Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 9

 Day 9 was another Hit It workout in Job 1, and the restore routine in XB stretch.

Since Job 1 is a "real-time" workout, you never repeat workouts. So, while this HIIT routine follows the same format as last week, 4 blocks, and three moves, the three moves are all different, and more challenging than those in week 1. The first three blocks have one move each, which you do for 30 seconds, four times then rest, but each time the rest period gets shorter. After you do the three blocks, the fourth block has you do each move for 15 seconds, repeating four times with no rest. The first move is power jacks in which you punch your arms up as you jack your feet in and out, the second move is jump squats, and the third move is mountain climbers. So, it is definitely tough.

The restore stretching routine is a bit easier the second time through. I will be doing that routine for the rest of this week, and I am hoping my balance gets a little bit better on the part where my foot is on the chair by the end of the week. 

Supplement Review: 1 Body Thyroid Support Supplement

 

This is a supplement that has minerals that help support a healthy Thyroid (such as copper and iodine) as well as helping to maintain a healthy immune system (such as zinc). It also contains a lot of Vitamin B12 and things like Ashwagandha powder. It is not a magic pill that will make you lose a ton of weight overnight or keep you from ever getting a cold. It is a supplement that is meant to be incorporated into an overall healthy lifestyle. Personally, I feel like I have been sleeping a little better since using this (most nights anyway). I think it has especially helped me with staying asleep once I get to sleep and reduced the amount of tossing and turning I do in my sleep. 

Each bottle has 60 capsules (a 30-day supply) and directs you to take one in the morning and one in the evening, preferably with meals. They are easy to swallow and do not have an aftertaste (at least not one that I have ever noticed). 

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2 of Job 1. This was another circuit workout, this time focusing on chest, core, and legs. Again, each body part got its own block, with each block being repeated twice before moving on to the next one. As is the case with the other circuit workouts, this one is very fast-paced, and there was very little rest between the blocks and none between the individual exercises in the block. So, you get a good cardio workout as well as a nice burn in the muscles being worked.  

The XB workout was the mid-day move routine, which was another one of the 15-minute workouts. This is another routine in which you are standing (or squatting) for the entire workout, and there was a large focus on the neck, shoulders, and hips (as well as some hamstring work). 

Product Review: Pro Case iPad Pro 12.9 3rd or 4th Generation-Black

 

This is a case for the third-generation or fourth-generation 12.9" iPad Pro. The older versions will not fit in the case. The back is made from a lightweight plastic that is basically a shell that the iPad snaps into. The front is formed from a sturdier material that can fold to form a kickstand. So, it is not a magnetic cover that the iPad can basically just "sit" in. Personally, I think it would be better if the back was made of the same material as the front because I can see the back cracking or breaking if you were to accidentally drop it. The tradeoff, however, is that the case is a bit lighter than it would otherwise be if the back was made of the same material as the front. So, overall, I would say it is a decent case (if you do not need or want a case that includes a keyboard), but it is not as sturdy as it could be. 

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 7

Day 7 was another rest day in Job 1, so I did the XB Unwind workout. This is a workout that you do entirely standing. It really works on neck, shoulders, and back, basically, the areas in which we hold a lot of tension, and can get out of alignment if you sit a lot for your job. There are a couple of balance moves in the workout, but this time you do not hold onto a chair when you do them.  

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 6

For Day 6 I just did the Realign workout in XB stretch, which is a workout that focuses on the lower back, hips, and hamstrings. You will need a towel or a yoga strap to do some of the hamstring stretches and you can use a yoga mat, but that is optional.

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 5

Day 5 was another circuit workout in Job 1, with the body parts being worked being arms, shoulders, and legs. In this workout, you do three blocks again, but in each block, you work each body part with one of the moves. So you will do an arm move, a shoulder move, and a leg move. You repeat the block twice and then move on to the next block in which you do a different arm move, a different shoulder move, and a different leg move. 

XB stretch was the Signature Stretch workout, which is another 15-minute morning workout. This workout does again have some balance work, so you will need a chair or a stool. But otherwise, there is no other equipment required.

