GlibFit 4.0 – Coronavirus Edition XLIX: Phoning It In

by | Feb 21, 2021 | GlibFit | 186 comments

I’ll apologize in advance because I’m phoning it in this week.  I have been swamped with work.  I’ve worked the past two weekends and am doing it again this weekend.  Two of my employees resigned but someone has got to make the doughnuts.  Given the three-month lapse with almost no work last year, I’ll knock wood.

I don’t have any inspiring workout news or advice.  I won’t be around for this week’s GlibFit either because I’m getting together with my parents and sister. So, I’ll suggest some alternative topics.

Topic One: Babylon 5 was the best science fiction show on television.  I know there are a million variables to this.  There are plenty of strong contenders: Battlestar Galactica (the reboot), Star Trek: The Original Series (considering when it was broadcast), and I have heard great things about The Expanse though I have never seen it.  B5 got so much right, first.  There was a story arc to the entire series. It addressed religion, war, and commerce in a serious way.  Heroes were shown to fallible and villains (sometimes) earned redemption.  Discuss.

Topic Two: Farscape had the best-looking space chicks.  I’m defining this by major recurring characters.  Lots of shows had one super-hot chick (I’m looking at you Star Trek: Voyager) but not much more.  Farscape, even with its semi-rotating cast, had one hottie after the next all of whom were bad asses in their own way.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

California’s Covid numbers have fallen off a cliff.  We are back to where we were in mid-November.  We had a double peak during the winter.  The last one was January 13th.  F***ing Newsom can’t take any credit and the populace seems to recognize this.  Bye bye Gavin.

It looks like we are close to herd immunity.  I have to laugh at the headline.  Here is the op-ed author’s bio, Dr. Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, chief medical adviser to Sesame Care, and author of “The Price We Pay.” I guess that doesn’t make you an expert.  You are only an expert if you subscribe to pandemic panic and intrusive government measures.

About The Author

Chafed

Chafed

I'm looking California but feeling Minnesota

186 Comments

  1. Cy Esquire

    Herd immunity, I think I saw that in a porno once.

  2. Gustave Lytton

    Just started The Expanse and I’m hooked. Need to rewatch B5. I stopped about S3 when life changed and only seen pieces of later episodes.

    • Fourscore

      Explains why “He may be wearing a mask in ’22”

      Not me, not ’20, ’21, or the big Fauci year,

  3. But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

    I hate painting baseboards.

    That is all.

    • Gustave Lytton

      What’s your technique? Paint before installing, cover nail holes, and touch up or install, mask, and then paint at once?

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        Paint before installing. Nothing creates sharper lines. And the brad nailer I use seems to make the brad nailhead holes almost magically disappear. From a standing position, you can’t normally see the holes at all. Occasionally I still fill and dab some paint.

    • Muzzled Woodchipper

      That’s what you get for painting.

      After my last painting project, I vowed to never paint anything ever again.

      I’ll call a fucking painter for a 1ft^2 area. I don’t give a shit. Fuck painting.

      • TARDis

        I’ll call a fucking painter for a 1ft^2 area. I don’t give a shit. Fuck painting.

        ^^^

        Add to the list:
        vehicle maintenance
        yard work
        housework
        overtime

        Fortunately my wife doesn’t mind a little painting now and then.

        This weekend I was bamboozled into helping my wife set up her raised-bed garden, however.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        I’ve considered getting painters in, multiple times. After every quote, I think to myself “that’s damn near a European vacation I’m giving to some d00d with a brush and roller.” Then I buckle down and paint whatever it is that needs painting.

        I’m always glad when it’s done. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel on this push — after the master bedroom, we have a small ensuite, a living room with an abnormally high ceiling (sloped, 12 feet at the high point) and a kitchen. Kitchen and ensuite will get done this summer, the rest as the spirit (Spousal Unit) moves. I’ve actually dreaded the master bedroom the most, because all of SU’s hopes and dreams were being poured into the outcome of this, plus I had to restore it to a functioning bedroom every night during The Great Discombobulation.

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        Painting isn’t too bad if you have the right tools. Spackling and texturing is for the birds, especially if it’s a patch job. I’ll give them a European vacation if they get it right.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        On reflection, the actual painting’s nowhere near as bad as all the prep. There are days when I’m shown a really big room and I’m told “It’s gotta be prepped first” that make me want to cry. At least when the paint starts going on you can see progress. Prep’s utterly thankless, and can take days if there are repairs etc. to do as well.

    • Mojeaux

      I actually enjoy painting. Let me tell you. With a good cutting-in brush, I never have to tape and I don’t skimp on my cutting-in brushes.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        My average working brush costs $30.00. I bought the most recent one thirteen years ago. Still going strong.

