Trust Your Spidey Senses

I believe the “sixth sense” is the ability to suppress social and political correctness and make judgments based on all the information at hand.  It’s not all that complicated.

While drinking coffee with a herd of experienced detectives, it was remarked that friends and family often comment on our skills in spotting crooks, smooth talkers, liars, thieves, psychos and flakes and then culling them from those who are worth knowing.  While much of it is learned, the vast majority of observation skills are very natural but we suppress them because we’re taught that judging others is sinful and we are to give the benefit of the doubt to everyone who crosses our path.  Cops are lied to more than dentists.  It’s all about attention to detail and there are a few “red flags” I’ve learned to watch for:

“Religion on a sleeve” is where someone drops religion on you very quickly.  “We’re good Christian people” is the battle cry.  Misquoted or generalized scripture follows.  This is usually an attempt to make you believe they have high standards of ethics (without any proof) and can therefore be trusted.  The most genuinely devout people I’ve known are very respectful to their faith and don’t speak about it in that manner.  Actual religious people see their God as a deity, not an imaginary friend who agrees with them all the time.

Beware the instant crier.   The better ones can produce some tears on occasion, but the crying can filp on and off like a switch.  Most people can learn to produce visible tears but getting the snot to flow is an art form.

Do you have a “Close personal friend?”  This is never said unless a person is attempting to align themselves with some positive figure.  “Yeah, the police chief is a close personal friend.”  The actual friend will say something like, “The chief and I play golf a few times a year” or maybe “I’ve known him since high school.”  The next time someone drops a close personal friend’s name, tell him you really need to call the friend but your phone was stolen and ask for the number.  I'll buy you a beer if they can produce it.

Is the person listening to you or pausing to formulate the next thing they’re going  to say about himself?  This one is important because you’re not having a conversation if the latter is happening.  This one’s tougher to articulate, but you all know someone who does this frequently.  We all do it on occasion but the black-belt flake will live by it.

These are all signs that something may be amiss.  Judging others is a matter of observing actions and responding accordingly.  The judgement we're taught about in the bible is about unjustified condemnation.  Trust your Spidey senses.  They really work and can save you time and money. 

Food, Inc.

I like a good conspiracy theory.  One day I needed some background sound while cleaning my office so I streamed “Food Inc.” from Netflix.  It's a documentary that was to tell me how big food companies are taking over the world.  The last news I heard was that the oil companies were in the world domination market so I thought it would be nice to hear someone other than oil producers get it for a while.

Most disturbing to me was a segment about a family of four consisting of a mom, dad, son and daughter.  The kids looked 10 or 12 if I remember right.  They were all overweight.  They seemed to be a normal middle-class family.  They leave the house at 6:00am and return home after 9:00pm.  This doesn’t leave them time for home cooked meals so they pack in 2000 calories each of fast food from drive-through windows at each meal.  They further claimed that they could eat fast food for $3 per person at a burger dive and it was impossible to find a meal for $3 in a grocery store.  To prove the point, each person was given their $3 and sent to a grocery store.  Sure enough, they couldn’t find a meal for that amount of money.  They failed to mention that grocery stores sell meal components, not meals.  It’s like going to Lowes to buy a bedroom.

The film never explained what the people were doing from 6:00am to 9:00pm every day.  They didn’t seem to be poor.  Maybe a responsible parent would make time for decent meals?  That would include planning meals, packing lunches and all the other horrors that come with it.  I’m sure these kids would faint if they had to eat a ham sandwich instead of a Big Mac. 

This conspiracy was DOA for me.  It slid right in the same file as Roswell and Kennedy.  If you really dig fast food, hate cooking and spending any meaningful time with your family, there’s now a convenient avenue of blame for you.  Burger King and Uncle Sam are keeping you down!

Immersion Training for Fun

               One thing law enforcement got right is the ability to present an incredible amount of study into a 40 or 50 training course.  I can honestly say that I’ve been to week-long schools that were more challenging and rewarding than a semester-long college course.  After a few years of absorbing materials in short courses I really got into the swing of absorbing and processing information like a sponge.  That came in handy a a few years ago I had the opportunity to jump into the deep end and attend the U.S. Fencing Association’s Coaches College.

                I’ve been involved with fencing since I was 12.  La Belle Fencing Club, Midland’s only fencing group, was reformed a few years ago and in need of coaches.  The USFA offered coach training for a pretty modest price at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  I was all over it.  I’ve since gone again to elevate my coach rating and will continue to go back as often as I can.  Our club received a generous donation for coach development and I looked forward to seeing some mountains.  It’s not an easy course.  There are three sessions per day and down time is spent with your nose in a book or “pencil fencing” where coach students visualize blade work with each other in slow-motion battle with a pair of #2’s.  Walking onto the grounds of the USOTC is an impressive experience by itself, but the honor of actually training there really inspires.  It’s the first time I’ve ever had guided tours make a stop to watch me train.

