Lifting The Veil: A Multi-Part Series

The concept for this blog was largely inspired by a particular scene from the movie The Matrix.  In that scene, Neo, the protagonist in the film, stands on the precipice of an enormous discovery, one that would force him to confront the nature of his existence and potentially dismantle the foundations upon which his reality was based.

Morpheus offers him a choice.  The blue pill offers safety, and a return to the ignorance of his past life.  The red offers novelty, a glimpse into the true nature of the world without the comforting delusions of society.  Neo ultimately goes with the red pill, preferring to take the long trip down the rabbit hole instead of returning to his previous, manufactured existence.

Although The Matrix is a science fiction film, its parallels to our world have become increasingly apparent to me over the years.  It is unsettling to contemplate how our own realities might be compromised with layer upon layer of biases, artificial constraints, and delusions.  It is important to point out here that whether you decide to “take the red pill” is just that– a decision.  Only you can decide what’s in your best interests, and I’m not here to push any type of agenda onto you.  If you would prefer to take the blue pill, I have good news for you: “reality” television is more popular than ever, and, hold your breath, the NFL lockout is over!  If that’s your cup of tea, feel free to read no further.  (And no, I’m not saying that you can’t enjoy crappy television or sports… sometimes).

I’ve decided that this Lifting the Veil series will provide introductions to popularly-accepted norms and cultural mores, deconstruct them, and attempt to discern the true nature of the reality in which we all live.  I plan to cover topics ranging from politics to public education, economics to arts and culture.  The main aim is to examine some of the most common tenets in Western society, and ask a few simple questions: Why are we so comfortable with holding this tenet as true?  Whose agenda is being served here?  Why have all the alternative perspectives been pushed aside?

Just remember that these inquiries are ultimately a choice.  I hope that you’re receptive to challenging your own perceptions of the world, and trusting your own reason over establishment “experts.”  I’m not trying to pretend I have all the answers; I just want to keep asking the questions.

Do Different: At Least Once A Day

“I began to realize how simple life could be if one had a regular routine to follow with fixed hours, a fixed salary, and very little original thinking to do.” -Roald Dahl

You can discover a lot about yourself in two seconds.

That’s all it takes.  Even if you’re putting in crushing workweeks, punching away on a keyboard for a good eight or nine or twelve hours a day.  Pissed about the commute home, bills, stress.  You can forget about all that stuff momentarily.

Do something different, if only for an instant.

I try to incorporate this into my life philosophy.  Whenever something comes along that derails your daily routine, welcome it.  Don’t let out a sigh of relief when everything goes according to plan and you avoid the metaphorical (or literal) speed bumps you’re tucked safely into your bed.  On the days dominated by rote routine, you should strive to do something a little different.

Do whatever it takes to try something new.

Court novelty proactively.

These things don’t have to be monumental alterations to your routine.  novelty doesn’t require taking the day off work to go bungee jumping (but if that’s what you want to do, go for it!).  All it takes is a simple change.  Take a different route to work, try some ethnic cuisine you’ve never had before, pass through the park on the way home, etc.  You’re probably suck with linear thinking, and that’s only natural after years of society pushing you along a narrow path.

Just try doing things a little differently, is all I ask.  Start out small and you’ll be hooked.  Little adventures breed larger ones; it’s amazing what a midday walk can do for your spirits.

Plot these little novelties, or better yet, just find ways to do them as soon as the idea pops into your mind.  Prepare to feel refreshed and inspired.

Note: bonus points if you use these times to do things that scare you.  There’s definitely an overlap between fear and novel experiences… facing it down is essential as you gain the confidence to become your ideal self.  I think Eleanor Roosevelt was on to something.

Get Crazy Strong: Mix Up Your Rep Ranges

As a voracious reader (formerly) and a bitter skeptic (currently) of fitness magazines, I haven’t helped but notice how many of the sample programs recommend workout regimes with a constant number of repetitions for each set.  Years of relatively gardual improvement, followed by a recent spike in gains over the past three months had led me to believe maybe all those “supplements” have disrupted fitness writers’ brain functioning.  My previous philosophy was the same one as many other people I see in the gym: work somewhere between 8 and 10 reps a set, and do the same workout as frequently as possible without burning out.

I’ve enjoyed a substantial increase in size and strength in just 12 weeks.  And all it took (other than consistently busting butt and showing up) was to change the rep range in my workouts.  My schedule went like this:

• Weeks 1-4: 5 reps a set, about 15 sets total for a workout
• Weeks 5-8: 8 reps a set, 13-14 sets total for a workout
• Weeks 9-12: 12 reps a set, about 12 sets for a workout

Note: you don’t even have to divide it up like this.  You could use one week cycles, or even integrate different rep ranges within the same workouts.  As long as you’re hitting the different rep ranges pretty evenly, the possibilities for customization are endless.

I just switched back over to 5 reps a set again (beginning a second 12-week cycle), and honestly I feel great.  My muscles are energized even after an intense three months.  And I’ve never felt stronger; I actually look forward to the gym instead of dreading it like the day rent’s due.  Why am I happy with the change, and why should you consider it, too?

