If YOU were honestly scared for yourself and your child’s safety, would you have taken the time to make a video? Or got the hell out of there? I know what my answer would be.
I have to wonder why she was so scared of/by this guy?
Was she paying attention? Or did she have her head stuck in her phone and when he spoke, she lost her shit? Situational awareness is a necessity.
One man’s opinion: She may have been a bit over the top, but no real harm done. But why make the video?
Nope. That’s why I wrote what you quoted. And also why I wrote this:
So yelling at a man who seems like a threat and is approaching you for an unknown reason: that’s textbook self defense.
Making a video about it right away in the same parking lot: not what I would do.
I think she legitimately got creeped out and used the tactic she just read about in a book. Then the man went away, and she got in her car and started filming.
However, we live in a generation of social media. And this young lady may be somewhat of an influencer or “content creator.” My guess is she’s on the lookout for things to teach her followers, as most content creators are. They often document their lives for social media.
But I actually don’t think the lesson she was trying to teach was bad. I just think it was done in a way that made us discredit her.
So, certainly every situation a content creator recalls for social media can be exaggerated. But I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to believe that she used her words to make a sketchy guy keep his distance. There’s nothing wild and crazy about that.
Also… she used mean words at a guy. Haha so what?
The guy could have robbed her, stabbed her, or worse. Why is his desire to get close more important than her safety?
Chris (husband) uses mean words to yell at creepy men in gas station parking lots on a monthly basis. I just learned this yesterday and was shocked when he told me! Our city has a meth problem and the homeless here often do get belligerent and violent. Better to yell at them before they get close than after.
I loved it! It’s not the type of book I typically gravitate toward, but I’m so glad I listened to it!
I may have to get that one!
I highly recommend it and another one by the same author that’s super good is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I think that one is being made into a Netflix series too.
Yesterday was a leg session, today was a crazy-good mobility and stretching session, and we had our first hike of the year on Sunday after church. We actually call this time of year “false spring” because it’ll get warm-ish and then snow a few days later. You can’t trust it!
Real spring will come around the first week of June.
So, let me tell you a little story about yesterday’s workout. It blew my mind and pumped up my biceps. But first, here’s that workout.
Yesterday’s Leg-ish Day
Superset:
• Leg Press 4x5-8 reps
• Walking Lunges 4 x out and back
Hip abduction: 4x15
Ham Curl: 3x10-12
Legs felt done, especially considering the pinchy pain I’ve been fighting in my right hip area. But the husband was still working out, so I thought, why not isolate some upper body parts?
Machine lateral raises: 3x a buttload of reps
EZ Bar Curls: 3 x 15, 12, 10
45 pounds, 45 pounds… then 55 pounds (!!)
So while I was doing curls, an older gentleman and I exchanged a couple encouraging words. But then when I was about to start the last set, he said, “That’s way too easy for you.” Now, granted, with bicep curls, I like to add pauses and partials. 21’s are my favorite. So I tend to go lighter in case I want to add some intensity technique.
But he was right; it’s been a long time since I hit biceps with more load and intention. So he had me set down the bar and proceeded to put an extra ten pounds on.
And he said, “okay now do ten reps.” And I was like, “no way can I do that much weight for ten reps!” But he said, “okay then just go to failure.”
So I got to nine reps and it was so dang hard. No long, drawn-out eccentric or pauses at the peak of contraction. I was pausing at the bottom (much less tension) and lowering a lot faster! Then on the tenth rep, he gave me a teeny spot with his index finger. And you guys, it made my whole damn day.
I’m not sure if it was the camaraderie or if it was the act of doing something I didn’t think I could do, but I was on a high for the rest of the day.
Make friends with the elderly. They know things.
I bake protein goodies the way an Italian grandmother makes her secret sauce. No recipe or precise measurements, just winging it.
And for the past few weeks, I’ve been making muffins like this non-stop.
It’s pretty much always the same ingredients: some combination of Metabolic Drive, pumpkin puree from a can, PB2, a banana or two, cocoa powder, Splenda, slivered almonds, leavening ingredients, maybe oats if I want to bump up the carbs.
Then when they’ve cooled (they get sweeter as they cool down and taste better the next day), I cut them open and spread Cocoa Whip on top, or cream cheese if I feel like it. It’s amazing with a piping hot cup of coffee.
And ZERO of this gets logged in an app that tells me how many more calories I’m allowed to eat the rest of the day. Why? Because the energy goes straight to my muscles and daily activities. I trust my body to do that. It doesn’t need micromanagement. Healthy bodies are fun that way.
