M-Cubed for 5.16.2016

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for May Sixteenth, Two-Thousand Sixteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Yesterday, a Sunday in the middle of May, would normally yield a day of sunshine, a walk in the park, maybe a melting S'mores out back as the weekend came to a close. Not in NE Ohio...we had hail, rain, snow, high winds, sunshine, and a frost warning. If ever there was a day to curl up, hibernate, and come back to life when it was all over, this was it! For those who ran in the Cleveland Marathon yesterday, it was miserable! Forecast is looking good, though, moving forward.

- Just a few weeks ago, SO1 Charles Keating was killed in Iraq. He was a Navy SEAL. "SO1" means he was a Special Operator (SEAL), 1st Class Petty Officer. It's interesting to lose a servicemember in combat in a country where we have no one on the ground doing combat, isn't it??? Food for thought. Petty Officer Keating was laid to rest late last week and ceremonies were held both in NYC and at the home of SEAL training in Coronado. He was also post-humously promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Here are a few photos, officially released by the Navy. May his family be protected and his death be avenged. 

Memorial Mass Held at St. Patrick's Cathedral

The Navy Recruiting District New York color guard parades the colors to begin a memorial mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City honoring Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Charles Keating IV, of San Diego, May 12. Keating was killed in action in northern Iraq May 3. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Matthew Stroup/released)

SAN DIEGO (May 13, 2016) San Diego residents await the arrival of the funeral procession for Chief Special Warfare Operator Charles Keating IV. The procession made its way from Coronado, Calif. to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Richard A. Miller/Released)

- While Saturday was cold, windy and rainy, I still spent the morning out at Sand Run Metro Park in Akron with the Cleveland Area Rucking Crew. We had a scheduled "Navigation Ruck" planned as well as a picnic. Where most gatherings involve wearing our weighted rucks for miles, carrying logs and a variety of other things and lots of PT, this day was more about education and learning how to read a map and navigate via compass. It was a good time, we still got to play in the woods and get dirty a bit, we rucked a few miles near the end and then enjoyed some grilled goodness and fellowship before heading out with the rest of our weekend. Great time!

We were each given some map coordinates then had to find the spot on the map.

I can't believe I lived for 43 years and never learned how to properly use a compass.

That's us out there, counting paces and doing our best to stay on our heading until the next waypoint. Some water, some prickly bushes, and nothing but a good time.

- It was a pretty great week in the home "box" sweating out some CrossFit. If you didn't read my most recent CrossFit update at the 18 month point, you can read it here. Many thanks to those who stopped by to read it. It ended up gathering the most traffic of any post in the last year! Back mid-week, I woke up and decided it was time for a Hero WOD. There was one I had been looking at and waiting for the right day for it. I woke up Wednesday morning wanting to do (and overdue for them) squats so it was time for "Manion." Manion is in honor of 1Lt Travis Manion who was killed by sniper fire in Iraq. I found the right music, read his story and headed out to do it. Manion is a 7 round couplet of 400m runs and 29 back squats at 135 pounds. While 135lbs is not heavy for a back squat, 203 of them is. My plan was to break them up into 10-10-9 each round with minimal rest which really worked out well. Still, it took me 34:59 to complete it. I loved it, Old Glory stared me down the whole time and anytime I thought "this sucks so bad," I thought of him and his family...and the sacrifice paid. The rest of the week was pretty good with some solid workouts with my wife. As for those squats? I felt them for 3 days! Nothing but good soreness, though...no pain at all. Coming up this week, I'm going to start the week with a beat down called "Filthy Fifty" (check out my Instagram feed for the aftermath later today) and this Saturday is "The Hammy" workout at Dix Stadium in Kent. I'm teaming up with a friend for my first go at this event, an event in honor of Adam Hamilton who died in Afghanistan in May 2011. Below is a photo from Travis Manion's funeral in 2007. He was a Marine officer.

- Did you hear that Prince didn't have a will?!?! Seriously, if you don't have one, get one. We all should have one, especially those with kids! Don't leave it up to your family (or the courts) to figure it all out when you're gone.

- I'm not crafty at all with my hands, I lack the "handyman" skills that many have, but somehow my kids got some of that talent. They're musicians and thanks to my wife's mother, they can make a quilt all by themselves! Just a few days back, my oldest finished one. Now I'm no watcher/fan of "Dr. Who" but if you are, you probably see the influence here. This quilt fits perfectly on her twin bed and she's going to enter it into the competition at the county fair this August. Proud!

- I have a little chuckle for an outgoing quote today for you...but first: It is easy to come up against opposition, get taken advantage of, fall into the trap of being naive once again and just want to call it quits, throw in the towel, and boom...disappear. But what kind of life is that? What kind of legacy will be left? Is that how you/we/I want to live? So instead of sitting on our butts, we need to get moving and whether or not we accept the past (or present), it is what it is. We need to blaze a trail and get moving. Write your own story, know who YOU are, listen to your gut (big weakness of mine!), and GO! Have a great week, everyone!

"You can't make footprints on the sands of time by sitting on your butt...and who wants to make buttprints?"

M-Cubed for 4.11.2016

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for April Eleventh, Two-Thousand Sixteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Double digits in April and halfway to May! Here in Ohio, we have had a cold winter blast over the past week but the extended forecast is looking pretty good. Still, that 3-4" of snow on my car over the weekend was downright offensive! Our community is lined with gorgeous pear trees that bloom white in the Spring. I'm fearful that the cold snap and 21 degrees yesterday morning may have ruined a lot of beauty for this season.

- If you didn't read my CrossFit Games Open recap and you'd like to dig through my musings that cover 5 weeks in March, click here. It was a great time and was a great indicator of progress over the past year.