        Those “three for ten dollah” brushes are fine . . . for wiping the edge of the can after you’ve poured the paint out. I buy crappy Chinese hog bristle brushes in the ten-pack for applying Skoot or pruning tar to trees etc., great for throwing away immediately after. And don’t get me started on foam brushes, I loathe those things.

      • Mojeaux

        OT: Put nail holes in the rim of your can to drain the paint back in.

        My son decided that of all the paint brushes I have, he needed to use my $40 brush and then he didn’t clean it.

        I bought another one though because taping is for the birds.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        Hmmmm. If we’d been next-door neighbours, I could’ve saved that brush for you. Better living through chemistry!

    • zwak

      For some reason, the base boards in the second bathroom were painted brown. It took me a while to realize that they weren’t wood, but painted over real and decent wood baseboards. Weird.

  4. Gustave Lytton

    Somewhat related to Glibfit? Have been watching Imamu’s YouTube channel detailing her weekly husband bentos (or as I mentally parse it, husbentos). Has really inspired me to put together a full meal instead just a sandwich, skipping (my usual), eating prepackaged snacks, or going the fast food route. Not there yet everyday but I’m trying.

    Example https://youtu.be/nhdSQFcc5XI

    I wish I could plate my versions as nicely as she does. Wow.

    • westernsloper

      Damn.

    • l0b0t

      I winced every time she cut something, expecting her fingertips to come off in the meal. The food looked great though; that pork tonkatsu is calling me..

    • Aloysious

      That looks very tasty.

  5. westernsloper

    ​I’ll apologize in advance because I’m phoning it in this week.

    No worries and thanks for the dedication you have put in when you didn’t phone it in. We all phone it in sometimes. The sun helped my mood today and I fell asleep for a bit outside but then the wind kicked up. Too chilly for napping outdoors when there is a breeze.

    Next week looks warmer here so the bike is going back into the car for after work pedals. I found a great place to ride and hopefully not fuck myself up but I am an idiot so no promises.

  6. EvilSheldon

    B5 was very, very good. The best? Maybe, but I don’t think it’s a runaway victory. The first season of B5 was pretty uneven, and the fifth is better left unmentioned. But when B5 was on, it was really on.

  7. mrfamous

    172, 171, 171, 172.5, 170.5, 169, 170.5 this week. Plan to end the cut on March 22 and then bulk (slowly) for 16 weeks, before another 5 week cut before my birthday.

    The BS inaccurate hand held device says I’m under 15% body fat. Don’t know if that’s true, but I’ve got some muscle separation, vascularity is coming into my forearms and there appears to be the outline of a six-pack forming on my abdominals. So I’m definitely sub 18% anyway.

    I won’t have a six pack or a “diced” physique after the first cut as I do have to put on some muscle to get a better body fat distribution. But hopefully the second cut will do it.

    With four weeks left in the cut, it’s certainly within reach to get to 165 by the end.

    The bad news: I know my body fat is getting fairly low now, because it is finally starting to affect me in the gym. I’m mostly completing my lifts with only a few failures, but I’m pretty exhausted at the end of every session. Onward and upward…

    • Tundra

      So what’s the plan? Are you competing or just trying to impress the chicks?

      • mrfamous

        Just trying to look good for my 50th birthday. Basically been at least a little “out of shape” my whole life, and was outright morbidly obese for about 12 years. Now, I’m not and it’s made me happier.

        You can’t turn back the hands of time, but you can fight it as best as you can.

      • IRBE

        High Value Alpha..FTW

      • Tundra

        Fuck yeah!

        Good luck, brother!

    • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

      Do you use supplements?

      At my age (62), I have to. Can’t maintain any focus or energy during a workout without ’em.

      I “pre-load” with 2.5 grams of Creapure creatine, a single ibuprofen, and 10 to 20 grams of glucose. Start workout 30 minutes later.

      Post-workout is another 2.5 grams creatine, 5 grams glutamine, 30 grams mixed proteins in milk, and 1 gram of taurine, mebbe with more glucose (or I’ll swap orange juice for the milk). Haven’t found a better stack for myself.

      • Tundra

        Coffee, protein powder, creatine and MCT oil.

      • IRBE

        Or you could just eat 2 pounds of ribeye steak with melted butter and Himalayan sea salt. I am trying to simplify.

      • mrfamous

        I take creatine monohydrate with a protein shake after the morning workout, but otherwise no supplements.

      • blackjack

        I thought your were gonna add like 6 more Ibuprofins onto the post work out. I’m all hyped up on Naproxin, myself.

  8. TARDis

    Firefly could have been a contender! I don’t know who is responsible for effing it up, but eff them.

    I found all of the 4 main XXs quite appealing in their own ways.

