F3 Knoxville

Obstacles to Joy

THE SCENE: A beautiful 80 degree fall evening
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER done
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH, cherry pickers, this and that, Rockettes, and some leg stretching
THA-THANG:
Insert information about the workout.

  • Battle Buddy (4 Rounds):  cacoons, pike ups, starfish, squats
  • Battle Buddy (4 Rounds): supermans, mountain climbers, LBCs, squats
  • Battle Buddy (around the Admin/Overlook):  10x merkins, squats, SSH

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
12 HIMs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

When I get in a funk, I read “The Book of Joy” by Douglas Abrams.  It documents a meeting between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama where they discuss “lasting happiness in a changing world”.  The book is separated in two sections, 1) Obstacles to Joy & 2) the Eight Pillars of Joy.

A quote that resonates with me: “Too much self-centered thinking is the source of suffering.  With a self-centered attitude, you become distanced from others, then distrust, then feel insecure, then fear, then anxiety, then frustration, then anger, then violence.”  It reminds me that, when I start focusing on myself, and forget to focus on others, things start going off track.  Like the F3 concept of “Living Third”.

The Obstacles to Joy

Fear, stress, & anxiety:  Stress & anxiety often come from too much expectation & too much ambition.  When we don’t fulfill that expectation or achieve that ambition, we experience frustration.  Often, we are not being realistic about our ability.  When we have a clear picture about our own capacity, we can be realistic about our effort. Then there is a greater chance of achieving our goals. But, unrealistic effort brings disaster. So, in many cases, our stress is caused by our expectations and ambition.

Frustration and anger: “A moment of patience in a moment of anger will save a thousand moments of regret.”  When anger develops, ask what is the cause? Then ask what will be the result of that anger? You will realize anger is of no use in solving problems. It just creates more problems.

Loneliness:  We are social animals & cooperation is necessary for survival, but cooperation is based on trust. When there is trust, people are brought together. When you have a compassionate mind, the atmosphere around you is positive.  If you feel fear & distrust, then others will distance themselves from you. They will feel cautious, suspicious, & distrustful.  And that brings about the feeling of loneliness.  Although the drive behind excessive self-focus is to seek greater happiness for yourself, it ends up doing the opposite. When you focus too much on yourself, you become disconnected from others. You also become alienated from yourself, since the need for connection with others is a fundamental part of who we are as human beings.

Envy:  What causes suffering in life is a general pattern of how we relate to others: 1) Envy toward the above, 2) competitiveness toward the equal, & 3) contempt toward the lower.  Often envy comes because we are too focused on material possessions and not on our inner values. When we focus on experience or knowledge, there is less envy.

Suffering & adversity:  Suffering can either embitter or ennoble us.  The difference lies in whether we can find meaning in our suffering. Without meaning, we can become embittered. But, when we can find meaning in our suffering, it can ennoble us.  The depth of our suffering can also result in the height of our joy.

Amazon book: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Joy-Lasting-Happiness-Changing/dp/1524708631/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1662562715&sr=8-1

Audible audio book:  https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Book-of-Joy-Audiobook/B01IQ15URC?qid=1662562762&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=4JBQYWP0YQ9EQ71QS9JS

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Sept 10th, 9/11 Stair Climb, 10a Asylum

Sept 11th, Picnic, 4p Victor Ashe (check Slack for details)

Watch your BACK

THE SCENE: low 70’s HUMID, light rain
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Baby Arm Circles forward/backward
Arm Stretching
Windmills
Cherry pickers
THA-THANG:
Slow Mosey to the CMU’s, and everyone takes one.
Take half the blocks to the swings, and half the blocks to the pull up bars.  Divide into two groups, one group has three guys to swing pullups, while the onlookers do rows.  Rotate in an out until the second group arrives to relieve you.  The second group is at the pull up bars.  Perform 10 Pullups or 10 negatives (jumping up and slowly coming down).  The onlookers perform lawn mowers.  After everyone does 10, rotate to the swings.  Rinse and repeat 3 times.  After three rotations, we did some curls and bench press with the CMU’s before putting them away.