- Along the same subject of CrossFit, April 1st brought some many changes for my wife and I. Since November 4, 2014, we have been members at two CrossFit gyms but on the 1st of this month, we took it all home and now have a garage gym. It all came together, starting on April 2nd as we took a road trip 2 1/2 hours south to the headquarters of Rogue Fitness that is known worldwide as the manufacturer and supplier of everything necessary to take on such a project. One full SUV later and lunch at the Columbus Brewing Company, we headed back home and began the work. Today, the last component arrives. The bumper plates finally arrive from Texas and we can finally do all that we want. From plyo boxes to a rower to a full rig that lets us do everything from pull-ups to dips to back squats, front squats, and bench pressing...we're done. While I'm no coach, I feel I have enough knowledge now to do it safely and still move forward. Plus, there is a plethora of online resources to continually glean from. Still, we will miss our friends that we've gained and will certainly be inviting them over to throw down. For now, it's going to be us motivating each other through each day and workout. If you want to follow the progress and occasional posts about the workout, follow me on Instagram...handle is "RTRSBM".

- I don't mean to keep tooting my own horn, but ICYMI (in case you missed it), I penned another entry dubbed "Faith, Fitness and Family" back on March 23rd. It might strike a chord with you.

- Hard to believe it's been 5 years. 5 years yesterday, I boarded a plane and hugged my family goodbye, en route to Afghanistan. Most of you know that I blogged every day of that deployment in a raw online "journal." I later published that into a book (only a few of them). In memory of yesterday, Day 1, I wanted to have a throwback of sorts and re-publish those musings here. (tissue warning!)

Day 1

Leaving Kansas was knowingly going to be the toughest day in a long time. My family had surprised me at Outback Steakhouse the night before so I was well fed, well loved, and ready to go this morning. Sitting bedside with Tin Man and Scarecrow last night was tough. We had been counting down the days as we prayed together each evening and as we sat bedside, hand in hand with the both of them, I paused...for probably an eternal minute or so, trying not to cry. "This is it. After this, we'll talk and Skype/FaceTime." We did shed some tears and Tin Man squeezed my arm so tight. We prayed probably the longest prayer ever together. We prayed for Dorothy, them, me, and all the other servicemen and women away from their families. A kiss, a hug...goodnight. 

This morning came quickly and I brewed my last pot of Italian espresso until my return. That, a bowl of Kashi cereal, and I even unloaded the dishwasher, took the trash out, and washed a small batch of dirty dishes. The clock ticked by quickly and before I knew it, I released the house felines and they woke up the kids. Mental re-check of the packed bag and we headed to the airport, set to leave Kansas for Oz. 

Arriving at the airport, my whole family was there again, just like at Outback along with Dorothy's parents and a few close friends. Even a few "monkeys" (think "Oz") made a few colored signs for my travel to Oz. As time drew close, we all gathered in a circle and my brother prayed for me and my family and I made my way around, hugging everyone. I must say, I was doing pretty good but that was strategic. I knew when my manly armor would be broken. Tin Man and Scarecrow possessed that ability so I saved them for last. As I knelt down in front of Scarecrow, her eyes were welling with tears and they streamed down her face. "Daddy..." I grabbed her and that was it, we were sharing tears. "I need you to do two things for me. Can you do that?" I asked her. "One: can you pray for me? Second, can you be a big helper to your mom?" A confirmed "yes" to both requests and some reassuring words that we'll talk often and even see each other over the internet. I don't know how long I knelt there but after one last hug, I let her go....and turned around and grabbed the Tin Man and picked her up. She had talked about how tough she was going to be on the way to the airport. Her leather-bound toughness that her dad "had" had crumbled, too, and she cried on my shoulder. We had the same conversation as I had with Scarecrow but with a third request: "Be a leader for Scarecrow. You're the older one, you're the leader and she looks up to you. Can you do that?" "Yes, Dad." "And remember...we're a team. We'll all be OK." More hugs, more tears, and I let her go... Dorothy, she was next and last. I have to say, she was staying strong. I saw her eyes getting red but she was fighting the good fight. A few goodbye kisses, some hugs, and we said goodbye. "We'll be fine," she said. Through security and to the gate with one last wave across the security access point's head and that was it. It would take another 15 minutes or so for those tears to dry up. 

I won't bore you with flight info for this day on the Yellow Brick Road, except to say that I sat next to very nice lady on the first flight. Her name was Jennifer and she works at a church near my home. She asked where I was going and after telling her "Oz," we talked about that and a whole bunch of things for the rest of the flight. Oz culture, customs and our mission over there and a lot of really good talk about prejudices that exist in this world, our country, and how it all compares to Oz culture and the radical side of it. (yes, that was a bit of a run-on sentence but I couldn't figure out how to make it right! I wasn't an English major, ya know!) After a 5 hour layover at my first stop, I ended up at the first stop on journey to Oz where I'll remain for about a week. 

Here at this stop on the Yellow Brick Road, I will be checked to make sure my medical record is squared away and get the beloved small pox vaccine. They will basically prick me 15 times with a prong-like needle. From what I hear, it's the most non-enjoyable shot of them all and hurts bad. I will also sit through a bunch of briefs that cover pay/entitlements, family matters, and other misc. items. I will also be fit for and issued the uniform that I'll wear in Oz. Since there are no Navy bases in Oz, this sailor nor any sailor wears a sailor's uniform over there. We wear the uniform of the service who operates the base. So that's what I'll be issued. After all the boxes are checked and my uniforms are issued, I'll continue along the Road. 

So as this day winds down and alone time sets in, I can verify with you that Day 1 is one of, if not the very hardest days of the deployment. I can easily crawl inside my head and get very upset or distract myself by finding something to watch on TV. The base where I'm at even offers a theater with current movies...for free. Perhaps later this week I will do that...Black Swan, Kings Speech...we'll see. I did get to FaceTime with my family tonight and I saw smiles in place of tears which was nice. I ran across this quote today: "Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; it means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections and enjoy every day." What a great quote for a day where we could all hang our head in doom-n-gloom. Instead, we can decide to be happy.

