December to August - what 9 months can do

See you all at the State Fair! Take a look at all the prize winning vegetables. (But don't touch, or you might get thrown out of the veggie building, like I did last year, but that is another story.)

Motivation:

"Finish each day and be done with it... tomorrow is a new day;
you shall begin it well and serenely."
-Emerson

Diary:

Today I got on the scale at the gym for the first time in several months. What I saw was shocking and I won't reveal it here for the public. Let's just say that I went above a weight mark that I vowed to myself that I would never go over again. How did this happen? In November of 2007 I was leaner and meaner than ever. Nine months later, I am back to floppy, flabby, lazy, bored, boring, and unattractive. Dang. I will reveal the numbers later - when I get a little more self-confidence.

It happened from taking my eye off the ball. I spread myself too thin. I forgot why I did it to begin with (weight loss, that is).

Simplify! Wasn't that the purpose of this years goals? What the heck was I thinking? Last night, while miserable after eating a meal of fried chicken, tator tots, and beer (is this an approved meal?), I wrote down my thoughts. I will share them here, just because. (I hope my lessons teach you well.)

Goals:

• 240 lbs
• V-shape body
• Wear Kendall's Suits
• Halloween / Costume Parties
• Christmas Party
• Flip up off floor in one smooth move
  
• Enjoy sitting in Stadium Seats (prep for Twins outdoor park)
• Fort Meyers - Twins spring training
• Las Vegas - Hard Rock Hotel jacuzzi
  
• Cancun vacation - 2009

How to get there:

• Eat Right - Follow Diet Diary daily
• Workout 2x each day - no excuses
  
• Rest for 7 hours each night
• Declutter - Simplify
  
• Drink Water - Not Beer - as main beverage (shocking revelation, huh?)
• Socialize regularly - stay around people
  

So those were my notes - and they are no magic or secret code, just the same list I keep writing over and over and over again. Here is the interesting thing though - when I write my list of goals and "what would make me feel better", some of the things that I thought should be on there started to slide away. At my core, "Dating" and "Be a better musician" left the list. It isn't that I don't want to be a better musician - I would enjoy being a master - but it just seems to be an outlier that I can get at in time or maybe just something that I will pick up as I get to it. I decided that "Dating" for "Dating's sake" is a big snooze for me. I just want to have fun, and was looking for someone to have fun with, but was sacrificing my goals and focus in order to do this. I was going about it all wrong - I was thinking "what would a girl like to do" and then doing those things and hating them, instead of thinking "I am having fun doing x, maybe I should ask a girl if she want's to join me." That would have been better at this stage in my life, because if I am not having fun, chance are she won't enjoy it either, and if she doesn't want to, then that is ok, it just wasn't right.

So, I guess what I am saying is that you won't have to endure any more discussion about my dating life, because I am shutting that down for a while. I am just going to do fun stuff and socialize without the pressure of having to date or please or find anyone special. Whew! That is a real pressure relief. Maybe I will be better friend now for the poor folks who have had to be around me and put up with my whining.



So I feel actually pretty empowered now to re-start the self-improvement routine. Today on the elliptical I was actually smiling, and I was remembering my friend the mp3 player and how it can predict my mood and help me to kick it into gear. I was imagining what things will feel like in a month if I work out every day, and that was a great visual for me. So here is the plan for then next few weeks:

• Walk in the Bill Seymour 5K run. I will be doing a speed-walk with my sister for this one that we jogged in last year. When we are done, we will be cheering on my brother-in-law as he runs the 1/2 marathon.
• Jog in the St. Olaf 5K in October. I am going to try and train for a light jog over the next month.
  
• Attend a Halloween Costume ball at end of October. I am going to need some hints/tips, as my idea of a costume is a tag with a different name on it. (Hi, my name is Bill.)
  
• Be able to get back into dress suits for Thanksgiving / Christmas

Got some goals, got some milestones, got my plan of action, got my blog, got people praying and cheering for me - that is a great start. Now we just need the whole motivation, endurance, one-day-at-a-time thing to kick in.

