so much busy into our lives that we don’t have ROOM AT THE INN for Sky Q in our lives. We fill our hearts and minds with so much and when it come to his word and being in relationship, we DON”T HAVE ROOM AT THE INN (in our hearts).

I challenge myself and the PAX to make room for SKY Q and see how it changes your life in 2018 and beyond.

Honored to lead this PAX. I am blessed and grateful for each of you!

Cake Boss

 

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Island Vacation at Footloose

My Qotter (thanks Anchorman) after many months.  I’ll keep it short:

The Thang:

Mosey to back lot

COP
SSH
IW
Windmills
Merkins
Mountain Climbers
Double Applesauce around the lot

Stretch-o-Rama

Forest to the Sea
Island Dips
Forest to the Sea
Island Dips
Double Applesauce around the lot

Side Shuffle Bear Crawl on long lot

Double Applesauce around the lot

Side Shuffle Lunge Walk on long lot

Double Applesauce around the lot

PAX Plank Hurdles

Mosey to Flag
6 MOM

 

Announcements:

Joe Davis, Convergence, Read Your Newsletter

Prayers/Praises shared by all in COT

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It’s a Burpee and Bear Crawl Tuesday!

15 PAX total with 4 Ruckers and 11 Bootcampers!

Disclaimer given……

Mosey to the back of Harris Teeter and circle up

Q called out 20 Seal jacks to start

Each PAX picks an exercise and calls out the cadence for 20 reps each

SSH

Merkins

Imperial Walker

Hillbilly Walker

Freddy Mercury

Squats

Wind Mills

A few more I can’t remember

Peter Parker

Parker Peter

Stay in the area and line up for some suicides!

Bear crawl to each line in parking lot run back to start and do 1 Burpee

13 lines total (Crowd Pleaser) Especially Anchorman!!!

Round 2 Run to each line and do 2 Burpees at the start line each time

Round 3 Run to the 6th line do 5 Burpees, back to start 5 Burpees, to the end 5 Burpees, back to start 5 Burpees

There were some 10 counts in between just for a little bit to catch our breath!

Mosey to the wall for some wall sits and some more Burpees!!!

Mosey to COT and do a little Ab Lab to finish out!

Great workout! Warm weather (No complaints)

 

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Dealer’s Choice, Daniel & the Lion’s Den and talk of Bad Weather/Bad Gear

The Thang

YHC decided to post a poll on the Twitter to decide whether we’d revisit the “12 Days of Christmas” delivered by Anchorman earlier this week at Ballroom OR have a “Dealer’s Choice” workout, where each PAX Q’s an exercise of his choice.  The “Dealer’s Choice” won in a landslide.

Mosey to front parking lot for warm-up

SSH x 10

Cherry Pickers x 10

Low Slow Squat x 10

Moroccan Nightclub x 10

Peter Parker x 10

Imperial Walkers x 10

Shoulder Taps x 10

Explain  the process to PAX:  Count off and each PAX leads an exercise of his choosing.  Can be single count, cadence count, stay in the circle or a Mosey (Gilmore and Deep Dish!).

We had 14 there and went through each PAX once, getting through the 10th guy on the second time around.

Not an all-inclusive list, but the workout contained (mostly x 10):

LBCs

Merkins

Grave Diggers

Low Slow Squats

Catalina Wine Mixers

Some kind of crazy Burpee

Monkey Humpers

SSH

X’ & O’s

Hello Dolly

Rosalita

Diamond Merkins

Slow Merkins

Indian Run

Run to the Stairs

Dips

Wall Sit

Bomb Jacks

Naked Moleskin:

This was a little  different for most of us and, quite frankly, turned out better than I’d anticipated.  Each PAX was able to call the exercise and lead the count; kind of like a very light version of Q school.

Throughout the workout, and especially in COT, several PAX shared testimony and/or words of encouragement and food for thought. Popper shared a great testimony about his thoughts on Daniel & the Lions Den.  We are all surrounded by the “Lions” of life.  Although difficult, we should always try to keep our focus on Christ. Rather than get bogged down in trying to fight or figure out what to do about the Lion’s, give it to Him, have faith.