- Want to read more? Here is Day 2. Be warned, though. There are 208 of them! 

- We had a family movie afternoon yesterday as it remained cold and blustery outside. Have you seen "In the Heart of the Sea?" It's the story of Moby Dick. If you're a fan of Thor and the Marvel movie series, you'll be pleased to know the same actor who plays Thor is the lead actor here. It was a great movie and one we all enjoyed. So do you think the great white whale was real?!

- Ever heard of General Mattis? He is a former commander of Central Command, the military arm that leads our fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Well, there is a real movement to propel him into the debauchery known as our presidential election this year. Here is a quick read to bring you up to speed on who he is and the movement afoot to make this a reality. No doubt...you've got my vote, General.

- There was a time not too long ago where I ran my age on my birthday. I turn 43 inside of a week and only a few short years ago, I was still running my age that day. It was a tour, of sorts, around my county where I smelled blooming trees, ran along the Cuyahoga River, and stopped to see a few friends along the way. Oh, how times have changed! To think of running 43 miles right now is downright painful. I could do it...I could. But, the desire has left me. Instead, my bride and I plan to escape away and just enjoy each other's company for 24+ hours uninterrupted. Walking, laughing, sleeping in, and just "being." Here's to year 44 about to kick off!

- A short while ago, my "little" rescue dog decided to snuggle in for a nap. Mind you, she is about 45 pounds, extremely athletic and strong, and some are afraid of her (for no reason!). Still, she has a soft heart and loves to curl up for a nap like the rest of her family. This is me laying on the couch and the photo is taken directly above us looking down. She just kept digging and digging into my chest! LOL!

- Before I leave you today, I just want to mention a workout I did yesterday, totally unexpected and unplanned which requires no gym equipment of any kind. Just you and a determination to hang in there and stick it out. It's a Hero WOD (workout of the day) named "Maupin." It is named for SSG Matt Maupin who was captured on Good Friday, April 9th, in 2004 and later executed. His friends and fellow soldier came up with this workout and submitted it to CrossFit HQ who picked it up and officially pushed out this workout yesterday. As soon as I watched his story as told by his fellow soldier, I had to do it. Whether you do it or not, I highly recommend taking a few moments to watch the video. If you feel inspired to honor Matt afterwards, here is the workout:

• 4 Rounds for Time
• 800m run
• 49 pushups
• 49 situps
• 49 air squats

I finished in 42min, 10sec. Rest in peace, brother.

Have a great week, everyone!

M-Cubed for 3.14.2016

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for March Fourteenth, Two-Thousand Sixteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Week #3 of the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games Open is here. On Thursday night, Games director Dave Castro dropped another bomb on me. Last week, it was toes-to-bar and double-unders...two distinct weaknesses of mine and this week? The bar muscle-up. It's coupled with lightweight power-snatches which are easy. The bar muscle-up, though, is something that I can't do. This past Friday and Saturday, I did work on them quite a bit but so far...a no-go. I'll give it another try tomorrow but don't expect for it to click. Luckily, the snatches come first so I can still log a score but it'll be dismal. That's ok, though...the Open is known for pointing out the weaknesses of everyone and/or highlighting the strengths. It's just another thing to work on!

- Any wooden spoon survivors out there? Hehehehe... I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw this yesterday. Yes...I am one! :) (get the t-shirt here)

- I was browsing through Netflix yesterday on a constant-rain Sunday and stumbled upon "Before We Go"...an independent film made in 2014 by Chris Evans...the actor and now director who plays Captain America in the Marvel films. Pretty great flick that we all watched. It's actually rated "NR" and I only counted one f-bomb in the whole movie...that's it. I'd call it a romantic film and great to watch with your significant other. Check out the trailer here.

- In my office, we have had a small dog as our office dog for about 6 years. Her name was Abby and she was a tiny little thing. She came to work everyday with my co-worker who has been working there for 34 years. Abby was 14 which was 4 years longer than her anticipated lifespan. On Thursday, Abby took a turn for the worse and passed away. She'll be sorely missed! Here are a few photos of us over the past few years.

- Here in Ohio, we have election day and the primary for the upcoming presidential election. Ugh! Like I posted last night on Facebook, it's sad that our country can't produce a single respectable candidate for the Oval Office...of any party! While I will vote as I always do, there really isn't a person on any ticket I really want in the Office. It's frustrating as heck when imagining any candidate with a real chance actually being sworn in as the POTUS. America...we have to do better!!!

- This past Saturday was planned to be a rest day but the invisible pull of the CrossFit gym won me over. After spending about an hour doing all kinds of pull-ups, even to include doing singles with a 45lb kettlebell strapped around my waist, I moved on to back squats. It's something I use to warm up with a lot but haven't gone heavy in them for awhile. My personal record for the back squat went all the way back to April 2015 at my previous gym at 240lbs. I really wanted it gone as my last lingering PR from that gym. As I moved up in weight, it felt pretty good so I went for it and got two sets in at 255 pounds! While that's not HEAVY by many people's standards, it's heavy for me. I haven't even challenged 240 again since July last year and all I could get then was 220. Pretty happy! I'm also happy with my form, back position, chest up, below parallel, etc. It all went awesome! I also love it when I feel 100% the day after with no soreness of any kind...especially when I just lifted the most ever. It's easy to hurt yourself if you don't know what you're doing so the day-after feeling is great confirmation of a successful lift..and safely at that!

