Einstein, Body Fat, and “Old Fashioned”s

Honestly, I didn’t know if it would ever happen. Since the day I first received Einstein: His Life and Universe for Christmas, 2007, I have not known if I would ever actually finish it. The page count is around 550 of actual chapters, and even that number really underplay the mass amount of words and information crammed into it. Of course, being given the book right in the heart of my Law School endeavours really put a crimp on my abilities to finish this massive tome.

Now, though, I can officially say that I’ve put this monster to bed. As of yesterday, I am completley done reading Einstein. What did I think, you ask, after this long, endurance-testing journey? I am completely and utterly amazed by the man. Put aside his mind-blowing brilliance. It was his love of people, individually and as a collective, that was his most fascinating trait. Here was a man who was a pacifist, arguing for total demilitarization of the world until the rise of the Nazi’s convinced him that there might be a place for a “supranational” defense force. He argued for a reigning in of Nationalistic tendencies, and really advocated for a peace-ensuring one-world style of government. He was the ultimate humanitarian. He also loved so much of what American stood for. He loved our protection of free-speech, of free-though and free-association. Simply brilliant. His thoughts on God and politics will resonate in my mind for quite some time.

Under Construction: PD Physique

This past Tuesday, I officially signed up at NIFS (National Institute for Fitness and Sport) here in downtown Indianapolis. I signed up for a four-month membership, which will give me access to their plethora of exercises, training, and conditioning equipment, as well as trainers who will help me with all of my goals and health & fitness monitoring. I am expanding my training out past simply running, and will be putting together a complete work-out regime. I’m still pursuing the goal of Boston by 2011, but I need to beef up for my other fitness goals for the year.

Yesterday, I went in and had an evaluation done to see my current BodyFat percentage and weight. NIFS has this amazing piece of equipment called the BodPod, for evaluating Body Fat. Since my last Body Fat measurements were done at the Y, with the less the scientifically accurate “pincher” measuring device, I was mentally prepared for a rude awaking. To my pleasant surprise, I was actually still pretty close to where I want to be. I am currently at 14.4% Body Fat. If you look at this chart, that puts me right outside of the athlete range. I’m currently at 166 lbs. My goal is to be at 8-9% Body Fat by New Year Day. I also want to add a decent amount of muscle to my upper body, to fall more in-line with the training my legs have received for the first eight months of this year.

Hopefully, I’ll be in shape to do an Ironman before I’m 35. Always with the goals, I am.

Why is “Mad Men” so freaking good?

I am almost done with the second season of “Mad Men”. Commentators from all over have already written, in terms more eloquent than I could ever hope to use, just why this show is so good, so I’ll refrain from going on too much about it. Still, the depth of character that each of these cast members gives, even if on screen for only a few short minutes, is nothing short of spectacular. Don Draper may be one of the most fascinating characters to come along in TV in quite a long time.

Of course, I also just enjoy some of the period touches that really make it so intriguing: ridiculously well-made suits for the men, three-martini lunches, whiskey and scotch (Don’s favorite – an Old Fashioned) handed out for no other reason than “I just needed to speak with you for a moment”, an era of masculine confidence in simply being men, etc. ,etc. Simply put, if you’re not watching this show, stop screwing around. This show is more than worth your time on Sunday nights.

Thoughts at the closing bell:

• I’m actually, sadly, getting excited for the Lions season. Nowhere to go but up, right? Still, its football, and the start of football season and Fall could not be anymore welcome. I’ll write more on these two things in a future post.
•  With that said, classes start back Monday. 21 total hours (three MBA, eighteen Law). Shoot me now, shoot me now, shoot me now, shoot me now, and shoot me now. Please.
• The next book on this list is A People’s History of the United States. I swear, I’m still a Republican. Don’t judge me by my leftist, bleeding-heart reading materials.
• Not to give it short service after my raving about “Mad Men”, I am also almost through season two of “The Wire”. This is another great show, and I’ve really enjoyed following the story and watching it’s depth and intrigue evolve. After years of nothing but “Law & Order” (not that’s there’s anything wrong with that) and comedies like “30 Rock” and “The Office”, it’s been nice to engage with some dramas that have some real weight and message to them.

One love to you all. Holla.