                I’ve since found week long courses for auto racing, music, shooting, fitness, religion, motorcycles, and just about anything else someone is willing to teach for money.  Why leave all the summer camp fun for kids?  Many of these events are reasonable in cost and held in really nice places.  Fire up Google and see what it might be like to ride a cattle drive, knee-drag on a superbike, shoot 1000 yards or shred a guitar like Slash.   

Politics, Words, Action and... meh...

There was a time when I was really into politics.  I knew the names, listened to the talk shows, watched the news and loved being in the loop.  I’m proud to say I’ve been a caller on several radio shows including Michael Reagan.  I’m conservative for the most part with a few pet issues.  My career has made it possible for me to articulate my points from a unique stance.

Facebook was the beginning of the end of that experience for me.  I realized one day that there is a common thread for anyone passionate about their political stance: anger and frustration.  Whether driven by their religion, experience or social exposure, they’re in a constant state of being enraged and frustrated.

You’d think conservatives would have been happy when Bush was in office.  Obama fans danced in the streets when power swapped to their side.  Both were up in arms when the other side started trashing their man or launching political moves to get their way.  I saw Facebook status pleas telling the world to leave Obama alone, while a click at the bottom of their page takes me to an old post about how Satan (Bush) is the cause of everything from hangnails to deforestation.  No matter which party is at the tiller, my political feeds were a constant stream of anger, frustration and hatred.

Next comes criticism for the political inactivity of what I call the “meh” party.  One day I took a quick mental  survey of the most politically vocal people I know and what they actually do to support their stance.  A very small few actually take any action.  Those who do are passionate, powerful and often positive.  I’ll assume that everyone votes.  I do, and it’s one of the most powerful rights we have.  What’s next?  I became a life member of the NRA because I’m a second amendment guy.  It appears that my $1000 was spent to hire my personal  envelope stuffer and telemarketer to hit me up for more money to be spent on preaching to the choir.

Remember May 1, 2006?  That was the Hispanic walk-out day.  It was a protest against anti-immigration action.  Many local businesses closed and there was a rally at MLK park.  One of the restaurants in Midland that closed its doors that day now has a parking lot packed with the conservative stronghold at every meal.  It seems that anti-illegal immigration folks have a craving for tacos that’s stronger than their core beliefs.   I’ve spoken to some who remember who won  the 2006 super bowl but can’t remember the walk-out.  I don’t know one person, my Hispanic friends included, who were in favor of walking out. 

Life is short.  Pick your battles wisely and do so based on where you have the most impact.  Every moment you spend grinding your teeth over the news is time lost on this planet.  You can’t find the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Obama’s birth certificate or an answer to national debt.  The next time you contemplate slugging your TV, radio or computer when your favorite personality delivers the news of the recent heinous attack from the other side, think about the value in your time.  Bring something positive into the picture instead. 

The Four Hour Body - My Experience

     My buddy, Clif, sends me the coolest links, pictures, random facts and ideas.  One night over a pint of Guinness he told me about Tim Ferriss' book, The Four Hour Body.  I had no idea what a profound impact it would have on my training.  The book covers weight loss, muscle gain, better sex, faster running, flatter abs, roudner butt and plenty of other topics.  Ferriss has tried it all and explains the innerworkings, chemistry and physics of each.  I was amazed.  You don't have to care about the complexities to benefit from the book.  Follow the basics and you're in.

     I've been overweight.  I was a chubby kid but leaned out some around high school but once tipped the scale at almost 250 in my twenties.  After I became a SWAT officer I managed to keep my weight at bay to the point I could pass a PT test at any time.  I was able to maintain my required military standards in the 220's, even running a few 10Ks.  In the last three years or so I've stayed in the 213-218 range.

     I'm into fencing.  Save the jokes about chain link or stolen property, I'm talking about the olympic sport with swords.  I turned 40 last year which bumps me to the "Vet 40" class.  I want to fence in the USFA Nationals and was looking into training goals to help give an edge to the young vet class newcomer.  After a little research I had already decided that being lighter would make me faster.  Competitive fencers who are the same height (6'4") are seldom over 200 pounds.  Clif's book report came at the right time.

    On January 28 I started logging weights, diet and exercise notes on my Blackberry.  To date I'm at 200 pounds (18 lost) and have noted a significant increase in strength and flexibility.  I didn't do a body mass index beforehand, but all the victory signs are there.  Pants size down, increase in muscular definition and vascularity, etc.  I'm using some exercises from the book (kettlebell swings, squats, myotatic crunches) but I've incorporated others for fencing and my severe case of exercise ADD.  Following Tim's directives, I actually exercise LESS than I used to.  My goal of better speed on the fencing strip was met.

     The diet is pretty simple; lean meats, lots of beans, green vegetables and no white starches, fruit or dairy.  With three to four meals a day there's no schedule shocker, and there's one carb-blasting cheat day per week.  Sure, no bread, crackers, pasta, cheese or whatever sucks but it's not about fun, it's about results.  Ask me on Saturday while I'm eating a half-gallon of Rocky Road and I'll tell you how it is fun 1 out of 7 days.

     That's my story thus far, and it's still a work in progress.  If you're interested in fitness, this is a must-read.