Wordless Wednesday: Praise Those Can Can Ladies

Breaking News: Duddhist Monk on Okinawa !

Never a Dull Moment

Taking a circuitous route to work this morning, an extra mile was added to the trip. 

Knowing, I would be doing some strenuous exercise, I stopped at a supermarket.

I bought some energy drinks and powerful energy snacks, six boxes of them.

A park, has a circuit course of exercise benches and weight lifting machines, I wanted to try.

The athletic park, is near the store.  I got hungry along the way and started munching.

Those power bars are sort of dry and crunchy so, I washed them down with power drinks.

There was enough energy stored in me, to do the course, twice. What a buzz !

By the time I got to the office, I still felt supercharged. So, I talked myself into a new challenge.

A friend, told me, I could get online and become an ordained priest. So, that's what I did.

Heathens Can Read It and Weep

After I got ordained, they said, I could call myself a priest, minister or, whatever, I want.

So, I decided Duddhist Monk, would be what I'll go by, for the time being.

It's a lot of work, getting started. Spell Check keeps trying to correct me. I don't mind.

Duddhist people are supposed to be really laid back. Get used to us, we're everywhere.

An Extra Mile

As soon as, the documentation was downloaded, I had to get things printed.

A certificate, framed and hanging on the wall, was one necessity, which couldn't be overlooked.

And, a bunch of identification cards (wallet size) needed to be printed.

The sunny weathed disappeared; it got cold, windy and cloudy. No problem.

Duddhists are always cheerful and, an umbrella would protect my documents.

Nobody would notice, a new monk, walking down the street; I was in my regular duds.

It's a good walk, to the Family Mart, I was using to do my printing.  

Placing my umbrella in the rack outside the front door, I went and started printing.

A large color photo paper print and several credit card-sized ones, was only about 2 bucks.

On the way back, I forgot my umbrella, I was so happy. Maybe, I levitated.

Halfway to the office, I remembered the umbrella and, had to float back, to get it.

The Investment Could Be Worth a Million Dollars

There are a few more items, I'll have to purchase, Duddhist stuff like, a robe and hat.

A pair of dark welders glasses, I think, would be more appropriate.

Some sort of flowing robe and maybe, a yellow traffic cone, to be made into a hat.

All I had lying around the office, were some props, I used for a wedding rehearsal.

The back-scratcher, will be replaced with some sort of sacred tree branch.

The black thing, was used to represent my holy (see the hole?) scripture.

Walking that extra mile, I was trying to find a traffic cone but, came up empty handed.

What's most important, is to get practice, being reverent, at the moment.

The wardrobe, will fall into place, eventually.  I need to work on my presentation.

Things like, "Do you take this ___  and, In sickness, health and, all that stuff."

Oh, yeah "Until death do you part unless, one of you get caught cheating."

Then, "By the powers vested in me by the Church of Latter-Day Dude....

I now pronounce you Man and Wife."

I'm thinking of adding something: Generously Tip the Cameraman on the way out !

Animation: Bird Watchers

There Was a Slew of Them

Not the birds, I'm talking about the humans, with fancy glass, binoculars and big zooms.

Just when an old man, went to water some bushes and, thought nobody was around.

All of a sudden, I looked across the fields and, they showed up, pointing their instruments.

AT ME !

Not to worry, I was a few hundred yards away so, they couldn't see everything.

At first, I figured it might have been some kind of camera club, out on a tour.

Thinking, they shot me first, I planned on getting even but, remained a good distance away.

When the flock of egrets, took off flying, most of the enthusiasts, missed it.

The birds probably knew, they'd be a target so, they moved swiftly, past the crowd.

With 420MM of lens, on my camera, I only captured a part of the pandemonium.

Heading towards home, I had to cross the bridge, they were standing on.

That's when, I noticed, what kind of equipment, they were carrying.

Approaching the most senior-looking dude, I asked, "Birdsu Watchingu?"

That's how you would say it in Japanese, sorta.  He said, "Hai."

Then, I wished him a Happy New Year in Okinawan dialect and, he didn't understand.

So, I thought he might be Japanese, from the mainland and, tried once more.

"Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu" (Happy New Year) and, he understood that.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, I trudged on back and downloaded my camera.

