Tag Archives: gargoyle

Work Outs: May 22 – June 4, 2022 (Pandemic Board Game, Wrestling Show Gargoyle)

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I ran across a picture on my old phone picture roll from when I played my first game of Pandemic with some friends, and I thought I’d share it since the game was fun. Pandemic is a cooperative game where the players try to eradicate four diseases pictured at the bottom of the map. The game is lost when the player deck that everyone draws from runs out or if any one color for the little disease cubes (see the unused ones in the jar lids to the right) runs out. So there is both a strong time and resource management aspect to the game.

This is a picture after the four of us won the game.

During the game, each player can take up to four actions and do things like spend a card from their hand to move to the city on the card, remove disease cubes from a city, which represents curing or partially curing an outbreak in a city, and so on. Each player character also has a special role–I played the “Operations Expert.” This specialist can build research centers easier than other players, which are the little white building tokens on the map. These centers are useful because everyone can use them to move around the map more easily by moving from center to center. A big part of winning the game is having the right person at the right place at the right time so anything that can make moving around the world more efficient is a good thing.

I found the game to be fun in that the rules weren’t hard to pick up but there is a lot of strategy and tactics, which makes the game both hard to master and affords a lot of replayability, even without the expansions. One thing about Pandemic, which a lot of cooperative games share, is you have to play it with the right type of players who don’t try and take over other players’ gameplay because they get too wrapped up in beating the game.

So, if you are looking for a fun, cooperative game that isn’t easy to win consider giving Pandemic a try. The game took us about two-and-a-half hours to play with two players (I was one of them) who had never played, one who kind of knew the game, and one veteran.

Sun, May 22nd

We followed along to The Jack Lalane Show (DVD 1, Episode 3) shortly after waking up. Afterward, I did some stretching and foam rolling work. I also used the balance board for 1:15 minutes.

My IT bands have been tight lately from all of the work they’ve been getting with physical therapy. The foam rolling helps keep them loose and I know a couple of stretches, but I wanted to learn some more so I poked around and found this page, which was helpful. What I found particularly useful was I learned how to stretch the area from a number of different positions instead of just going to the same default one or two that I already know.

I stretched and did some more restorative work in the evening as well.

Calories: 1998, Protein: 102 g.

Some of the gaming bourbons one of my friends brought home from his desert southwest trip.

Mon, May 23rd

  • (Wake-up) We followed along to The Jack Lalane Show (DVD 1, Episode 4).
  • (Afternoon) Leg Day at the Physical Therapy Office: I warmed up doing dynamic stretching and light calisthenics.
  • (Super Set) Rocker Board Balancing: 2 sets x 1 minute +
    • Calf Stretches (both legs): 2 sets x 30 seconds
  • Monster Walks (blue band): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Squats with Resisted Hip Abduction (blue band): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • (Super Set) Seated Leg Press: 335 lbs x 2 sets x 15 reps., 350 lbs. x 15 reps +
    • Step up with Knee Raise and Raise 8 lb. Ball (each leg): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Bird Dips (each leg, down to 12″ box): 2 sets x 10 reps +
  • (Super Set) Standing Hip Abduction (green band, ea. leg): 2 sets x 10 reps +
    • Standing Hip Extension (green band, ea. leg): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Played toss with a 4 lb. ball for one minute while standing on dyna pads.
  • I finished with some massage, stretching, foam rolling, and electric muscle stimulation.
  • (Evening) I went to wrestling referee training for two hours. I was feeling pretty froggy and ended up doing a little bit of very light wrestling stuff too. I stretched in the evening, as usual, before sleep.

Calories: 2159, Protein: 186 g.