SIMPLE IS NOT EASY

Making choices isn't easy, but it is something that must be done. Just like putting money in a mattress or in a bank, you make a choice that has some risk and potential reward.

My band (Shotgun Johnson and the Mississippi 7) is recording for an album to be released later this year / early next year. It is, from what I understand, going to be the best album ever on the planet, and something that you won't be able to miss. I hope it has a marketing plan that rivals the Normandale College. Stay tuned for more information about the SJM7 projects.

Anyway, I had a really great conversation with my friend Karl during a break in our recording session. We talked about the risk and reward of decisions we make in life itself. While we have any number of possible things we can do with our day, there are a finite number of decisions we can make with the hours available to us. Time is a perishable resource, and what we do with this inventory has a value to calculate. Because time keeps being used whether we use it or not, even NOT making a decision has a cost. So, if it is a decision to do something or not do something, or do something different (choices A, B, or C) , you are moving in a direction.

What am I getting at? Now I am not too sure - I think I was promoting to make bold moves and do things that maybe a little dangerous or scary, because if you don't do those things, the moment in which to make those moves may have passed.

My friend Kendall once asked if I would roll down a hill with him. It was in the middle of a high-school baseball game, and he looked at this steep hill behind the bleachers and said "wouldn't it be fun to just roll all the way down that hill? Let's do it, come on". "What? There are people sitting around - they would think we are crazy? Are you insane? Two grown men running up a hill, and playing 'stop, drop and roll'? No way!"

Now, on retrospect, I wish I would have done that. Would it have been silly? Yes! Would it have been embarrassing? Yes! Would I have felt like a total dolt? Maybe. Would I look back on that moment in time and laugh so loud I could bust a tooth loose? Certainly.

Maybe the action of two older, stocky men rolling down a hill on their bellies would spark a mini-revolution that caused everyone to stop what they were doing, get off of the bleachers and run to the top of the hill and roll down in a pile and laugh like little children. Maybe it would have made them stop and think about little things that used to make them happy and at the end of the day, they would treat themselves and those around them just a little bit better. Maybe they would show more love to their families. Maybe they would have an inner joy beyond that of any other joy they could have had that day.

Or maybe they would just turn around and say to themselves, under their breath, "Stupid senile creeps. Why don't they go somewhere else if they are going to act like idiots."


more later,

Chazz

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Facebook, Twitter, and Eharmony - communication in the virtual world.

Happy Independence Day from everyone at "Chazz Vader's Intelligent Design"!

picture is from a recent baseball trip to Chicago. this trip marks the beginning of Memphis' first twitter message.



Motivation:

"He who would learn to fly must first learn to walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying." -Nietzshe

Diary:

I have social networking to blame for my lack of blog writing over the last month. Social networking - both live and virtual, has been sort of taking over my thoughts and I think we are teetering (tweetering?) close to the word "addiction". I do enjoy reconnecting with people and meeting new people, and I have had fun, but am not sure that this is very productive. That being said, if you want to connect with me, and know what I am doing on a regular basis, the best way to stay in touch is through one of the following sites (if not through my blog) :












Three other sites I have enjoyed in the last month include www.geni.com, www.plaxo.com, and www.meetup.com.

Oh, and I forgot - but maybe I have been spending the most amount of my time online at dating sites, such as eharmony, match, yahoo, and okcupid. After a while, I get tired of these sites, and tired of "chatting" with people out on the wire. Although, I also get tired of meeting people at bars, events, and "out there" in the real world, so things really aren't that different. I found the following true for real life networking as well as virtual networking:

• be confident and know what you have to offer and can do for others
• give of yourself willingly in order to serve others
• listen to others - be open to provide a shoulder to lean on
• don't interrupt - are you still listening? sometimes teaching and helping doesn't involve speaking or taking over, until asked to
• if / when asked, help to solve the problem without questioning or judging
• ask for help. you will find out what people are great at by asking for others to guide you when you have problems
• be reliable. always follow through if you say you are going to help someone.