1. Variety is the spice of life.  It’s difficult enough getting to the gym in the first place, and damn near impossible if you have a boring routine ahead of you.  When I get bored I come up with reasons not to go, and when I don’t go, I get out of shape.  Periodically changing up the repetition range offers a different sensation… you’ll want to get to the gym after the month in the 13-rep range just to see how much stronger you’ve become.
2. Different rep ranges work on different aspects of fitness.  Lower rep ranges engage sheer strength, mid ranges provide the most hypertrophy (size), and high rep ranges work on muscular endurance.
3. You can use the system to target specific performance goals.  If you play football and just want power, stick to low reps.  Looking for endurance for that next adventure race you have planned?  Do sets of 12 or more and really feel the burn. And almost any athlete can benefit from mid-rep training, as it offers a mix of strength and endurance improvements
4. A twelve-week cycle is an ideal time period for change.  From New Years to Spring Break, trying to get ripped for beach season, or prepping for a vacation, different periods of the year really put the screws on you to look your best.  Following one 12-week cycle of altering rep ranges allows you to make great improvements, increase athleticism, and keep you interested all the while.  Combine the program with a healthy diet and the possibilities are endless!

I recommend giving this minor change a shot.  You’ve got nothing to lose, and if you don’t like it you can always go back to your old program!  Let me know how it goes.

Kill Your Television

“I hate television.  I hate it as much as peanuts.  But I can’t stop eating peanuts.” -Orson Welles

You know there’s something better you could be doing.  Should be doing, if you carry around a healthy dose of guilt with you.  But why can’t you stop watching TV?  Sure you’re tired.  But if you let being tired get in the way of your self-development, your after work hours might leave you with little more than half-remembered, generic plotlines and recycled dialogue.  I know the title of this post is asking for a lot, more than most people are willing to do (though some people manage).  Here are some ideas to at least help you cut down on your TV time.

• If you don’t have one already, get TiVo or some other type of DVR.  This allows you to set your own schedule and not plan your evenings around show times, and instantly cuts out about 1/3 of dead commercial time.  Note: obviously, this only works if you don’t use all that saved time to, you know, watch more TV shows.
• Make a conscious decision to turn the TV off whenever you aren’t specifically planning to watch a program.  It’s all too easy to get sucked into watching something you never even wanted to watch in the first place.  This wastes valuable time.
• Customize your guide if you can.  Avoid unnecessary channels and all the temptations that come along with them.
• Wait for the season to come out on DVD.
• Replace television with productive habits.  Don’t leave dead time.
• Don’t keep a TV in the bedroom.
• Educational programming?  Good time to do this when too tired to read/study
• Write down why you’re watching a particular program.  This might sound weird, but it works.  If you can’t come up with a good reason in a single sentence (“everyone else watches it” doesn’t count), ditch it.  Be merciless about protecting your free time.
• Sports fans, remember the radio.  Little about the regular season is so essential that it demands your undivided attention.  Listen to the game on the radio; that way you can go to the gym, run errands, or do household chores at the same time.
• Customize your cable package.  Do your best not to subscribe to channels you don’t have any desire to watch.  Many providers make this possible now through channel customization.  Pare down spare channels, or you might find yourself watching them anyway.

These are just a few ideas to get you started.  Hopefully they help you save some time so you can do the things you really want to do, whether it’s building your own business or just going for a walk with the kids.  Now get out there and build a reality so cool it doesn’t need a television “escape valve”!

Welcome to the Madhouse

“I must be crazy to be in a loony bin like this.” -R.P. McMurphy, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Hey there.  I’m glad your capricious online wanderings have brought you to my blog.  Now that you’re here, hopefully I can provide you with something you’ll find useful.  And maybe a little bit fun, too.

I’ll get straight to it.

I decided to start this blog because I’m tired.  Tired of the twelve or sixteen or twenty-year ride on the assembly line educational system.  Tired of specialized wage slaves putting in sixty-hour weeks, only to return home from their commutes to pray they’re able to make the payment on their zero money down, adjustable rate mortgages.  Tired of the theatrics of the media and cable news pundits promoting a culture of irrational discourse and fear.  Tired of fast food, drive through service and banal personal interactions, of reality television and electronic drum loops posing as culture.  More than anything else, I’m tired of the rampant entitlement mentality, the lack of ambition, the complacency and the intellectual decline.

I hope you’re getting a little angry reading this.  That’s good.  That means you aren’t satisfied with the way things are going, either.  But it also means you still have that fire in your belly, that elemental power of the human spirit that is all too easy to lose in a world gone mad.  If you don’t feel like you quite fit the mold into which society attempts mold you, this is the blog for you.

This is a place for dreamers, deep thinkers, and idealists.  But it’s also a place to explore practical solutions.  I don’t pretend to have all (or even most of) the answers to society’s great problems, but I’m going to do everything in my power to seek something that most people have forgotten: quality.

That’s right.  In a world that demands more more more, I’m trying to strip down.  To simplify.  Why not demand better instead?  Better health, happiness and fulfillment, success and inner peace.  I’m a fervent believer that we should be responsible for setting our own goals, instead of blindly accepting the ones society lays out before us.  That’s my sole aim in this blog.  Topics will be broad, as the things we need to (un)learn to improve the quality of our lives touch all of its aspects.

Let’s not just think outside the box.  Let’s throw it away completely.