Tues, May 24th

  • (Wake-up) I did the balance board for 1:30 minutes, then the Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, RPMs 75+, Manual Program, Level 7. I bumped up the RPMs to 80+ for the last 6:30 minutes. Afterward, I did some stretching.
  • (Afternoon Workout) I warmed up with some light sets with the weights, dynamic stretching, and indian club work.
  • (Super Set) Arnold Press: 20 lbs. x 5 sets x 15 reps +
    • Set #1: TKD Low Block (each arm) x 20 reps
    • Set #2: 1 lb. Indian Clubs x One Minute
    • Set #3: Dead Bugs (2-ct) x 30 reps
    • Set #4: Chest Press from Horse Stance (10 lb. mace) x 20 reps
    • Set #5: Joust (10 lb. mace) x 20 reps
  • (Super Set) DB Bench Press (no feet): 25 lbs. x 3 sets x 15 reps, 30 lbs. x 13, 10 reps +
    • Set #1: TKD High Block (each arm) x 20 reps
    • Set #2: 2 lb. Indian Clubs x One Minute
    • Set #3: DB Lateral Raises x 12 lbs. x 15 reps
    • Set #4: Crunches x 20 reps
    • Set #5: Incline Push-up to Elbow Plank (4-ct) x 15 reps
  • Heavy Spring Bar (pronated grip) x 8 reps
  • I did some stretching after the workout.
  • (Evening) I went to referee training for 2.5 hours. Wasn’t feeling quite as froggy today but I learned a lot.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 147 g.

Wed, May 25th

  • (Afternoon) Back Day at the Physical Therapy Office. I warmed up using their arm cycle machine. Also, I’m feeling pretty sore today all over so I eased back a point or two on the weights and band strength today, especially since I have a wrestling show I have to go to tomorrow.
  • (Super Set) One-Handed Standing Rows (each arm, cables): 2 sets x 17 lbs. x 15 reps +
    • One-Handed Pulldowns (each arm, cable): 2 sets x 17 lbs. x 15 reps
  • Bilateral External Shoulder Rotation (green band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • Cheerleaders (green band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • (Super Set) Prone “M’s”: 2 sets x 15 reps +
    • Prone “T’s”: 2 sets x 15 reps
  • One-Handed Bent Over Row (each side): 10 lbs. x 2 sets x 15 reps
  • (Super Set) Standing Rows (purple band): 2 sets x 15 reps +
    • Shoulder Extensions (purple band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • We ended with some stretching, ultrasound, and heat with electric muscle stimulation. I also stretched again later in the evening.

Calories: 2190, Protein: 126 g.

Thur, May 26th

I helped with set up and teardown for a wrestling show in San Jose, California. I also helped with security, etc. during the show. The picture below is taken before the show began while people were still coming in. This is an outdoor event in the parking area at a beer brewery where they bring in a bunch of food trucks and (of course) beer.

People can come to the show for free. I’ve done a couple of these now and both times, like in the picture above which I took right before the first match, there are maybe a hundred people. But once things get going the crowd tends to grow very large to where the whole parking lot is full with a lot more people. Things get fun too as the beer flows though people are well-behaved. People bring their kids too and set up beanbag games and the like. After the matches, we let people in the ring so they can have their pictures taken with a few of the wrestlers. So it’s a good time and traditionally is a popular outdoor event.

Calories: 2471, Protein: 150 g.

Fri, May 27th

Took a rest day other than a little stretching.

Calories: 2003, Protein: 123 g.

Sat, May 28th

Another rest day.

Calories: 1997, Protein: 110 g.

I lost 0.375 lbs. this week. My total loss is 20 lbs. over fifteen weeks for an average of 1.33 lbs/week. My calorie intake for the week was 14,818.

Sun, May 29th

We followed along to The Jack Lalane Show (DVD 1, Episode 5) shortly after waking up. I stretched some in the evening as well.

Calories: 2012, Protein: 108 g.

The picture below comes from the wrestling show on the 26th. We had finished tearing down and ring and such and were getting ready to leave. I overheard one of the luchadores ask, “What do you call that in English?” and he was pointing up. I looked up and to my surprise there was a gargoyle!

Took this picture when it was dark out.

I was pretty surprised because I had helped out before at this venue and never noticed them before. It also made me smile because last year I had been on quite a gargoyle kick when I was editing The Lost Librarian’s Grave and was pretty much interested in all things gargoyle-related. Maybe more like obsessed as these four worthy gargoyles (see picture below) in my then-growing collection could attest.*

Not the greatest picture but I think it illustrates the depth of my then mania concerning gargoyles.

Mon, May 30th

I followed along to The Jack Lalane Show (DVD 2, Episode 1) shortly after waking up. Then I balanced on the rocker board with my feet together to make things slightly harder for one minute in both directions. Then I did two sets of one-leg balancing for 15 seconds (side-to-side) with each foot. I finished with some stretching and foam rolling.

I did two hours of very basic wrestling training for two hours in the evening.

Calories: 1988, Protein: 135 g.