    • Gender Traitor

      A friend put us on to Firefly long after its run was over – lent us the complete series (and Serenity) on DVD. That’s a good ‘un.

      But which series has the better female character named “River”??

      • TARDis

        Oh please, I would walk away in a heartbeat for sweetie. 🙂

      • commodious spittoon

        Kaylee is best bae.

    • Aloysious

      Watched John Carpenters Ghost of Mars last night for the first time.

      If John Carpenters martians didn’t inspire Joss’ Reavers (GoM came out the year prior), I’ll eat my hat.

      Which is fine, I like them both.

  9. IRBE

    Hi Chafed! Thanks for this phoned edition and greetings from NOCal. Weather here is typical FEB—sunny and warm. Didn’t notice any hikers today because I don’t care anymore.

    G-fit update: Sleep was great. Food was meh..mixed in too many carbs. Hike mileage was down to 34 miles this week (shit!) . Wim Hoff/meditative “ancient man” techniques; missed a bunch of days (WTF). Weight up 2 lbs (One dump away from goal weight—R. White). Did no MIIT on hikes but did a lot of hills. Cut short my fast to 24 hrs.

    Continued with Horse Stance exercise. Up to 2 minute 15 seconds.

    Still in a rut. Too much work…I need a vacation or something. My problem is I don’t want to compromise freedom while on vacation and feel gipped by the compromise. I got issues…and there is no one to pay.

    Gavin Update: Lots of signatures, lot of scrutiny of signatures. I have been wondering why the kind, protective and caring executive public servant would be recalled. Well, today I found the reason and it comes down to (\\cynical pause…) money. Seems our legislature has codified a contribution rig, where you can give unlimited donations (behested payments) to NGOs (charities) . Seems the behester is Gavin directing donations to his favorite charities. While those behested are rewarded with NO-bid contracts. Some company got a No-Bid $1B masks contract for their $45K donation. That’s ROI…baby! I guess some hi-power Dems must have been shutout from those contracts and allowed the recall to happen. Even a single party union run state run by Dems will eventually not appreciate the abuse…never mind. It’s too broke!

    De todos modos, ¡tenga una gran semana y sáltese una comida o tres!

    • Muzzled Woodchipper

      My problem is I don’t want to compromise freedom while on vacation and feel gipped by the compromise. I got issues…and there is no one to pay.

      Same.

      What’s the point of going somewhere only to stay the fuck in your AirB&B and live like you were at home?

      That said, a trip to Rainbow River will happen this year.

    • westernsloper

      Seems the behester is Gavin directing donations to his favorite charities. While those behested are rewarded with NO-bid contracts. Some company got a No-Bid $1B masks contract for their $45K donation

      Sounds familiar. That is SOP for all of the fuckers. GOP DNC don’t matter. Different teams same game.

      One dump away from goal weight

      BRB

    • Tundra

      I’ve been taking trips this whole time. Headed down to Texas in March.

      Just fucking go. It’s important to get away.

      • IRBE

        Monster!

        I wish it were as simple as getting away. I did the stupid and over committed (cause I won’t compromise) on a couple projects that require consistent TLC.

  10. Tundra

    Chafed!

    *looks at topics*

    Yeah, no.

    Good week this week. Walked at least 4 every day (9 yesterday), hit the weights MWF and played 90 minutes of hockey on Friday night.

    Now I am tired.

    I’ve been really working on getting adequate protein and it really seems to be helping in the gym. I’ve been doing a 30 day reset thingy, but I may keep going since I am feeling pretty damn good. I’ve gotta tweak something, though, as I’m still a little thicc around the middle.

    Since Chafed is phoning it in, I’ll suggest each of you listen to Rip’s most recent podcast.

    Physical Strength is the Most Important Thing in Life

    It sounds hyperbolic, but ponder it for awhile. Being hard to kill is a cute slogan, but it really is at the heart of our physical efforts. I know I don’t want to ever reach the point where I can’t take care of myself or the people around me. If I get the inevitable debilitating health challenge, I want to give myself the best chance to crush it.

    Old people, it’s never too late to lift heavy shit. Youngsters, don’t fucking wait another minute.

    Train Like Your Life Depends On It: Because It Does

    Go get strong, bitches.

    • IRBE

      Hey T, I listened to Woods/Horton pods. Interesting stuff. Didn’t realize I was so credulous about our foreign policy. Don’t really understand why Horton needed to be hyperbolic when he describes our ME shit-show (policies) Listening to him, it reminded me of the TV show The Shield. Vic Mackey, just making shit up on the fly to combat LA gangs and doing the opposite the next show…with nothing bad happening his crew until he wacked them, himself.. Oh boy, buckle up ME. It’s a new season with Joe at the helm.