Several years ago, Santini said something like “There’s no bad weather, only bad gear”.  I don’t know if that’s a life mantra of his or if he was just saying it off the cuff. Either way, it has clearly been imprinted upon me. For years, I felt like he meant it literally. Recently, I have realized that it’s really about life. Our “gear” is what gives us cover in the “bad weather” of life. All too often, we find ourselves claiming “bad weather” when we really just don’t have the right “gear”.  We must prepare our hearts and have faith, which will sustain us in the bad weather. This is an active pursuit. One that must be acknowledged and actively practiced.

Sacrifice.  We were reminded by HeeHaw of the sacrifice that was made by 1,177 heroes on the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. And another 1,226 that consisted of Navy personnel, Marines, Army and civilian. May we never forget or take for granted the sacrifices of so many, then, now and in the future.

YHC asked the PAX to consider:

  1. What are you sacrificing (that you should not be) ?  Is there an area of your life being neglected?
  2. What are you currently making sacrifices for (could be something good. could be something not so good)?  Are your “priorities” showing up in how you spend your time & resources?
  3. What should you be sacrificing for? Which areas need your attention?

Prayers for many PAX, as they face day to day grind of life, relationships with family, family members in poor health, marriages, kids, leaders of our great country, MASH as he recovers from knee surgery and Newman’s son. Praises for the PAX.  Iron Sharpens Iron isn’t just something that looks cool on a t-shirt!  Remember, for Iron to Sharpen Iron, it must be strong & tough. For you to sharpen another, you must be strong. Strong in your faith, strong in your actions.

As always, I am humbled to lead a group of such incredibly High Impact Men. I am already looking forward to the next opportunity! Aye!

Beacon

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Rocks and Hoops at TheYard

10 of Fort Mill’s finest gathered at TheYard in hopes of some sweat and fellowship without rain.  Temps were in the lower 50’s with an overcast sky.  Still doesn’t feel like winter, and not even late fall, really.  Guess it’s the fact that Christmas Season is supposed to be “full on” that makes us feel it should be colder and snowyer.

YHC ended up flying in hot because I had arrived early, but then returned home to get a forgotten piece of the workout gear that was required, as per the loosely outlined weinke.  Spoiler alert: it was a basketball.

Warm-up:

  • Take a few steps back and do SSH until Wapner scrambled over from his car. (about 20 SSH’s)
  • Mosey to a parking lot around back
  • Imperial Walkers x10
  • Low Slow Squats x10
  • Wind Mills x10
  • Seal Jacks x10
  • Mountain Climber x10
  • Right arm high, then flip over to dip position for Dips (x10)
  • Left arm high, then flip over to plank for merkins (x10)

We then moseyed to the bottom of the hill entrance to the school and each pax was instructed to find a quarry rock.

The Thang:

  • 10 squats with coupon, set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • hold 6 inches for 5 seconds
    • run back to rock and wait for the 6
  • 10 squats, 10 curls, set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • hold 6 inches for 5 seconds
    • run back to rock and wait for the 6
  • 10 squats, 10 curls, 10 overhead presses, set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • 10 merkins
    • run back to rock (must select a different rock – because Beacon had become too comfortable with the size of his rock) and wait for the 6
  • 10 squats, 10 curls, 10 overhead presses, 10 tricep extensions , set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • 10 peter parkers
    • run back to rock (must select a different rock) and wait for the 6
  • 10 curls, 10 overhead presses, 10 tricep extensions , set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • 10 parker peters
    • run back to rock (must select a different rock) and wait for the 6
  • 10 overhead presses, 10 tricep extensions , set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • 10 of some other plank exercise I can’t remember
    • run back to rock (must select a different rock) and wait for the 6
  • 10 tricep extensions , set rock down, then
    • run to the top of the hill and plank for the 6
    • 10 of some other plank exercise I can’t remember
    • run back to rock (must select a different rock) and wait for the 6

Rocks returned to the rock pile, and pax moseyed back to the main parking lot for BLIMPS accumulator.

Station 1: 2 Bombjacks
Station 2: 2 Lunges
Station 3: 2 Imperial Walkers
Station 4: 2 Merkins
Station 5: 2 Plank Jacks
Station 6: 2 Scorpion Dry Docks

At end of first round, plank up for the 6, then repeat all stations doing 4 reps at each (then 6, then 8 reps).

Mosey over to the basketball goal and count off by 2’s.  1’s form a line on left side of paint, 2’s on the right side of the paint.  Each person took a turn (alternating back and forth between the teams) blindly selecting an exercise card from the buck-o-pain, then attempting a foul shot.  If they made the shot, the other team had to do the exercise.  If they missed, the shooters team had to do the exercise.