Social Networking is all about Making Connections - what is the purpose? Looking at the definition of "Networking" tells us the following:

• Two or more people that communicate with each other and share resources.
• Expanding one's sphere of influence by initiating mutually advantageous relationships.

Cool! I love these definitions - In order to expand your mutually advantageous sphere of influence, you should really know who is out there, and understand how others can help, and how much you can offer to the people in your network. This has to happen through good communication and follow-up. Do you have good communication and follow-up with your sphere of influence? How can you improve this? Does technology help? How can we use twitter and facebook to help share our resources and communicate with each other? If you have an idea, please comment at the end of this message.

Scott Abel, (The Content Wrangler) has posted this article on his site (with a very funny video, check it out) that pokes some fun at people like me who are addicted to social networking sites.

If you liked the article link above, the following video also points some fun at some of the popular social networking sites:

SIMPLE IS NOT EASY

So, I looked at my list of goals for the "120 Day Push" and reallize that I have been ultimately a procrastinator. I could blame it on the social networking, or I could list the other things I have been working on in the last 30 days, such as travelling to Chicago, Dallas, and Central Nebraska, or learning and working on the new projects at work, taking country dancing lessons, or playing with the band, or being involved in the STC (nominated as Secretary of the board), or the myriad of other things that happen. It couldn't be, could it, that I have been seduced by summer events and eating and drinking usually follows these outings (don't stand in line for free wings at BW3, that is my advise - learn from my mistakes...) However it happened, my priorities have slipped, and starting Monday the 120 days starts all over again, only this time I have a little more incentive and desire.

I recently found an unintended groups of supporters - I thought it would be different, but was gladly surprised how things turned out...

I went to my sister's high-school reunion weekend and met some of her classmates, then the next day ran into some of my classmates and my high-school football/wrestling coach. I expected to feel awkward, but was surprised at the number of people who have been non-verbally cheering me on from a distance - people who I never thought would be "on my team", who came up to me to give me a hug and just say - "you look great". That pat on the back and reminder has encouraged me to stay motivated and keep my eye on the prize. It is amazing how the right word from the right person and the right time can put you back into focus on what is important in your life. One of the things that was said at the Reunion Banquet was that we all (our classmates) helped to form the people who we are today, and we have our childhood friends and peers to thank for putting their hand into the form that we are today. I agreed with this statement, and was reminded that even our failures in life help to form the person we are today. Our pain and baggage, and the people who were around us to support us and help us are part of our DNA - and make us the people we are today. I thank my classmates from Loomis High for the influence they had in my growth and I hope that I was an influence in their lives as well. This "step into my past" was a real eye-opener, and a reminder that I need to stay connected to my past friends and partners. I will encourage all my classmates to join Facebook, and be my friend.

The other unlikely source of encouragement has come from my recent dating experiences. I expected it to be an awful, embarrassing series of events, filled with pain and despair, reminding me of all my flaws and incompatibilities, but I have found that in reality, it is the opposite. I guess the point of finding a long-term partner is to find someone who actually cares about your success and failure and wants to share these with you and be another member of your "team", only in a more intimate setting. Wow, how did this just hit me? Like the classmates I spoke about, the dating world is filled with people who have experiences (some good, some bad) and have a unique DNA. That is a wonderful, joyful thing. It is interesting to learn more about their past and enjoy the person who has emerged from that past. So, I am finding that my dating is actually getting me to see another side of my goals and incentives - that through the eye of a partner who is thinking the same thing that I am - which is - "She makes me feel better about my life - What can I do to make her life better?" and "How wonderful and strong she is - I want to make her feel like she is very special." Since I am feeling this about her, I can only hope that she is feeling this about me... what a wonderful partner to have in my corner.

With this knowledge, I am now having more interesting, deeper conversations with my married friends about their lives, and how they interact and work together in their "family team". It expands my idea of "Renaissance Man" to consider a "Renaissance Family", working together.

I have a lot to learn.

more later,

Chazz

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What can you do in 120 Days - the 120 Day Challenge

Image - Chazz Vader on stage in Dallas, Texas - interviewed about my weight loss by Kent Cras during conference.