Tues, May 31st

(Wake-up) I balanced on the rocker board for two minutes, then I did the Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, RPMs 70+, Manual Program, Level 5. Afterward, I did a little stretching.

(Afternoon) Leg Day at the Physical Therapy Office: I warmed up with dynamic stretching and light movement.

  • (Super Set) Rocker Board Balancing (feet together to make it harder): 2 sets x 1 minute +
    • Calf Stretches (both legs): 2 sets x 30 seconds
  • Monster Walks (blue band, forward and backward): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Played toss with a 6 lb. ball for one minute while standing on dyna pads.
  • Step up with Knee Raise and Raise 6 lb. Ball (each leg): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Squats with Resisted Hip Abduction (blue band): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • Seated Leg Press: 335 lbs x 3 sets x 15 reps
  • (Super Set) Standing Hip Abduction (blue band, ea. leg): 2 sets x 10 reps +
    • Standing Hip Extension (blue band, ea. leg): 2 sets x 10 reps
  • I finished with some stretching, foam rolling, heat, and electric muscle stimulation. The therapist also did some ultrasound therapy on my knee.

(Evening) I went to wrestling school for two hours, though it was a light day for me because I was nursing a mild neck and back injury from Monday where I accidentally and single-handedly spiked my head into the mat. Not exactly my finest moment, lol.

Calories: 2007, Protein: 126 g.

Wed, June 1st

(Afternoon) I followed “Restorative Hip Stretch” by Naya Rappaport, and then streched some on my own. The session lasted for about 30 minutes.

Back Day at the Physical Therapy Office. I warmed up by doing some dynamic stretching and light calisthenics. Today I concentrated more on keeping my shoulders down and my shoulderblades pulled together for many of the exercises, which I’ve been getting lax at lately. I had some ultrasound work done on my neck and back before I did the exercises.

  • One-Handed Standing Rows (each arm, cables): 2 sets x 17 lbs. x 15 reps +
  • One-Handed Pulldowns (each arm, cable): 2 sets x 17 lbs. x 15 reps
  • Bilateral External Shoulder Rotation (blue band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • Cheerleaders (pink band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • (Super Set) Prone “M’s”: 2 sets x 15 reps +
    • Prone “T’s”: 2 sets x 15 reps
  • Seated Alternating DB Overhead Front Raises: 2 lbs. x 2 sets x 15 reps
  • One-Handed Bent Over Row (each side): 10 lbs. x 2 sets x 15 reps
  • (Super Set) Standing Rows (purple band): 2 sets x 15 reps +
    • Shoulder Extensions (purple band): 2 sets x 15 reps
  • We ended with some stretching, and heat with electric muscle stimulation.

Calories: 3013, Protein: 149 g.

Thur, June 2nd

Today was a rest day other than some stretching.

Calories: 1995, Protein: 129 g.

Fri, June 3rd

(Wake-up) We followed along to The Jack Lalane Show (DVD 4, Episode 5). I also stood on the balance board for one minute both before and after Jack Lalane.

  • (Afternoon Workout) I warmed up with some lighter sets with the weights, dynamic stretching, and indian club work.
  • (Super Set) Arnold Press: 20 lbs. x 5 sets x 15 reps +
    • Set #1: TKD Low Block (each arm): 20 reps
    • Set #2: Dead Bugs (2-ct): 31 reps
    • Set #3: Face Pulls: 15 lbs. x 15 reps
    • Set #4: Chest Press from Horse Stance (10 lb. mace) x 30 reps
    • Set #5: Joust (10 lb. mace) x 30 reps
  • (Super Set) Incline Push-ups*: (Bench) x 7 reps, (Bench & Step Platform + 4th Cellar Step) x 2 sets x 4+4 reps, Bench & Step Platform Negatives: 2 sets x 4 reps +
    • Set #1: TKD High Block (each arm): 20 reps
    • Set #2: Internal Rotation with Shoulder Abduction (orange band, ea. arm): 15 reps
    • Set #3: DB Lateral Raises: 2 lbs. x 15 reps
    • Set #4: Crunches: 30 reps
    • Set #5: Reverse One-Handed Tricep Pushdowns (each arm, cable): 10 lbs. x 15 reps

Calories: 1997, Protein: 105 g.

Sat, June 4th

Another rest day.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 122 g.