MARY:
We went to the dry area near the high school (under cover) and did the following in cadence on a 4 ct.
25 Hello Dolly’s
20 Pickle Pounders
15 LBC’s
10 Flutter kicks
10 Pickle Pointers
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Dream big.  Jesus did more than was expected he saved lives, he performed miracles, he did more than anyone could even imagine.  The challenge for each of us to to step outside our normal thoughts and think bigger.  How can we dream big, what do we need to push out of the way to open our minds?
MOLESKIN:
Pray for Pom Pom as he has impending travel to Bulgaria
Pray for Anchorman’s family that has COVID
Pray for Mermaid’s family as the help make decisions about elderly are with aging grandparents with one who is currently hospitalized due to a stroke.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
F3 Picnic Sunday 9/11

Be a Leader, not a Boss

THE SCENE: A bit toasty, but not too bad.  The breeze made it tolerable
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Check
WARM-O-RAMA:

-SSH x 10 (4-ct, IC)

-Plank Jacks (4-ct, IC)

  • Rockettes (4-ct, IC)

– 10 Windmills (4-ct, IC)

– 20 Moroccan Night Clubs (4-ct, IC)

– 10 Grady Corns (4-ct, IC)

– Little of this and that

THA-THANG:

MOSEY down Roadshow Run.  Head north on the path doing Nickel/Dime/Quarters (run 1 light do 5 reps, run 2 lights do 10 reps, run 5 lights do 25 reps) Go all the way to the small parking lot near where the main drive goes down to the ball fields.  Exercises are:

  • Merkins
  • Froggy Jumps
  • Imperial Walkers (2-count). NOT walking forward.

MOSEY to the hill south of the Bermuda Triangle

  • JINXY’S FOUR AND A QUARTER. Start at bottom of hill, run to top of slope and do 25 reps of an exercise, return to starting position.  R&R 4 times, totaling 100 of the exercise.  Do Flutter kicks or LBCs until the 6 catches up.
    • Round 1: Carolina Dry Docks
    • Round 2: Lunges (single count)
    • Round 3: LBCs (single count)

MOSEY to the Colosseum.  Stop at stop sign to do 20 Flutter kicks (4-ct, IC)

  • RUN to 3 o’clock position, do 20 SSH, run back down and then over to 9 o’clock position, 20 SSH, then meet back at center by Overlook.
  • Run to stairs. 10  SSH, run to the right about 50 feet, 10 SSH, run back to stairs and to the other side (left) 50 feet, 10 SSH, back to center. (NOTE: This was supposed to make a “UT” on our Garmin maps, but it ended up looking more like an anchor…)

MOSEY to AO

MARY:
20 American Hammers, 20 Dead Bugs (both 4-ct, IC)
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
6 sweaty dudes.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Be a LEADER, not a BOSS.  Leaders join the team, get their hands dirty, lead by example.  Bosses sit up in their executive chairs and tell others what to do.  F3 is not a “clipboard workout”.  Whoever leads, also embraces the suck along with the PAX.
MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

9/11 Remembrance Hill Climb Sept. 10 10 am at the Asylum, BBQ at Victor Ashe park Sept. 11 4 pm

Hills of Pain

0THE SCENE:

88 degrees and Sunny

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

The usual house cleaning statements

WARM-O-RAMA:

Neck rolls, SSHs, Cherry Pickers, Windmills, lower back stretch, and done.

THA-THANG:

Mosey to The Field of dreams…..

  • 10 Merkins, 15 Monkey Humps, 10 mountain climbers
  • Run to 1st hill, then Bear Crawl up hill
  • Repeat 10 Merkins, …………
  • Run to 2nd hill, then Bear crawl up hill
  • Repeat 10 Merkins, ………..
  • X 3
  • Mosey to second exercise area
  • Do 10 up downs and 10 Starjumpers
  • Crossovers to 1st hill
  • Bear crawl up hill
  • repeat 10 up downs and 10 Starjumpers

We continued doing much of the same until I was all out of friends. Then, we ran back to the starting point.

