It's past midnight now, but post is for the last day of 2017! It was a pretty uneventful year, but I don't consider that to be a bad thing. The biggest highlight for me was going back to Japan in July. The stay at Yamamizuki was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the trip. Getting lost during our Maricar tour was frightening, but gives me a good laugh thinking back.
In terms of hardships... nothing really significant. Injuring my knee took a toll on my squats at the beginning of the year, but within this year I was able to come close to what I was squatting to pre-injury. Despite not squatting as high, I feel more confident in my squats now compared to last year. I guess the final month of the school year (2016-2017) was stressful to say the least, but Japan definitely kept my spirits going during that time!
But enough rambling for one night. 2017 was uneventful, but once again a pretty good year. In terms of my new year's resolution... despite not making resolutions...
Wake up before 10 AM today...
PS: Oh, for the past.... 10 years now (methink), it has been a traditional at my house to play cards during New Year's Eve since we're pretty busy throughout the year to spend time with one another. We gamble with glass beads as "coins" while we play Black Jack. I had a terrible run this year... going "bankrupt" multiple times and having to borrow beads from my brother. However, I did manage to win the very last hand (with our version of "All In" where you put in everything you have) with a score of 21.
Hopefully that means I have some good luck despite the apparent hardship I'll be facing this year!
Thank you to all of you that read my blog posts and I hope you all have a Happy New Year! Starting April 7th, I'll be posting everyday to mark my last year in my 20's. It's hard to believe I'm close to hitting 30...
Sunday 31 December 2017
Saturday 30 December 2017
Day 8 - Last Haircut of the Year
Unproductive day in that I didn't get any work done. My excuse is, that it's the weekend! Last Saturday of the year!
After eating breakfast, I got my hair cut. Soon after that, it was off to the gym for another deadlift session. Since coming back to deadlift, I've been trying a wide-snatch-like grip to work on my back at the same time. It's relatively fine to bring the bar up with weight, but it does strain my back quite a bit.
After 5x5 of 255 lbs, it was off to 5x5 conventional 295 lbs. I haven't touched 315 lbs in a while, but I got the opportunity to see what my one rep max was for the day. By keeping my upper back tight, which I have never done so before, I was able to lift 345 lbs, which is a record for me. I guess those snatch deadlifts are helping along with Back Day Wednesdays. I finished off with 3 sets of 5 reps of 275 lbs sumo deadlifts. At this point, my lower back and hamstrings felt pretty fried...
After a couple more accessory exercises, it was time to head back home. Roads have been pretty slippery over the past couple days, but it was a relatively smooth ride home.
After dinner, it was off to another episode of reverse. Since it was episode 7 of 10, major plot lines and twists were starting to unravel. I'm not sure if it's due to watching a lot of dramas/anime, but I'm starting to become better at predicting plot twists, and lo and behold (although I only realized 10 seconds before they revealed the plot twist) I guessed right! Embarrassingly to a degree, I was quite pleased with myself, since I'm usually horrible when it comes to figuring out motives.
It was tempting to continue watching more episodes, but the lure of Ultra Moon was calling to me.
I'll get back to work on Monday... or Tuesday...
Thursday 28 December 2017
Day 6 - The Last Jedi
I got the opportunity today to watch episode 8. Personally, I found it more enjoyable than A Force Awakens. The story line may have been simple, but I think it sets things well for episode 9. Maybe it's just me, but the humor in The Last Jedi seems reminiscent of a Marvel movie.
After that, it was back home to get some work done before heading to the gym for another leg day. I focused mostly on leg accessories (vastus lateralis if I'm not mistaken), before heading back home for the evening.
A few games of SC 2 to round up the evening before my daily dose of my jdorama sums up my evening. There wasn't much going on in episode 5 of reverse, but the cliffhanger ending was tempting me to start episode 6...
Self control... self control...
And that's Thursday! Hard to believe that break is almost halfway done... yet it seems to be going by slowly at the same time...
After that, it was back home to get some work done before heading to the gym for another leg day. I focused mostly on leg accessories (vastus lateralis if I'm not mistaken), before heading back home for the evening.
A few games of SC 2 to round up the evening before my daily dose of my jdorama sums up my evening. There wasn't much going on in episode 5 of reverse, but the cliffhanger ending was tempting me to start episode 6...
Self control... self control...
And that's Thursday! Hard to believe that break is almost halfway done... yet it seems to be going by slowly at the same time...
Wednesday 27 December 2017
Day 5 - When did left turning on a red light become legal?
Woke up early, not because I was motivated to do work, but rather to get ready for my 8:00 dental clean up. For the past couple of years, I've had my appointments on the weekends so that it doesn't interfere with work. However, I haven't seen my regular dentist in a while (since he doesn't work weekends), thus booking an appointment slot for a weekday.
Like yesterday, it was hard to get my car started. I'm assuming it's due to the cold and that my battery has a minuscule 330 W of cold cranking power. Nevertheless, it was able to turn, thus allowing me to make it on time. The cleanup went like always, two units of scaling (I believe that means 30 minutes?) followed by polishing and fluoride treatment. Bite-wing x-ray and dentist check up at the beginning and shortly after scaling commenced, respectively. Fortunately no cavities! =)
After my appointment, it was off to drop off a friend at the airport before heading to the gym for back day. It was a short session due to me injuring my trapezius muscle. Rolling out again midway through my session helped, but being the cautious person that I am, I decided to skip a couple exercises.
At home, I completed another set of notes before heading out for the evening. I got the opportunity to try out a different Japanese restaurant: Tokachi in Dragon City Mall. It was better than I expected, and portion sizes were quite generous for the price. After a stop for bubble tea next door, it was off home.
