I just have to say that since yesterday when I wrote my last post I have been smiling pretty much non stop… It is a great feeling. 
Here’s the proof:
Here I Am Smiling!!!!
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This week was another good week, though I’m starting to get worried I’m not gonna make it. I’ve been working out like crazy and eating healthy all the time, but I still feel like I’m not seeing much progress when it comes to getting rid of fat. I did start the process weighing 189 and am now somewhere around 185, so I must have lost some fat. Plus, I’ve been working out a lot and people are starting to say I look bigger and more defined, so I must be gaining some muscle–which also means I must have lost some fat. Hopefully it will all work out and I’ll have my six pack abs by January 1.
I had sort of a crisis this week as I was reading some other sources on how to lose fat. Weight loss is almost as bad as religion when it comes to the number of people that have the right answer. Everyone seems to know the way that works, yet they all have different philosophies. Some of them are probably right, but some must be wrong. It’s just hard to sort them out and choose the right plan.
Oh well.
I’ve decided to do the things that logically make sense to me. We’ll see if it works.
Here are the current six pack abs photos. I took them while I was staying at the Las Vegas Hilton this week:
Six Pack Abs Photos update 10 photo 1... in my hotel room in Las Vegas
Six Pack Abs Photos update 10 photo 2... in the bathroom in the Las Vegas Hilton
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This update is a few days late… but the pictures were still taken last Wednesday on the right day. I’ve just been super busy with Halloween, work, working out, and the new Robert Jordan book (with Brandon Sanderson) that just came out. I wish I had more time for everything!
Anyway, the trend I’ve noticed is that I’m good with my diet, good with working out, and not so good with the sleep and bedtime… I will work on this more.
I know I’m getting in better shape, but I don’t feel like I’m losing the layers of fat that I want to lose. I am considering adding a run every morning to get some extra calorie burning each day. I will let you know if I actually implement the run.
And now for the current photos…
Six Pack Abs photo 1 update 8
Six Pack Abs Photo 2 Update 8
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It’s been 7 weeks since I took my first photos…
I wish I had taken photos when I first began to work toward the six pack abs. I know I was eating healthy at the beginning of August when my family went on vacation. I must’ve started right around that time. I know I weighed about 187-188 when I first changed my diet, and now I weigh about 184-185. It’s not a huge difference in weight, but I know I have gained muscle and lost fat.
As for my four goals, the two that continue to be the hardest for me are the sleeping for 7-8 hours a night and getting to bed by midnight Sunday-Thursday. If I could only get to bed on time, the 7-8 hours would be easy
For my photos this week I’m including a couple extras. I’ve been working out and playing volleyball a lot with my friend Ty, so I decided I’d show a picture of us in his room where we often work out. It does not have all of the equipment that I would normally use, but I do find extra motivation having someone to work out with. It is easier to get really good workouts with him at his house than it is by myself at the gym.
The other extra image is the one with the flash. I figured I’d show you where I set the camera when I take the pictures. Also, you should know that I angle it slightly down. I think it gets a better shot, plus I can get my whole torso that way. All of the pictures from my house are taken from the same height–I try to keep them as uniform as possible.
Six Pack Abs photo 1 update 7
Six Pack Abs photo 2 update 7
Six Pack Abs photo 3 update 7
Working Out at Ty's
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I recently went to New York City to help my sister move apartments. While not my first time there, it definitely had some of my most memorable New York City moments. Carrying mattresses, desks, and other random household items through the financial district (by Wall Street and Broadway) was definitely one of them. The others however all had to do with the historic sites I was able to visit.
First things first, I visited my sister at work. She’s an Associate Producer with National Geographic. Here we are in her office:
Me and My Sis at her Work (National Geographic TV)
The first historic place I visited was the World Trade Center plaza. The big empty space behind me is where the twin towers used to stand. It’s crazy to think that only two buildings took up that entire space, and that they fell…
Where the Twin Towers used to stand
The following morning my sister and I went to Liberty Island. While on the way, I came across this monument titled “The Sphere.” I cried.
The Sphere Monument in NYC Battery Park
It was originally a monument to World Peace at the World Trade Center plaza. The remains of this monument were salvaged and placed in Battery Park. Below is the plaque that describes the monument. There was also a flame in front of the monument that isn’t pictured.
The Sphere Monument Description in New York City Battery Park
When we arrived to buy tickets to Liberty Island, there was no one in line. It was 8 am on a Friday morning–the perfect time to buy tickets to and visit the Statue of Liberty. We were early enough to avoid the huge line, but not too early to stand in line with the early birds (who were all already waiting inside to get on the ferry). We got on the first ferry out to the island. I took a lot of pictures.
My Sister and me in front of the Statue of Liberty
As we got closer to the Statue of Liberty, my sis took a picture of me and Lady Liberty.
Me and the Statue of Liberty
She is such a beautiful statue. I seriously took about 100 pictures of her. Here are some of my favorites…
Lady Liberty
The Statue of Liberty
My Favorite Picture of The Statue of Liberty
After climbing up into the Statue of Liberty and all around the base and taking a bazillion photos, we hopped back onto the ferry and headed back to NYC. I can see why the idea of The Statue of Liberty had such an amazing effect on the people coming to America. Below is one of the quotes I saw in the museum of someone who had recently arrived in New York early last century.
