The Daily Challenge

Do 100 push-ups Go out and do something fun and different

All these push-ups are quickly reminding me why the Army gave me 20% when I retired. I find it odd that doing a set of 25 push-ups bothers my shoulders more than a set of 8-10 bench presses of 120+ pounds. But I’ll carry on with them regardless; after the first 5 or so, the rest come relatively easy. I’ve been doing 4 sets of 25, scattering each set throughout my day. I hit the gym at least four times a week, so I am not finding them too physically demanding (other than a little shoulder pain). The biggest issue I have in getting them done is simply remembering to do them. So far, I’ve been successful in knocking them out each day.

The other task for the day is to go out and do something fun, breaking up the routine of just sitting at home that so many people fall into. This is actually something I started to do a while back, though typically I prefer to go out on Saturdays, rather than Fridays. I am pushing 50, so I figure I have another good 20 years to do fun stuff before my health will likely start to decline significantly. Now is the time to live and do fun stuff. Sitting on the couch isn’t fun.

The biggest issue people have is simply finding things to do. I usually spend an hour or two each Thursday browsing the internet looking for interesting things to do for the weekend. As much as I hate Facebook, its “discover events” function is one of the best tools I use to find fun looking activities. Of course, I also check the websites of my favorite local bands to see if they a playing at a bar or pub I like. There are also a few local newspapers who publish a “things to do this weekend” column on the web that I will browse over. Very seldom am I unable to find anything.

Anyway, like I said, I am not much of a Friday night person. We both are a bit worn and tired from the week and prefer to chill at home with a bottle of wine and then go out and do something fun Saturday, but a challenge is a challenge.

The parks department of a nearby suburb hosts a “Summer Movies in the Park” each Friday. I figure I will pack a picnic dinner, pop some popcorn, and give it a go. It is, of course, an animated kiddie film, Storks to be exact, but I haven’t seen it and, even at my age, these animated films still amuse me. It should be a fun, relaxing evening…just wish I could bring a bottle of wine.

So this is my timeline:

11:30 – 12:30: Pick up a bucket of chicken and a fruit platter for dinner during my lunch hour and start chilling it (I love cold fried chicken). Buy some popcorn kernels and some oil. Pick up some bug spray just in case.

4:30 – 6:00: Get off work, meet wife at the gym and do my workout.

6:00 – 7:30: Shower, pack cooler, 2 lawn chairs, 2 blankets, and bug spray. Pop the popcorn.

8:00 – 10:00: Enjoy the movie

10:00 – ?: If I am feeling up to it, hit up a local pub that I’ve been meaning to check out and maybe stay a bit for some dancing and karaoke.

Anyways, that is the plan. Time to get it executed….