Task 85 - Workout 2x a Week for 2 Months

Since last fall I have been participating in a group ‘crossfit’ like routine at work during lunch. It’s called Bravo Ignite. Ignite is the entry level fitness program in the Bravo Energy Burn Series. It’s designed to burn calories and build strength though specific strength movement patterns and cardio blasts.

The Cardio blasts are designed to burn high amounts of calories while the targeted strength movements build muscle fast. The idea is to achieve a total body workout in just one quick 40 minute session. These workouts can be pretty intense and you definitely feel the burn during and the results the next day. Our pattern has been to workout in these group sessions every Tuesday and Thursday at lunch time.

There are more advanced routines that follow the Ignite series but Ignite seems to work well for our mixed group sessions. With people of all levels each person adjusts the weight to make the challenge just right for them. After all you get out of it what you put into it.

These workouts haven’t made me lose much weight but I have noticed that I have far more energy and that my pants are considerably looser then they have been in a long time. This became clear to me when I went out to get a new pair of dress pants and the 33 I usually wear was falling off me. I ended up picking up a size 32 which also was loose. I have also noticed a definite increase in strength and more toned areas of my body. My biggest challenge is diet and it’s likely the biggest culprit in my not shedding more weight. It's something I definitely need to work on.

The exercises themselves vary from following list (There are more I couldn't remember).

Overhead press	Step ups	Lat pull down
Burpees	Deadlift	Arc trainer
Standing crunch	Rear delt	Reverse step lunge
Chest fly	Back row	Wall squats
Air squats	Torso Rotation	Arc
Planks	Bike	Row
Box Jumps	Ab Crunch	UBE
Jumping Jacks	Bicep Curls	SitUps
Leg Press	Single arm d-bl curls	Trap Pull
Decline Row	Cross Row Delt	Scissor Kicks
Trunk Flexion	Decline Chest Press	Calf Machine
Lateral box step	Tricep Dips	Overhead D-Bl Press
Battle rope	High rows	Incline Chest Press
Decline chest press	Broomstick forearm curls	Chest press
L & R side planks	Shoulder press (db)	Pushups
Hip swing	Shoulder roll	Fireman carry
Kettle bell squat high pull	Tricep push downs	Seated press

Generally there are 12 stations per session. Each station is a single exercise. There are two sets per station per cycle. We complete 2 cycles. To help keep us on time and on track we began using an app called Tabatas Pro on the Apple App Store. It cost an inexpensive $2.99 and has been an invaluable tool. The app and its audio alerts keep us all focused but organized.

Sometimes we don’t use the app and follow a more crossfit style workout as was the case yesterday when we did the Filthy Fifty. It was a 50 rep challenge where we had to do 50 reps of a series of different exercises such as box jumps, lat pull downs, kettlebell swings, walking lunges, situps overhead press, back extension, wall balls, burpees and the arc for a sustained 5 minutes. If this were a true crossfit workout I’d have only had 21 minutes to complete it. I managed to finish in 34:20.

Each session is run and administered by a small group of us and we do our best to make them balanced or focused depending on our goal. We are also always adding new things based on suggestions and user imput and whenever possible we have the certified trainers who come in give us pointers or guest lead the sessions.  Those are the most fun because they really push us to our limits.

Task 42 - Take a Cooking Class (Date Night - Romantic Italy)

Class Description: Bring your favorite date or friend and together combine ingredients to produce incredibly authentic, rustic and refined flavors of Italy. Under the instruction of our in-house chef, you’ll learn a variety of techniques. Prepare a savory appetizer, learn tips for cooking chicken, create a pan sauce, make a delicious side and finish with an incredibly decadent cheesecake. Savor the abundant flavors and learn simple preparation techniques so you may create a sumptuous Tuscan menu together at home.

Menu: Polenta Bites with Gorgonzola and Olives – Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breast with Lemon Sage Cream Sauce – Broccoli Sautéed in Wine and Garlic – Honey-Ricotta Cheesecake

Instructor: Jeff Kaye

For my birthday I decided to take another cooking class at Sur La Table. I have taken many before and always had a great experience and thought it would end a great day of fun at the circus. A few of my co-workers decided to join me and we selected Date Night: Romance in Italy because its menu sounded delicious.

The menu started off with polenta bites with gorgonzola and olives. I am not a fan of olives so this wasn’t really something that sucked me in but the Main entrée of prosciutto-wrapped chicken with a lemon sage cream sauce more than made up for it. For a side we would make broccoli sautéed in a wine and garlic sauce and to top it all off one of my favorites a cheesecake. Not just your typically cheesecake but a honey-ricotta cheesecake.

