Had the opportunity to do a tremendously challenging workout today. No pre-amble. Let’s get right to it. (for those that do not enjoy my fitness related posts, please do not unsubscribe, I am working on a new blog specifically for fitness related material).

20 Minute Firefighter

DUMBBELL PUSH/PULL

• Begin in a push up position (feet spread), dumbbells in hand
• Lower chest to floor (keeping body straight)
• Press back to starting position
• Row left dumbbell to chest
• Return to starting position
• Repeat for right right dumbbell row

That is one rep. I did 6 reps with 20 lbs.

INCHWORM PUSH UP

• Bend over and reach both hands to floor
• Walk on hands out to push up position
• Perform a push up
• Walk on hands back to starting position

TIP: Keep a tight mid-section during exercise. I did 8 reps.

LEG CURL & ARM PULLOVER

• Begin on back with arms and legs fully extended
• Curl legs up toward chest, then back to starting position
• Curl upper body up and reach dumbbell toward feet
• Slowly lower upper body back to starting position
• Each curl/pullover equals one repetition

I did 8 reps with 20 lbs.

MULE KICK

• Begin on hands and balls of feet
• Kick both feet up over head
• Focus on pulling with abs on the way back down

TIP: Feet should be higher than head at top or arc

I did 10 reps.

Ok, that’s the four exercises. Not too hard, right? Yeah.

Now, set your timer for 20 minutes. Your objective is to perform as many rounds as possible within that 20 minutes. No rest. One set of all 4 exercises constitutes a round.

I did 4.75 rounds, but aim to do better next time.

Good luck!

I’m a simple man. I shoot things. I get shot at. I like women. Women like me. It’s a good existence.

Something I’ve never fully grasped, nor particularly excelled at, is finances. When it comes to my ships, I fly whatever I can fit, from Rifters to T2/Faction fit Lokis. If I have ISK in my pocket while in the company of a fine female(s), I’ll spend what I have.

I need to get better at managing my money, or finding better ways to profit.

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ISK THE GUIDE 3.0

Thanks to the good folks at EON Magazine, as well as the author(s) of the guide for all their hard work. Hopefully they’ll release a hard copy of this book for me to buy.

///OPEN COMMUNICATIONS///
///CONNECTING///
///START OF TRANSMISSION///

RECIPIENTS: ALL OPEN COMM CHANNELS, ORDER OF THE SHADOW SECURE COMMS, SHADOW NAVY SECURE COMMS

“This is Commander Jack Carrigan of the Shadow Navy. I have been engaged against the Sansha Incursion in the Kakol Constellation, and despite best efforts, have been able to push them back only so far. I am piloting a Drake-class Battlecruiser registered 0-157, named Embla. My navigation systems have failed, and I fear that I am far off course. I heard of the Incursion while checking local channels in the Metropolis Region of the Minmatar Republic.

My fleet took substantial losses, but we managed to destroy a Vanguard-class Sansha Mining Colony before everything went wrong. If anyone receives this, I am making my best attempts to return to Eram to keep things in line. My Aura unit is unresponsive and I fear for the integrity of my cloning process. I have a request if I cannot return. Do not let Sansha Kuvekei establish a foothold in Eram, or Algogille, as both of those places are like home to me. Keep fighting until your very last breath, and make those bastards suffer as those who have fallen victim have.

Should this be my last transmission, do not shed a tear for me, as I have learned what immortality is. It is flying at full throttle into the gaping maw of the abyss, and living to tell about it. It is feeling your blood run hot as you approach a Revenent, and cut loose a salvo of Heavy Assault Missiles while enemy fire rocks your ship. It is feeling the searing pain as your hull rips apart, only to watch from your capsule as the enemy is torn apart by the final volley from your guns before they fell forever silent. It is launching into a battle you know you can’t win with your closest friends on your wings, and smiling as you see the sun through your viewport. It is doing whatever is necessary to ensure that those you love never suffer at the hands of a tyrant.

I am an immortal, as even long after my demise, I shall live on, in the thoughts of my dearest loved ones, and in the nightmares of my most hated enemies. I am Commander Jack Carrigan of the Shadow Navy, and I am a Capsuleer.”

///END OF TRANSMISSION///

It was two days later that I had received his transmission. By the time my team was able to track down the originating point of this transmission, I knew what we would find.

The battlefield was a junkyard of littered ship debris, stripped by scavengers for reselling; nothing of value was left. I slowed my Rifter, and the SNR shuttle flying with me did the same. It would be my responsibility to scan for any incoming and potentially hostile ships for the next few hours as the search and rescue teams deploying from the shuttle meticulously searched for any signs of life.

