One month

So I've been here (not exactly counting the hours) for one month now.  Things I've gained:

• sand-covered clothes
• an appreciation for people who ride the bus to work
• the beginnings of an allegorical comparison of deployment and prison

Things I've missed:

• my second son's first birthday
• the east coast "heat wave"
• quality food

Thanks to jalopnik for their approach to destankifying a car (we'll see if it works on dorm rooms).

Based on a friend's suggestion, I did 5x5 workouts of deadlift and shoulder press.  As I was doing my DLs, there was a guy next to me putting up 515.  Wow...I got 405 a couple weeks ago, so if I can increase that by 10% or so, say to 450, I'll feel pretty happier.

Update: a strong, hulking Army behemoth I talked to at the gym yesterday (no mustache) suggested I increase the weight on my sets, from about 50% of my max to 75%.  My friend Keith suggested combining deadlift and shoulder press on one day and then squat and bench press on another.  Actually, he suggested cleans in combination, but cleans work so many muscles I'll keep them on their own day.

Warmup: 9 pullups, 9 dips and 9 OHS
Workout: Deadlift - 5x275, 5x305, 5x345, 365 (couldn't do it), 1x365 (couldn't hold it)
               Shoulder press - 5x135, 5x135, 5x145, 4x150, 3x155
Cooldown: 15 pushups, 15 air squats

I think I'll take tomorrow as a rest day.

So I had shredded steak, sauerkraut, two over hard eggs and chicken sausage for dinner.  Kinda like these guys.

onions, green peppers and jalapenos are nice and cozy in their egg blanket

That being said, I'd love to be able to try this method by Gordon Ramsay (apparently he's not always loud and obnoxious...maybe Fox has that effect on people).  Here he is showing how to make the perfect scrambled eggs...and then give it to the missus in bed.

Finally, I really enjoy the humor of That Mitchell and Webb Look.  They give us the gamut for doctors: Homeopathy, 1970's era doctors and Nutrionists.

Two white hairs

No picture included; you'll just have to believe me: I have two distinct white hairs on the left side of my mustache.  I'm well on my way to a fully-formed old-man beard ala Jeff Bridges.

Warmup: 15 dips, 8 pullups, 8 feet to bar, 10 good mornings and 15 overhead squats

Workout: Push press: 10-95lbs, 9-95, 8-115, 7-115, 6-135, 5-155, 4-155, 3-165, 2-175 & 1-195

Cooldown: 12 deadlifts @ 225

Dinner was steak, more steak, salmon (thus endeth the s-foods), carrots and green beans slathered in "olive oil" (I don't really trust the labels on the food out here, but it's the best I can do without buying a hot plate for my room).

Steak number two is hiding

Many thanks to Edleez Tobacco for the free cigars to send to troops overseas.  I've donated to the local cigar club (so far I doubt the existence of smoking jackets) and sent some to some of the guys I work with.

Here's one of the smoking gazebos near my room:

It's like the people who built it are telling smokers, "You can smoke here, but you're going to have to walk on stones instead of the sidewalk."

Also have to thank the Rogers Family for the coffee they send to troops as well.  Much better than the Folgers I found in the back of the cabinet at work or the black liquid they try to pass off as coffee in the dining facility.  Today during breakfast I poured half a cup and couldn't even bring it to near face it smelled so bad...similar to boiled used car oil.

Stopped by the BX to see if they had any new free comics, which basically entail The Avengers helping some troops during a random daily event (walking in an airport, brushing teeth, reading the latest updated AFIs or trimming nosehairs).  Oh yeah: they aren't for me, they are for my son.  For perspective, here's what the BX looks like:

Frank Lloyd Wright, eat your heart out

Grammar: even British people and panda bears literally pay attention to grammar.