We made it almost twice through everyone before we ran out of time.

It was great getting back to TheYard.  Very much appreciate the opportunity to Q for the loyal group of guys that post there.

 

 

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Slow Burn – Solid to the Core

So, it was a fairly nice morning, especially when you consider it is December 1st!  I was able to workout in shorts and a t-shirt, so really…who can complain about that?

After reading Popeye’s back blast from down in The Rock region from a couple of days ago, it really got me off my six.  I saw that Trucker was scheduled to Q this week, but he posted that he needed a last minute Q change since he was DR last minute for work.  So I set out to plan a good ole’ core workout.  It went a little something like this…

Disclaimer (one FNG), then mosey down to the parking lot below for warmup.

Warmups:

  • Side Straddle Hop – 25
  • Low Slow Squats – 10
  • Windmill – 10
  • Moroccan Nightclubs – 25
  • Cherry Pickers – 10

Mosey to the other end of the strip and circle up.

Gifts – that is the word of the month for December.  We discussed how, especially this time of year when we hear the work gift we think of things…things we get, things we give, things we buy for ourselves…just stuff.  I challenged the PAX to think of the Spiritual Gifts that we all have.  We talked about how God has given us ALL various gifts, and literally everyone has them!

Another gift, is the gift of this F3 Brotherhood, and the unconditional support we all give to each other!  And lastly, my gift to the PAX was a good solid to the core workout 😉

The Thang:

  • LBC’s in cadence – 15
  • Flutter Kicks in cadence – 25
  • Boat/Canoe in cadence – 10

Recover with 10 count

  • LBC’s in cadence – 15
  • Flutter Kicks in cadence – 25
  • Boat/Canoe in cadence – 7

Mosey to the side of Lowes

  • Line up in 4 lines and have a relay race (all out) for half the length of the parking lot.  Boy can these HIMs move!

Two walking 10 counts to the back of Lowes, with a mosey the rest of the way.

  • Hello Dolly in cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups OYO – 10
  • American Hammer in cadence – 15

Mosey over to the wall.

  • People’s Chair with a 10 count (or more) from each of the 29 PAX

Time for a break.

  • Merkins in cadence – 10
  • Diamond Merkins in cadence – 10

Heard from Gilmore a bit about how he got his name, and what F3 has meant to him.  Great story and inspiration!

Back to the core.

  • Hello Dolly in cadence – 25
  • Freddy Mercury in cadence – 25
  • Big Boy Sit-Ups OYO – 10
  • American Hammer in cadence – 15

Mosey to the other side of lowes (working our way back in the direction of COT) for a couple minutes of Mary.

  • Box Cutters
  • Protractor

Mosey back to COT for name-o-rama.  We had one FNG, who was named Elvis (which is a STRONG name)

So, I wore myself out, and am super proud of all the PAX who pushed through this morning and stood together.  It is an honor and a GIFT to be able to Q!  Stay strong, get better, be willing to drop to your knees and accept help…Have a Blessed Week!

 

 

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Spork and Knife

19 at Laces In, 6 passed on the fun and went Laces Out.

It was nice to break out of the norm and Q at Laces In, thanks Rebel for telling us where it was.

The Thang:

Anchorman Lead:

Mosey around the student parking lot and circle up. SSH x 20, Slow Merkin x 10, Imperial Walker x 20, other misc warm up exercises x 15(ish).

Burpee See-Saw, partner up, one burpee, other burpee, and back and forth x 10 each.

SPORK, one partner runs, the other exercises, combine count.
Squat x100
Peter Parker Peter x 100
Overhead claps x 100
Rosalie x 100
donkey Kicks x 100

Message about Awareness …

Hand off to Barry Manilow:

Jonah Hill (3 broad jump, 3 merkins x 7 times)
Mosey back near the start and find some soft grass
HR Merkins x 15
Low SS x 20
Kneetar Jai x 10
OH Claps x 50
Mahktar Jai x 12
Pause Squats x 10 (hold down for 2 extra seconds each time)
Alt Lunge x 10
Dying Cockroach x 20
JACK WEBB to 10/40
Moroccan NC x 50
Shoulder taps x 15
LBC x 15
Scorpion DD x 10 x 2

Great time, thanks for the opportunity.