This class was taught by an instructor I had not yet taken a class with before. His name is Jeff Kaye and his background includes being a chef at several restaurants such as MetBar and Grill, Watch City Brewery and chef/owner of Fava Restaurant. In addition to his professional career he is an instructor at Cordon Bleu’s Boston Campus. 

After washing our hands and a brief introduction by Chef Kaye we got started right away on the first task. Some believe that desert is the best part of a meal and as such that is what we started with. No we didn’t eat it first but we did start our cheesecake since it takes the longest. The key to a great cheesecake is allowing it to set and as such it was the first of the courses we needed to prepare.

To help speed the process Chef Jeff had already prepared the graham cracker crust. The process isn’t difficult. You crush your graham crackers up and mix in melted butter. Form an even layer at the bottom of your spring form pans. Then bake the crust for 8-10 minutes to lightly brown it.

While it’s baking you want to mix the remaining ingredients. Using a mixer add the ricotta and blend until smooth. Then add the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. The last step is to add the honey and orange zest. Once everything is combined and smooth. Pour mixture into your prepared crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 325-degrees. Center will be slightly giggly. It will stiffen while cooling.

Before starting the appetizer Chef Jeff took a few minutes to review proper knife handling. He taught us proper technique and also a few tricks. Once comfortable we began prepping all of our remaining ingredients so when we begin cooking we wouldn’t have to stop to cut our vegies. This process is called mise en plas. It’s a French term for “putting in place” all the ingredients. Once done we organized all the ingredients on separate baking sheets and set all but one aside.

We started next on our polenta bites with a gorgonzola and olive tapenade. Polenta is one of those things that is very easy to make. You start off bringing your vegetable broth to a slow rolling boil. Then you slowly whisk in the polenta to avoid lumps. Once combined you keep stirring until the polenta has absorbed all the broth and begins to pull away from the sides of the pot. Once done we took the finished mixture and evenly distributed it across a baking pan. We let it cool in the fridge while we started our tapenade.

The tapenade is something I would totally change. I hate olives and this is very heavy on the olives. Using the food processor we combined our garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and olives in the bowl and pulsed until the ingredients were roughly chopped. Then we began adding ¼ cup of olive oil and pulsed to combine. 

The final step was assembly. We used a square cookie cutter to form small bite size 2”x2” squares of polenta and topped them with the olive tapenade. Rather than wait until the end we took that opportunity to sample our first course. I topped my polenta bites with just a little gorgonzola. I won’t lie but these were not my favorite. They needed something but I’m not sure what.

After finishing the appetizer course it was a perfect time to take a break. While we explored the store the kitchen staff was cleaning up our mess and prepping for the main course. Chef Jeff joined us and showed off some of the tools he was using and explained what made one better then another. 

After about 15 minutes we returned to the kitchen and jumped right into our main entrée preparation. We started by working on the sauce. Every good pan sauce starts with butter and this entrées lemon sage cream sauce is no different. Using a saucepan we melted the ½ the butter over medium heat and then added our shallots and cooked until softened. Once soft we up’d the head to medium-high and added the cream, wine and broth. Once boiling we lowered the heat to medium and simmered the liquid until it reduced to about 1½ cups from the starting 3 cups of ingredients. Once reduced we removed it from the head and added the remaining butter and incorporated. Right at the end we added the chopped sage and lemon juice. We put aside on very low head just to keep it warm.

Next we seasoned our chicken with salt and pepper before wrapping each breast in a strip of prosciutto in a spiral. Then using canola oil we seared our chicken wrapped in prosciutto until nicely browned. Then we put the chicken on a baking sheet covered in foil and baked in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minute of until the chicken wrapped prosciutto reaches 165-degrees.

While the chicken was baking in the oven we started our side. Our side for the evening was a broccoli sautéed in wine and garlic. To cook the broccoli we started with a large pot of water as “salty as the sea” on medium heat. We boiled the broccoli for about 3 minutes before draining it and blanching in to stop it from cooking any farther. You want your broccoli to be tender but not mushy.

In a skillet we cooked our shallots in a little canola oil until softened. Then we added the garlic and cooked until fragrant. Next we took our broccoli and added and tossed it until well coated with oil and garlic. Next we added the chili flakes and white wine and cooked until the sauce reduced by ½. We removed it from heat and added lemon zest and juice and parsley and tossed until combined.