Motivation:

"Dreams are goals with deadlines" - Napoleon Hill

Diary:

last week I got the opportunity to work on a Habitat for Humanity house. It was one of the best things I could have done. First of all, working outside on siding, putting up and taking down scaffolding, and getting muddy, dirty, and bruised in the summer sun - it is a blessing to be able to work with your hands and build something. Two highlights were

1. building a stairs for the front porch - cutting and nailing wood together to create something real! (not that writing documents isn't real, but typing on a computer is creating bits and bytes and pixels - which has it's value, but isn't physical). I was so proud of my accomplishment - I so much wanted to bring someone to show them what I built. I felt like Tom Hank's character in CastAway. After working SOOO HARD to get a spark to light and then accomplishing this tasks, but having no one around to share the excitement. He yelled out "I have made FIRE! I HAVE MADE FIRE!!" to his only friend at the time, his Wilson volleyball. I felt like this a little - I felt like I did such a great thing - building and producing, and wanted to drag my friends to see "Look what I built." I guess I just will put it in my heart as something "you had to be there" to know what I mean.
   
2. I ran into the brother (Nick) of a good friend of mine (AHon) who was also working on the house that day - it was a real coincidence thing. The look on his face was priceless. He didn't know who I was - I mean, when was the last time we talked? AHon's wedding I saw him, but we didn't really talk very much, as it was a busy day and he was rather pre-occupied. He stood staring with his mouth open, asking questions and talking as if nothing had changed, and then said "Listen, I can't believe you have changed so much!" It was just wonderful. The look in his eyes for me was of encouragement and pride and I felt great. Thanks Nick for that little jolt of encouragement and awe. I needed that.
   

I received two great emails this week that I need to record here:

First I have had ongoing discussions with my friend Pat, who has been helping me sort out questions like "What is your purpose?" and "What makes people happy?" After a long discussion one evening, I got this email from him the next day. For some reason, it helps me to put in perspective what my intentions should be:

"One of my favorite segments from the TV show The West Wing included the following story:
A man falls into a hole and can't get out, a preist walks by and the man yells up to him 'Father I've fallen into this hole and I can't get out'. The preist takes out a prayer and drops it down to him and moves on. Next a doctor walks by and the man yells up to him 'Dr I've fallen into this hole and I can't get out'. The Dr writes out a prescription drops it into the hole and moves on. Finally an old freind walks by and the man yells up to him 'Joe i've fallen into this hole and I can't get out'. Joe jumps down into the hole and the man says, Joe why did you jump down here with me and Joe replies, 'because I've been down here before and I know the way out."

Sometimes we fall into our holes and feel like we are all alone. We can ask for help from "the experts", but sometimes we just need to be around someone who has been there before - not because we need them to solve our problems for us, but just to be there to listen to our struggles and remind us of who we are, our strengths, and the reality that we are just in a hole and there are ways out if we just take a breath and look around. They did it and are ready to serve as a model that it is do-able.

If you haven't already done so, I would HIGHLY recommend you find a support group - I don't even care what it is. I have several groups of people who I rely on and am accountable to with my weight loss, fitness, professional, and personal goals - and some have been in my situation before. Whatever you do, having someone to lean on and support is a valuable thing.


The second email I have cherished this week was from my Global traveling mate, Josh. He sent me a nice message about Habits that I would love to share with this group. Actually, you should read the article about Habits at the New York Times by Janet Rae-Dupree. Read that article, and then I will point out my favorite parts of it, if you care:

Brain researchers discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel synaptic paths, and even entirely new brain cells.

We can direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. The more new things we try, the more inherently creative we become.

Comfort is the realm of existing habit. Stress occurs when a challenge is so far beyond current experience as to be overwhelming.

It’s in the stretch zone, the middle where existence feels a bit awkward and unfamiliar, where true change occurs.

Continuously stretching ourselves will help us achieve our goals! Do something different every day to get out of the routines that make us more aware of our lives.