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 4

Day 4 of Job 1 was the second cardio workout of the week. This one again has four blocks and you do three moves in each block, so you do 12 total moves.  You do the four moves in each block, then you get a rest, then you repeat the block, rest again, then move onto the next block. This is the workout that you can swap out with a cycling workout if you have a bike. It is definitely not as hard as the HIIT workout was, but it is still challenging. 

In XB, I did the Mobility workout, which was another one of the morning workouts. I decided that I will do all the morning workouts for the week and then in week 2 I will do Restore each night, then switch back. 

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 3

On day 3 of Job 1 you do another circuit workout, this time doing a Chest, Legs, and Core circuit. In this workout, you will use weights for the chest workout, and resistance loops (not bands) for the legs and core workout.  It is another challenging workout, and despite being only 20 minutes long, you will most definitely feel it. And, because the breaks are so short, you are also getting a cardio workout.

For XB stretch, I did the Refresh workout. It is kind of like a yoga workout and kind of like the X-stretch workout in the original P90-X workout. You do not do any Yoga flows, but you do go into downward dog a couple of times.

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 2

Day 2 of Job 1 was a HIIT cardio workout. Like the circuit workout, you do a block, get a rest and then move on. The difference is that each block has just one move. For XB stretch I did Restore, which is the evening workout (and would be the second workout if I was following the program to a t). Restore is good, but it is a bit hard to follow along since there is a move in which you will put your leg on a chair and then partially turn around so you will not be able to see the TV or computer, or whatever you are playing the workout on.  

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 1

 

For this round of workouts, I decided on Job 1 and XB stretch. Job 1 is a five-day workout led by trainer Jennifer Jacobs that includes two circuit workouts and two cardio workouts. One of the cardio workouts is a HIIT workout, and the other is a lower-intensity cardio workout, that you can swap out for a cycling workout if you have a stationary bike. XB stretch is a series of flexibility workouts led by Andrea Rodgers (who looks like Jennifer Garner's sister) that range in length from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. The program is centered around doing two 15-minute workouts per day, but since I am doing Job 1 in the morning, I am just doing one of the stretching workouts in the evening.

Day 1 in Job 1 was a Back, Glutes, and Core circuit workout. Basically, you do three blocks of three exercises, with each block focusing on a single body part. You need three different sets of weights, light, medium, and heavy, and you do each move in the blocks for 30 seconds. So, I would not pick a weight that you would lift to failure because you will be doing about 15 to 20 reps of each exercise. In XB stretch, I did the Energize workout, which is one of the 15-minute workouts, and is meant to be a morning workout to get your body moving and loosened up for the day. 

Each of the workouts seems to be "pandemic era" programs as in Job 1, it is just Jennifer in her gorgeous living room (which incidentally has a staircase that cannot possibly be up to any kind of city or county code) and one of the nicest bookshelf/fireplace combinations I have ever seen. Similarly, Andrea does the stretching workouts in her living room, with a much different backdrop, basically showing the buildings in the city she lives in (I'm guessing either NY or Los Angeles, but I cannot tell). There is no cast in either workout, and while both of them tell you how to modify moves if you need to, you do not have a modifier to follow all the way along with. 1 issue that I have with Job 1 is that there are no workout sheets telling you what moves you will be doing in the circuit workouts or keep track of the weights you are using. And since, the breaks are very short (about 15 seconds between the blocks, and no rest between the individual moves in the blocks), you kind of have to guess at what weight you are going to need. But, overall, I liked day 1 of each program.

 

Replacement Parts for iRobot Roomba i7 i7+ i3 i3+ i4 i4+ i6 i6+ i8 i8+ j7 j7+/Plus E5 E6 E7 Vacuum Cleaner

 

This is a kit that has replacement parts for the Roomba j and i series of vacuums. The kit has six edge brushes, plus a mini screwdriver to get the old brushes off and screws to put the new ones in, four replacement filters, four replacement bags, and replacements for the main rollers. Basically, you get, depending on how often you run the vacuum, a good couple of year's worth of replacement parts, at a much lower price than you would get buying the iRobot versions of the same things. 

Personally, if your unit is still under warranty I would still use their parts so they cannot void the warranty on you if something goes wrong with the vacuum, but once it is out of warranty, I would definitely not spend (at least) twice as much for the same replacement parts. The parts fit exactly as they should and are as easy (or as hard) to install as the original parts that come with the vacuum.