- There is a pretty cool company/husband and wife team down in Texas that opened up a company called Peacemaker Trading Company. He's ex-Special Forces and she works IT. Their names are Bert and Candace. They formed the company because as he says "we firmly believe that there isn't much better in this world than a favorite t-shirt." When they release a shirt, it sells out in hours, then he produces it, and finally ships it, each with a note. So to get one, I've learned to be subscribed to their email list and when I see an announcement, get on it immediately if I want it. I finally got my first shirt dubbed "The Paw" on Friday. This is the back of it and I tried to show the sleeves, too. There is also a front that you can see on their website at http://www.peacemakertrading.com/. The one I REALLY want is their deadlift shirt. I literally bugged the heck out of Bert to get one but no dice. Hopefully, he'll make it again. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy wearing my super-soft "Paw" shirt. Check them out, read their story, and look at some of the past shirts they made. Pretty sweet!

- I like to end these posts with something positive to launch into the week. Below is a post by the 2015 Reebok CrossFit Games Champion and current "Fittest on Earth". I'm a big fan of Ben Smith who always exhibits humility, doesn't hide his faith, and is crazy talented and strong. To win it all last year yet still come across as "normal" is admirable. Great words by the champ! Have a great week, everyone!

M-Cubed for 1.18.2016

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for January Eighteenth, Two-Thousand Sixteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- First M-Cubed since October 12th last year! This is what happens when Monday is a holiday, the news is inevitably going to be about the Democratic debates last night and the NFL's divisional playoffs (read: leaving the TV off!) and the espresso has been brewed. Looking back at October 12th's post, the Fall colors were popping, I had just done a CrossFit fundraising competition at CrossFit Independence...a place that ended up shutting down on 12.31 and (gulp!), my daughter went to her first Homecoming dance.

- In case you missed my 2015 Year in Review, you can catch up here.

- MLK Day 2016...and one of my favorite quotes from the reverend: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." 

- There have been lots of movies on my "must see" list lately but I've failed miserably in seeing them. "The Big Short," "Joy," "The Revenant," and "The H8ful Eight"...another Quentin Tarantino creation. I haven't seen any. However, I did meet up with a few new friends this past Friday night on opening night for 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. It's the story of September 12, 2012 from Benghazi in Libya where we lost the life of Ambassador Stevens, two former Navy SEALs and another official. It was an extremely well done movie of a true story that, in my opinion, every American should see. The left will hate it, the right will love it, and those even-keeled folks will watch it with an open mind and get sickened by their government. Unfortunately, with an election looming this November, I don't see ANY candidate for any party worthy of voting for that actually has a chance of moving into the White House. So for filmmaking and quality...4 stars.

- 2016 is probably the first year where I don't have a concrete slab of goals in quite a long time. It's more of a loose set of goals and "wanna do" items. I'm less focused on one thing (like running, for example) and more spreading myself across multiple areas. I will run a few races, I will continue to CrossFit on a daily basis, I'll continue to tiptoe into my newest area of "rucking" (see report from my first ruck a few weeks ago here) and I hope to secure more time on my contract doing what I do for my "day job." Balance is certainly a concern and one that is fluid and changes, often, at the drop of a hat. Family, marriage, personal passions, staying fit and in the best shape of my life, being a dad...all important. I have goals but also just kinda going with the flow, too. The goals/events, though, that are committed to can be found at the link at top of my blog under "Upcoming Events."

- Speaking of CrossFit, my wife and I continue to stick to it and give it 100%. She has seen some dramatic changes in recent months which only fuels her motivation to keep at it. It's not uncommon to see her these days wearing a weighted vest on the treadmill or doing situps with it. Her attitude is awesome and she motivates those around her, too. One thing is for sure...she's working hard for it and after trying things for years and years (without results), it's awesome to finally see her succeeding and making change. 14+ months into this CrossFit "thing," I love it as well. My successes and victories are pretty far apart but in all, I'm making gains and getting/staying stronger than ever before. The photo here is from last week during about an hour working on the "snatch," an Olympic lifting movement. It's one that hasn't come easy but that has come a long way. Those with poor flexibility (me!) will struggle quite a bit with movements like this. 

- So we have these turkeys that keep visiting us behind our house. We hadn't seen them in awhile but last week after I left for work, my wife counted 46 marching across our backyard! A few months ago, we saw about 18 of them, mostly babies, marching around but this is a whole lot more. This is a pic she caught as they marched across. Pretty cool!

- So we haven't had cable in over 2 years and instead use an antenna to snag public HDTV broadcasts over the air like the major networks and PBS. We supplement that with Netflix. Recently, we found a few shows that we ended up binge watching and loved. One was Beachfront Bargains and the most recent was Fixer Upper. Fixer Upper is another HGTV creation that follows Chip and Joanna Gaines from Waco, TX who help their clients find a home in desperate need for love and attention and do a major remodel of the home. Chip is a "jack of all trades" and a realtor and "Jojo" is the one with the vision and designer. She can see all the potential, the walls to knock down, etc. while looking at a total disaster of a house. While the projects are amazing, Chip and Joanna are a blast to watch. Unfortunately, only season 1 is on Netflix and they're currently showing season 3 on HGTV. We're hoping they post season 2 soon to Netflix so we can catch up. In the meantime, their hilarious outtakes on YouTube will have to do. Here's a short article on the Gaines I found a few days ago.