      • Tundra

        That is a perfect analogy. When I first started listening to Horton, I really didn’t get his shtick, but I’ve grown to really appreciate his analysis and fearlessness.

        War in Iran and Syria by the end of the year.

      • IRBE

        I hope you are wrong about Iran and Syria–for their sake. Too me it is too complicated/confounded/f’d up for any model to predict.

        I wonder if they are going to institute the Tuesday Morning Drone Strike meeting from season 2, the Obama years… I bet not. Joe is his own man. He will probably rescheduled it for Monday; first thing to get the week rolling.

      • Gustave Lytton

        First thing in the morning- 11am.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        Then he’ll call a lid on it around noon.

        Wait, who am I kidding? His shadowy handlers will call a lid on it around noon.

      • R C Dean

        We’re buddying up with Iran. Why would we go to war with them?

      • Tundra

        We’re not buddying up with them. Pompeo was just propagandizing about AQ in Iran.

    • Fourscore

      Took 2 weeks off, cold weather in the gym. Looks like tomorrow will start warming up a bit. Walked to the cabin, the snow was way deeper than I thought. A lot of frost inside but no damage, AFAIK.

      Doc prescribed Flomax, see if that helps the plumbing.

      • Tundra

        Yep, it’s already improved here a lot.

        Do you drain down everything in the cabin?

        I hope the meds do the trick.

      • Fourscore

        Cabin is easy, everything plumbed down hill, about a 5 minute job

    • mrfamous

      Rip is such a mixed bag for me. If we was just 5% less dogmatic, I’d have no issues. But there really is more to life that “sets of fahve.” But obviously he _really_ knows his stuff and he can be quite amusing.

      • Tundra

        Interestingly, he addresses the question of dogma in this episode.

        I’ll say this: I’ve achieved the best results keeping it simple.

      • mrfamous

        Me too. Though I don’t follow the Starting Strength stuff. I’ve been using Eric Helms’ program (mostly) and it seems to be doing what it’s supposed to do (providing strength from the compounds and size from isolation movements). I’m a science guy like Helms so it kinda makes sense to me what he’s doing.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWmchPCyDvw&list=PLnPAPdT4m_g_Uxl_puFeUwogGmIRq9XDW

  11. Nephilium

    Even with the cheat day yesterday, weight is still going down, as is body fat percentage. 11 pounds to go to the next goal, then 15 more to hit the final goal.

    Calorie counting every day up until the mid-March vacation that is planned. It’s tedious, but it’s what works for me. No outdoor riding in the foreseeable future, as I’m not riding when there’s ice and snow.

    • Tundra

      I use Cronometer pretty much all the time now. It’s the best and easiest app I’ve found.

      • Nephilium

        I’ve got a Fitbit, so I’m using that for the tracking.

      • IRBE

        I have a LifeScan. $30 water resistant & disposable (lasts 2 yrs). Really precise, pretty accurate. Gives me all the info I want without the recharge and no bluetooth or connection. Time, distance, cals, heart rate.

  12. Raven Nation

    Would have agreed on B5 before The Expanse, but I now think the latter is better with B5 a close second. What sold me on B5 was that humans were humans: heroic, venal, ordinary, trying to make a living, flawed, etc. Star Trek posited that in some mythical human future, when want & poverty disappeared, we would all become selfless. Bullshit.

    • westernsloper

      Nerd

      • Raven Nation

        Yes.

      • TARDis

        western has nerd immunity.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        Golf.
        Clap.

      • The Hyperbole

        As a zoomer he’s exposed to Nerdvid-19 on a weekly basis.

      • Raven Nation

        Swiss is going to really have to clean up this place when he returns.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        We might have to go easy on him for awhile.

      • Gustave Lytton

        We can canton him to do it. Give ’em helvetia, Switzy!

      • westernsloper

        Swiss is the nerdiest of nerds and I have no doubt he has an opinion on this topic. I have no idea what you nerds are talking about.

      • blackjack

        Since this is glibfit, we can assume he would be using narrowed gays, right?

    • Gustave Lytton

      Star Trek posited that in some mythical human future, when want & poverty disappeared, we would all become selfless

      TNG perhaps, but TOS and DS9 didn’t. TOS has murder, famines, government ordered mass murder (several episodes), thieves, liars, hustlers, envy, slavery, and so on. And good old fashioned workplace sexual harassment as BAU.

      • Raven Nation

        ” TOS has murder, famines, government ordered mass murder (several episodes), thieves, liars, hustlers, envy, slavery, and so on”

        Been a while since I watched TOS but my recollection is that most of those occurred outside the Federation. My original post was poorly worded: what I was getting at was the idea that when humanity embraced the values of the Federation all the bad stuff went away. The Federation was, basically, a perfected Peace Corps. In B5, you get the sense that perfectibility was never going to happen.

