I have been feeling  off since the 12th.  Not totally horrible, just not well.   Quite a few headaches.  More tired.    I feel great until around mid-day, and then like deaths warmer cousin.  It's likely 'just' fatigue.

But I can't seem to shake it, and a week of going to bed at 8 PM hasn't fixed it, so I am taking a 1/2 day sick day and going to bed.   I am hoping that 3-4 hours of sleep this afternoon and another early night, will fill the energy-bank enough to kick-to-the-curb whatever it is that's getting me under the weather. 

Jerimiah gave me some new routines ("JW") to include in the days I am on my own. It's a nice change-up. I had his "make your arms cry" routine, but it's been a number of months, and (as you may have guessed from the name), is just arms. :)

These 2 new ones (two!) are more diverse, and HARD. It's 45 minutes to get through the 5 different activities, even if I super-set some. So I need to tighten up on the rest between sets a bit (which is do-able) in order to include some cardio in there.

I am pretty happy with it so far, although it's just been a few times. But having something new has given me a little boost in the head space around these sessions, which are typically 2-3 days a week.

I don't know what it will do for actual gains yet, but I have a feeling that it will make a difference.

I am struggling with the weight a bit though. I put a few pounds on at Christmas, and it's sticking around. I started tracking food again yesterday, and we'll see what my intake is, and what kind of deficit I'll want to consider to start heading back down towards by goal weight. It's obvious that it won't be as-is, which I dread a bit. But I also want to shed some fat, so something will have to change, or I just sit in the middle between having my cake and eating it too.

In July I had my first Powerlifting meet: and had a 90Kg Deadlift, which was by far a personal best.  198#, plus a bit.  And since then, I've been sticking with the programming, and have not been up to even 185# (my previous gym PR) until just a few weeks ago.    It felt good to hit that 185#, but it was not exactly *new*. 

Today I pulled 200#.   And I am thrilled about it.  Its only marginally more than my previous best, and that took 5 months to gain.  And I am not known for my patience.  There is just something magic about this sport.

I have my whole life to create progress.  Bees make only 45 grams (based on my calculations and some wiki-work) in their life.      A lifes work, and it's over in a slice of bread.  But they make alot of other things too, while they make that honey.   Honey is just the most apparent evidence: The in-your-face proof. 

 1.6# is my 45bee-grams.  And I'll take every sweet drop. 

I pulled a belt out of the drawer today because it's cold... and I am back into pants.   And lo and behold - look at the number of holes I have shrunk!  I guess I need a new belt! 

I have traveled quite a bit lately.  Just domestic, but still away from home, away from my honey, away from the cats.

My shoulder is killing me: not sure if it's the strange beds (hotels, so not like strange, but.... strange).  Or carrying a 800 pound back pack. :)

Going to go home tonight. Day off tomorrow and celebrate with Garth his birthday.  And another day off for me Thursday....and I'll go lift. (yay!).  And then get a massage.  All on the shoulder.  :)

And don't feel a day over 275,000.  :)

Last night it was SCREAMING. So at least pain vs PAIN is progress.  It was almost out of nowhere, although I was reminded (pain does that) of the same (lighter) feeling a few weeks back on benching. 

So what happened last night was....I tried to push off 35# dumbbell for benching, and ...nope.  Didn't break off the chest at all.   And it hurt a bit.  So I went down to 25# (which should be easy), and.... yep, I got it up, but it hurt ALOT.  I stopped.

And then I could not raise my arm.

Uh-oh.

That was last night.  Black = what was going on in my head.  Red = why this is so different than me 2 years ago....

And I did go to the grocery store, and I did buy fruit.   I am getting the hang of this!

Blech.  I feel crappy.  A little weepy even.  I have just tired myself out.

Granted, I have been pushing a lot of work on the tattoo (my artist is moving, so time is of the essense....) and I would say that the amount of time I have put in over 4 weeks is not exactly what you'd call.... compassionate.   So it's not like I don't know where it's coming from.

Nevertheless,  I have become so used to feeling good that feeling bad just feels.... bad. 

And since I generally share lots of up-side, I thought I'd share this too.   You know, with myself, and my future self. It's not always awesome.

But even so, it's still pretty good.