- Back on 10/1/2014, a fellow Navy sailor I worked with fell ill to cancer. I wrote about him here and there, mostly on social media, since then posting updates and asking for prayers for his family. Back on January 8th, he passed away with his family at this side. I had the honor of attending his funeral on January 12th where a full Catholic funeral took place and full military honors. The following is my post that I wrote soon after I returned from the services: 

Reflections on today's funeral for Chief Aaron Jardina: I was up early and made the 90min drive to Meadville, PA. Arriving early to the Catholic church for the service, a few fellow shipmates were there and were asked to head next door to the funeral home where calling hours were yesterday. I went along and when I arrived, the pall bearers were being briefed, including two Navy Chiefs who Aaron personally asked to do that. Also, some close family and friends were with Aaron and little did I know, the viewing was continued today for them. As sailors practiced the ceremonial flag folding for later in the back, the rest of us lined up, one by one as 10am approached. Squaring each corner, we slowly made our individual way to Aaron. Sailor by sailor, we stood at attention, looking at Aaron in his full dress uniform, and rendered a slow final salute to our shipmate and friend. I was the last one and we all headed down the hallway to wait for his casket. Eventually, the doors opened and Old Glory atop his casket emerged and as he passed, we rendered our salute again....and again as we formed up outside in the snow while he was loaded in the hearse for the trip across the street to the church. As it drove, we lined up two by two and led everyone and the family across the road and once again, formed a line to render our salute as he was brought into the church. There must have been 30-40 of us, mostly Chief Petty Officers, and many whom Aaron knew well. Once inside the full church, a traditional Catholic funeral service commenced. I attend church regularly, but I'm not Catholic so I wasn't familiar with the many traditions and what each meant. Mixed in was a few readings and one of them by his father. His father is a great man and I had the privilege of meeting him a few times. He stood by Aaron's side, took him back and forth to the Cleveland Clinic for his chemo treatments for over a year. In most recent weeks, he spent nearly all day, every day with him. As the formal service neared its end, one of Aaron's brothers gave the eulogy as Aaron asked him to. He only asked that he not take so long like he did at their wedding which produced a much needed chuckle throughout the sanctuary. His brother cried a lot and struggled to get through it all and often referred to him as his best friend. One thing resonated with me when he talked about how Aaron felt about dying over the last 16 months. "He didn't care about dying. What he cared about was leaving his wife and two kids behind." That hit me right in the heart as that's exactly how I think I'd feel, too. That's the kind of man Aaron was. As the mass concluded, a fellow sailor and Chief from my command who knew Aaron well read "The Watch." Powerful. Moving. Fitting to send a sailor home. It concluded with every current and former sailor standing and rendering one final salute. We once again collected ourselves outside and waited for Aaron to leave for the cemetery. As Old Glory was put back on the casket, we saluted it and him as he passed on by. It was a good 20-25min drive over snowy, country roads in rural PA as a long, long line of cars followed Aaron to his final earthly resting place. Once there, the service was brief as the wind kicked hard and snow blew. Nearby, the local VFW stood at attention as did a formation of 7 sailors from the local Erie reserve center, each shouldering a rifle. One last formal item remained and that was the removal of Old Glory, its folding, and delivering it to his wife. As the sailors held it tight and began to fold it, the first of 3 shots rang out across the countryside which jolted everyone present. BANG!...a second....and then the final shot. 21 shells lay on the ground from Aaron's 21 gun salute. Old Glory, folded, was passed to our Command Master Chief who thanked Jennifer "on behalf of a greatful nation" and gave her Aaron's flag. Her son and daughter also were given a flag in honor of their father. As I began to leave and look around, one last image caught my eye and that was of Aaron's 11 year old son carrying his father's flag right in front of me...a flag bigger than his arms and outstretched, a full 8 feet long. He held it tight.

Please pray for Aaron's wife, Jennifer, and their son and daughter, as well as close family like his father and brothers. Aaron fought hard, he definitely left a legacy behind, and he will be sorely missed by many. "We have the watch, Chief."

- A parting quote today? Well, I already shared my favorite quote from MLK so how about my wife and I going all gansta on you? Just a reminder to keep it light, laugh at yourself here and there, have fun and treat each day like it's the last. We're far from the ganstas we display here (ha!!!) but I love the photo. I laugh every time I see it...perhaps because I was in the car when we captured it and I know the "real" us. So funny.

Have a great week!

M-Cubed for 10.12.2015

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for October Twelfth, Two-Thousand Fifteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Fall colors are here and magnificent. Don't you wish they could just last forever? The aroma of Fall leaves, the cool nights to sleep through and the smorgasbord of color. I hope you can find some time to enjoy it more than once or twice. Bare bone trees are coming. My backyard yesterday...

- I'm a big fan of Robert DeNiro and we had an afternoon sans kids yesterday so we went to see The Intern. Excellent date flick, humorous and well-acted. I'd give my only critique but it would also be a spoiler so in case you haven't seen it and will, I'll save it. Overall, I'd give it a solid 3 to 3.25 fist bumps out of 4. "Bobby" DeNiro can seriously play any role he sets his mind to. See the trailer here.

- I did my 11th veteran pinning this past week and it was unique as the previous 10. This time, the call came to go see an Army veteran born in 1930 so as I'm learning, that would put him post-WWII and maybe in the Korean War. This gentleman served a unique role in the Pacific. He was part of the United States testing future nuclear bombs on deserted islands in the Pacific. This was post-Hiroshima so I'm guessing we were developing the bomb after seeing what we did to Japan. He wasn't exposed to anything and served more of an administrative role. It was a very good visit with this vet whose voice was barely audible and I had to keep close to hear him. His room was sad as nothing of personal value was there except for one framed family photo. It was really nothing more than a hospital room. I ended our visit with the normal reading of the certificate and I pinned his lapel pin on his drab, white t-shirt and thanked him again for serving his country.

- ...and in case you haven't been mooned...or "pumpkin'd" lately...

- Homecoming. Ugh! The day finally arrived when I sent my first daughter to a high school formal dance. Luckily, she has a mom who she could rely upon to shop for the dress, the jewelry, and the shoes then spend the "day of" doing her hair for literally hours, then nails then makeup. Had it been up to me, I'm not sure any of it would've happened and I would've most likely had to hire it all out! Still, it was a great experience for her and luckily for every boy on the planet, she went with a girlfriend of hers. FINE BY ME! "Just sittin' here cleanin' my gun..."

