Reflecting on the Memories!

Well it is the unofficial start to summer. Many people will be traveling this weekend to create Memories with family, friends or just to have something enjoyable to reminisce about. My fondest Memories of this weekend are the Backyard BBQs my father traditionally puts on. 50 or more people would show up for some FREE GRUB. Oh the smell of charcoal and lighter fluid cooking up some tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs along side BBQ chicken, hamburger, hot dogs. Oh and the sides: potato salad, Mac n’ cheese (homemade), greens, rolls, oh the list goes on, I am STEADILY SALIVATING. Can’t forget the numerous people that would show up, family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers, everyone was invited. If my father seen some one in the streets while surveying the down town area he would send them an invite, it didn’t matter who they were. Oh how I miss those days.
Well this is the first year my father is not doing his Memorial Weekend BBQ for the first time in years, I can’t even remember the last time he did not do it, its got to be 20+ years. Good thing I have the Memories.


Other Memories I have are of my fellow service members. Man you guys (men and women collectively) helped me to develop in to the man I am today. Some of you have lost your life fighting battles in lands foreign; whereas, some of you are able to still fight on and to all of you I SALUTE this MEMORIAL WEEKEND. The moments we shared I will forever embrace, remember and pass on to my kids.  Without your DEDICATION to service, your HONOR and your SELFLESS acts I would not be able to carry these Memories, shedding a tear!
DP

SLOW MOTION & 3

Today was just one of those days. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. My Lil’ Girl was sick so she did not get to go to the daycare/ summer camp. I was at work with 100 things to do and only did a small bit of it, Why, because everything was in slow motion. Sure I could have done more, but just when I was more proactive, things moved slower. There were only 3 of us at work today but all of us felt the same. Maybe it is because a 3 day weekend is lurking and I am excited to be off for all 3 DAYS! I don’t know why I am excited, I already have a whole list of household chores that need to be completed, both inside and outside the house. Did I mention I need to bath all 3 dogs, once again there goes that 3. After the 3 day weekend I have 3 days of work and then I leave for San Antonio, damn that 3 again!

Reflecting on this blog, I have a lot of things to do in increments of 3. So to all of you who are reading this after 3 tomorrow, you might not read a blog from for another 3 days. Who knows I might change my mind but I have 3 people to entertain, 3 dogs to bath, 3 days off of work, and 3 days to get ready to go out of town. Oh and in 3 weeks I will be in final prepping stages for my Bodybuilding contest. LET’S GO!

DP

DYING

OK not like literally, figuratively… Yesterday, I got to the gym and was excited to be in the gym, but something was a little off. I couldn’t tell right away so I ignored it. I began my workout doing pull-ups. Pull-ups are my absolute favorite exercise, you can ask anybody. I love PULL-UPS and any variation I can come up with or see. Completed 1^st set and all of a sudden I just felt dead. I mean NO ENERGY no life in me, no edge nothing. It was almost as if I had not taken a day off from the gym. So I LEFT the GYM!

NAH LOL, I am playing, I pushed through the workout, I am not going to let that be a deterrent. I have a goal and I am going to meet it, but I had to mentally dig down because I could have laid it down and taken a nap. I felt good afterwards but during whoa, death.

With that said no food no energy right? Well my caloric intake is low, especially for me. I am still eating 6 meals a day (for those of you who didn’t know) but I burn through those calories quick. (Man what I wouldn't give for a BIG OLE' HEARTY MEAL!!!)  Once I burn through them I am starving, but I have to wait my 2-3 hours to eat again.  I cannot eat too soon and if I eat too late I am missing a window of opportunity to fuel my metabolism. Oh and for those that don’t believe in the frequency of 6 times a day, you need to try it and see if it helps achieve your goals. I BET if you eat right it will help.  

Well its time to suck it up, find the energy and head back to the gym. I got shoulders today. Let's see if I can get it done in 45 minutes or less. Going to be tough but hey just another challenge in order to reach my goal.

DP

4 Weeks 4 Days

Man the weeks and days are dwindling down and I have a lot on my plate before the show. Hmmm, going TDY for 2 weeks, finishing up 2 classes while gone, staying focused on my diet and workout while TDY.  The packing for this trip is going to be REEEEEE DIC U LUS, I will definitely have to inform you guys what all needs to be packed prior to going.  Once I return I will be 1 week from contest time and 9 days from family vacation = more packing.

I am ready for today’s workout. I am Feeling Great. I completed some cardio at lunch time, man I really have not found that love for cardio like some people have, it like watching paint dry; however, I do LOVE the results it helps achieve. I guess that is what is called Sacrifice.

Out of the last 14 days I have only rested from the gym 2 days. I had to take yesterday off, although mentally I did not want to, because I would’ve had bad repercussions if I kept going. The gym today will be a little strange, a buddy that is usually there will not be there as he decided to join the Air Force Reserve, proud of him. Today is a back workout day. I love back days.  CAN’T WAIT (in my Bart Scott voice). It takes a strong back to make a person stand tall and that is exactly what I plan to do on JUNE 23!!!  I know in 4 weeks 4 days I will have given my all; I will have made sacrifices, adjustments, and put in max Effort in order to get in front of complete strangers and say judge me. Sure there will be some constructive criticism given to me but I will be prepared to take it, besides nobody is perfect, but I will BE DAMN if I don’t come close.

DP

EFFORT

 

 

Effort!  What is effort? Effort is hard work. Effort is pushing myself 100% in order to accomplish a goal. Effort is giving my all even when I have nothing left to give.

 

Man what a week/ weekend. 7 straight days in the gym but today I will need to take off. Not because I want to, it’s a matter of ensuring I don’t break myself down too much and end up sick and unable to workout at all.

I went to the NPC Jr. USA Championships in Charleston, SC this past weekend. Mind you this was my first bodybuilding show I had ever been to; I had no clue the amount of work that these athletes put in to preparing for this one moment.  It was definitely cool to get a first hand glimpse of this the bodybuilding community when it is SHOW TIME, simply Amazing! Man, the things these athletes put themselves through in order to be judged by a third party person and told your work and effort earned you a PRO CARD or Thanks but you need to try again next year. Makes you wonder how they pick themselves up in order to do it again?!

Ray Lewis said it best, ... it is all about EFFORT!! “Effort is between you and you” … you know whether or not you gave it your all. Don’t be mad at your results if your effort was not 100%, who can you blame, who can you fault? I know my perceived perception of my failures has been strictly because of my efforts did not meet my desires. 

Bottom line is this – Stop complaining, Don’t quit, Push Hard and you will achieve your goals.

 

EFFORT + DESIRE = GOALS ACHIEVED….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07fhOVQ9wEA

Are you OK with "Being Mediocre"?

EFFORT: Myron Rolle = Rhodes Scholar; Jacob Tucker = Small Town College Dunk Champion, Shawn Wolfe = Natural Bodybuilding Champ 

 DP