Now in terms of the title... as I was driving to dinner, I saw the most peculiar scene. I was third in line, waiting to turn south onto Barlow Trail from 36th Street NE. Normally, the left turning light doesn't turn green right away, even though West bound traffic turns green. It's normally a pretty short wait (30 seconds or so), but the CRV at the front of the line turned left after seeing that there was no Eastbound traffic, despite the left turning traffic signal being a solid red... The taxi behind the CRV (2nd in line) thought it was alright to do so as well, so it turned left on a solid red as well! Ironically, as I pulled up to wait for the light, it turned green pretty much five seconds later.
Other than being out all day pretty much, I was able to fit in another episode of reverse. The more I watch it, the more I understand why it won the best drama award: it's a great suspense series with a main character that people can relate to. I'll most likely elaborate once I finish the series!
But that's it for now!
Like yesterday, it was hard to get my car started. I'm assuming it's due to the cold and that my battery has a minuscule 330 W of cold cranking power. Nevertheless, it was able to turn, thus allowing me to make it on time. The cleanup went like always, two units of scaling (I believe that means 30 minutes?) followed by polishing and fluoride treatment. Bite-wing x-ray and dentist check up at the beginning and shortly after scaling commenced, respectively. Fortunately no cavities! =)
After my appointment, it was off to drop off a friend at the airport before heading to the gym for back day. It was a short session due to me injuring my trapezius muscle. Rolling out again midway through my session helped, but being the cautious person that I am, I decided to skip a couple exercises.
At home, I completed another set of notes before heading out for the evening. I got the opportunity to try out a different Japanese restaurant: Tokachi in Dragon City Mall. It was better than I expected, and portion sizes were quite generous for the price. After a stop for bubble tea next door, it was off home.
Now in terms of the title... as I was driving to dinner, I saw the most peculiar scene. I was third in line, waiting to turn south onto Barlow Trail from 36th Street NE. Normally, the left turning light doesn't turn green right away, even though West bound traffic turns green. It's normally a pretty short wait (30 seconds or so), but the CRV at the front of the line turned left after seeing that there was no Eastbound traffic, despite the left turning traffic signal being a solid red... The taxi behind the CRV (2nd in line) thought it was alright to do so as well, so it turned left on a solid red as well! Ironically, as I pulled up to wait for the light, it turned green pretty much five seconds later.
Other than being out all day pretty much, I was able to fit in another episode of reverse. The more I watch it, the more I understand why it won the best drama award: it's a great suspense series with a main character that people can relate to. I'll most likely elaborate once I finish the series!
But that's it for now!
Tuesday 26 December 2017
Day 4 - Squat day on Boxing Day
I cannot recall the last time I woke up early to go shop on Boxing Day. With the advent of online shopping, that's what I've been using mostly for goods on-sale during Black Friday/Cyber Monday or Boxing Day.
As such, I woke up and headed off to the gym for a grueling squat session. 10 sets of 8 reps of 225 lbs. It's been a while since I last felt as light headed as I did during those reps (especially between set 4 and 5). Nevertheless, they're were completed, though some sets had haphazard squats that borderline dangerous in my books...
Other than that, went home and continued on with Pokemon Ultra Moon before getting work done (making notes for my grade 9s and answering some email).
And onto sleep! Tomorrow will be a busy day once again!
As such, I woke up and headed off to the gym for a grueling squat session. 10 sets of 8 reps of 225 lbs. It's been a while since I last felt as light headed as I did during those reps (especially between set 4 and 5). Nevertheless, they're were completed, though some sets had haphazard squats that borderline dangerous in my books...
Other than that, went home and continued on with Pokemon Ultra Moon before getting work done (making notes for my grade 9s and answering some email).
And onto sleep! Tomorrow will be a busy day once again!
Monday 25 December 2017
Day 3 - Merry Christmas 2017
I meant to post for Day 1 and 2 (Saturday December 23rd and Sunday December 24th), but I've been too lazy.
As for the past few years, we had a Christmas celebration at one of my cousin's house. Each year has scrumptious food and drink with good conversations with people that I haven't seen in a while. As years go by, I feel like I'm getting less and less time to interact with others!
Anyways, after lunch, it was off home to relax for the rest of Christmas Day. I got in episode 2 of my most recent drama series: Reverse. It's a mystery/suspense drama about four men trying to move on from the death of their friend during a ski trip. It won an award at the recent Television Drama Academy Awards (I believe it's a magazine that polls people and experts) for being the best drama, thus stoking my curiosity.
It's pretty interesting so far, seeing that the screenwriter piques interest by having a mysterious stranger stir up the past with letters calling the four men murderers.
And that pretty much sums my evening! Off to sleep and onto Boxing Day!
As for the past few years, we had a Christmas celebration at one of my cousin's house. Each year has scrumptious food and drink with good conversations with people that I haven't seen in a while. As years go by, I feel like I'm getting less and less time to interact with others!
Anyways, after lunch, it was off home to relax for the rest of Christmas Day. I got in episode 2 of my most recent drama series: Reverse. It's a mystery/suspense drama about four men trying to move on from the death of their friend during a ski trip. It won an award at the recent Television Drama Academy Awards (I believe it's a magazine that polls people and experts) for being the best drama, thus stoking my curiosity.
It's pretty interesting so far, seeing that the screenwriter piques interest by having a mysterious stranger stir up the past with letters calling the four men murderers.
And that pretty much sums my evening! Off to sleep and onto Boxing Day!
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