Merry Xmas to the fern clan. We got a baby girl for Xmas (2 days before) so this might be my last post for... how many years!!? Probably should be posting gibberish at some ridic hour of the morning!

Man, I dodged this thread near the end of last year. Wasn't in a great space and took a while for that to become apparent, where I couldn't fool myself about being extra stressed or it being a temporary thing. A holiday break helped but any hols with young kids is just a different type of busy lol. Still a great change from work and the daily grind.
Plans on the go at work to move some stuff around - but the usual lack of competent folks (who aren't already overworked) to delegate to will make that hard to manage. Kids are great, aside from Mr 2 being weaned against his will (I mean, who turns down boobs!), and the wife and I are good.
We've got some medium sized reno's planned but I keep looking at new jobs or wondering about a break then re-entering the job market. But I think that's more to help me focus on what I like about my current mahi. On a good day I'd be a fool to leave and on a bad day I just feel crushed under the pressure. Luckily I have far more good days than bad ones

That quote from @antipodean really resonated with me. What the fuck are we doing if we can't find some pleasure in the here and now. Easier to say than do, but I'm going to try and focus on that through 2022. But my short term goal is to get my thicc self back the gym. Exercise = happier Paekakboyz. No question.

How good is that pic!

Second half issues started when we swapped out our entire front row. Those guys had another 5-10 and I would have been tempted to go deeper with Taukei'aho - he was matching Ardie's energy with ball in hand.

Fuck me, 50 seconds and a guaranteed loss on debut for Periofeta?! that is beyond cruel.

@catogrande I feel that's not the first time you've trotted that scenario out...

This really pisses me off - weak sauce 'reasons'. Ignoring that Sami was on fire and hoping the combo approach would see a full front row change work out. If both props had niggles then why put them back onfield after a 10min break ffs? I know they were probably getting some treatment but that doesn't stack up imo.

The comments on Perofeta are infuriating - “Again, Stephen was a guy we really wanted to get on, we think he can inject stuff into our attack with his footwork and his second receiver role. But it was a game that didn’t quite flow that way.”

You fuckers put him on with 55 seconds to go. That is the dumbest shit I've heard and makes him look even more foolish. Yeah we thought this guy could really help crack open the game, but we waited till the game was all but over so we could really surprise the Pumas!! They didn't see it coming, suckers!

oh... wait.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300672879/all-blacks-coach-ian-foster-defends-timing-of-substitutions-in-another-test-loss

@JC Bro!! I've just got my 23andMe results back and we are totally related! I mean, what are the chances!?

Now I've been thinking about going electric...

@Higgins don't worry, England will still do a few victory laps 😁

@MiketheSnow such a pity she's passed away... next week.

@voodoo yeah bro, it has been rough. Some of it definitely self inflicted, but the pinch of family and work is real. I do drop off and pick up then its a mix of working from home and getting into the office in the city. Don't tell work that I only come in so I can get to the gym! It's that feeling of constantly playing catch up with work as family stuff just eats into your day. I get my shit done, but it cooks me then I don't hit the weights or do something active.

But I've managed 3 (or is it 4 ) weeks in a row. So that's something!

Still largely focused on legs and overhead stuff.
Warmed up and started with barefoot front squats. One set with the bar then 40kg for two sets. Then I put my shoes on and did 3 sets of 5 at 60kg.

OHS next. Sets of 6 with the bar, 40kg, and 50kg. Still getting into the swing of these. That overhead position lights up your upper back and hits your wrists and elbows. Spicy!

I did 2 sets of 12 reps of behind the head press at 30kg. Getting a bit of volume in for my upper back .

Back squats started with a set of 5 at 60kg. Then I did 3 sets of 5-6 with 80kg. Had a really minor twinge in my left knee in the second set. But the third set was mint form and pain free. Probably got a bit lazy on a few reps and loosened up.

3 rapid sets of single leg extensions. 12 each leg at 33kg or 33 on the machine. This actually felt like cardio.