Looks like we made it,

Anchorman, Barry Manilow

 

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F3 The Fort Thanksgiving Convergence 2017

70 Men came today to burn calories so they can eat whatever they want the rest of the day. Ok, maybe that was my reasoning, but most came because the know in order to get better, even in being Gratful, it is best when being challenged by your brothers. We all came to get better and realize this great thing we have called F3 and give thanks!
Santini Opening with warm up both physically and mentally with some leadership principles
Split off into the various groups!
4 went for for a Run
  • Drile (F3-Wapner)
    Mozy to the front of SFES, high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Mozy to front of SFMS, circled up…Side straddle hop, Merkins, Cherry Pickers, and Moroccan Nightclub
    Mozy to SFMS bus loop …high knees, toy soldiers, Butt kickers, and Knees to chest.
    Circled up.. Flutter Kicks and Low Slow Squats, America Hammer and Low Slow Squats, Merkins and Windmills, mountain climbers and windmills
    Mozy to back of SFES, circled up…Peter Parker’s and Side Straddle Hop, Plank and windmill, shoulder taps and Low Slow Squats, LBCs and Moroccan Nightclub
    Then rinse and repeated the above sequence…before joining the other groups at COT
    Lil E—Bootcamp Q
    Mosey to the parking lot in the rear of school and circle up. SSHs, Imperial Walkers, Windmills, Squats
  • The thang
    • 10 cones set up in a line spaced about 10 paces apart. Each cone had an exercise and rep count on them. Do exercises on the first cone and run a lap of the parking lot. Once you complete the lap do the first cone and the second cone and then run a lap. Repeat this adding the next cone until all 10 are complete. Here were the exercises in order from first to last:
    • Burpees x 10
    • Bombjacks x 10
    • LBCs x 25
    • Merkins x 20
    • Jump Squats x 10
    • Flutter kicks x 40
    • CDDs x 20
    • Lunges x 20
    • Mtn Climbers x 20
    • Monkey Humpers x 20

Majority of the pax finished in the Lunges lap with a few speedsters out in front on the mtn climbers. Mosey back to the front of the school for some Freddy Mercury’s and Rosalitas.

After that met up with the Moderate and Black diamond groups for COT.

Everyone put out great effort today and really pushed themselves.

 

Witch Hunt—Black Diamond Q

Not even a trip to the hospital the night before with a pregnant wife could keep me away from this Thanksgiving workout. Shout out to Royale and Cha Ching for stepping up to help me out. Luckily I made it and we put in work.
We stared by counting off by 4 creating 4 teams.
Each team will compete to complete as many burpees as possible in 2-minutes with a catch. You can only do 10 at a time before you most complete 20 reps of ab exercise. 2 rounds:
1.) Burpees with LBCs (Somehow Bounce House was able to do 50 burpees. That dude is not human.)
2.) Burpees with Knee Tuck with crunchy frogs
Winners plank while losers perform 10 Kraken Burpees.
Blood was flowing so we moseyed to the hill by the middle school for some broken down burpees. Catch was that we had 20 minutes for everyone to complete. If everyone doesnt finish within the time then group does 25 Burpees.
Here was the setup:
Run Hill 10 times. (1 Hill Run = Up & Down)

5 Squat Jumps
5  Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
5 Merkins
5 Froggers
5 Squat Jumps

Run Hill 8 times.

10 Squat Jumps
10 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
10 Merkins
10 Froggers
10 Squat jumps

Run Hill 6 times.

15 Squat Jumps
15 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
15 Merkins
15 Froggers
15 Squat jumps

Run Hill 4 time.

20 Squat Jumps
20 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
20 Merkins
20 Froggers
20 Squat jumps

Run Hill 2 time

25 Squat Jumps
25 Plank w\ Shoulder Taps
25 Merkins
25 Froggers
25 Squat jumps

With some great teamwork by the Pax everyone completed within the 20 minutes so no penalty was given.

I attempted to have Backdraft give us a 10-count however  he responded “There are no 10 counts during the Black Diamond.” So no 10 count and a quick mosey back to the parking lot for the 10 Minute 100 Burpee Challenge:

Complete 10 1-minute rounds of burpees in the following set scheme. Any time left over in the round is yours for rest. (typically PAX finish the set between 25 and 40 seconds)

Rd1- 8

Rd2- 9

Rd3- 10

Rd4- 11

Rd5-12

Rd6-12

Rd7-11

Rd8-10

Rd9- 9

Rd10- 8

Total – 100

Amazing work by all the Pax. I didn’t pull any punches with this setup for the Black Diamond and the Pax took it on without hesitation. We all survived and are better for it.