Book Review: Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization

 

Starry Messenger is a book from 2022 written by Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. While the book does touch on science, that is not really the focus of the book. It is more of a book in which Tyson discusses topics like race, law, religion, philosophy, fame, beauty standards, technology, and death, all with a scientific bent. Basically, how the human experience has evolved over time, and how it may continue to evolve in the future. The title of the book is an English translation of the title of the treatise that Galileo Galilei wrote in 1610 in which Galileo published his astronomical observations. 

The book is essentially a short collection of Tyson's thoughts on a number of topics. Tyson admits that his politics and views on life in general lean left, but he also stressed the importance of talking with and learning about other points of view, providing his own perspective about dealing with people more conservative than he is when George W. Bush appointed him to two different commissions, one to study the future of the aerospace industry, and one about the implementation of US space exploration policy. 

The substantive portion of the book is just under 200 pages, and it reads very quickly. Most people can probably finish the book in a day or two, and if you are a fast reader, you can probably finish it in less than a day. While  I do not think the book is as good as some of Tyson's other books like Cosmic Queries and Death by Black Hole, it is worth reading, especially if you have listened to some of Tyson's interviews or listened to his podcast.

Book Review: Term Limits

 

Term Limits, published in 1997, was the first novel written by the late author, Vince Flynn, who would go on to write 13 more books before his death in 2013 centered around the character of Mitch Rapp. While this book is not a part of the Mitch Rapp series, it is tangential to it, as some of the characters that would appear in the Rapp novels (main and ancillary characters), such as Thomas Stansfield, Irene Kennedy, and Jack Warch) do appear in this book.

Term Limits has a similar pacing and tone as the Rapp novels, although this one is almost exclusively a political thriller. The story involves the killings of four corrupt members of Congress and a threat that more corrupt politicians will be killed unless the President and Congress enact reforms to prevent the US economy from collapsing. The book definitely leans on the theme of the crushing national debt, which at the time Flynn wrote the book was not nearly as bad as it is now, and definitely takes a conservative bent (as Flynn was a conservative). But, Flynn did not make Republicans the good guys and Democrats the bad guys. Indeed, almost every character in the book was at least morally ambiguous, and Flynn wrote it so that members of both parties were to blame for the financial condition of the country. It is a book where even the "good guys" do bad things and the disdain that Flynn seemed to have for politics in real life definitely came through.

Overall, the book is a decent thriller with a lot of action and intrigue. I do not think it is as good as the best books in the Mitch Rapp series, but the story flows well and there is a good balance of action and political intrigue. It is interesting that Flynn never went back to any of the plot points, but I think he may have wanted to repackage one of the characters in the book that would appear in several of the Rapp novels. The book is just over 400 pages but is a pretty easy read. It is a book that people who read relatively fast should be able to get through in a couple of days. I would call it an interesting read for people who have read the books in the Mitch Rapp series if nothing else to see how Flynn's writing style evolved over the course of time, but the book does not really tie into the other books (at least not the ones that Flynn wrote before he died) so it is not a must-read. I am not sure if Kyle Mills (who took over the Rapp series after Flynn passed away) ever referenced the events of this book since I have not read those yet, but nothing in the book impacts any of the novels up through The Last Man, which was the last full novel that Flynn finished. 

Product Review: Cleanze Antibacterial Hand Sanitizing Individual Hand Wipe Packets, 50 Unscented Disinfecting Hand Sanitizer

 

These are a bit easier on your hands than hand sanitizer (or the kind of wipes you sometimes get at restaurants when you order something particularly messy) and are a convenient way to "wash" your hands if you are not in a place with easy access to soap and water. They are also thicker and have a much better scent  (even though they are "unscented" they do have a slight smell to them, but it is not overpowering) than some other antibacterial wipes. Each package has fifty individually packed wipes that are perfect for keeping in the center console or glove compartment in your car, or to take along when you travel.

Supplement Review: N1N Premium Organic Superfood Greens Natural Fruit and Veggie Supplement

 

This is a supplement that contains extracts from various types of fruits and vegetables (e.g., blueberries, carrots, red bell peppers, raspberries, garlic, and the like), as well as green (e.g., kale, spinach, and various grasses). The blends are proprietary so it does not tell you how much of each you are getting, nor does it give a specific breakdown of vitamins and minerals. But, assuming their labeling is legit, you are getting some of the nutrients that would be very hard to get through just a whole-food diet, especially if you are not a big fan of eating the actual foods (minus the fiber eating the actual foods would give you).