- CrossFit...oh what a week last week was. Nothing much to speak of as I stopped after Wednesday. Nothing was going right last week, I seemed to fail at just about everything I tried, and I felt weaker than ever. I honestly felt like I was backsliding in many of the things I've been doing better on and getting stronger at. Mentally, I was shot and there was no benefit to continuing...either to me or those who have to be around me in the gym. As a form of justification to taking a break, I did have an event I was participating in on Saturday...the Run Amuck 5K at CrossFit Independence. I really wanted to be well rested for that event and do well. It wasn't a traditional CrossFit competition but instead a 5K run broken up into many pieces.

The Run Amuck was this: Every 30min, one of 5 heats began and I was in heat #2 with my two friends pictured above...Teri and Dave. The event structure was this: 200m run, 10 pullups, 400m run, 20 burpees, 600m run, 30 hand-release pushups, 800m run, 40 abmat situps, 1000m run, 50 air squats, 800m run, 40 abmat situps, 600m run, 30 hand-release pushups, 400m run, 20 burpees, 200m run, 10 pullups...then ring the bell on the wall. I LOVED it! For a runner and someone who has an engine to keep going, this is perfect. I finished in 37min, 41sec which was good enough for 4th in my heat. Overall, I have no idea because results haven't been published yet. I knew going in that my weakness was hand-release pushups. That's when you do a pushup to the floor and then pick your hands up off the floor...so you essentially turn yourself into a huge paper weight on the floor...much more difficult than a standard pushup. At home in the days prior to the event, I could do all 30 unbroken but during the event, I found that those burpees just prior to the pushups really zapped my arms in being able to do all 30 unbroken so I did 15-20, shook out my arms for a max of 5 seconds then kept moving. I did all other movements unbroken. Heck, I would've swapped the burpees and pullups if I had MY way! My pullups felt crazy strong and my hands weren't hurting like they were earlier in the week. No doubt...taking a few days off was the right thing to do. Absolutely no regret there. Many thanks to CrossFit Independence and 76 Athletics for an awesome event. 100% of the proceeds are going to a local outreach which makes it even better and worth doing...and you gave us all a sweet, super soft t-shirt. Thanks!!!

- This photo is a riot, in my opinion. Let me explain: 6 years ago yesterday, I ran my 3rd 100-miler in 18 weeks time...the Oil Creek 100 Mile Trail Run in Titusville, PA. That year,  between June and October, I did three 100-milers and haven't returned to the distance since. This particular race was grueling and painful...and really emotional.  It took me almost 31 hours straight to finish it and countless ibuprofen to kill the pain in my left upper leg. (found out almost a year later it was a stress fracture) Well, after the race, my wife (who surprised me by showing up at the finish) and I crawled into the back of her SUV and fell asleep. This was Sunday around lunch. I had been up and running since Saturday morning around 4am. When we got up, we went to lunch across the street at the Blue Canoe...a local watering hole and brewery. This is me holding my finishing buckle at lunch while truly half asleep. I was dozing off at the table and couldn't get myself together. How I got home is still a mystery, too. I kept my eyes locked on my wife's car and blared the Black Eyed Peas all the way home. Wowsers. And where are all my gray hairs? They seem to be missing in this photo.

- I continue to love my new Subaru that I told you about previously. Having driven the Honda brand since the 90s, I jumped ship to Subaru. Just on Saturday, I got my "Badge of Ownership" that I created on their website for free. You pick all of your lifestyle icons that fit you and they ship it to you. I cleaned off my trunk and got mine on right away. I'd say it fits me just right. If you have a Subaru, you can customize and order yours here.

- I have got to, eventually, figure out how to genuinely be happy with giving my best. I really do give my best in the gym, in my marriage, and hopefully as a dad. However, my measure of what "the best" is never quite measures up. It's a flip-flop double-edged sword that dices me up mentally in little pieces and unfortunately, I'm read like a big fat picture book you hand a 1-year old. I can't hide jack. I wear it all on the outside and am a horrible faker. Poor self-esteem? You betcha. Know how to "fix" me? No clue. But, I'll keep trying and keep trying to push out the smile inside and accept my best effort TRULY as good enough. But dangit, it's so hard to do.

- Oh yea, it's Columbus Day! Hats off to federal holidays! WOO HOO! A few hours at the box and who knows what else awaits for me today. If you're a benefactor of such a day off as well, enjoy it!

- This weekend is not only notorious for my 3rd 100 miler six years ago, but two years ago is when I attempted the West Virginia Trilogy, if you recall. It's a 50K on Friday, a 50 miler on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday. I did the 50K then timed out at mile 33.6 on the 50 miler...after falling and passing out on the trail, that is. I was a total trainwreck! Then, in 1997...a whopping 18 years ago, I ran my first marathon this weekend at the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. Lots of memories.

Today's little motivational quote isn't really a quote at all. Actually, it's what I took a photo of on the wall on Saturday at CrossFit Independence, right above the clock that ended up timing us during Run Amuck. It's chock full of little snippets we can all use today and everyday. Maybe you'll find something to make your own. Have a great week, everyone!

M-Cubed for 10.5.2015

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for October Fifth, Two-Thousand Fifteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Not gonna lie, friends...my heart is sick with the death through our country's mass shootings. While there is much to write about, I feel strongly to take a moment first to share my thoughts on the Oregon shooting from last Thursday morning at a community college. First, though...let's remember the victims, aged 18 to 67. The killer will not be pictured or named anywhere in my thoughts today. The victims...

