Alert - Worth it, but not....

Some of you probably saw this coming, but I didn't - which is interesting when you think about it.  I've decided to give up the podcasting, and therefore the blog as well.  This was both fun and interesting for me to do and there's quite a few things I learned to appreciate in the process.  The problem is I had two conflicting principles in doing this: First - I wanted it to be a hobby.  This means I was approaching this as a way to relive interesting moments (Spot On Reflections), further support my health goals (Blitz Fitness), and complain and compare other's opinions and thought processes to my own (The Reactioneer and Straight to the Bulletpoint).  Simple enough.  Simply put - I didn't want it to feel like work.  Second, and here comes the storm, I don't like doing things poorly.  Early on I was okay with my lack of quality from a personal and technical standpoint.  After all, this was a new experience for me and bugs could be expected.  These situations collided recently however.  I kept feeling like there was so much more I could do, ideas I had that would help to further separate myself from the masses.  All good things take time and effort though, and that went against why I was doing this.

I really thought I had a winning formula to balance those two issues when I made all shows except Blitz a monthly show.  It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that wasn't the case.  Yesterday morning should have had a Blitz Fitness show scheduled, but instead my Saturday went like this: I woke up and grabbed the newspaper from my porch, walked to the store (about a half mile or so) to buy Kefir for breakfast, went jogging with a client, got pizza puffs at Grassano's with some close friends, went to Disc Replay for some classic (and not so classic) game purchasing, hit the dollar store for some cheap candy, bought vuvuzela's and played them on the drive home, hung out and laughed myself to exhaustion before slinking home tired but pleased.

That's a great day, and it was chockful of some of my hobbies already.  To produce a quality show and blog to you all I would have to start missing out on that a bit more and would want that?  The next question to ask is who would want to listen to the podcasts I've been doing the way they are now?  "No one" is the answer to both questions.  Inevitably the third, hidden question had to rear its ugly head; should I even bother with this?

The answer is no, I really shouldn't.  There's such a dearth of podcasts available today that when I look back at what I wanted to do with all 4 shows, only one of them was original (SoR).  Yet even that one falls short when i examined and realized that I do not have the technical skills to even make that show what I had in mind.

Without a doubt podcasting will continue and be quality for some time to come.  Let's not forget how young this medium still technically is and what can be on the horizon.  Although I'm sad that this little effort of mine failed to live up to my own expectations I can take solace in the programs I already enjoy: shows on the Frogpants Network (Final Score, The Morning Stream, Film Sack, both Instance shows, Hypothetical Help, and Autopilot), How Stuff Works (Stuff you should know, stuff to blow your mind, stuff you missed in history class, etc.), the bounty provided by NPR, and so many others at this time.

If you're reading this then you likely gave me a chance.  Thank you for that!  Am I walking into the sunset with a sad song at my feet?  Yes.....  Forever?  Who knows.  I can only say it was worth all the while.  If I'm really lucky maybe I've given someone out there an idea they turn into a show and have the time, skills, and drive to make it something special.  If you do, let me know so I don't miss out on it!

Why is this so hard?

That's the question I have to ask myself.  I still intend to record a Blitz Fitness (as well as Reactioneer Monthly) this weekend, but something afoul is a foot!  Came home to find my speakers for my PC don't turn on all of a sudden.  I'll try looking more into it tomorrow before I bite the 'aww hell, I'm just buying new ones' bullet.

So this could turn into an unexpected Sunday show this week.  I don't want to miss this because I have something important to bring up that is not happy news.....

Study Monkey

No Blitz Fitness Podcast again this week, but I expect to do one next week.  This is NOT me being lazy, quite the opposite in fact.  It's my ACE cert renewal crunch time and I'm in the process of renewing my FA/AED/CPR training as well as finishing up my CECs.  Sorry folks.  This just means May will be choppy and things should get back to normal soon.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 10

Quick bounce-back from the diet crash. The main topic for this show is a nutritional review of Jamba Juice smoothies (food not included).

Blitz Fitness - Episode 9

Now with its own intro!

This week I start over and throw a tiny monkey wrench to the buddy system

Blitz Fitness - Episode 8

This week I mention another slight upgrade to the diet, going 'nuts', and using a kitchen scale

Alert - Apologies for lack of shows

One of the reasons is due to a lack of articles that I felt were worth posting.  However, the primary reason is I'm currently in the middle of studying and testing for my CEC's to renew my ACE personal trainer certification.  I am testing for one this weekend, then I'll do the second half next week, and finally it'll be time to renew my first aid/AED/CPR certification.

