CURRENT EVENTS

APF Raw Nationals Powerlifting Contest

I just returned from Lombard, IL; where I took first place in the deadlift for the 198 and under weight and Masters VI (Ages 65 to 69)

This could not have done this without Freddy, who got be back in the gym years ago.

Walter (fellow on left, holding three trophies he won that day) who got me into competitive powerlifting

And Art, who talked me into returning to the sport although I was in my late 60s.  By the way, Art set the “World Record” for his age and weight at this contest.

PHYSICAL TRAITS 

Honor Thy Temple

In recognition of Mother’s Day, I dedicate this one to all you moms out there.

CHARACTER TRAITS

The Foundation for Being Extraordinary

I’ve long thought the value of living a good life is simply living a good life, and not based upon a reward or a punishment.

It seems one of Rome’s wisest emperors felt much the same way.

SOCIAL TRAITS

Getting Along with Others

Think how well people would get along if we all just followed this advice.

LEARNING TRAITS

Growth Keeps You Extraordinary

It is important to keep learning, regardless of how old we are.

So here is something you can learn about parking.

MISCELLANEOUS 

The Odds & Ends of Being Extraordinary

I realize that some of you out there may believe the odds of you becoming extraordinary are about the same as finding a needle in a haystack.

Well, perhaps that isn’t as hard as you may think if you just give it a try.

SELF-HELP BOOKS

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

by Carlo Rovelli

The lessons are very brief and easy to read; however, very difficult to truly understand.  If you aren’t willing to question everything you believe, probably not the book for you.

For example first there was just the flat earth and the sky above.  As time went on, we learned the sun and stars revolved around a spherical Earth per Aristotle.

Later, thanks to Copernicus, we learned that the earth revolved around the sun.  Still later, we learned our sun was just a star like the one hundred billion other stars in our galaxy.

In the 1930s we learned that our galaxy was just a speck of dust in a vast cloud of galaxies.  What you will learn from this book gets much stranger in many other ways.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK

Me at the Nationals

I thought you may want to see this short clip of me at the National Raw Powerlifting Competition.

LAST WEEK’S POLL – Nixon & Elvis

Here are the results of the three poll last week:

When it comes to Nixon

   43% Indifferent

   43% Disliked

   14% Liked

When it comes to Elvis

   71% Liked

   19% Indifferent

10% Disliked

Regarding your preference between Nixon and Elvis

   68% Liked Elvis better than Nixon

   16% Liked Nixon better than Elvis

   16% Were indifferent

THIS WEEK POLL – Friendships

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

Gonna Fly Now

(Theme from “Rocky”)

by DeEtta Little

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuULcVaMTf0

“Gonna Fly Now”, also known as “Theme from Rocky”, is the theme song from the movie Rocky, composed by Bill Conti with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins, and performed by DeEtta Little (the sister of actor Cleavon Little) and Nelson Pigford. Released in February 1977 with the movie Rocky, the song became part of American popular culture after main character Rocky Balboa as part of his daily training regimen runs up the 72 stone steps leading to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia and raises his arms in a victory pose, while the song plays. (Source: Wikipedia)

ART OF THE WEEK

Giant Horse Statue

Here is a photo of the famous large horse at Meijer’s Gardens in Grand Rapids, MI.  If you are ever in the Grand Rapids area, I urge you to visit these extraordinary gardens.

I probably should not have, but as you can see in the above photo the horse almost stepped on me.  So I tamed it.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE

Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you want to know that you are in a serious gym, there should be at least one photo of Arnold on the wall.

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) began weight training at the age of 15. He won the Mr. Universe title at age 20 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent presence in bodybuilding and has written many books and articles on the sport. He is widely considered to be among the greatest bodybuilders of all times as well as its biggest icon. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

BLOG

Thanks to Judith, Kathy & Carol,  for commenting on last week’s post.  Comments are so encouraging, I urge you to let me know what you are thinking via a blog comment.

Thank you Abbie & Lori for bringing my total number of blog followers to 62.  

My Harmony Books & Films Facebook page likes remains at 65.  

If you think this blog has any merit, please pass it on to your friends.  Hopefully, more of you will continue to share this blog with others. My thanks to Scot, Kim, Cheryl, Debbie, Carol & Marilyn, for sharing my post last week on Facebook.

MY BOOK

If you know someone who is trying to change their life or that needs to change their life, please consider my book.

For those of you into reading books on a Kindle, the Kindle version of my book is $4.95.

My book is available on-line from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million.  

And if you have read my book, please leave an evaluation of it on Amazon.  Thank you.

http://www.amazon.com/Tired-Being-Ordinary-Are-You/dp/0990388697

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/im-tired-of-being-ordinary-are-you-wm-allen/1120528064?ean=9780990388692

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Im-Tired-Being-Ordinary/Wm-Allen/9780990388692?id=6429711012885