Hopefully, it would just be some peace and quiet while we did what I required for my friend, though I honestly didn’t expect to find him alive. My NeoCom beeped.

From: Mizara Del’thul
Re: Call to Action

Ah right, yes. The ‘noble’ Gallente who attempted to enslave our entire people through cultural obliteration and assimilation into their collective which is nothing more than corruption, tyranny and annihilation of any heritage that’s not directly Gallentean. Let’s go sucking their body-modified fifth extremity again, right.

The Gallente Federation can burn for all I care after their insiduous attacks on our very spirits and ways. They’re as bad as the Empire, only better at hiding it under a veneer of ‘democracy and justice’. At least the Empire and State are honest creatures.

I will have nothing to do with this. You’re suggesting taking away the resources and effort needed to deal with the Empire and freeing our people in order to defend other nations and races? We have our own troubles to deal with. Leave them to their fate because we have one of our own to concern ourselves with.

But then, why should I be surprised by this? You’re the one who’s aimed for the annihilation of our ways and identity through breaking down the principles which make us Minmatar.

Go ahead… I will remain Matari, not some simpering Gallente whore.

Breaking down the principles? What booster was this pilot on? Even though it was frustrating sometimes to deal with people who were as thick-skulled and opinionated as me, I wouldn’t trade the straightforward, speak your mind approach we all shared for duplicitous double speak that never helped quicken a solution. I tempered my reply, knowing that our corporate directors monitored these correspondences.

Two things, if you please:

1. I am not suggesting in any way that K’S be pulled from the front lines of the war against the Amarr; just as I would not suggest we ask U’K proper to come out of nullsec and assist us. What I am suggesting is that since we’ve been loosely allied with the Federation against the Caldari and Amarr, that perhaps we take advantage of this common enemy to build a little bit of good will with the Gallente we can use later.
2. I have never comprised the principles of my Brutor heritage, nor the ways of our people. I am proud in all I do, knowing that I walk the walk without blemish. I can only assume you have me confused with someone else.

Again, it’s just an invitation, with no judgements on my end if you want to play the racism card to hide your cowardice.

Always your brother,
Roc

That ought to get a rise.

The hours passed by without event, the teams keeping in touch with me, and with one another. There were no signs of life, no signs of survival. It was complete annihilation.

My NeoCom beeped. My guess was Mizara had replied.

Cowardice, is it? Call it what you wish. I have more important matters to attend to, like the third of our people still kept chained in the Amarr Empire.

My reply was straightforward this time.

I don’t disagree with your decision there. The freedom of our people is always our priority. I look forward to flying with you against the Amarr every opportunity we get.

The search teams wrapped up shortly thereafter, and after a brief report, I headed back to Rens. If you’re still alive, Jack, I hope you let me know.

I hated saying goodbye to friends.

Brothers and Sisters,

When our forebearers were called upon to fight, they rose to the occasion. They fought for our very freedom as a civilzation. And they won.

When the accursed Amarr declared war on us anew only three years ago, once again we rose to fight, and still fight to this day. Kinda’Shujaa takes the battle to them daily.

Now we face a grave threat; a danger unlike anything we’ve seen before. I’m talking, of course, about Sansha Kuvakei.

My family, I urge us to do what is right. I know that currently our systems aren’t threatened by the Nation, but they soon will be. And when that day comes, I’ll take all the help I can get. I was in Yulai. I saw the destruction the Nation can unleash.

Let us aid our Gallente allies, those noble souls that banded together with us to stand against the Amarr/Caldari Coalition. Let us fly their wing, and lend our might as their systems are laid seige to even as I write this communique.

I will fight. There is no choice for me.

Roc

I hit send, and hoped that my corporation mates would respond soon.

RENS VI – MOON 8
BRUTOR TRIBE TREASURY

It seemed they had finally managed to get the temperature regulation systems under control in the station. I had found people’s moods tended towards the lighter side of things when they were physically comfortable, myself included.

I took the station’s transit system, as I often did, to ground and humble myself, to remind myself that my gift of immortality came with an inherent responsibility; that I was no better than any other citizen of the Republic, and it was my role to etch out a better life for my people, any way I could. I held loosely onto an overhead handrail, my body swaying in unison with the commuting crowd as the mag train continued it’s uneven journey. Some slept, while others read, or listened to music, or enjoyed some video entertainment. Those that stood read the daily news, or chatted up their acquaintances, or stared off into the distance, lost in their own thoughts. I enjoyed analyzing people as a whole; the behaviours of a group often dictated the acceptable social behaviours of individuals. It had proven useful to me many times in the past when I found myself in foreign cultures.