    • rhywun

      I caught the “I can’t drive warp 5” episode of TNG the other day and laughed myself silly. Seems like they hit every hot-button topic over the years with similar results.

      Would have agreed on B5 before The Expanse, but I now think the latter is better with B5 a close second.

      Sounds about right. Though I am only at S01E06 with B5 but enjoying the hell out of it.

  13. The Hyperbole

    Tripping the Rift is the best Sci-fi series.

    • Raven Nation

      I think I watched the first two episodes of that show. I wanted to like it and wanted it to be funny, but neither wish came true.

      • The Hyperbole

        Sure it was raunchy, stupid, and relied heavily on sex and fart jokes, but I’m basically a thirteen year old.

      • TARDis

        I’m so so much more mature than you. I’m more like a 15 year old. I think that’s when I started puberty too. I guess I’ll have to check it out.

    • KromulentKristen

      Nerd

  14. Jerms

    I know nothing about those topics, but i hit the gym every weekday this week which i usually do, but the difference is that ive actually kept a good diet through the weekend. (So far anyway)
    I even passed on ice cream cake yesterday. No small feat.

  15. Old Man With Candy

    Farscape had the best-looking space chicks.

    Not in a universe that featured Anne Lockhart in tight white pants.

  16. The Late P Brooks

    Farscape had the best-looking space chicks.

    Season one Lexx: Zev.

    Hubba hubba.

  17. The Late P Brooks

    I have been chiseling away at the glacier in my driveway. I have to cut it into bite size pieces for the snowblower. Downward chopping motion with the shovel to carve off a slice. My hands hurt so bad from gripping the shovel handle I can’t sleep, some nights.

    I cued up Babylon 5 one night a while back, and bailed before I got halfway through ep 1. Didn’t sit well with me for some reason.

  18. Gustave Lytton

    30th anniversary of Boys n the Hood. ?‍♂️ where did the time go?

    • Muzzled Woodchipper

      It’s been that fucking long?

      I remember dragging mom to the theater to watch that.

  19. egould310

    Only ran on Monday, Tuesday and Friday this week. I kept waking up and was prepared to run, but my body kept saying, “Nah, dog. Give the legs a rest. Stay in bed and listen to music for the next two hours.” So I did.

    Will get back on schedule this week. At least my ears and brain got good music workouts.

  20. commodious spittoon

    I’m quitting my job and moving to Nebraska and I’m going to work as a ranch hand or pulling weeds or just anything other than what I do now. I’m going to live in a mobile home and drink Miller High Life and watch the TV.

    • Fourscore

      Do you need a helper?

    • The Hyperbole

      Live the dream, brother!

    • Don escaped Cancun

      * trail maintenance in a national park
      * fishing guide in MT
      * cabana boy Virgin Islands

      • westernsloper

        These are all top notch suggestions. First thing Don has said in months that makes sense.

      • deadhead

        Trail maintenance is a bitch.

    • IRBE

      High Value Alpha..FTW

    • Don escaped Cancun

      we watched Nomadland
      * no news
      * no surprises
      * nothing special

      • egould310

        That ain’t Nebraska. Close, though.

      • egould310

        Pumper

        Keys to Success
        The two most essential components to success in this role will be your flexibility and mobility. Because you’ll be covering a 50 acre facility and climbing tanks, it will be essential that you can get around quickly and efficiently — whether you are on foot or driving a vehicle.
        Additionally, to truly excel in this role you’ll be an expert at multitasking and able to prioritize your activities in a fast-paced environment. There will always be something different to do and unique challenges to overcome — you won’t be bored!

        https://careers.parpacific.com/job/Newcastle-Pumper-WY-82701/711427600/

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        Newcastle is in a beautiful spot, and the people are great, but it’s a shithole of a town, where the only things even reasonably close are smaller, shittier towns.

        I could live in (outside) Rapid City, SD though.

    • Tulip

      I feel ya!

      • commodious spittoon

        My mentor/supervisor bailed on New Mexico and moved to Colorado during quarantine, so it’s not exactly unprecedented that I could transfer to another office of my own making. I don’t have seniority or anything but fuck it, fire me. See if I care.

        Butt fuck it.

      • deadhead

        Before you leave NM, let’s get together. I sux @ in person stuff, but I’m willing to try.

      • commodious spittoon

        I was just thinking of you and your buddy. I can’t remember but I think you said you two play snooker. This makes me giggle.