Kaizen calls for tiny, continuous improvements! (Now WHERE have you heard this before?)

“You cannot have innovation, unless you are willing and able to move through the unknown and go from curiosity to wonder.”

Wow, excellent article. A "must read" for anyone ready to make a life change.

SIMPLE IS NOT EASY

The last weekend, while in Dallas Texas, I had a chance to "reveal my identity" a little and announced that I have lost considerable weight while using Nutrilite vitamins, XS Energy Drink and TrimAdvantage protien snacks. (You can purchase these items here, by the way - or just contact me for more information.) I digres - It was a good weekend, and I heard words like "momentum", "integrity", "dreams", "goals", "strategy", "techniques", "actions", "milestones", "partnerships", and "edification". The best two things that I gained from the weekend were the following:

1. The first thing I retained from the weeekend was about setting our Goals and Dreams. The thought behind setting our goals = Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It is interesting that just as I have been telling myself to not base all my focus (in the last blog) on the success of one thing, I was getting this same message from the speakers at this weekend conference. If you are to measure your success or failure based on a few events or in my case, a few people you meet, you will statistically fail already - as likely you will be rejected or not succeed to your liking. However, if you spread out your efforts to lots of possible options, you will find that one failure doesn't affect you, and one success may not be as big of a high as it would have if it was your "last ditch effort", however overall you will be better off and have a better chance of succeeding at your effort. Also, and perhaps more importantly, by spreading out your options of success, you might find that what you thought you wanted isn't what makes you happy in the end. Perhaps you will find that, as the Rolling Stones said, "you can't always get what you want" (or what you THINK you want), "but if you TRY sometimes you just might find you get what you need." (or what you REALLY wanted, but just never thought of it)
2. The second thing, after thinking about our Goals and Dreams is then thinking about how do we get them in todays busy society, when after all is said and done, we don't have the energy to consider our dreams. Dreams and goals take more than thought - they require some momentum. Momentum is difficult, becuase it seems to happen in spurts - even using Kaizen, we don't always improve ourselves, sometimes we just stagnate. So is there a way that we can spark some momentum into our hecitc lives? The concept brought up this weekend may not be new, but it hit me at the right time and in the right way - What can you accomplish in the next 120 days? What can you do for 120 days straight without worrying about results? By putting yourself into something - fully engaged, no half-way commitments - for only 120 days, should show you some results - if it doesn't, maybe you were not fully committed, maybe your technique was wrong, or maybe you decide that this dream is not something you truly want to do or have. Either way, you haven't lost a lot of time (4 months?) and you may learn something valuable through the effort. I KNOW this works with weight loss and fitness - by taking 120 days and focusing on what you need to do every day to make something happen and you are doing it correctly and consistenly - it just works. When it hasn't worked for me is when I wasn't true and focused during the 120-day period. If I cheated or let myself stray, then I failed. It is ossible to stay committed for 120 days, because if you really hate it, you have the ability (I give you my blessing on this) to say that after the 120 days is over "I will never do THAT again." But until 120 days is over, stay committed, keep your internal integrity to honor your commitment to that dream and goal for just 120 days. After the 120 days is over, review your actions and measure your path. Then you can decide - am I better off by doing this test? Do I feel better about me and my world? Sometimes hindsight can be a valuable tool when setting the goals and dreams for the next 120 day push....

With this energy, I will be getting back to the basics of "what I need to do" for the next 120 days - eat and drink right, excercise daily, sleep well, and continue to improve my mental and social skills.

This next 2 weeks will be busy for me with a huge report due, my clients from out of the country coming to visit, and my other clients are adding and moving around a bit. So I will by working my tail to get everything done - nothing new for Chazz, and I feel pretty good about the whole thing. (Especially the fact that I will be taking my out-of-town clients to a Twins vs Yankees game - front row seats!!!)

for the next posting in June - lets get back to podcasting (chazz-casting) as I have an interview with Kaptain Karl to finish, and talk about eating patterns - I am reading about fasting and am curious if this is something that real people do on a regular basis.

more later,

Chazz

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