Last night during the CBS show, 60 Minutes, they were doing a story related to the Holocaust where the Nazis went house to house, looking for Jews, and taking them to mass graves, freshly dug. My youngest daughter was busy crocheting some flowers but looked up to ask when that was, thinking it was much further in the past than World War II. I told her when it was and simply because of their faith, they were killed...massacred. So enter the most recent massacre of these 9. Accounts from survivors already quote the killer as saying:

"What religion are you? Are you a Christian?"

With a "yes" answer, he shot them in the head. While the press, politicians, gun lobbyists, etc. rage about gun control, the one thing that rings in my head is this: What would I say? That first person didn't know the penalty for his or her answer. However, for every person after, they knew they were signing their death sentence with a "yes" answer. What would YOU say? There are also accounts that no matter what "religion" was answered, the victims were shot. Either way, the question beckons and looms for each of us.

I would say "yes" and there is no gray area for me. Honestly, I don't say much about my beliefs here or on social media as I'm a firm believer that a Facebook post, a tweet, an Instagram post, etc. won't change anyone's mind about much, especially about "religion." I prefer, instead, to live my life and hopefully, others will see and will be able to tell who and what I am by my actions more so than my words or posts. If asked, I'm not ashamed and know what I believe and will gladly share it. The hashtag you see here is all over social media now as profile photos, etc. Like I said, I won't partake in this movement and instead wish those who proclaim to be a Christian would be more like one in public, in the workplace, in their families, etc. Save the rants and keyboard bravery posts and be more like the hands and feet of Christ whom you say you follow...and know what you believe. Be ready to take a stance because like these 9 victims, the day may come where you have to answer.

- So after such a somber beginning to today's post, can I give an "amen!" to some of the Fall foliage beginning to emerge out the window? While I don't look forward to what's coming in a few months, I do love the cool, crisp bedtime and the gorgeous collage of color out the window. As if in a chorus, nature puts on this show together year after year.

- It was just my girls and me this weekend and with nothing but rain on Saturday so we voted on a movie to go see. "The Martian," starring Matt Damon, won out and we grabbed our Cinemark popcorn bucket and went to see the 2hr, 22min flick set on Mars. Except for the couple f-bombs and the rear-nudity of a body double of Matt Damon (trying to show how much weight he lost being stranded on Mars), it was a great flick for us to see together. While long, it went quick and was really well done. I also wanted to see "Everest" but the true story/tragedy nature of the film knocked down its votes and I was out-voted. :) Still, a great way to spend part of the day on Saturday. I'd give it 3.5 out of a possible 4 stars.

Setting new front squat PR

- I continue to "almost" write a CrossFit post but never do. It is fitting to do one about now, too, since yesterday marked our 11 month "anniversary" since starting on November 4, 2014. Woohoo! But alas, I chose to spend the time doing other things yesterday like mowing the lawn, cleaning out the garage, washing both cars, and just tidying up the house prior to my bride coming home from a quick trip to the Big Apple. CrossFit is going great and I continue to be super proud of my partner in crime who inspires all around her. I do love it but it's not "everything" to me...meaning I don't "worship" it. I love the humility it teaches me, my increased strength, and I'd be lying if I didn't like how my clothes fit...and those non-forgiving uniforms. I enjoy sharing it together most with my bride, the daily "debrief" of the beatdown by Coach Will, and celebrating little victories together. A few years ago, we found that running together was "our thing." Well, this is it for now and for as long as it continues, I'll be thankful for it and make the best of it. There are so many facets to what we do at our new gym and no day is the same as the previous which really keeps it interesting and challenging all the same. I did learn a new stretch last week that I like to do in the morning at home as well. It is "magic" for opening up my shoulders. You lay on a foam roller, parallel with your spine and lower a PVC pipe slowly to the floor. My shoulder mobility stinks bad but within a few minutes, my hands will sink to the floor and doing things with the bar in the gym get so much easier with increased mobility...it also feels AWESOME! (see photo at right before I set a new front squat personal record last week...getting those shoulders/elbows UP is a huge challenge and this stretch has really helped!) Last week, Bristol decided to get in on the action, totally unprompted, and my daughter quickly grabbed this photo. Priceless, eh?! "Strettttttttttch, Bristol!!!"

- While the Oregon shooting has dominated the news along with who is running the president in 2016, we lost 6 more service members in Afghanistan last week, just east of Bagram Air Field and near the Pakistan border. The C-130 aircraft is the workhorse over there, moving people and freight all over the country. I rode in it several times during my deployment in 2011. Well, one of them crashed on October 1st, killing all onboard. "May God comfort and protect the families of the fallen and may the rest of our service members be brought home soon."

- As I close today, I want to share the work of a friend who is a professional photographer in New Jersey. Just last year, he retired from the U.S. Coast Guard where he served as a photographer and attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer over 20 great years. I met Tom via ultra running and actually paced him to the end of one of his 100-mile races here in NE Ohio a few years back. He is now living out his passion full time taking on photo assignments and just posted this photo last week on his Facebook feed. Full credit goes to Tom for the photo and the words below. His website can be found by clicking here, as well. Amazing work over many years! Check it out!

Albert and Rose Kleuser, from Galloway, NJ, have been married for 60 years. Albert served in Korea with the U.S. Army and Rose worked as a nurse aid in a nursing home. Both have taught Sunday school and Albert drove the Sunday school bus. They started attending church in 1962. They hug each other and forgive each other for any wrong doings every night before going to bed. They have made an agreement that when one passes on the other will cry tears of joy and not tears of sorrow. “Because we know we've been called home,” said Rose. “We're just passing through right now. We don't fear death at all. Actually we don't fear anything. Fear is a terrible thing.” 

And with that, friends, I wish you a "Happy Monday!" and an awesome week. Regret nothing, love those near you, and hug the ones you love.