Quote Inside the Statue Of Liberty Museum
Overall this trip was a lot of fun. I was really glad to be able to see my sister and also many of the historic sites in New York City. As a final picture, this was one I took somewhere on 6th Avenue (I think). I put the camera on a mailbox and had it take the picture of us. My sister kept telling me the camera would get stolen, but I had faith in the good people of New York City that they wouldn’t take it. Plus I figured I could run as fast as any of them.
My Sis, Me, and Lyle somewhere in NYC
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Okay, so you may have noticed that I have not been updating my six pack abs status on my blog. I’m just too busy working out! Seriously, getting six pack abs is hard work, and I have been working
My four goals have now become a part of my everyday routine (well mostly lol). The first one, working out 5 days a week, is the easiest to accomplish. I play volleyball two days a week (2 hours on Tuesday and 3-4 hours on Thursday). I also have a new workout partner (Ty) that pushes me beyond what I could do on my own. For example, on Sunday (a day I normally would never work out) he convinced me to do pullups with him. About 50 pullups later I bowed out… and my back is still sore. That’s okay though, since it’s the muscle building that burns calories. I pretty much work out everyday of the week except Sunday, and I normally get in at least four weight training workouts.
Eating healthy six days a week has become an obsession… It’s also the most important part of my plan. From what I’ve read (in multiple places from sources I trust), the only way to really burn off the fat is to change my diet. I have basically eliminated all simple carbohydrates from my diet and eat mostly lean meats, eggs, veggies, corn, and limited amounts of whole grain. I also make sure and take my protein drinks. I need to have at least a gram of protein per pound of body weight every day. That’s a lot of protein!
Sleeping still seems to be the hardest thing for me. I like to stay up late, even though I work in the morning. So, I’ve been working hard on getting to bed on time, and have been pretty successful this last week, though the few weeks before I wasn’t doing so good.
All in all I feel like I’m on track to meet my six pack abs target date of January 1st.
And now for the photos. These are my six pack abs update photos that I took this morning:
Six Pack Abs photo 1 update 456
Six Pack Abs photo 2 update 456
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Is He Into You?
Good question. It’s a question that gets asked by both sides about the opposite sex.
It seems to me that in our society we have a hard time making up our minds. We’re always looking for the next best thing, the next exciting thing, the next attractive thing. This also carries over to our romantic relationships. Oftentimes we are too caught up thinking about the next person we’ll meet or see that we fail to fully engage with the ones we see right now. (I am guilty of this also).
I know a girl that can’t tell if a guy is into her. She told me the signs, what he’s doing, why she thinks he might be interested… He flirts with her, he finds random excuses to talk to her, she often catches him looking at her.
She also mentioned the other signs why he may not be into her… He never asks her out; she’s invited him a few times to hangout and he always has an excuse.
She’s having a hard time deciding if he’s into her or not. Should she hope for a relationship with him or just forget about him and move on? It can be a frustrating situation to be in.
Is He Into You?
In my opinion, if a guy is interested, he will pursue. That means he’ll ask her out or find ways to spend time with her. He’ll get her phone number and communicate with her through text or phone calls. If you work with him, he will find reasons to hang out with you outside of work. These are all ways that guys show they are interested. If he doesn’t do these things, it means (in almost every situation) that he is not interested.
If he was interested, he would make it obvious.
But what about the flirting, the looks, the random questions or excuses to talk, etc.?
They are good signs, no doubt, but are not enough. Many guys (and girls) like to flirt. They can be attracted physically, emotionally, or intellectually. Because of these attractions, they may give you attention. But if they are not trying to move the relationship to a deeper level than just flirting, they are probably not interested in doing so. If they were, they would do it.
Now I know there are exceptions out there. We learn about them in the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You.” But that’s what they are: exceptions.
Is He Into You?
If you are really frustrated and need to know for sure one way or the other, I suggest confronting the guy and asking him. Say something like this: “Hey I’ve noticed you’re sending me a lot of mixed signals; I can’t tell if you’re interested in pursuing a relationship or just flirting for fun. Which is it?”
Then the guy can let you know. This could potentially make the situation awkward, but won’t if you don’t let it. If he’s interested in pursuing a relationship, then great; good thing you asked. If he’s not, well, at least you know, and now you can move on.
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So this week I was in Chicago when I took my six pack abs update photos. Unfortunately I couldn’t get exactly the same light as I had the two previous weeks. I will be back home next Wednesday, so I should have no problem getting the lighting the same as before.
This week has been good on the workout front, better on the sleeping front, and pretty good on the eating front.
It is definitely hard to stay eating the right foods when you are traveling, but I have been doing my best. I even brought a bunch of granola bars with me to snack on throughout the days, making sure I never get hungry (one of my diet goals).