There are 60 tablets in each bottle, with a serving size being two tablets, so the entire bottle has 30 servings. The directions are to take two tablets 1 to 3 times daily, preferably with meals. The tablets are reasonably sized and easy to swallow. And, they do not have any noticeable aftertaste. This is definitely more reasonably priced than other similar supplements and you can set it up as a subscribe and save item on Amazon to have it sent to you monthly.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 70

This is officially the last day for this round of workouts. I do not think I would do PIYO in combination with one of the more intense workouts again because it has a lot of strength-building moves (like squats, lunges, and pushups), and it is very easy to overtrain. I would probably pair it with another flexibility series and one that has a lot more variety because since both PIYO and X3 were put out before Beachbody transitioned everything to the Beach Body On Demand/BODi streaming app, they were not "real-time" workouts that basically had you doing a different workout every day, so they both get very repetitive. But, overall, I do feel that I made progress over the past couple of months doing this split.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 69

Day 69 was Eccentric Lower in X3 and Drench in PIYO. This is basically the last day for X3, although I am going to do the Dynamix workout tomorrow. Eccentric Lower went pretty well, I even bumped the weight I was using up for a couple of the moves. Drench was okay but again got a bit tedious by the end of it.

Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 68

 Day 68 was The Challenge in X3 and a Rest day for PIYO, although I did do the Sweat workout to make up for having skipped it a couple of weeks ago. I decided that the next workouts will be Job 1, which is a 20-minute circuit workout three days a week, and then cardio twice a week (HIIT on Tuesday and a less intense cardio on Thursday). Then, the second "workout" will be the XB flexibility series which is basically a set of stretching routines that run anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes.

Book Review: Star Wars Mission to Disaster

 

This is one of the junior novels set during the High Republic era (the second/latter portion of the High Republic) between the events of the young-adult novel "Out of the Shadows" and the Adult Novel, "The Fallen Star". The main characters in this book are the young Jedi knight, Vernestra Rwoh, her padawan Imri, and Avon Starros, who was introduced in the book Out of the Shadows. The plot involves a Nihil attack on a peaceful outpost at which they abduct a bunch of children, including Avon, and force them to join their ranks. The Jedi have to both save the children and figure out how to get the people off of the planet because of an attack by yet another, new, Nihil weapon.

The book is just under 300 pages, and because it is a junior novel reads very quickly. It is written well enough that adults can enjoy it, yet it is age-appropriate for younger kids. If you are a fast reader (and are an adult) you can easily finish the book in a day or two. As is the case with all of the junior and young-adult novels, it fills in the main storyline from the adult novels and thus includes characters that the adult novels do not. I would not say that the plot is essential to the larger story, but it is still an enjoyable book and definitely worth checking out if you have read the other High-Republic-era books.

Product Review: Amazon Basic Care Naproxen Sodium Tablets, 200 Count

 

This is Amazon's equivalent to Alleve. They are the same size and shape as the name-brand and other store-brand generics, but you get a lot more of them in the package and for a much better price than you would find them in stores.

Book Review: The Man Who Warned America: The Life and Death of John O'Neill: The FBI's Embattled Counterterror Warrior

 

This is a biography of John O'Neill, who was basically the FBI's head of counterterrorism in the New York office until 2001, when he retired and went to work as the head of security at the World Trade Center, where he was about two weeks into the job when he was killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The book details O'Neill's life from his time growing up in New Jersey, dreaming of becoming an FBI agent, to his death in 2001. The book shows him as a complicated figure who could be brash and overbearing at one moment and kind and generous the next. He would roll over people one second and seek their approval the next. The book does detail his messy personal life, dating (and making promises of marriage) to multiple women, while still being married to his first wife because of his Catholic faith. The book really focuses on how he was one of the first people to recognize and warn government officials of the threat of Al-Qaeda and worked to build a case against Osama Bin Ladin so the FBI could go into Afghanistan and grab him. It also detailed the way he butted heads with people in the FBI and how his penchant for bending the rules, and his personal life caused him to be passed over for promotions and ultimately forced out of the FBI. The book portrays O'Neill as really being married to his work, and being someone who rarely slept and was obsessive about getting everything perfect.

