Recovering TBI survivor,
Author, Indomitable Personality.

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April 2023

(FRIDAY) SAME spiel. DIFFERENT day.

 ... 

I write because I WANT to, ... not because I HAVE to.

My overall progress is very SSSLOOOOOW & methodical.  Only I can observe the very minute improvements that prosper day by day.  It's an often frustratingly LOOOOONG & gradual process.  But, I see the [DIM]light at the end of the tunnel.

... Weeeeell, actually, my untiring IMpatience very much blurs my FOREsight.  Yes, I am a relentless optimist.  But. my death-DEFYING accident transformed me into MUCH more of a REAList.  I still possess a very optimistic view of life.  I merely set more attainable goals ... for myself.  IIIF I attain said "goal" ahead of my predicted date, I will adjust myself accordingly.

I.e. Initially, I set "100 'HIP-ups' before 2024" as my exercise goal.  Through numerous RE-estimations of my kinetic output, I have finally settled upon "125 'HIP-ups' by July 4" as my new target.  Well, well, well.  In lieu of my latest revision, I took a very encouraging [metaphorical] step forward:

I successfully & painLESSly demonstrated 120 "HIP-ups" (80-rest-40).  That was my NEW record!  (Audible SIGH) At the rate I'm exercising & with just five more "HIP-ups" to display in the next ... two plus months (67 days), I'd say I am WELL on my way!  I just may have to revise my goal yet AGAIN.

On a WAAAAAAY LESS positive note, my NEW* [mechanical] wheelchair just completed shut DOWN/OFF all too quickly.  After recharging it all night, it still doesn't work.  At all.  Nevertheless, my health insurance will pay for a newER chair.

(It had BETTER!)

Alas!  To end on a more POSITIVE note, I'm really making commendable progress in my writing!  Currently--as of 4/28/23, I have published 12 books.  Additionally though, I have completed writing another six+ novels.

(My mind operates THAT quickly, & I have THAT much free time.)





* = Well, 'twas NEW to ME.  But, it turns out that the salesman had acquired said "chair" from a now deceased [EX-] customer.  Well, the steering & the mechanics worked just fine.  However, the battery itself "DIED" after less than an hour.  

(TUESDAY) HHHMMM. HOW to BEST entertain/stimulate MYSELF:

 ... 

I really do not care to watch much/ANY television during the day.  I prefer to WRITE, to exercise & to conduct extensive SELF-therapy.  This can range from various finger stretches to CORE-building all the way to analyzing others' writings on Goodreads.  When it comes to my actual, formal BI-weekly workout, I performed my usual routine of

20 rotary curls on my LEFT bicep, 30 [standard] bicep curls on my RIGHT bicep, 20 rotary curls on my RIGHT bicep along with numerous stretches of [only] my LEFT shoulder.

However, as I just acquired a NEW[er] mechanical wheelchair, I spent several minutes attempting to adjust the chair to various positions to better accommodate my necessary mobility.  As a result, I switched onto my raised exercise mat to perform all of my curls.  Additionally, I added in XX repetitions of tricep extensions (15 reps with a 10 pound dumbbell--WITH my trainer's spotting me--on my LEFT arm & 15 reps with a 15 pound dumbbell on my RIGHT arm.  After my five laps of assorted walkS on my parallel bars, my 30 calf lifts & my 115 "HIP-ups" (80 + brief rest + 35), my trainer keenly realized that--with the combination of my new chair's problems & my added tricep exercises--I had time for ONLY either a bike ride OR a set of planks.  He insightfully knew I'd pick to do the former.


My usually pleasant mother was--JOKINGLY--pitchin' a fit about MYYY trainer's being minimally tardy arriving for her workout.




P.S. Hats OFF to me for choosing the bike ride, as I KNOW that biking stimulates my innards enough to get my bowels moving ... withOUT requiring any medicinal assistance.

[No, I am NOT some kind of WEIRD sicko obsessed with excretions!  I just find that final stage of digestion particularly relieving, because it signals to me, that some of my (supposedly natural) biological systems still do actually ... WORK!]


P.P.S. I am reeeally liking how minimal my new chair's required turning radius is.  It's definitely gonna require some time to master all the steering & sizing nuances.  But, I am gettin' there.  

AAALL in due time.

(... SATURDAY, Part II) Clarification:

... I merely wanted to ADD that I've had two PHENOMENALLY productive online-meetings with my main editor.  

(Yes, I have multiple editors for AAALL my content.)

Anyway, this "main editor" agreed with my Speech Pathologist-mother, that the plots of my mystery novels tend to become "excessively wordy & overly complicated."  I am here to defend myself, as I am physiologically programmed to attempt to PROVE--in any & all ways[S]--that I am NOT a brain-damaged moron.

(Well, technically, I am the former adjective.)

(SATURDAY) Good MORNING. ... And, in case I don't talk to you, good AFTERNOON, good EVENING & good NIGHT.

... I cannot lie--I borrowed that INTRO-line from the classic film, 'The Truman Show'.


 Well, I simply forgot to blog yesterday.

'Unutum.'  --> Turkish for 'I forgot.'

Plain & simple.  That's all it was.  NO harm.  NO foul.  I'm guessing I neglected to update y'ALL, because I simply didn't have much to report.  Alas, I continued with my STELLAR workouts: 

20 rotary curls with a 10 pound weight on my LEFT arm to stress my forearm & bicep.  

30 bicep curls with a 15 pound weight on my RIGHT arm.

10 pressured extensions--against my trainer's resistance--to work my LEFT tricep.