The final step of the process was to plate the meal. We put our chicken and broccoli on the plate and put a healthy ladle of our lemon sage sauce over the chicken. We then all sat down and enjoyed the fruits of our labor. Everyone was in agreement that it was delicious. This is definitely a sauce I will make at home. It was quick and simple and extremely tasty.

Our dessert was served next and it was topped with fresh raspberries. While also very flavorful and delicious it didn’t quite set to its optimal firmness and as such was a little loose in the center. It is definitely a dessert I will give another try because I enjoyed the flavors but I would modify the recipe to make individual size cheesecakes instead of a larger one.

While the class started off a bit awkwardly Chef Jeff rose to the occasion and got all of us involved and interested in the process. While we enjoyed our desserts he recapped each recipe and added a few personal tidbits to help us repeat the menu at home. It was a great experience and I will be sure to take another classes hopefully sooner than later. 

Big Apple Circus comes to Beantown

The Big Apple Circus has been around for over 35 years amazing audiences with their circus acts. There are only about 15 rows under their small tent giving every seat a great view. Every seat is within 50ft of the ring. I have been many times over my past 34 years for my birthday.

This year was no different and I got a chance to see their new show Luminosity which celebrates the 24/7 hustle, bustle and vitality of life at the “Crossroads of the World”. The show is designed to take place in very crossroads of the world we all know as Time Square. 

We got there a little early and were one of the first to take our seats under the big tent. It's a cool experience being under the big tent almost completely by yourself. The rows of seats cast in the blue glow from the light is very cool.

If you have every been to NYC then you know getting around the busy intersection requires a fair amount of skill and coordination. Many of the characters you meet are represented by performers such as Japanese juggler Ty Tojo. His character runs a hotdog cart. Like the real vendors who juggle customers and product Ty handles first three, then four, five, six and seven balls effortlessly. This 2014 Guinness Book of World Record holder didn’t disappoint as he dazzled the audience with his uncanny ability.

Between acts we were entertained by the amusing and talented clown Rob Torres. His humorous skits definitely kept us well distracted from the preparations for each act. What I enjoyed most was his ability to get the audience to participate using props such as the cheer box.

He also made a variety of interesting balloon animals for the younger audience members such as a question mark and Sunglasses.

What city isn’t always under some kind of construction and repair man can be found everywhere. The circus portrays French circus pro Daniel Cry as a paint splattered ladder carrying repair man who channels Fred Astaire with his gravity defying latter act. It was awe inspiring to watch him balance effortlessly on his ladder.

As amazing as he was the next act stayed mostly on the ground but balance and strength are just as important. The Acro-Duo show up like construction workers and proceed to build mind boggling examples of balancing city life with their bodies as the medium. Their hand-to-hand, hand-to-feet, shoulder-to-shoulder and hand to head poses are an impressive feat of human skill.

As preparation for the next act took place we were entertained by Pierre Ginet who showed us that slight of hand can help you take anything from anyone. His flimflam abilities on one unfortunate audience member had us all amused and the victim wondering what happen.

By the end of the act the poor guy had empty pockets and a confused look on his face. It was amazing to see how easily a person can be pickpocketed by a skilled professional.


Next we meet the local dog walker and her four legged companions. Jenny Vidbel treated us with a performance by her perky pooches. Try to stir clear of those leashes. My favorite part was the miniature horse who acted like a taxi cab for his other four legged friends.

High above all the fray in any city are those who wash the windows of our high rise office buildings and keep our views clear. Many of them are aerialist themselves and the Mongolian Angels represents their contribution to city life. Without fear they ascend 20 feet up and perform a series of high flying stunts sure to make anyone hang on the edge of their seats.

After the intermission we got to see Jenny Vidbel once more with her amazing horses. These large animals sashayed their way around the ring like synchronized swimmers. Each following the lead of the other in a perfectly choreographed production.

Rob Torress returned once more with a series of amusing and audience capturing gaffs designed once more to distract from the setup for the high wire act of Duo Guerrero. They represent the many skilled construction workers building those gleaming glass towers and balancing on steel girders high above our heads. Once preparation was completed they ascended to their perch high above. The female member of the group serenaded us along the way.

Once high above she performed a series of daredevil acts such as balancing on a chair, walking blindfolded across, sitting precariously while her male counterpart danced his way effortlessly and even jumped over her. As they wrapped up their skilled performance they descended gracefully with her standing balanced on his shoulders. It certainly was a great experience.

