Mental Notes & Random Musings

The impact of the rock hurt. The impact of the rock just hurt, and nothing more. The fact that it looked like a bullet while it was screaming at my stomach but felt more like a sharp rock being thrown from a long distance, barely reaching its target, as it should have made me intensely angry. Totally enraged would be a more suitable description of it, because like it was purely instinctive, I started running towards Ricky like I was shot from a gun myself. As I look back on it all I can remember is that I was going to kill him. I think about it, and I do not even know how I was going to do it, I was just going to kill him, and it was all I could think of. The look of horror on his face as I was running down the street would have told me that he knew I was going to kill him, and he could not stop me from doing it. The indignation that he “thought” he was going to kill me or disable me with that rock must have been the factor that was flooding my brain. The fact that he could not do it, ...

Miguel Barceló was not exactly heading to the hall of fame as his zero and six record this year was merely 3 wins shy of his 3 and 3 record this time last year. Lily took a little time this morning to figure out the pitcher who she noted has a “seriously nasty sinker ball” which Jack had conquered, and watching the tape she saw that the catcher that she appears to be replacing had hardly ever called it. “What was up with that? He so rarely called for a sinker pitch and Barceló could have thrown seventy percent sinker pitches and simply let the ground balls dominate the game, couldn’t he?”  Jack shook his head a bit and looked on at the tape before saying, “Well actually, it does not look like he pays any attention to the signals anyway. There is a fast ball up, and in comes a cutter down. Here is the signal for the sinker and it is a riding fast ball,” and then Jack looks back again and makes a strange “pffft” noise before stating, “You just do not know with those two, they really ...

Andy Dick is so gay, he thinks Margaret Cho is funny. ~ Lisa Lampanelli

I cleared my eyes, but I could not figure what my next move would be because I did not have a clue as to where my location was, or what time it was for that matter. It was within an hour or so either way of noon, but what day it was is a total mystery. My life is a total mystery. The parchment was blank in my hand now and I did not really know what caused it to write to me. I knew that I was not letting go of it because as far as “weird” goes it has been a more “friendly weird” than all the “ghastly weird” that goes on around me these days. I imagined that the first thing I should do is look up from this hedge and see where I was, but at the same time I was terrified that something bad was about to happen. It was hot outside, so at least that has not changed. I heard a familiar voice say to me, “What are you doing down there?” and of course that voice made me jump up from my crouched position in the hedges. Craning my neck, I saw that I was in the bushes of Bob Culvin, since I had allu...

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. ~ Hunter S. Thompson

I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move in with them. ~ Phyllis Diller

Like most actors, I've always been grateful for Chinese restaurants; they were often the only places that stayed open late enough for performers to get hot food after the show. ~ Ginger Rogers

“Oh God Jack, I can’t wait to hear Nolan now when you call him to tell him that you just tied his no hitter record!” comes booming down that long corridor underneath the park. The long, wet, and scrawny corridor, which Jack has walked down 80 times a year for the last 20 years, still smells funky, but Jack knows that he is going to miss it badly this time next year.  “He’ll remind me that he got about 1500 more strikeouts than me and lasted an extra six years in the game, so I’m going to have to tell him that I’m dating his daughter too,” Jack yells back to John as they make their way onward towards him but then pipes up over the confused look on John’s face “Yeah when he gives me that look I’ll say ‘oh yeah that was the love child your wife had with Seaver’ and then hope that his knee is still bad” and the two of them started cackling away.  The hallway is not much bigger than Lily and her 230-pound brother to walk down, side by side, as Jay is mimicking her every step perfec...

I'm cleaning toilets for $30 a day, because I needed that $30, and people are pointing at me, saying, Look at the big movie star. Look where he is now. I just said, I'm where God put me. ~ Willie Aames

The thing is, when you see your old friends, you come face to face with yourself. I run into someone I've known for 40 or 50 years, and they're old. And I suddenly realize I'm old. It comes as an enormous shock to me. ~ Polly Bergen

I would like to see us get this place right first before we have the arrogance to put significantly flawed civilizations out onto other planets, even though they may be utterly uninhabited. ~ Patrick Stewart

Deltoid Row (Machine Wide Grip Seated) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboids, Teres major and minor, Erector spinae, Biceps, Fore-arms, Pectoralis major Starting Position: 1. Sit facing the row machine and place your chest against the pad. Grasp the handles palms facing down in a wide grip. 2. Maintain a normal, slightly curved spinal position. 3. Pull back a little way until your torso is nearly upright and your arms are fully extended. The Movement: 1. Pull the handles towards you until it grips are beside your chest. You should be pulling your elbows and shoulders directly backwards as far as possible. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position, maintaining a near ­upright position. Tips: • To achieve maximum rear deltoid development, keep your torso nearly upright during the entire movement - it should not move forwards or backwards more than 10°. • Maintain a normal curve in your back - do not arch your back excessively. • Inhale at the start of ...

