Best Albums of 2013

TThese are my top 21 picks for best albums in 2013. I don't listen to much hip hop or Top 40 pop. I can't stand Kanye West, Justin Beiber, Chris Brown, or any of those kind of punks, so I've never listened to a minute of their albums. They may be genius, I guess I'll never know. I don't mind Miley Cyrus or Katy Perry, but I've never listened to their new albums this year. That being said, here's my list:

1. Fidlar- s/t

2. The Devil Makes Three - Stranger

3. Division of Laura Lee - Tree

4. Modern Life is War - Fever Hunting

5. Nine Inch Nails - Hesistation Marks

6. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

7. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito

9. Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

10. Deerhunter - Monomania

And in no such order the last eleven:

Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals

Off With Their Heads - Home

Bleached - Ride Your Heart

Pissed Jeans - Honeys

Haim - Days Are Gone

Touché Amour - Is Survived By

Marnie - Crystal World

Jayke Orvis & The Broken Band - Bless This Mess

Chvrches - Bones of What You Believe

Dean Blunt - Redeemer

Hank 3 - Brothers of the 4x4

Happy New Year!!!

- Almost forgot about Daft Punk's new album. I dug it. I'd definately put it on the list.

End of the Year Round-Up

How did the holidays treat ya?? Mine were good. Full of family, friends, and FOOD!! They went by incredibly too quick. Did get to spend some time with both of my grandmothers, which doesn't happen too often. My mom's mom is 89, my father's is 84. Both are not in the best of health and their memories aren't anywhere close to what they used to be. I'm happy I got to see them both and give them hugs.

I only worked Monday, Friday, and Saturday so I got a few decent workouts in. Here goes:

Thursday: Zim took my Jeep into work so I was left at home with no car. He had his car in for inspection. Garage workout time! I wanted to do a light upper body workout.

5 minute warm-up

Shoulder press

In & out hammers

Curls

Overhead medicine ball tricep presses

Dips (10)

Standing band rows

Curls/Hammers

Push-Ups (7)

REPEAT

2 and 1/2 mile run.

DONE!

Weights were 15lbs, medicine ball is 10lbs. 1st set is 10 reps, 2nd is 8 reps.

Saturday: BEAUTIFUL weather out but a little wet out. Sunny, mid 50s. The trail was calling my name. I ran a nice 3 mile. Felt great after all to 20-30 degree weather we've been having lately.

Sunday: A total wash out. It poured all day. I went to the gym to ride the elliptical and to watch the 2nd half of the Chelsea v Liverpool match. I did 35 minutes and watched Chelsea win 2-1. Sweet! Even sweeter with the Eagles beating the Cowboys last night! 

Monday: Last upper body workout of the year.

5 minute warm-up

Lawnmowers (18lb)

In & out biceps

Tricep kickback 

Push-ups

Shoulder press

Hammers

Dips (20)

Push-ups

Sit down pull down bands

Curls

Standing pull down bands triceps

Push-ups

Shoulder shrugs

Curls/hammers

Medicine ball overhead triceps (10lb)

Push-ups

REPEAT

1 mile run

DONE!!

Weight is at 15lbs. 1st set 10 reps, 2nd at 8 reps.

Cheers!!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is here! Zim's family will be here in less than an hour so I'm spending a whole 15 minutes to myself. I'm gonna need it after all that cooking! Here's the early week workouts:

Monday (got a chance to fit it in):

5 minute warm-up

Shoulder press

Hammers

Dips (20)

5 push-ups

Upright rows

Curls

Tricep kickback

5 push-ups

Lawnmowers

Standing Band rows

Overhead tricep press

5 push-ups

Shoulder shrug

In & out biceps

Band tricep pull-down

5 push-ups

REPEAT

1 mile jog; cool down

DONE!!

1st set 10 reps, 2nd set 8. All weights 15lb, except overhead triceps 12, lawnmowers 18, and shoulder shrugs 30.

Tuesday (today):

Gym day!

1/4 mile warm-up jog

Leg extension (70, 80, 95)

Leg flexion (70,80,95)

Calf raise (140,160,180)

Hip abduction (115, 125, 135)

Hip adduction (105, 115, 120)

Body squats

Lunges

20 minutes on the elliptical.

Stretch

DONE

Merry Christmas!!!

...Right Around the Corner

Only a two more days till Christmas! Everyone done their shopping and wrapped?? I am finally done all that stuff today. I had gift cards to wrap and a couple cards to sign. And I fit in some baking of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies too! All that's left is the fish market for our 7 fishes dinner on Christmas Eve. 

The weather has turned from frigid not rising above 25 degrees to almost 70 degrees this weekend. All last week's snow is gone and melted. Nutty. I took advantage of the weather on Saturday and got a nice little 3 and 1/4 mile run in. Saturday the temperatures peaked around 60, but the trails were still snow and slush covered. I definately wasn't setting any speed records. Felt great to get outside and run with a light hoody on. Today it was warm but raining off and on, so it was to the gym to ride the elliptical for 35 minutes while watching football.

Tomorrow I'm running to the fish market with my mother-in-law in the morning to get a jump on the seven fishes. Hopefully I'll have time for my usual upper body workout in the garage. If not, oh well. At least we should be able to get a better selection of fish then on Christmas Eve. Last year the selection was more than great, but this week plenty of people have off Monday now too. Better to be safe then sorry. 

Merry Christmas and happy holidays if I don't find time to post in the next two days! Enjoy!

'Twas The Week Before Christmas...