I lost 1.5 lbs. this week. My total loss is 21.5 lbs. over sixteen weeks for an average of 1.34 lbs/week. My calorie intake for the week was 15,013.

* These days it is camels as my next post will show.

Work Outs: March 6 – 12, 2022 (The Chess Gargoyle, Check Owl, and Santa Cruz Trolley)

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My husband and I have been playing a bit of chess lately. We’ve set up a chess set on a table and a rule is that the player whose turn it is has to make at least one move per day, though we each can make more than that. During the opening we often make several moves per day and sometimes, at night, we’ll sit down and finish out a game. Especially if we are nearing the end game. Neither one of us is particularly good at chess so we’re interesting opponents for each other.

One problem we ran into is we’d both sometimes forget whose turn it was. This led to some dubious moments of one player possibly having a double move or both of us agreeing to just restart the game.

We needed to come up with a solution.

Back when I was editing The Lost Librarian’s Grave, I collected quite a few gargoyles, hippogriffs, and the like. They are festooned about our house on various shelves and such on Guard or Ornamental Duty, etc.

So I came up with the idea of the Chess Gargoyle and picked this one because of all the gargoyles we have, this one seemed like it might be interested in board games. As for the hippogriff, it would probably try to fly off with one of the pieces and hatch it like an egg. Stupid horse-bird thingie.

The rule we decided upon was that the chess gargoyle goes to the side of the board of whoever’s turn it happens to be. An easy solution to the “Whose turn is it?” problem!

Sun, March 6th

Rest day. I stretched for about a half-hour.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 106 g.

Mon, March 7th

I attended wrestling class in the evening, and also did about 30 minutes of stretching.

Calories: 1905, Protein: 149 g.

Tues, March 8th

  • (Morning Workout) Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, Hill Program, Level 8, RPMs: 80+.
  • Circuit Workout: I completed warming up for this with some light sets of the weight exercises from the circuit, some dynamic stretching and my ubiquitous 1 lbs. indian clubs. I moved from exercise to exercise and set to set with no minimal rest. Links to the most of the steps I did here are in this post.
  • (Tri Set) Standing Rows (hog bar): 60 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps +
    • CoC Grippers (Guide 60 lbs.) x 3 sets x 8 reps, (Sport 80 lbs.) x 5 reps
    • Basic Step x 4 sets x 45 seconds.
  • (Tri Set) Pulldowns (hog bar): 60 lbs. x 3 sets x 12 reps, [70 lbs. x 8 reps + 60 lbs. x 4 reps] +
    • CoC Grippers (Sport, 80 lbs.) x 2 sets x 5 reps, (Trainer, 100 lbs.) x 2 sets x 5 reps (partials)
    • Corner to Corner Step x 4 sets x 45 seconds.
  • (Tri Set) DB Bicep Curls: 20 lbs. x 12 reps, [20 lbs. x 8 reps + 15 lbs. x 4 reps] x 3 sets +
    • Alternating Sets of Front Kick Stretch and Side Kick Stretch x 2 sets each x 12 reps (each leg)
    • Straddle Step x 4 sets x 45 seconds.
  • (Tri Set) BB Standing Wrist Curls: 65 x 4 sets x 12 reps +
    • Alternating Sets of Reverse Hyperextensions x 12 reps and Supine Leg Windmills x 50 revolutions each direction
    • Hamstring Curl Step x 4 sets x 45 seconds.
  • (Tri Set) DB Reverse Wrist Curls: 12 lbs. x 4 sets x 12 reps +
    • DB Hammer Curls: 20 lbs. x 12 reps, [(20 lbs. x 12 reps + 15 lbs. x 4 reps) x 2 sets], [20 lbs. x 6 reps + 15 lbs. x 4 reps + 12 lbs. x 2 reps]
    • Knee Up Step x 4 sets x 45 seconds.
  • I did some static stretches and also “Back/Shoulder Flexibility for Beginners” yoga class with Dylan Werner through Alomoves.com. The stretching and yoga component lasted for about 40 minutes.
  • We did a late afternoon walk. It took about 30 minutes.

Calories: 2003, Protein: 153 g.

Another fun innovation in our games is yon Check Owl.

The owl goes on the board whenever one of us puts the other player in check. In normal games, it is simple enough to say, “You’re in check,” if your opponent forgets, but not as simple in our games because the player in question has to remember their last move, which they might have made the day before, and take it back so they can address the check.

