No Soft Surroundings

No Soft Surroundings

Red pill tasted pretty good this morning.  But full-disclosure: YHC likely would have eschewed that pill had I not been tapped by Teddy & Wingman to Q the new Monday SOB bootcamp affectionately known as Firestarter.  So after making Tonya-tine’s acquaintance (sorry about the nickname…but don’t ask for a new one as you know the outcome would be less to your liking) and making a brief, rambling disclaimer off we went into the SOB gloom.

Below is some semblance of the Thang and some rambling though hopefully thought-provoking Moleskinny:

Have been to Blakeney plenty, not so much for F3, though I think I was at the launch of DaVinci?  That being said, had forgotten how little cover there was in that shopping labyrinth.  We did find shelter in a couple places, however, including the bank branch drive-thru and the double stairwell.  Did I mention we all took the red pill?

For the 3 of you reading this – here’s what the F3Nation lexicon has to say about the red pill (aka daily red pill or DRP):  “the Q’s daily commitment to accelerate his fitness, fellowship and faith.”

So how is your daily commitment to these 3?  Obviously, the fitness one is easy to measure a la Strava, spreadsheets and all the mileage/merkin/burpee counting and such among the pax.  How about the fellowship?  No – that’s not counting how many drinks you have daily, hopefully not by yourself.  But how many men are you pursuing to see how you can serve and pour into their lives and the lives of their families?  We were not created to do life alone.  That’s why the isolation of the sad clown is so dangerous and insidious.  And Faith?  How often are you pursuing answers to the big questions of life: Origin, Destination, Purpose, Ethics.  As men, we’ve got more than enough places to talk about news, weather, sports & politics.  What about “accelerating” your spiritual pursuits?  Just a thought.

Anyway…back to the ramblings about the downpainment.

We did 2 sets of 5 on the stairwell: H-R merkins + HTH on one end and DryDocks & Dolly’s on the other.  It was alliterative.  Then over to the bank branch for Mary in the drive-thru – flutters, Freddie Mercury’s, etc., etc.  It wasn’t alliterative.  Back over to the dual stairwells for 5 rounds of Jump squats & Burpee’s.

Speaking of alliteration: try saying “Tolkien, Teddy, Tonya & Trickle” 5 times really fast.

Spent a higher than average time in the people’s chair, did some Walthar N’Djaiye’s, overhead press, etc., etc.

So…the title of this backblast: “No Soft Surroundings”

For COP, the pax circled up caddy corner from a store named “Soft Surroundings”, ostensibly selling home accoutrements, clothing and other things to soften life for its customers as they struggle in the harsh realm of south Charlotte, Ballantyne, Blakeney and the like.

In my 10th year of F3, I’m grateful for the life-changing impact its had on me, many friends, my family, and our communities.  But I’m also struck by how much time we spend trying to “cushion” ourselves from life.  Life is, after all, difficult.  The best teacher I’ve ever learned from said: “In this world you will have trouble.”  So why is it so many of us live life as if the goal of life is to arrive safely at death?

So there’s your 3rd F consideration for the week.  If someone asked you: “What is the goal of life?   How would you answer them?

Kotters to Tolkien.  Thanks to Wingman and Theodore for tapping me to Q (I love Q’ing the pax, it’s a privilege). Good to see Trickle and his “Cat in the Hat” Arsenal Gunners socks.  And awesome to meet Tonya-tine…perhaps you should demand a rename from the Waxhaw pax…upon further reflection, it likely would end up better for you.

Thanks also to Tolkien for taking us out in prayer.

Announcements:

“The Rooster” crows sometime this Spring in Waxhaw? – it’s a team marathon or if you like to run marathons, you can run by yourself.

There’s a blood drive in the future.  40 pints drained from the pax last Friday.  T-claps to Mighty Mite aka Dracula for organizing and recruiting.

And the Blakoverites will start stretching again when it gets warmer according to Tuck.  He and Chopper did join the Firestarter pax for COT.

Passez un bon week mes amis.