I had a lot on my mind that morning as well; primarily Kuvakei. There was still no explanation as to why CONCORD didn’t defend their home sovereignty of Yulai, no formal statements from any government as to their positions regarding the Sansha Nation. Despite the efforts of all capsuleers, Sansha had managed to establish a persistent portal to his troops, and heavily defended Nation outposts were being reported across all regions, from high sec to null sec. Sansha had established quick sovereignty in each of these constellations.

It was going to be all out war.

I was the first to notice when it happened. There was no outward indication. He didn’t clutch his chest in that dramatic fashion we see on the holovids; he didn’t gasp for breath, eyes open wide. He simply began to collapse. Every pilot of the Tribal Liberation Force was trained in more than just the basics of flight combat; we were also trained in basic first aid and planetary survival skills, including resuscitation. I tried to reach out for the man before he hit the ground, but my reflexes weren’t fast enough.

Immediately, I hit the emergency stop on the train, landing several of the standing patrons on their neighbours. Many of those sleeping awoke with a start, wondering what was going on, and I could only empathize with them as there had been far too many public suicide attacks during the war with the Amarr this last year. I was down on one knee before the masses could fully digest this occurrence, checking for the man’s breath. There was none. I quickly checked for a pulse. Nothing.

“The Emergency Stop has been pressed in car 2538. We are sending Interbus crew members immediately, and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for choosing Interbus.” The conductor spoke in a monotone.

Damn your “inconvenience” to these people; a man is dying!

I immediately began emergency first aid, compressing the man’s chest cavity rhythmically, positioning myself high on my knees, using my body weight on straightened arms so as not to exhaust myself. I needed to stay with this man until more qualified medical personnel arrived. The passengers surrounding me backed away, afraid and ignorant, not sure what was going on nor what they should be doing. They looked to each other with blank stares.

“Call for emergency services!” I bellowed. Not a soul reacted.

I looked directly at one pudgy, middle aged woman. “You! Call emergency services NOW!” I yelled in my most commanding voice. I watched as she trembled, but pulled our her comm and made the call.

I would not let this man die.

It took nearly four minutes for the train’s response crew to arrive. They weren’t even a medical team, merely a day job conducting crew. They informed me I was legally bound to continue administering life saving techniques, and that if I were not qualified there could be legal consequences. They asked the passengers nearby if anyone had called emergency services. The pudgy lady showed them her comm unit, too afraid to speak.

They simply stood there, apologizing to the passengers on the car for the delay, and for any inconvenience it would have on their day.

Are you kidding me? I thought to myself. There’s a man dying on the floor here, who’s day may be permanently delayed, and you’re worried about covering your corporate ass because of a time delay? Give me a break.

My body was getting sore. I was tiring. It had only been six minutes. There was already a chance of brain damage.

At nine minutes, emergency services arrived and took over from me. They attached oxygen equipment and slid the man onto a stretcher. Statements were taken. “You’re a capsuleer?” one of the attendants asked me out loud as he looked at my identification card. I thought several heads would turn at the mention of me being a capsuleer. Nobody did. As I looked out over the collection of passengers, all I could see and hear was disgruntled conversations about how they were going to be late for their various obligations; work, school, etc.

It disgusted me.

I nodded to the attendant, taking back my ID, and turned my thoughts inward.

Sansha’s Nation was perhaps one of the biggest threats our galaxy had seen, and he had timed his campaign perfectly, while the empires were engaged in war with one another. Poverty levels had hit an all time high. Unemployment numbers had skyrocketed. Governments were financially drained from military initiatives and found themselves impotent to tend to their poor.

The entire galaxy was uncertain and even with a man potentially dead in front of them to remind them of how truly frail life was, these people were still wrapped up in their own self-absorbed blankets of mediocrity.

A part of me mentally volunteered this group to the Nation. They’d be happier there. A bigger part of me wondered why I bothered to fight for the people at all when time after time they demonstrated this type of societal behaviour.

The biggest part of me remembered what it was like growing up as a slave, not having any choices in life, and regardless of my judgments and opinions, I fought, risking my life and the lives of my pilots, so that others would have the ability to choose their own paths, even if they chose poorly.

The train resumed with a start, and there were cheers all around. People went back to sleep, to listening to music, to watching video, to discussions with acquaintances, to reading the news.

I reached for the overhead handrail.

Sansha was wrong. We were a hive mind already, just not the good kind. I felt sick to my stomach. Looking around, you wouldn’t have even known the events of only minutes before had occurred.

How had we survived this long as a species?