Did curls and overhead tricep extensions with the rope attachment. 2 sets of 12 of each. Nothing super heavy, just getting in that volume. Need a bit of a run up before I do the full stack for tricep extensions

Finished up with 2 sets of 15 KB goblet squats at 32kg. These finished me off. Did the first set fast and had to take a breather. Legs held up fine though. Just terrible conditioning!

Managed to sneak in a workout today. Legs with some arms thrown in. Three weeks in a row (lol once a week) but already the weights and movements are feeling good.

Stuck with my front squat, overhead squat, back squat medley. Fronts are great for starting with and you get your core fired up. I want to focus on them once my backsquat is getting decent again. I am finding the big break I had was kind of good for mobility. I'm not as thicc so stuff like front rack is easier, and I need upper back work as much as ever.

Fronts up to 60kg - did put on my lifting shoes till my working sets. Also did some band work to warm up my upper back and front rack positioning.
OHS up to 50kg
Back squats up to 80kg
Standing military press 3 by 6 at 40kg
Super set single leg seated extensions with single leg hammy curls. Two rounds of 10 reps each leg.
Super set rope bicep curls and overhead tricep extensions. Two sets of 10-12.
Single set of 32kg Kettle bell squats. 15 reps.

My legs were tired but no way as cooked as the last couple of weeks. Steady as she goes lol.

@canefan said in Black Caps v England:

@Dan54 said in Black Caps v England:

Well you know if anyone gets bored and needs a laugh, just go back over the comments and read some of them, BCs can't win, they useless get rid of most of them, and then see the end!!
That is no way a dig at anyone, just it's a good read, we all are experts (and I mean ALL) until we are not.
C'mon a great day for test cricket and cricket in the country, we all get a chance to believe again!!! That is just amazing, and one last question how bloody boring is test cricket???

Clearly you don't understand the power of the reverse jinx

100%

Cricket threads (and a few others) are literally upside down land. Quality jinxs and Eeyore-type posts are ferning of the highest order... or is that lowest?

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps v England:

Credit to the Fern for some world class jinxes as well. Fantastic effort all round.

Bro, thank you for your service. Reading through the thread you dropped some powerful jinxs! Even if you seemed to lose the faith with 7 runs to go

I was at the Featherston of all the bars in Wellington! and the barmy army had representation, funny that. Good natured about our win and what an ending!

@Stargazer better to be safe than sorry, but being displaced again is the last thing folks need aye.

My sister works for Napier council and most of her team have been moved to help other agencies at support sites. She said some of her colleagues who have been doing that mahi over the last week or so are already burning out as everyone is so stressed and genuine need is everywhere. Not to mention so many people helping out are also thinking of their own whanau and have quite likely had damage to their own homes.

Some amazing stories of people being legends to each other alongside the tragedies. Just hoping the bad weather fucks off to let things dry out and give folks some respite.

@voodoo for reasons unknown things don't hurt today - so that means I am beyond fucked for tomorrow lol.

Have managed a couple of workouts in the last two weeks. Beyond that we got fitbits (part of mum's 70th present) so there is some solid competition going on for steps. Mum has retired so she is kicking our arses. The sleep data has been a bit horrifying, I'd rather go la la la than see my terrible sleep habits.

Opened with some front squats then into overhead squats. Super light, only up to 40kg but I did three sets of 6 and threw in some pause squats when the rep was feeling solid. Back squats to follow, nothing like a back squat after those other variations. Went up to 80kg and holy shit that weight has never felt so heavy. But things felt really good and slow progress is the best progress imo.

Interested to see how sore I am tomorrow. The overhead stuff lit up my upper back and shoulders, no doubt that will fry me!

@mariner4life I was going to say that's a slow drinking rate - had wine on the mind rather than rain!

Good luck bro, weather is out to fuck us all lately. Kia kaha!

@Machpants not sure if its the same approach but in Gisborne the fibre runs over their bridges and stuff. So when the bridges come down so does the internet

@voodoo said all the mums at school pick up

edit: possibly a few dads as well!! the power of that mo cannot be denied @JK