Thanks to Ginsu and Cake Boss for the opportunity to lead.

Pusher with closing remarks and finding #Victory 

Prayers & Praises

Thank you F3 The Fort

Cake Boss

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Boards and A Hill at The Yard

9 at The Yard for some morning fun before the Paradise lunch and turkey giveaway. Though I was disappointed by the attendance number (it’s not that cold and my workouts are not that hard … maybe too easy ??), I was encouraged by the generosity of the PAX, 8 turkeys and cash for another. Props to MASH for fighting through a tough morning himself to help 5 Paradise families.

The Thang:

Mosey around the bus loop and back to the big lot for some warm up, back and forth across the lot, high knees, butt kickers, soccer knees in, soccer knees out, toy soldier, 10 dips OYO, shuffle L, shuffle R, 10 dips OYO, karaoke L, karaoke L, 10 dips OYO, windmill walker, imperial walker walker, 10 dips OYO, squat walkers

Mosey to the bottom of the hill by the entrance. 7’s up and down the hill, hand release merkins at the bottom, flying squirrels at the top.

Mosey back to the big lot and circle up, in cadence, 10 x LBCs, 10 x weed pullers, 10 x Freddie Mercury, 10 x LSS, 10 x V ups, 50 x OH claps, 10 x shoulders taps, 10 x SSH, 10 x Travolta, 10 x hillbilly walkers

Mosey to the first tall light toward the bus exit. Boards were placed at the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th light. 4 exercises on each board, do 1 at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd board, 2 at the 4th, back to the 3rd, 2nd, and do 2 exercises  back at the 1st, one at the 2nd, 3rd, 2 at the 4th, back to the 3rd, 2nd and 1st. 16 exercises like so, all in cadence: 10 x Makhtar N’ Diayes, 10 x SSH, 10 x LSS, 20 LBCs, 20 x Hello Dolly, 10 x imperial walker, 50 x OH claps, 10 x Kneetar N’ Diayes, 10 x hand release merkins, 100 x MN Clubs, 10 x hillbilly walker, 20 x Freddie M, 20 x dying cockroach, 10 x sumo squat, 10 x seal jacks, 20 Carolina DD.

Good work from the PAX

Looks like we made it,

Barry Manilow

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Sweatin’ To The Oldies @ #Slowburn

26 HIM came out for a warmer-and-drier-than-the-day-before “moderate” beatdown.  Welcome and disclaimer given and then I turned it over to Clark Kent for a little VQ Warm Up that went a little something like this:

10x Goofball
10x Windmill
10x Cherry Picker
10x Low Slow Squat
10x Side Straddle Hop

10x Merkin

Polaroid took back over and we moseyed to the back of Lowe’s for 2 rounds of:

30x Dips
Bear Crawl to the line
Lunge back to the rail
30x Calf Raises
Mosey to the side of Lowe’s for 1 round of Deck of Pain
Hearts = SSH
Diamonds = Bomb Jacks
Spades = Merkins
Clubs = Carolina Dry Docks
Jokers = 10 Burpees – – – – Dangerfield pulled the Joker!Mosey to the front of Lowe’s for a quick ab workout:

10x Flutter
10x LBC

Mosey back to the Warm Up circle for some Sweatin’ To The Oldies with
“I Get Around” by The Beach Boys.

Start in a squat and every time “I get around” is said you go up and down.  It’s 2m8s of squattin’ and hopefully the guys were feeling the Slow Burn.

Most of the PAX gave AYG to the Chick Fil-A hill and a mosey back to COT.  Great job!
Announcements:
-Turkey Day Convergence 11/24 0600 @ The Ranch
-Christmas Party 12/1 1830 @ Regal Manor Clubhouse
-Paradise Turkey Giveaway Bring a FROZEN turkey to an AO on Saturday, November 18th. Why? To bless the Paradise Community with turkeys for Thanksgiving. This turkey giveaway will reduce the financial burden for underprivileged families in this neighborhood as they prepare for the holiday. We will also eat lunch with the community during this event to further build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Paradise. Read the pre-blast for details regarding this fruitful event. Contact Deacon with questions.

Pinup prayed us out.

It’s always an honor Q’ing.  Thanks, again, Barry Manilow.  Peace.
~Polaroid

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