The final act was the Dosov Troupe. They represent everyone in the city trying to make their way to their destinations. Navigating the crowded streets requires skill and precision. Their teeterboard performance not only had their flying cast members soaring high but each and every audience member mesmerized by their flips and spins as they spun and flipped their way back to the ground. Their sculpted lean muscular bodies helped them twist and flip in unimaginable ways and like a cat landing perfectly on their feet.

One of the most important people however is the ringmaster John Kennedy Kane who throughout the performances introduces and delights. His relationship with the two clowns both amused and intrigued the audience and provided perfect transitions between the bigger acts. The first of the clowns was an adorable goofball named Rob Torres who seemed to collect the energy of the crowd in a box while his cohort Pierre Ginet spent his evening pick pocketing unsuspecting audience members. 

The whole show is designed to remind us that Luminocity is the City of Life and while the reality of life in the big city can be daunting it is all still just the circus of humanity. All the performers came out for one final bow at the end while the audience showed their appreciation with a hearty applause.

Task 97 - Getting my License to Carry (Basic Firearms Safety Course)

Under the 2nd amendment, citizens of the United States are granted the right to bear arms. After several unspeakable tragedies involving individuals not fit to possess gaining access to a firearm many are arguing for stronger gun control. While I understand the need to keep weapons from those who are not fit or of impaired mental capacity from any and all access I am also compelled to argue in favor of the 2nd amendment for those of us who are of sound mind, body and clean criminal record and capable of securing our firearms properly. 

With the argument in full swing I decided that it was as good a time as ever to get my License to Carry (LTC) just in case the rules change or it is made so difficult that getting one is nearly impossible. In the state of Massachusetts getting a LTC is not a simple process. In fact it is a multi-stage process that starts with taking an 8-hour safety course which will educate you on proper gun use if you didn’t already know it. The course ended with an exam and range test. In order to receive your certificate you must pass all portions of the class. The range test is where you get the opportunity to fire a pistol under the supervision of trained, certified, and licensed individuals who will evaluate your skills and competence. Only if they are comfortable with you will they sign your certificate of completion.

Only after completing and passing such a course can you apply for a LTC. The application process also has significant rules and criteria to ensure that they are not given out to anyone unfit to have one. In the state of Massachusetts you must complete and submit an application in the town/city where you live. Often these applications must also include letters of recommendation from people who can and will speak for your competence and mental health. 

The application process also includes an interview with the Firearm’s Licensing official who will review your application. Then you are checked using the Massachusetts Instant Record Check System (MIRCS), are photographed, and fingerprinted. Next they check with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) all before a thorough background check using State and National Systems. Your fingerprints are submitted to the Massachusetts State Police Identification Section (SIS) to check for any state and national fingerprint based criminal records.

Once all this information is gathered it is then up to the Chief of Police or Licensing Officer to do a final review and approve your eligibility for a LTC. If approved the application is then submitted to the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) where it is again reviewed. Then Licenses are batch printed by DCJIS and returned to the Licensing Officer for Issuance.

As you can see it is not a simple process. Having a LTC doesn’t mean you must carry a firearm. It simply allows you the ability to do so and to use it for any and all legal purposes. Firearm’s are readily accessible and many are sold under the table and in back rooms where proper identification and background checks are not performed. Owning a firearm without the proper license is against the law and punishable by jail time and fines. While not easy to get it is mandatory and those rules should be adhered too. After all these rules are designed to protect.

It is the individuals who possess firearms illegally that are the problem. Taking the course and going through the very difficult and intensive review process demonstrates a persons’ willingness to obey the law and follow proper procedure. Only after receiving your LTC or a Firearm’s Identification Card (FID) are you able to purchase a pistol or other firearm. Additionally if you buy a firearm legally you must also purchase safety apparatus such as a trigger lock or other device designed to keep the firearm away from those who should not have access to it.

Before deciding if I should take the necessary steps to get mine I started by talking to a few of the guys at work who are members of their local sportsman’s clubs. As it turns out two of them are the resident safety officers for their respective clubs and in that capacity offer and teach the Basic Firearm’s Safety courses. Before enrolling in one of their classes I thought I should visit the clubs and see what they are about. I also wanted to visit one of the ranges to see if my interest would translate into a passion for firearms. As you read about in an earlier post I went to the Wrentham Sportsman’s club and took the opportunity to fire a good selection of firearms with good friend and co-worker John Dennis. I had a blast and as it turns out I am a pretty good shot. 