15 pressured extensions--against my trainer's resistance--to work my RIGHT tricep.

120 [CONSECUTIVE--NOT multiple] seconds of planking.

Four laps of frontward & backward walking on my PARALLEL bars.  A fifth lap of sideways shuffling.  30 calf-raises.  [LEFT] Shoulder stretches ... WITH occasional shoulder-socket POPs--but those are kinduva GIVEN with all the titanium in there.

... I did, however, set a NEW RECORD with my HIP-ups.  I did 120 (80-rest-40)!  As a result,  I continue to UP my initial goal of "125 by Independence Day."  I'm now aiming for 135 HIP-ups by July 4, 2023.


Plus, I had a TERRIFIC conversation with my editor yesterday morning about how to BETTER brand myself.  I actually have a followup today at ~8:00 am.

(TUESDAY) ... I'm BAAAAAAACK. ... YEEEEEESSSSSS!

 BOTH my cable & my Internet have been out/OFF/"shut DOWN" all weekend.  


: ( 


However, Comcast surprisingly redeemed itself by FIXING the connection in my WHOLE area.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!


... It ONLY took them ... several hours this evening.  Nevertheless, I celebrated by ... writing a 1,336 word book critique, selecting several gifts to purchase as Thank you notes for those close to me & scheduling my television programs for the next couple days.


WHEW!  ... YAAAY!




P.S. Before my POWER-REbirth, I set a new personal record for "HIP-ups" with 115 of 'em (75-brief rest-40).  However, I SKIPPED my planks today, simply because I was running late with very possible/potential rain.  I gauged my priorities, & I weighted ~16 minutes of biking as more important to my improving health than exactly 120 seconds of plank-holding.

(FRIDAY). When you get upset, you've gotta know WHEN, HOW & at WHOM to retaliate.

 ... UUUGH!  AAARGH!

I did NOT get much sleep last night, because f---in' Comcast doesn't know its ass from a hole in the ground in terms of fixing my electrical hookup.  Since ~7:00 last night, my caregiver has been constantly calling the company--per my instruction--to complain about my lack of power.  Nevertheless, that NO good, good-for NOTHING, SORRY excuse for a [helpful] company kept repeatedly claiming,

"Oh, we apologize, sir.  It's just a minor problem.  We should have you all set back up within about ten minutes."


... 


Yeah, that was ... ~20 hours ago, since it's now ~3:00 ... the NEXT afternoon.  So, it has been over 120 times longER than YOUUU estimated, & the only reasons my internet is working, is because 

1) IIIII told my caregiver how to finagle the connective wires with my modem 

&

2) IIIII clicked on a various number of options on my laptop.


Anyway, so I decided to take my anger--with incompetent Comcast--out on my workout equipment.  First, I demonstrated [TIED for my TOP # of] tricep curls with my left arm.  Next, I performed [TIED for my TOP # of bicep curls with each arm.  Then, I showed [TIED for my TOP # of] 110 HIP-ups with 110.  Finally, I completed my ~1.22 mile bike ride in ~14 minutes.





MORAL: III--A.J. Kaynatma--CAAAN be a volatile, steaming pile of UNbalanced nerves.  So, do NOT upset me by messing with my electricity then LYING about when you're gonna fix it.  Comcast, I hope y'ALL file for bankruptcy ... tomorrow!



MORAL II: IF you F--- with ME, you WIIIIILL lose!

MATH ... CAAAAN be ... both fun & funNY!

 I forgot to post yesterday on account of my OBSESSING over my dietary TASTE!  I.e.

√(-1)     2^3         π


[= i 8 sum(mation) pi --> "I ate some pie."]


... Ha ha HAAA!

(WEDNESDAY) "Punctuality, [y'all]--withOUT it, ... time stands STILL."

-- 'Rookie of the Year'



BACKstory:
Since my accident, I've become a bit of a stickler for AVOIDING truancy.  With my now SEVERELY mobility-limited limbs, I do not have much I CAAAN do besides stare at my watch.

... I've been distracted by how WELL I have been maneuvering lately.

(FRIDAY) EARLY 38th birthday gift to & from myself!

 In honor of my 13,880th day on Earth, I displayed extra, OUTSTANDING effort during my entire workout today.


First, I performed an excess number of repetitions of various bicep curls & barrel extensions.  Secondly, for the second consecutive workout, instead of holding a 75 second plank followed by a very short break then 45 second plank, I simply combined it all into ONE two minute plank.  Soon, I pushed out 110 "HIP-ups" (75 + 45).  Finally, I performed my ~1.22 mile bicycle ride around my community in ~14 minutes.

(My all-time record time is ~13 minutes with an average of ~16 minutes.)




P.S. As a symbolic tribute to my BADASSedness, I'm watching the classic film--'The Wolf of Wall Street' right now.

(TUESDAY) How can "more of the SAME" possibly be GOOD?!

 ... Well, since [my T.B.I. &] I have successfully established myself as "a man of HABIT", I like--almost NEEEEED--to 

1) find a helpful activity, 

2) determine the most energy-efficient procedure, 

3) get comfortable with it, 

4) practice it so often it practically becomes instinctive

then, finally,

5) periodically increase my output to openly demonstrate my progress.


   Thus, I periodically improve: From 20 pushups to 30 to 40 to 50 to 60 to 70 to 75 to 80 to 90 to 95 to 100.  I initially declared I'd get to 100 BEFORE the year 2024.  Now I'm aiming for 125 by Independence Day.  TODAY I pushed out [75 + 35 =] 110 "HIP-ups."



... To answer the title's question, 

... When what I seek is CONSISTENCY.

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