As for sleeping… I was doing really good on getting to bed around midnight (still need some help on this one) so I could get my 7 hours of sleep. Though while in Chicago I failed miserably. Having early meetings and being engrossed in a novel are two good ways to make sure you don’t get to bed on time or get enough sleep.
For working out, I worked out both days I was in Chicago, plus last Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On Thursday night I played volleyball with Ty for 4 hours… yes 4 hours. Plus I saw my good friend Bin at the first volleyball location. This will hopefully become a staple workout on Thursdays.
Anywho, here are this week’s update photos. I’ve included a third one just to show what different lighting can do. I’m not sure most models have great six pack abs… or even if they do, I’m sure all images we see are enhanced by the lighting, makeup, and photoshop editing after the images have been taken.
Six Pack Abs photo 1 from update 3
Six Pack Abs photo 2 from update 3
Six Pack Abs photo 3 from update 3
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This evening I decided to take a walk through the city. I think it’s supposed to rain again tomorrow so I figured this would be my best opportunity. I brought my camera with me and decided it would be fun to document my walk.
Here I am at the beginning of my walk, still in the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown. I’m about to get on the elevator.
Here I am about to enter the elevator
From right outside the hotel I had a beautiful view of the Chicago River, Michigan Avenue Bridge, and these two historic buildings. The one on the left is the Wrigley Building. The one on the right is the Tribune Tower.
The Wrigley Building (on the left) and the Chicago Tribune Tower (on the right)
When I reached the side of the bridge, I noticed some stairs that went down. As I descended I found my first spot for a self-portrait. You’ll notice I found lots of these spots…
My First Chicago Self Portrait
Right around the corner from here (directly under the bridge) I found my second spot for a self-portrait. Keep in mind that I’m here in this city by myself. I wanted to be in pictures to remind me of where I was (plus pictures are much more exciting with people in them).
Under the Michigan Avenue Bridge
After I crossed under the bridge and tried a few more self-portraits, I went back up top and crossed over the bridge. On my way I took a blurry picture of the Chicago River and the buildings on each side of it (it was really pretty but the picture didn’t turn out). Then there was a guy playing a drum and singing. Another guy was taking a picture, so I took a picture of him taking a picture (not shown here). Then I walked down Michigan Avenue, also known as “The Magnificent Mile” at this point because of all the shopping etc. Here is a picture of me and the Magnificent Mile
Me on the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Avenue)
You may have noticed by now that I haven’t been smiling. It’s funny how you don’t often think of smiling when you’re taking a picture of yourself. I didn’t really notice till after that all of the pictures were so serious. I actually had a great time and lots of fun.
While looking for more cool spots for self-portraits, I ran into Mike. He was from somewhere near the slums and wanted to share some Positive Poetry with me. It was pretty cool. After I asked if I could take a picture with him. I liked his glasses.
Me and Mike after he shared his Positive Poetry
After wandering for another 15 minutes or so, I eventually found myself at a bus stop. Here I am waiting…
Here I am waiting for the bus
While there I noticed the advertisement at the bus stop echoed the sentiments I was feeling for my friends and family.
Join me out here
After waiting for the bus (which never showed up), I decided to continue my walk. I found myself in a beautiful garden with a bunch of yellow lights. It was really cool. The lights were very dim and created a surreal ambience. It was very calming, so of course I decided to take a picture…
Me in the Garden of Light
When in such as a place as the Garden of Light, you can’t help but begin to think of the mysteries of the universe… I got so caught up in one those mysteries that I had to take a moment to contemplate. So I parked myself on this bench and began to consider: why are these the only lights that are out?
Me contemplating the lights
At this point, I’m getting tired of my walk through town. I’ve taken a bunch of pictures, and am satisfied with what I’ve seen. Chicago is a beautiful city, and I have enjoyed visiting her each time I’ve had the opportunity. Luckily, my path took me in a big circle and I was nearing my hotel. As I was about to arrive, I found a final self-portrait location. It was another Garden of Lights, though this time it was hanging After waiting for tons of people to clear out (so I could get a good shot), I finally took my favorite photo of the evening.
My final Chicago self-portrait under the Hanging Garden of Lights
After this I was home free and only about 100 feet from my final destination… my hotel. I hope you have enjoyed My Photographic Walk Through Chicago. I know I did As a final goodbye, I leave you with a bonus photo. Enjoy!
Photographic Art by Jon Pinney
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Last night I went and saw Benton Paul at the Boardwalk in Sacramento (it’s actually in Orangevale or Citrus Heights…). It was an awesome show. He was playing with Brooke White and Michael Johns from American Idol Season 7.
Benton Paul Live at The Boardwalk last night
Besides being one of my good friends, he is an excellent musician and songwriter. If you’ve never heard any of his music, please take a listen to the following songs. The first is a cover of Yellow (by Coldplay) from his live show at the E Center with David Archuletta.
This second is my favorite song of his: The Devil. If you look close in this video you might be able to see me in the third row or so. This is a live video recording from his CD release show last year.
After the show I took a photo with him, and then we sat down and chatted for awhile about life.
Benton Paul and I after his show at the Boardwalk
Benton and I after his show... Here we are chatting on the Boardwalk (literally a walkway made of boards)
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