With that experience I decided to move forward with taking a Basic Firearm’s safety course. My other co-worker told me that he had a class at his club coming up very soon if I was interested. I checked the state list of certified courses before signing up and enrolled in the NRA Basic Pistol Course at the Medfield Sportsman’s club. A friend of mine who also had an interest decided to take the class with me. The class was taught over the course of three days with a range day culminating our training and certification. 

The course was led by NRA Certified instructor’s Mark McFadden and John Meincke II. The coursework was a bit dry and most of it for me felt like common sense. Having grown up in a home where guns were present my parents had already instilled upon me an appreciation for their power while always cautioning me of their inherent danger if not properly handled. 

The first two days were classroom learning where we went over all the chapters in the NRA Guide to the Basics of Pistol Shooting. At the end of the second day we had a final review of the information before taking the exam. The exam was 6 pages and 50 questions. Questions 1-20 were multiple choice and 21-50 either true or false. I scored a 98 on the exam having only gotten one wrong. It wasn’t that my selection was incorrect it was that another was the best answer. Everyone in our class passed although a few by the skin of their teeth.

It certainly was a wide spectrum of people from all walks of life. All the other students were very nice and the other members we meet couldn’t have been more inviting, friendly and open about firearm ownership. You could tell that the culture of this club was safety first and fun second. Knowing that they all took safety importantly helped getting everyone more comfortable. They were all willing to show you their guns and couch you on proper handling while talking about their passion.

Our final day was the range day. It was here that our instructors kept a very close eye on us to ensure that we were following range safety rules and operating and handling the firearms properly. To satisfy our range requirements we had to demonstrate proficiency and proper handling with two different firearms. First was a semi-automatic Ruger, Mark 3, 22LR, Target model, 6” barrel. It is less about the gun then our proficiency with a semi-automatic.

The second firearm we had to demonstrate proficiency and proper handling was a revolver. Specifically this one was a Ruger, Security Six, 357 Mag revolver, 4” barrel. After firing a both types of firearms provided our instructor was satisfied that we were both competent and of sound mental health.

The night before he had asked if we had any requests for firearms to try out at the range. I requested to try was my instructors Sig Sauer p226 .40 S&W. One of the tricks he taught us was to always load a semi-automatic with one less round then it was capable of handling. The reason is that it can be difficult to load the magazine when filled fully. After firing I decided that it was my favorite of the three. I really enjoyed this gun’s power and control. I also asked him to demonstrate taking the gun apart and proper cleaning of the firearm since I will need to be proficient in order to keep whatever I purchase clean and in good working order. 

We received our certificates of completion. Signed and dated by our instructor. It was a great experience and definitely educated us on general safety and proper handling of firearms. I feel far more prepared today to become a pistol owner then I did before.

The next step is completing the application. I downloaded the application right form the Police Department website of the Worcester. Immediately I had to pick which type of license I would like to apply for. There were really only two different licenses to pick from; Class A & Class B. I opted to request a Class A License to Cary – Large Capacity for a few reasons. First a Class A license would allow me to carry anything capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Most semi-automatic firearms have the potential to hold more than 10 rounds in many clips. Secondly, a Class A license would also allow me to carry “concealed and loaded on a public way” where a Class B would forbid such action. The last big difference is that a Class B would mandate that the firearm be locked and unloaded in the trunk at all times while being transported.

These significant differences in my opinion severely inhibit my 2nd amendment rights to bear arms. While I do not plan to carry a firearm having the legal right to do so is something that was preferable to me.

The next section was simple personal information. These items are most definitely the criteria they use to run background checks. The third section pertains to citizenship and criminal activity. As a citizen who has never been arrested or even in the slightest amount of trouble nothing here concerned me. The fourth and last section is the most important section. It requires two people to be references. I opted to select my friend and safety course instructor another co-worker who had first taken me to the range.

My instructor has been a member of the Medfield Sportsman’s club for the past 33 years. He was both president and a member of the clubs board for many of those years. He is one of three NRA Certified instructors and one of 3 NRA Range Safety officers of the club. He has also has also been the past chairman of the Rifle Range and is the current chairman of the contest committee. He is also the club champion for half of the years he has been a
member.

The second letter comes from a retired US Marine Corp and current member of the USCG Auxiliary. He is also the range safety officer for the Wrentham Sportsman’s club and had held numerous other position during his tenure at the club.

Both individuals I feel know me well and are well positioned to judge my abilities and competency with a firearm. I also feel that they are the most suitable to decide if I am fit to own a firearm. With the approval of my family and others who I respect and admire all believing that they are comfortable with me owning a gun I am ready to submit my application. Wish me luck.