      • deadhead

        I’ve played snooker, but not at all well. Those holes are small. Normally that’s a good thing, butt …

    • limey

      That sounds mighty good to me. I don’t think I could hold a steady job as a weed-puller. I work too slowly. I used to make a reasonable living being the guy that would occasionally fuck up and would sometimes take too long, or get disorganized, but that didn’t seem to matter because I’d be contrite and make sure I put it right, and didn’t mind working late to get it done (except that one time I had a hot date and skipped out early, but that was worth it). There were others who were definitely better or more efficient than me, but they would either move on quickly, or have a bad attitude and fall out with the bosses. I was never staff, only freelance, but regular. I liked that flexibility. I hated the work, and the culture was getting really bad. Hyper wokeness was taking over. I had to get out, so I just drew a line and quit. No longer available for any of it. I’ve struggled to find a solid career since, so I eventually went toward some retraining, and then CCP virus happened, and that’s majorly affected my progress there. I romanticize the idea of moving to South Dakota or something and finding myself laid up there in a country state of mind.

      • commodious spittoon

        I’ve been looking at South Dakota real estate since the coof. I’ve never been a cold weather guy but if I can avoid paying taxes in New Mexico that’d be reward enough.

        I like my job and I like the industry, even if I think the engineers talk down to me, I think that’s mostly my insecurity, and I can live with it, anyway. One of them uses affect in lieu of effect, so fuck him.

      • limey

        Engineers are booksmart, but that rarely seems to translate into much practical aptitude. Watch out for the engineer who wanders into machine shop and fires up the lathe without so much as tucking his tie into his shirt.

      • limey

        Actually the first time I became aware of the word “woke” in that context was being on a first date with a girl and finding ourselves talking about neologisms and such. She says she’s not a fan of all the stupid fad words with the exception of “woke” which “was about being aware of social issues” or something. I didn’t give it any further thought until I started seeing black dudes with shiny gold shoes wearing “STAY WOKE” hoodies (and a black kid wearing a Chairman Mao t-shirt) and then realized it was just a new brand for “social justice” grifters and sociopaths.

      • limey

        Ps I missed out, I don’t automatically associated “black guy” with “social justice grifter” – I failed to explain that those promoted me to become more aware of the general culture of what was actually happening, rather than being tipsy and putting the moves on a girl and therefore not really paying attention.

      • grrizzly

        until I started seeing black dudes

        Go on.

      • limey

        What can I say? Living in England I am constantly exposed to the BBC.

    • westernsloper

      If I was a man of your vintage I would be looking oil field. The options are endless if you don’t mind poor living conditions, harsh environments, living in the bush and people wanting to kill you but if you work hard and you can eventually end up over throwing governments.

      • westernsloper

        and

      • westernsloper

        I met a friend of a friend who was a diesel mechanic who worked offshore on rig platforms. Granted it was Australian wages but the dood made 200 grand a year. 200 grand for working on/maintaining generators and pumps. 200 grand a year buys a nice trailer house. He didn’t have a trailer house, he had a really nice condo in Thailand.

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        Pressurization divers do $40-$70k.

        A month.

        Crazy fucking work they do though. Having to remain at their working depth pressure for 4 weeks as they live inside of a pressurization tube in the bowels of a ship. Then do 8-12 hour shifts in 250-500’ of water welding oil equipment and shit.

      • westernsloper

        I drank in some airport bar in an airport I don’t remember with a kid who did underwater welding. This was a few years after Katrina. He said his company was set for his life. Ya, if you can do that do it. I have done some stupid shit but diving is not one of them. I like the top of the ocean thanks.

      • commodious spittoon

        That sounds great to me.

      • limey

        West Texas?

      • blackjack

        Welding. It’s fairly quick to learn, once you have certs, you can start working and it’s not all that backbreaking. I used to work on trash trucks and even aside form the trash, it’s really hard work. Everything weighs a ton and is very tight. Lot of climbing and working in dangerous and difficult positions. I’d much rather have been the welder.

      • egould310

        I love trash trucks. Ever since I was a kid. I was telling my wife on Monday, that if my current gig didn’t pan out, I’ll probably become a garbage man, or cement truck driver. Maybe long-haul trucking.

      • Don escaped Cancun

        garbage man, or cement truck

        In the truck biz, that part of the game is called “vocational”

        I slammed together an article ’bout the big four American truck companies, but we’ll see if the calendar is ever so sad that TPTB will thrust it upon you

  21. The Late P Brooks

    Nebraska?

    Dude.

    • Don escaped Cancun
    • limey
      • TARDis

        I remember the folks at the interstate rest stops being quite friendly back in the day. Now I wonder if they were just bored and lonely.

  22. l0b0t

    Best sci-fi tv? Best ladies on a sci-fi show? The answer is obvious – Cleopatra 2525

    • limey

      I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that. I’m going to see if I can find it.

    • TARDis

      That soundtrack though. ???