Next week already?! Man, December is flying right on by! This weekend we had another round of snowstorms and ice. Nothing crippling, but enough to make you hibernate at home all weekend. I didn't get a chance to run outside but I made it to my gym for an elliptical workout on Saturday morning before the snow started and I had a nice half hour/45 minute shoveling workout yesterday. I would have rather ran. Running and ice just don't get along with me. I did get a mile in today! It was cold, but it felt good! Here's the morning workout:

5 minute warm-up/stretch

Upright rows

In & out bicep curls

Dips (20)

5 push-ups

Lawnmowers

Hammers

Overhead tricep press

5 push-ups

Shoulder press

Concentration curls

Tricep band pull-down 

5 push-ups

Shoulder shrugs

Standing band row

Tricep kickback

5 push-ups

REPEAT

1 mile jog

Cool down/stretch

DONE!

1st set 10, 2nd set 8. All 15lb except lawnmowers, 18lb, overhead tricep, 12lb, and shoulder shrugs, 30lbs.

Playlist: Rival Mob, Shark Soup

More Snow

The Philadelphia region got about 3-6 inches of snow today. In my area, we got about 3 or 4. Nothing all that bad, but the underneath layer of slush that turned to ice made roads a little tricky. People were panicked around here a bit. Morning and afternoon non-stop news coverage, traffic warnings, the stay home paranoia. It really wasn't that bad though. Since we haven't gotten any significant snowfall in the past 3 years, folk around here have forgottened how to drive in the snow. And jeez, a few years ago we had record snowfall. How soon we forget.

Today was my day off so I didn't have to deal with that snowy AM rush. I decided around 10am to get my ass in gear and get a small legs workout in. Here goes:

5 minute warm-up

Calf squats

Hammers

Power knee

1 minute run in place

Lunges

Curls

Weighted calf raises (30lbs each hand)

1 minute run and punch

Body squats

Shoulder press

Step back lunges

1 minute jumping jacks

Tip toe lunges

Uppercuts

Medium kicks

REPEAT

Shovel snow for 5-10 minutes

Stretch out/cool down 

DONE

All sets in reps of 12, weights at 15lbs.

Playlist: Hellbound Glory

Let It Snow!

It's been a little bit snowy in Philly's burbs this weekend. Sunday the area got about 3-8 inches. Anybody see that Lions v Eagles game aka the "Snowbowl"? Crazy game, and a great win for he birds!  Love those football snow games! In my neck of the woods we got about 3 or 4 inches. There's another small storm due to hit tomorrow morning right during the morning rush. Gonna be nuts!

Saturday I got a nice run in. It was cold and not too wet on the trail, so ran on a paved trail near my house. I only ran 3 and a 1/4 miles. Felt good. Happy to get it in. Sunday I went to the gym to ride the elliptical for 35 minutes and finished with some crunches. By the time I left the flakes were starting to fall. Today upper body work. Here goes:

5 minute warm up

5 push-ups

Shoulder press

Hammers

Tricep pull-down

5 push-ups

Lawnmowers

Curls

Dips (20)

5 push-ups

Elbow out lawnmowers

Concentration curls

Tricep kickback

5 push-ups

Shoulder shrugs

Curl/hammers

Overhead tricep press

REPEAT

Finish with a mile jog

DONE!

First set is 10 reps, second is 8 reps.

All weights are 15lb, except for all lawnmowers,18lb, and overhead triceps, 12lb.

Playlist: Titus Andronicus 

Hump Day

Wednesday is my workout day off. And I followed my weekly tradition in taking off today. Well needed. Yesterday I did get a leg workout in at the gym. Here goes:

5 minute warm-up including a 1/4 mile jog.

Seated legs press (130,145,155)

Calf raises (160,180,200)

Leg flexion (70,85,90)

Leg extension (70,85,90)

Body squats

Lunges

Hip abduction (115,125,135)

Hip adduction (105,115,125)

20+ minutes on the elliptical.

DONE!

Reps were 10, 8, and 6 for the last set.

Garage Days

Another Monday mid morning workout in the chilly garage. It's actually not too bad. You just have to wear a hoodie or a zip-up. Upper body strength training and a little cardio. Here goes:

Upright rows

Hammers

Medicine ball behind the head tricep press (10lb ball)

5 push ups

Lawnmowers

In & out shoulder flys

Dips (20)

5 push ups

Shoulder press

In & out bicep curl

Tricep band pull-down

5 push ups

Shoulder shrugs

Concentration curls

Tricep kickbacks

5 push ups

REPEAT

Finish with a 1 mile jog. 

DONE

1st set at 10 reps, 2nd set at 8 reps.

Used 15lb dumbbells except for lawnmowers 18lb and shrugs 30lb.

5 push-ups for 1st set, 3 push-ups for 2nd set.

Enjoy your week!

Playlist: MGMT

The Days Keep Rollin' By

December here we go! Christmas is in a little over 3 weeks. 2014 is right around the corner. This year has flown by. Today, Zim and I put up the tree today and decorated a bit. Let's hope the cat doesn't decide to try to climb it this year. I can't wait to come home to that scene.

I got in a couple short workouts this weekend. Saturday I went for a nice and cold 3 and a 1/2 mile run. Probably my coldest run of the fall. Temperatures were hovering in the upper 20s. Luckily no wind though. That makes a huge difference. Absolutely beautiful on the trail. The river looked so tranquil and it was so quiet out. Today I went to the gym and did 35 minutes on the elliptical and finished with a little bit of ab work. The gym was a little busy. People probably were trying to get their workout in before the Eagles game. Got a nice sweat in though.

Back to the grind tomorrow! This weekend was entirely too short!

Playlist: Deerhunter and Deep Sea Arcade