The book is a bit incomplete in that, while it does detail how O'Neill butted heads with the Ambassador of Yemen when investigating the bombing of the USS Cole, and his fights with FBI brass, it does not go into the infighting between O'Neil and the CIA agents in the "Bin Ladin Unit", and only touched on the refusal of the CIA to share information with the FBI (and pretty much specifically with O'Neill). The book also has a lot of inaccuracies about what happened on September 11th, such as misidentifying the pilot of Flight 11,  attributing the threats intended for the passengers of Flight 11 that were broadcast to Air Traffic Control as being made by the hijacker pilot of Flight 175, and getting some parts of the timeline wrong. The book was published in 2002, so certainly not all of the information that has been revealed since it was written was widely known when it was being written, but some of the mistakes could have been avoided with a little research and better editing. The does, however, provide some details about how O'Neill died that I have not seen widely reported.

Overall, the book is a good look at a man with a complex life.  The book is about 400 pages of substantive text, and then about 30 pages of notes. It is not an easy read, but it is not extremely difficult to get through either. People who read quickly should be able to get through it in a week or less, depending on how much time they have to read. I definitely recommend it.

Product Review: 6Pack Transparent Sticky Notes, Clear Sticky Notes, 3’’ x 3’’ Translucent Sticky Notes

 

These are transparent sticky notes that allow you to see through to what you are placing them on. They are great for students, especially those who are in STEM programs and who do their homework using an iPad or an E-ink tablet. If you are in physics or engineering classes and want to transfer a drawing from the book to your homework, you can trace the drawing from the book, and then trace it onto your homework and get a much better drawing than you would likely get trying to draw freehand. 

You can also use a highlighter on these, so you can put them on the pages of your book, highlight or mark up the book, without actually ruining the book. And, if you accidentally go crazy with the highlighting, you can remove the sticky note and redo it with a clean one. One thing to note when using these is that gel pen ink does smudge on them, so you will want to use a regular ballpoint pen or, if you do use a gel pen, use two of them, one to write on and one to put over the note with the writing to keep the ink from smudging when you close the book. 

Product Review: Preparation H Soothing Relief Flushable Cleansing Cooling Wipes

 

This is a three-pack of Preparation H wipes that relieve itching hemorrhoids but are not medicated, so they will not do much if you have inflamed or bleeding hemorrhoids.  In that case, you would still have to use a medicated ointment, but I think using these regularly can help prevent hemorrhoids from becoming inflamed. Of course, they are not really flushable, despite the claims. The only thing that should ever be flushed is toilet paper so I always just throw these in the garbage. 

Product Review: BOZHUORUI Stand Case for 10.3" Onyx Boox Note Air/Boox Note Air2 and Boox Note Air2 Plus ePaper Tablet

 

This is a case/cover for the 10.3" BOOX E-Ink Note Air series of tablets. Unlike some of the covers out there that hold the tablet magnetically, you slide this one into place (there is an open area that has fabric on each side that basically forms a notch that you slide the tablet into and then secure it in place by tucking a tab into place). On the plus side, there is no possible way for the tablet to accidentally fall out of the case, even if you were to drop the case. Also, the tablet sits recessed so when the cover is closed it does not actually touch the surface, which helps protect the surface of the tablet. 

There are, however, a couple of drawbacks to the design. First, because the fabric covers up some of the magnetic portions of the tablet, it is not as easy to just magnetically connect the pen on the side. The stylus can be magnetically connected to the side, but it is not as secure as some of the other covers that are available.  There is, however, a fabric stylus holder that will allow you to attach the stylus. Second, when the cover is closed, the power button and the port to connect the USB cable is covered, so you must have the cover open to charge the tablet or connect it to a computer if you will be moving files using the cable as opposed to wirelessly. 

The cover is made of a nice faux-leather material, and it looks very good. The cover does allow for a kickstand mode that will allow you to hold the tablet in landscape mode. The cover does not have a keyboard, so if you wanted to type with a keyboard you would need to use a Bluetooth keyboard. Overall, it is a good inexpensive case that protects the tablet well.