  23. Aloysious

    Thanks, Chafed. Your weekly is a great forum for healthy food ideas, as well as incentivizing the exercise.

    Having said that, I must confess to be in the process of making blood orange and rum marmalade.

    …it keeps me away from other sweets.

    • R C Dean

      “blood orange and rum marmalade”

      My money, you can have it.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        Lose the blood oranges and you’d have something there.  ;-)

  24. Ownbestenemy

    Great weather for our hike of 3 miles. 62 degrees light breeze.

  25. westernsloper

    Leg workout.

    • egould310

      Yep ?

    • Muzzled Woodchipper

      I think I need to watch and rewatch that.

      You know, so I can get the technique down right.

      • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

        My “technique’s” actually up after watching that.

        SCHWINNNGGG!!!

    • deadhead

      Weird. You’d think she’d either work out or have legs.

  26. Tres Cool

    I’ll sneak this in before its too late- on my way to bed.

    Obligatory

    • westernsloper

      ?

      Sleep well.

    • Suthenboy

      Something about that seems familiar.

  27. trshmnstr the terrible

    A bit of a mess this week, but a salvageable mess. Can’t complain too much about only 1 formal workout this week. Between the snow shoveling and the playing in the snow, I kept active.

    Regroup tomorrow, get back into the rhythm, and keep on keeping on. I’m hoping to get outside a ton this week since we’ve been cooped up inside for a few days. Kiddo #1 surely needs some outdoor time.

    • Don escaped Cancun

      outdoor time

      ever go up to Pilot’s Point?

      • trshmnstr the terrible

        Nope, never been. I have a Zillow search covering that area, though.

  28. westernsloper

    Damn you Gustave!

    That woman makes some cool stuff. The pork rolls…….would.

    • The Hyperbole

      Straff is a lucky man.

      • westernsloper

        Straff’s theme song.

    • Old Man With Candy

      Now I remember why I disliked my Japan travel.

      • Ted S.

        The girls were too old for you?

      • Old Man With Candy

        Japanese men do seem to have an inordinate fetish for schoolgirls.

    • But Enough About Me. Why? Why not?

      That woman’s husband does not deserve her.

    • rhywun

      I don’t see any conflict here. Both parties are all about graft and kickbacks. Both are unconcerned about what the average American wants or needs.

      I’m sure they can work something out.

  29. The Other Kevin

    My tournaments are all officially canceled so I’m switching things up. Last week I started back on keto and I’m tracking my food. I’m having a hard time eating enough calories without all the carbs. But I did it before and I’ll do it again. Tomorrow I start an 8 week “get shredded” routine.

    • Tundra

      Fuck yeah.

      No tourneys is a goddamn joke, though.

      • The Other Kevin

        Some teams played this year but both national ones were canceled. Our team will not sanction anything officially. We still find ways to skate though.

  30. Timeloose

    Glib fit unfriendly dinner tonight.

    Bratwursts with carmalized onions and beer sauce.

    • Don escaped Cancun

      !

    • westernsloper

      That is totes Glibfit sans a bun. I could smash that right now.

      • Timeloose

        Good to know. That’s how the wife ate her’s. Mine was double Braut on Kaiser roll.

  31. db

    Agreed on Farscape. It was also one of the best sci fi series I have watched (I have not seen B5 but I have heard it is probably the top of them all). Farscape combined stunning effects, interesting characters, very good storytelling, and overall high production values. Its best season was probably the third one, with some of the best story lines. The fourth season unfortunately struggled with story–frequently the plots followed a video game-like formula–find the secret key by overcoming a bunch of obstacles and then unlock the door, beat the boss. The series could easily have gone on for another 3 or 4 solid seasons, so it was a shame to see it canceled–which was fairly unexpected.

    Plus, Claudia Black as Aeryn Sun!

  32. db

    I tried to go out flying this afternoon–it would have been beautiful–but found a huge pile of ice in front of my hangar door because our airport maintenance staff suck at snow removal. I got a good upper body workout in chopping up an ice dam which was preventing any meltwater from getting to the drain culvert.

    Came home and made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, now thawing some ground beef for tacos. Not a bad day overall, but I got zero work done on building the plane.

  33. Muzzled Woodchipper

    Not sure how I missed this bullshit.

    KY Governor institutes bullshit Covid Theater. Business closures. Various restrictions. School closures. Closing sports. Etc.

    Legislature is only in session 2 months of year, and he took that to mean he should shut the legislature completely out.

    Legislature returns this year, writes numerous bills to restrict his power.

    Governor doesn’t like it, vetoes. Says, after nearly a year of refusing to work with the legislature at all, the legislature should have offered to talk.