M-Cubed for 9.28.2015

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for September Twenty-Eighth, Two-Thousand Fifteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Forgive me for the week off. "Prioritizing" is the excuse I'm using for no M-Cubed last Monday and no CrossFit update in a long time. Trust me, it's all written in my head and a new chapter daily but finding the quiet time to "pen" my thoughts just hasn't availed itself. For now, though...just some random thoughts on this last Monday of September...

- Hats off to the many out there who ran the all-new Akron Marathon and Half Marathon course on Saturday. Here were my thoughts on Facebook after the gun sounded on Saturday: "Love what you do and do what you love. I've been at the starting line of the Akron Marathon every year since 2007, except for my little 14,000mi round trip vacation in 2011 that kept me away. This year, I was barely out of bed when the bell rung in downtown Akron, sending the runners on their way. Still a runner, just a different daily grind but like being on the blue line, still "running my race" with my bride and loving it. So go do something, do it great, and love doing it." Here's a little throwback photo to 2008...back when Brooks Running and the race were partnered up. Back then, finishers got a FREE pair of Brooks shoes. On the left, I wore Asics. The truth is this: this race flipped me from wearing Asics to Brooks and I've never looked back. The pair on the right were my first pair of many, many Brooks in the coming years. Brilliant marketing, I'd say! Today, Brooks and the race have parted ways.

- So Friday was the release of the all-new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. Get yourself one? My wife was sporting the old 5C so she was well overdue for an upgrade and is now sporting the new 6S in rose gold or commonly referred to "pink." Initial impressions are a definite increase in speed. Technically, it's 70% faster with an all-new A9 chip. There are camera upgrades, too, an all-new Series 7000 aluminum body (to prevent bending) and the new 3D Touch technology, or better known as "force touch." In my opinion, if you have anything less than a 6, it's worth the upgrade. If you have the 6, wait until next September when the next generation of iPhone is released.

- Saturday night took us to Cleveland's "Little Italy" with friends. It's one area I had never been to yet had been all around it while going to other places. I had a fantastic dish of gnocchi smothered in tomato basil cream sauce with shrimp but first enjoyed some awesome calamari. It was really good and everyone else enjoyed their selections, too. Afterwards, we sat outside and enjoyed dessert at standing-room only pastry shop. From rich chocolate to cannolis to several variants of cheesecake, I don't think any of us were hungry but we still indulged just a bit. We'll be back!

- CrossFit continues to be awesome. I do have a lot of thoughts to share and will eventually do that via a different post. There have been multiple highlights since I last wrote like a new deadlift personal record early last week and then a surprise "edition" of "Murph" mid-week. If you recall, I did "Murph" back on Memorial Day with destroyed hands and a rubber band for the pull-ups at my former gym. Since late May, my pull-ups are a million times better and I've been itching to do it again but haven't mentioned it. As a surprise, it was thrown into the programming so no anxiety about it prior to showing up. It went awesome and I did it...almost the prescribed legit way which is with a 20lb weighted vest. No vest but I did do the 1 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and one more mile run. 49min 6sec was my final time. Next time...I'll wear the vest (which I ordered last week). Everything else is going well as is for my wife who is just killing it.

- Drink soda/pop? Drink on this: One can of soda contains 41g of sugar (approx. 10 packets of sugar). If you drink one can a day for an entire year, you are consuming 35-lb. of sugar in a year.

- Got a few minutes to watch an awesome video? Check out this couple who are in their 90s and have been married for 73 years...73 years!!! Wow. So awesome. Watch it here.

- 80. 80 days until December 18, 2015! What's the significance of that, you ask? Well of course, that's opening day for Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens! A big, hearty Happy 64th Birthday to Luke Skywalker...or Mark Hamill, as he's more commonly known these days. Did you know he's deeply involved in the new production? It's his voice, as well, that you hear in the movie trailer. If you're a fan, be sure to go Star Wars' Facebook page. They posted a video last week that is interactive. You are speeding across the desert in a speeder and can look left and right. It's pretty sweet.

"Happy Birthday, Luke!" From, "your father" :)

- I shared these thoughts a little over a week ago online and yes, they are a bit vague, but still ring true, depending on your situation. "We all have to make decisions that are the best for us, our families, etc. It's different for everyone. Some of us make those decisions blindly, some discuss with people important in their life and others of faith may pray about them to get guidance as to what to do. Our past experiences have a pretty influence on what path we follow, too. These decisions are often not "popular" but when done and vetted through prayer (in our case), looking back makes it easy to see the puzzle pieces all fitting together and God's hand on it all. Still, though, the human side of it still sucks when it comes to realizations of what I thought "was"...."wasn't" at all. Moving forward, I'm thankful for authentic friends and will continue to seek out those I can trust someday more fully. Facebook...Fakebook...it's all temporal. I want lasting relationships and want to leave a lasting, positive impact in those I come in contact with, love, and do life with and even more so to those God entrusted me to care for and protect."

- Instead of leaving you with a quote this week or some inspirational wisdom, I'm going to leave you with a recipe. We saw this online a few weeks back and then my wife made it. Oh my!!! It was soooo good and by her account, very easy. So feast your eyes on this gluten-filled goodness and go attack your week! Have a great one, everyone!!!

**Spaghizza**

12 oz spaghetti cooked following pkg directions and drained
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp minced garlic
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (or use your own 3-4 cups)
3 cups mozzarella
Pepperoni

Directions (preheat oven to 375 degrees):
1. In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, parmesean, oregano and garlic.
2. Add cooked spaghetti noodles and toss to coat well.
3. Dump in a greased 9*13 inch casserole dish....and press down to create crust.
4. Top with sauce...spreading as close to edge as you can.
5. Sprinkle cheese over sauce evenly and top with pepperoni.
6. Bake for 30 min until lightly browned. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting and ENJOY!!!