I bought the Check Owl some years ago when I was driving the Santa Cruz Trolley. There was this lady at one of my stops, where I usually took my mandated break, who put out a bunch of wares on a big blanket to sell to the tourists.

So one day I bought this owl from her and put it on a shelf where I have a bunch of other owl and animal stuff. As for the Trolley, local people seemed to really like it as a bit of local tradition and color. They often called it “The Beach Bus” because it ferried people during the summer from downtown Santa Cruz to near the boardwalk where there is of course a beach and a bunch of attractions such as rides and shops.* As you can see it is a bus that was kitted out to look a bit like a trolley, and the inside seats were made out of wood like an old-timey trolley car.

I liked to put together playlists of fun oldie and beach songs for the ride and also it was a bit of a thing with some drivers, which I picked up on, to ring the bell as you’d go through the main intersections. The bell sounded like an actual bell and oftentimes people would pump their arms in that universal gesture that truckers know for people wanting you to lay on your air horn.

Unfortunately, the Trolley is no more in the above incarnation. If and when the beach bus starts up again, I’m told it will be a vanilla bus without much character but probably cheaper for the company to maintain. Alas, I think my bus driving days are over in any case. We all got laid off en masse back when everything first got shut down some time ago now, and I moved on to other interests. Still, I’m glad that I got a chance to be a small part of this bit of local history back when it was an interesting ride.

Wed, March 9th

  • I stretched for 35 minutes shortly after waking up.
  • In the afternoon, I followed along with Jack Lalane, DVD 1, Episode 3. Afterward, I did “Morning Yoga for Beginners” with Patrick Beach on Alomoves.com. I wanted to take it easy today after a fairly intense workout yesterday.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 150 g.

Thur, March 10th

  • We followed along with Jack Lalane, DVD 1, Episode 3 shortly after waking up. I stretched for 30 minutes later in the day.
  • We did a short evening walk in the forest for about 30 minutes.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 117 g.

Fri, March 11th

  • (Morning Workout) Morning Recumbent Bike: 30 Minutes, Hill Program, Level 9, RPMs: 80+.
  • Circuit Leg Workout: I warmed up by following along with Jack Lalane, DVD 2, Episode 1 and then afterward I did a little additional dynamic stretching. For the workout, I went from exercise to exercise and set to set with as little rest as possible.
  • (Giant Set) Reverse Leg Press: 45 lbs. x 12 reps, 55 lbs. x 12 reps, 65 lbs. x 12 reps, 75 lbs. x 12 reps, 85 lbs. x 12 reps +
    • Calf Raises (RLP): 45 lbs. x 12 reps, 55 lbs. x 12 reps, 65 lbs. x 12 reps, 75 lbs. x 12 reps, 85 lbs. x 12 reps (Three sets with straightened legs and two sets with legs slightly bent.)
    • Seated Leg Curls: 45 lbs. x 2 sets x 12 reps, 50 lbs. x 3 sets x 12 reps
    • Lateral Walking with Band: 5 sets x 12 reps going in both directions
  • (Giant Set) Leg Extension Machine: 25 lbs. x 5 sets x 12 reps +
    • Front Kick Stretch (each leg): 5 sets x 12 reps
    • Alternating Sets of Supine Leg Revolutions (each direction): 2 sets x 50 revolutions, and Dead Bugs (2-ct): 3 sets x 12 reps
    • Alternating Sets of Reverse HyperExtensions: 2 sets x 12 reps, and Side Leg Lifts (each leg): 3 sets x 12 reps
  • I stretched for 30 minutes, incorporating some of what I’ve been doing with the yoga classes.

Calories: 2000, Protein: 166 g.

Sat, March 12th

We followed along with Jack Lalane, DVD 1, Episode 5 and did a little stretching afterward too.

Calories: 1905, Protein: 141 g.

I lost 0.875 lbs. this week. My total loss is 7 lbs. over four weeks. My calorie intake for the week was 13,808.

* The 1987 vampire movie, The Lost Boys, was filmed in Santa Cruz and features shots from the boardwalk during that time. I personally haven’t seen a vampire myself in the area, but I sure do keep looking and I know if they are out there I’ll eventually find one because I’m a real vampire expert by virtue of having read Dracula a bunch of times and pretty much everything on vampires Anne Rice ever wrote!