Chins (Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Infraspinatus, Teres major, Teres minor, Biceps, Posterior deltoids, Forearms Starting Position: 1. Hang from a chinning bar with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards. 2. Your arms should be fully extended and your ankles crossed. The Movement: 1. Pull yourself up slowly until the top of your chest nearly touches the bar. Lead with your upper chest. 2. Pause for a second or two; then slowly lower back to the starting position. Tips: • Do not swing your legs forwards or jerk as you pull yourself up - this greatly reduces the stress placed on the back muscles. • Fix your eyes slightly upwards as you pull yourself Up, slightly arching your back. • Ensure your trunk and thighs maintain a straight line. • Do not shorten the return phase of the movement - extend your arms fully. Variations: Behind neck: This variation places extra emphasis on the rhomboids and posterior deltoids. ...

I understand that to most people it will be reserved to the movies, and I will admit that the whole scenario is growing more intimidating to me regardless of my acceptance of it. There really is nothing right now that would make me feel any better, but I am starting to believe with every passing moment that there are about a million things that can make me feel worse and that list grows by the minute. I could hear a faint voice that was like a quiet yelling “Stacy, Stacy!” and after looking around in my confusion I saw my son pointing to a corner of the room and just being quiet otherwise. I darted to the corner where my telephone hung from its usual perch on the wall and grabbed the receiver “I’m here Mary, I got rather busy there for a moment and then I spaced out a bit,” my mind started reaching for the right words to avoid having to explain to much like I always do, “I’m sorry that I didn’t get back to you …” She finished my sentence for me, “… but you were sitting there with a sev...

Money can't buy you happiness, but it helps you look for it in a lot more places. ~ Milton Berle

Upright Row (Barbell Standing) Target Muscles: Anterior and Medial deltoids, Trapezius, Biceps, Brachioradialis Starting Position: 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold the barbell with your hands about 15 cm apart, palms facing towards your body. The bar should rest against the front of your thighs. The Movement: 1. Pull the bar directly upwards towards your chin, bending your elbows out to the sides until the bar is level with your neck. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. Tips: • Keep the bar very close to your body throughout the movement. • Make sure you do not sway backwards as you lift the bar. • At the top of the movement your elbows should be level with, or slightly higher than, your hands. • Lower the bar slowly, resisting the weight. Variations: Wide grip: Using a shoulder width grip, places more emphasis on the deltoids and less on the trapezius.

Row (Barbell Bent Over) Target Muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Rhomboids, Teres major and minor, Biceps, Fore-arms Starting Position: 1. Place the bar on the floor in front of you. 2. Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder ­width apart. 3. Bending forwards from the hips, keeping your back flat and slightly bending your knees, grasp the bar with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 4. Lift the bar just a short way off the floor. Position your body so that your torso is near-parallel to the ground, arms fully extended. The Movement: 1. Slowly pull the bar towards your lower chest until it just touches the lower part of your rib cage. 2. Hold this position for a count of one; then slowly lower the bar to the starting position. Tips: • As you pull the bar up, squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your elbows directly above your hands. • Keep your back flat throughout the movement - do not round your back or you risk injury. • Keep your torso still - it...

Squat (Barbell / Smith-Machine Jefferson Lift) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower back, Adductors, Hip flexors. Starting Position: 1. Position the bar on the floor standing with one leg on each side of it. 2. Firmly grip the bar, with your hands almost double shoulder-width apart. As you lift the bar off the floor, keep your shoulder blades together and chest up, and ensure there is a normal (stable) curve in your lower back. 3. Position your feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider), toes angled out at 30°. The Movement: 1. Begin raising yourself up, and do not lock your knees. 2. Keeping your head up and your trunk erect, slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground; it is not wise to go any further than this. Keep your knees aligned over your feet, pointing in the direction of your toes. Hold for a count of one. 3. From here, pull the weight up, pushing hard through your feet and keeping your body erect as you return to the star...

Crunch (90 Degree) Target Muscles: Rectus abdominis (mainly the upper part) Starting Position: 1. Lie flat on your back either on the floor and rest your feet on a bench with your knees bent at 90°. 2. Place your hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your  chest if you are a beginner). 3. Press your lower back to the floor or bench. The Movement: 1. Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from  the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your  lower back should remain on the floor. 2. Hold in this contracted position for a count of two. 3. Let your body uncurl slowly back to the starting position. Tips: • Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips. • Do not pull your head with your hands ­ keep your elbows out and  relaxed. • Exhale as you contract your abdominals.