    Legislature tells him to fuck off, and overrides his veto, and says they can talk after the bill becomes law.

    Governor….

    Files a fucking lawsuit saying the legislature has no right to curb his power now because It’s Needed™️.

    Fuck you, Beshear. This motherfucker needs a goddamn woodchippering.

      • Don escaped Cancun

        I don’t agree with it all, but KY is none of my business, and I certainly believe in checks and balances, so good for them

        this part was excellent: Limits a governor’s emergency orders to 30 days unless they convene a special session to consider extending them.

      • Timeloose

        This is critical and I hope my state can pass the same type of restrictions on emergency orders. This year long emergency BS can’t continue without some legislative approval.

  34. Annoyed Nomad

    Commodious’ plan sounds similar to what Elvis did.

    • The Hyperbole

      “National Treasure” is thrown around far to often, Joe R. Lansdale is the real deal. Yes he’s drug the Hap and Leonard books way past their ‘best by date’ but if that allows him to write his stand alone novels it’s forgivable.

      • zwak

        Night they Missed the Horror Show.

        ‘Nuff said about Joe R. Hisownself.

        http://www.revolutionsf.com/fiction/horrorshow/01.html

        (seriously, that came out when I was in high school, I had no idea who he was and it just destroys all horror that I had read up till then. Makes SF look tame)

    • commodious spittoon

      I need to watch that movie. The director did the adaptation of David Wong’s John Dies At The End which was… not great. Though it had its moments. but I hear Bubba Hotep was pretty good.

      • Timeloose

        Soy sauce ! Jon Dies at the end was not great but worth the time for the mind trip.

      • commodious spittoon

        I read it entirely in HTML and again when he published for real, and you know what? It holds up. It’s a very funny, surreal novel. I’m probably due for a reread, I still have the book.

  35. OBJ FRANKELSON

    I never got into B5, many of my friends were way into it. Regarding The Expanse, it is far and away the best Sci-Fi currently in production and it is IMO the best since the Edward James Olmos BSG. I have seen a couple dozen episodes of B5 over the years and I like it, but it was very different from The Expanse. Babylon 5 is very focused on diplomacy and nation-state-level conflict and the like. The Expanse is more focused on a group of shipmates and their struggle to get by in a gritty solar system. There is more than a little of the great-game conflict between Mars, Earth, and the Belt, but that only serves as a backdrop for the crew of the Rocinante to figure out how to manage in the situations they find themselves in.

    The 37 Minutes episode of Battlestar (S1E1, IIRC) is the greatest hour of television in history. Fite me!

    • rhywun

      Yeah, “33” (I had to look it up) is outstanding.

      Characters make a show. BSG and B5 both have memorable characters.

  36. commodious spittoon

    I’m getting trashed tonight and taking tomorrow off. Fuck me, I hate this job. I made $400 in wages and OT this weekend, and I want my weekend back.

    I want

    CLEARLY ARTICULATED EXPECTATIONS

    and

    CLEARLY DEFINED END STATES

    for projects. Am I being autistic? Is it too much to ask that there are boxes in which things are put, and the boxes have sides, and the sides are real, impenetrable boundaries, and that the things that go in the boxes belong in those boxes and don’t come back out of those boxes and we all agree in advance what belongs in the fucking boxes and that it doesn’t come out of the fucking boxes and

    • commodious spittoon

      Even a checklist. Just a checklist. Let me check the items off the list and I’ll be content knowing I fulfilled my part of the deal. Forget the box, the box is three dimensional, give me a nice simple planar two dimensional piece of paper with a list on which there are items from which I can subtract using a piece of lead and a tick mark

      I hated this job when there was too little to do and now there’s much too much to do an I fucking hate it.

  37. DEG

    I’m late. Sorry.

    Sorry about your work situation. You are working, which is good.

    Babylon 5 was a good series.

    Hottest sci-fi chick? Kaylee from Firefly. She really does something for me.

    GlibFit: Weight is down to 273.8 lbs at 27.4% bodyfat. Deadlifts and squats have stalled due to some mobility problems. The trainer I’ve been working with has some suggestions for fixes which I am following. I am back to bench pressing with the bar and a full range of motion. The trainer was worried I might put too much pressure on my back at the bottom of the movement, but after two bench press sessions I think it is not affecting my herniation. On the second session, I worked up to a set of eight with 170 lbs. It was good.

    • commodious spittoon

      Kaylee is wonderful. The River Tam affection is weird, she was cold and alien, Kaylee was warm and human.

      • Muzzled Woodchipper

        Hottest sci-fi chick? Kaylee from Firefly. She really does something for me.

        Yep.

  38. blackjack

    Hottest sci-fi chick?

    How’s about Barbarella?

    • blackjack

      Wrong link.