Can't Show All the People's Faces

When passing closeby the gang of bird watchers, I got a good look at their lenses.

Some of them, may have been 1200MM and, some folks had powerful binoculars.

When processing the RAW photo files, I can enlarge them and, see great details.

When, they were looking at the old man in the bushes, one gal's mouth was wide open.

Now, I'm thinking maybe, they saw more than just an old guy with a beard.

It looks like that gal might have been saying something.

"Look, there's a baby bald eagle in a nest, he's holding in his hands!"

Bird Photos: Northern Lapwing in Flight

Fast Moving Birds

They are a bit timid and, won't let a camera get too close, this year.

On the ground, they appear much different than, they do when flying.

These images were taken in Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan with a Pentax K1.

A Pentax 300MM lens with 1.4 converter gives a Focal Length of 420MM.

Exposure: f/5.6  1/5000   ISO 400

See a Doctor Before Attempting this Exercise

Not Approved by Certified Fitness Trainers

One reason, you should check with your doctor: Make sure you're in good health.

Another reason is, you might need a psychological evaluation, too.

Before beginning any strenuous physical activity, it's a good idea, to make sure you're fit.

It's especially important for senior citizens, like me and, some of my cronies.

That animation, created this morning, is me on a rainy day in Okinawa, Japan.

My redneck weight, gets lifted over my head, at least 150 times a day, at this stage of the game.

It's not, some New Year resolution.  I've been doing it for two months, now.

When it first started, I could barely lift a concrete block, over my head, five times.

If, you try doing things too fast, the block bumps your head and, things can get bloody.

Beat your head against a brick wall enough times and, you should get smarter. Right?

How It All Got Started

One day during October, I found something online, concerning physical fitness.

There are all sorts of videos and advice columns; better than half of them, garbage.

One mentioned, lifting something, over your head, at least 10 times a day.

It went on to say, it doesn't need to be heavy. Just getting your body exercised.

I'm always walking around the island with cameras and, usually a tripod.

Remembering the lifting advice, I'd raise things over my head, 10 times, just for fun.

A couple of times a day, while out waiting for some action with the camera, lift.

People, driving by, must have been wondering. "What's that guy doing?"

A camera, mounted on a tripod, with a big lens is sort of clumsy, for weight lifting.

All the weight is either on your right arm or, the left. Not very good balance.

But, I did notice some, working of rarely used muscles. And, it felt good after a few days.

One afternoon, out behind the office, I spotted a cinder block, lying around, doing nothing.

I borrowed it. We became weight training buddies, along with some other blocks, too.

They're not, my cement blocks. I sneaked out and lifted them, when nobody was around.

Sometimes, I'd wait until after dark to, make sure the landlord wasn't around or, awake.

A Trip to the Hardware Store

Guilt, from sneaking around and using someone's cement blocks, got the best of me.

One day, I got a connection, to take me shopping and, bought my very own, brand new blocks.

Four concrete blocks, of varying sizes, cost me about five bucks. Imagine that !

A little redneck gymnasium, in my office, keeps me from stealing time with those old blocks.

Anytime, I feel like it, I can get an awesome workout, without going anywhere.

Actually, I still go out and, use the original cement block, sometimes. Old buddy.

That cinder block has some of my hairs and blood, still attached to it. We're like friends.

Frontal View at a Later Date

There's a reason photos, weren't taken showing the front of the model above.

The big beer belly (in former selfies) has been melting away but, more needs to be done.

After a few more months of the 18-Minute Kick Butt Kickboxing Workout, we'll see.

It's important, to start this kind of training, in small increments, a little at a time.

When, the abdominal muscles, look like, they were chiseled in stone, I'll give you a peek.

Interested in Shaping Up ?

Friends and family have been asking me, "How did you do that?"

What works for one person, might not, for others. We're all different. So, I just don't know.

Using Google, you can find all sorts of fitness information and videos.

The majority of them, I find useless. And, I try them all, sifting through, to get good ones.

So far, for beginners, I would recommend WebMd Fitness & Exercise to get you started.

It has excellent advice for men and women, young and elderly with, short and sweet videos.

If anyone, wants links to the crazy sort of things, I do with cement blocks, let me know.

Want to learn how to get in shape, from someone, who calls cinder blocks his friends ?