I never had a career before I had the lips, so my lips have had their own career! ~ Lisa Rinna

Deadlift (Dumbbell Standard) Target Muscles: Gluteus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Hip flexors, Lower back, Adductors, Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Abdominals Starting Position: 1. Stand between two dumbbells with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. 2. Bend your legs until your hips and knees are at the same level, keeping your rib cage up and your head level. Your back should be straight, at a 45° angle to the floor. 3. Grasp the dumbbells, with your hands at your sides, palms facing inward. This will facilitate better balance and keep the dumbbells in the same plane. The Movement: 1. Using the power of your legs and hips, and keeping your arms straight, lift the dumbbells from the floor until your legs are straight. The dumbbells should be parallel to your thighs. Hold for a count of one. 2. Slowly return the dumbbells to the floor, keeping your torso erect, arms straight and head up, eyes looking forwards. Your chest should be slightly forward. Tips: • Keep your back straight - ...

Torso Twist (Machine) Target Muscles: Internal and external oblique, rectus abdominis Starting Position: 1. Select the desired weight on the machine. 2. Place your shins on the pads making sure your knees are between the maneuvering pads. 3. Place your chest firmly against the support pads so that your upper body will remain stationary throughout the movement.. 4. Grasp the handles firmly to assist your upper torso from moving. The Movement: 1. Twist your hips to the direction against the weight of the machine. 2. Only move from side to side as far as your waist will allow you to go. 3. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. 4. Adjust the unit to allow you to work on the other side. Tips: • Stretching or moving too far can cause an injury to occur. • Use a slow and controlled motion. • Remember to breathe out while twisting your body to the side and in when moving back to the starting position.

Biceps Curl (Dumbbell Standard) Target Muscles: Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis Two Arm Dumbbell Curls Starting Position: 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart or sit on the end of a bench. 2. Hold a pair of dumbbells, palms facing in towards your body. 3. Your arms should be fully extended. The Movement: 1. Curl one dumbbell up at a time in a smooth arc towards your  shoulders, rotating your forearm so that your palm faces your  shoulder at the top of the movement. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the  starting position. 3. Repeat with the other arm and continue alternating arms. Tips: • Curl the dumbbells up slowly - do not swing them up. • Keep your upper arms fixed by the sides of your body. • Keep your body absolutely still- make sure you do not sway  backwards. • Make sure you fully straighten your arms when you lower the  dumbbells; do not shorten the downwards phase.

Bench Press (Barbell / Smith Machine Incline) Target Muscles: Pectoralis major (upper chest), Anterior deltoids, Triceps, Pectoralis major Starting Position: 1. Lay on an incline bench angled from 30-60° (the steeper the incline, the greater the stress on the upper pectorals and anterior deltoids). Ideally the bench should have an attached barbell rack. 2. Hold the bar with your hands shoulder width apart, palms facing forwards. Remove the bar from the barbell rack so it is positioned directly over your collarbone with your arms fully extended. The Movement: 1. Bend your arms, allowing your elbows to travel out to the sides, and slowly lower the bar down to your chest. 2. The bar should just touch the upper part of your chest beneath your collarbone. Hold for a count of two. 3. Push the bar back to the starting position. Tips: • Do not arch your back as you push the bar upwards. This risks lower-back strain. • Do not bounce the bar off your chest or use the momentum of the weight to co...

I just think that things should be allowed to run their course, and not turned into a Disney ride. ~ Fiona Shaw

Biceps Curl (Incline Dumbbell) Target Muscles: Biceps brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis Starting Position: 1. Sit on an incline bench with your back and shoulders pressed firmly  against the bench. 2. Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides, palms facing inwards. 3. Your arms should be fully extended and hang downwards. The Movement: 1. Slowly curl one dumbbell towards your shoulder, rotating your forearm  so that your palm faces your shoulder at the top of the movement. 2. Hold for a count of two; then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the  starting position. 3. Repeat with the other arm and continue alternating arms. Tips: • Do not allow your body to move forwards to generate momentum -  keep your torso still. • Make sure you fully straighten your arms at the bottom of the  movement.

Bench Press (Barbell / Smith-Machine Standard) Target Muscles: Pectoralis major (mid chest), Anterior deltoids, Triceps Starting Position: 1. Lie on your back on a flat bench, ideally with an attached barbell rack. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on the end of the bench or on a low step. 2. Hold the bar, with your hands just over shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards. 3. Remove the bar from the barbell rack and position it directly over your chest with your arms fully extended (but not locked). The Movement: 1. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest. The bar should touch your upper chest just above your nipple line. Hold for a count of two. 2. Push the bar upwards in a slightly back­wards arc so that it ends up over your shoulders. Tips: • Keep your hips firmly on the bench. If you lift your hips to generate leverage, you will risk lower-back strain. • Do not arch your back as you push the bar upwards or you will reduce the amount of work done by ...