  1. COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMALilly Dipper, Curveball, High Heels, Love Boat, Pusher, Title 9, Duggar, abacus, Blue Bird, Steam, MD Hammer, Drum Major, Doubtfire, and Pay Way.
    CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:Being an intentional father

15 HIMs putting in the work at Asylum

THE SCENE: Overcast and in the mid 80’s with some lingering humidity
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH IC – 20
Cherry Pickers 15
Arm Circles IC  10 x 2
Michael Phelps a/r
Grady Corn I/C 33
Merkins OYO 10

THA-THANG:
I

Mosey down to stop sign
5 forward lunges
5 backwards lunges
5 burpees
Mosey to pathway to the left in front of small parking lot
5, 10 , 25 Nickel dime quarter
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 american hammers, 2 CT
Bearcrawl to next light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 Merkins
Bearcrawl to first light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Bernie to first light, run to second light – 5 Freddie Mercuries
Bearcrawl to first light, run to second 10
Side straddle  to first light, run to second 25, sweep back
Mosey to hill side, Find partner
SSH at bottom, partner runs to top Heal Raises (20)
Imperial Walkers at bottom, merkins (20)
Mountain Climbers at bottom, Squats (20)
Back down to walkway at light
Hello Dollies – single count 5, run 2 lights, 10, run 2 lights , 25 sweep back
Shoulder Taps – 2 count 5, 2 count 10, 2 count 25
mosey  up hill directly below bat cave
Top hill with partner
Squats, partner runs to wall to do 20 bench dips
up the stairs to AO, do 3 Merkins OYO

MARY:
none
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness day

North America continues to experience the highest drug-related mortality rate in the world, accounting for one in four drug-related deaths globally, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports.

The US rate is about 90,000 deaths per year

Knox county, there have been 11 deaths so far this year, with year to date deaths at about 291 according to the Knox County Attorney General s office, with about 498 last year and we are on that track this year.

I lost my son Grady due to an accidental overdose caused by Fentanyl in 2018.

The drug-related death report for 2021 from Knox County Regional Forensic Center brings to light some alarming statistics.

  • The five most common drugs identified in drug-related deaths in 2020 were synthetic opioids, methamphetamine, diphenhydramine, alcohol/ethanol, and cocaine.
  • The most frequent cause of drug-related deaths in 2021 was fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, which are structurally similar to fentanyl but are types of synthetic opioids.
  • Over 75% of drug-related deaths were found to be cases of polypharmacy, where more than one drug was responsible for the person’s death.
  • Knox County had a 29% increase in drug-related deaths from 2020 to 2021.
  • People ages 35-40 experienced the most drug deaths in Knox County.
  • The sharpest increase in drug-related groups was in individuals ages 55-64.
  • The presence of anxiety, anti-depressant, and anti-psychotic medication was found in 30 percent of all drug deaths in Knox County.

 

The drug dealers are lacing everything with fentanyl which is 50 times stronger that heroin and 100 time stronger then morphine – less than a drop of water or the weight of a few grains of sand are lethal. Please talk to your children, teens and make them aware of this risk. Use of naloxone/Narvan can reverse the effects of a drug od.

On Aug 31, from 5-8 pm there will be an event at Volunteer Landing sponsored by the Knoxville Metro Drug Coalition with various speakers. The event will end with a candlelight vigil.

The Metro Drug Coalition is a local resource with a goal is to increase access to evidence-based prevention education, harm reduction programs and recovery support services for anyone desiring to maintain or seek a life free from substance misuse.

The harm reduction aspect of this organization is as follows:

Harm Reduction is a way of preventing disease and promoting health that meets people where they are rather than making judgments about where

MOLESKIN:
Pray for Bluebird (his family and especially his father in law JC) who recently lost his mother in law and for Drum Major’s daughter who is moving into the dorms and all the students who are moving from home for the first time and will be on their own
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome FNG Isaac (@Loveboat).

Steam and Brick will be leading a discussion every wednesday about the book “fighting the war inside your head”