That's not to say don't expect ANY show for the next few weeks.  I'm approaching this with the plan of still doing The Reactioneer and Blitz Fitness each week, but if you're wondering why it seems to not be happening, now you know.

Also, regarding the lack of a Spot On Reflections re-released: I have not done so yet as I'm considering 're-mastering' those and it's going to be fairly time consuming.  I'll have more details when I do the next Reactioneer.

Please be patient folks!  Thanks!

Blitz Fitness - Episode 7

This week I get some good weight loss thanks to strong dieting skills, while also discussing how to treat 'cheat days' and a quick look at fitness professionals who advertise an increase in energy to potential clientele.

K.I.S.S. - Damn his hypocrisy, damn it to Hell

Via Consumerist

This was caught by so many people, but I'm ticked off at Clint Eastwood's response.  He is a fool if he thinks his message was 'just about job growth'.  As an actor, I would assume he knows how to read a script and understand subtext in order to get it across to the screen.  Well the pro-bailout (that he was previously so anti) subtext of this commercial is clear.  It's the old pee on my shoes and claim it's the rain problem, Clinty-poo; but you probably think that phrase is about spaying and neutering your pets...

CDC dishes on sodium

Via the CDC website

I've been talking about this in drips and drabs on the podcast.  The problem is that food companies are afraid to drop sodium because it is such a huge component of taste.  I'm all for the reduction, however.  Taste be damned, I'd prefer healthier food.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 6

This week I have an app appraisal redux regarding the dietary journals I was testing. Also, I give a quick explanation of how cholesterol works and share my numbers for the past week.

Difference between HFCS & Corn Sugar

Via Consumerist

It's an interesting find and can easily lead one to believe the opinion (as I have) that high fructose corn syrup is not only not the same, but perhaps a bit more dangerous than, corn sugar.

I agree with the researchers who say that a long-term effects study is required, they need to also greatly enhance the selection size; 40 individuals is not enough and this is a study that should be easy to get a large population involved in.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 5

Covering what technology I'm using and anything noteworthy. I also begin looking at food journal apps.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 4 (re-release)

This week I suffer the results of a week without working out thanks to an injury and a quick overhaul to my weight lifting program/schedule.

Children CAN regulate body temperature as well as adults

This comes courtesy of Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD writing for ACE Certified News

Though the focus of the article is about sport and energy drinks and their rise in use for adolescents in sports,  check out point #1.  The author isn't freaking out about nothing.  It has been a very long-held belief that children couldn't regulate their body temperature as well as adults, however it appears that this study by the American Academy of Pediatrics has chosen otherwise.

This article is also good to have yet another expert point out that we really need to disconnect ourselves from the fad of energy drinks.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 3 (re-release)

Reporting 3 weeks into the program; we talk about diet schedules, referencing the food pyramid, and offer a tip on reducing the damage from stress eating.

Lack of link between school lunches and childhood obesity

I saw this on Consumerist

I have two problems, the first is that both the article on the Consumerist and the link to where Consumerist got this from are lacking in details.  I need more info, and neither directly links to the research or a public version of the research (though it may not be public yet).  This is important to me because I want to know if part of their research took into account if the schools they surveyed did or did not have physical education and recess periods; and how do the results split with that.

The second issue I have is the overall hypothesis of the research as it's being conveyed.  A) Were there really people who wanted to blame school lunches as primary or major factor to childhood obesity?  I feel that what was being served on average was poor nutritionally speaking, but never more than just a small factor of the whole puzzle.  B) This research almost makes it sound like the changes that have been put in place recently regarding nutritional choices for children are extemporaneous.  I definitely don't want this train to stop, for all involved.

Last thing, I'm refraining from joking about this being a study with a focus on children coming from Penn State.

Blitz Fitness - Episode 2 (re-release)

Popeye isn't a bastion of fitness after all!

Blitz Fitness - Episode 1 (re-release)

Introducing a road to fitness journal from current fat (but certified personal trainer) host Blitz.

Blitz Fitness breaks out

Hi everyone and welcome to the Blitz Fitness blog.  Blitz Fitness was once a show under The Reactioneer blog and podcast stream, however I have since decided to separate it out on it's own as this podcast covers items significantly different from the topics that can be found in The Reactioneer.

I will be releasing the already completed podcasts two to a week (Saturdays and Wednesdays) until caught up to today's recording schedule.  Afterwards, it will be a Saturday morning show.

I implore you to share your experiences either via comments to this blog and each shows post as well as through email to me (thereactioneer, one word, via gmail).  I may share you stories and questions on a future episode unless you request otherwise.

Questions and counter-opinions are also welcome and will easily be shared.

I hope this is a source of inspiration for those who require it and otherwise an interesting listen.