Today’s Upper Body Workout
• Hammer Strength Chest Press: 5x5 (sorta)
Warm-Up: 15 reps with 90 pounds
140-pounds: 6 reps
150-pounds: 5 reps
160-pounds: 5 reps
170-pounds: 5 reps
180-pounds: 5 reps
Back-off set: 15 reps with 90 pounds
I believe I have the strength to go heavier, but not sure my joints are ready. So this is how I’m inching those numbers up. Maybe next time I’ll start at 150 or 160.
• Banded External Rotations: 4x12 between sets of chest press.
These have been amazing at preventing any rotator cuff irritation. That was another issue I had last fall that trainer Rebecca helped me with.
Superset:
• Straight-Arm Cable Pulldown: 4x10
• Seated Neutral Grip Cable Row: 4x10
I chose the version of cable pulldown that’d hit the long-head of the triceps the hardest. And this one that Coach Tumminello demonstrates is THE ABSOLUTE BEST. I did it with a pretty significant bend at the hips. And I’m telling you, my triceps were on fire. I don’t remember ever experiencing that kind of burn in that musculature before. It also hit the lats and mid-back, but I was aiming for those triceps because hitting them actually prevents elbow pain.
• T-Bar Row: 5x5
Pyramid in weight: 45, 50, 55, 50, 45
When you’re using a 45 pound plate, it looks like you’re not lifting that much. But (note-to-self) the metal arm holding the plate is not weightless, and the angle of your body is meant to add an element of difficulty. Man, I love the T-bar row!
Workout Finito!
Remember T Nation contributor Al Kavadlo? If you’re on Twatter, he’s a great one to follow. Great perspective here.
I love this way of baking and cooking!
You have helped me more than you know with putting down MyFitnessPal. Don’t get me wrong, counting can be an awesome tool, particularly for those starting a weight loss journey with no nutrition knowledge. The awareness it provides it great. However, I had been relying on it for years to tell me how much I can eat that day. I removed the app from my phone and am the lightest I have been in years. Strange. Most importantly, freeing.
This is incredible to hear and I’m so stoked you’re feeling more free now! I absolutely agree with you about beginners and increasing awareness. It’s a game-changer for anyone who’s never done it.
It’s kinda funny, Chris and I were just talking about how unsettling it is to learn about serving sizes. There’s nothing quite like the moment when you first discover how small a serving of peanut butter is and how many calories are in it.
And what comes to mind shortly after is the realization that you’ve probably been eating several servings at a time without even knowing it.
“WAIT. HOW MANY CALORIES HAVE I BEEN EATING OF JUST PEANUT BUTTER?!!?” 
Then you go through that serving-size shock over and over again with things like cereal and pizza.
I laugh about it now because we’ve found better versions of those foods (more filling with fewer calories) but I remember the emotions: first it was shock, then it was disappointment, then it was anger. And that’s when I began to think about foods that don’t fill you up, but still have a lot of calories: low-volume food.
Like a lot of people, it got me thinking, “is it even worth it to have a serving of those? What’s the point if it’s going to leave me feeling hungry despite the calories?”
I know there are lots of people who thrive with totally different approaches. So good for anyone who’s figured out what works best for them, and good for anyone who’s in the process of getting there. But I love to hear from people who trust their bodies to spend (and request via hunger) whatever nutrition they need.
Life is so complicated and there is so much more to focus on than the management of the numerical value of the things we put in our mouths.
Anyone else trying to avoid woke companies?
Some are so easy to avoid that a boycott isn’t even necessary. If I’m going to drink beer at all, it’s not going to be Bud Light. I’d rather get my calories from dog urine.
On the other hand, it’s harder to avoid Tampax because they make the best tampons. But I found a feminine care company, Garnuu, that doesn’t use a man as an influencer, and their stuff is pretty good.
Make-up is harder. Even if you find a less woke company, if you shop for it in Ulta, you’re supporting a business that rewards men for wearing womanhood like a cosplay costume. Actually, strike that, their male influencer wears "girl-hood" like a costume; a practice which would be considered deranged if a grown woman did it.
Athletic clothing is easy because there are so many good brands to choose from right now. But I’m shocked that people are just now boycotting Nike. It took a dude in a sports bra to make you want to boycott? Their treatment of the Uyghurs wasn’t bad enough?
My current favorite athletic clothing company is Born Primitive. They have excellent leggings, great color selection, and the coolest sports bras. Here’s an example of how different their sports bras look:
I’m also partial to Born Primitive because their female models all have muscle (even the maternity models!). It’s a company that appears to celebrate lifting. They don’t give a crap about being “inclusive” to anorexic models, obese models, or men who pretend to be women. They have a specific target audience and aren’t afraid of offending people who aren’t part of it. More of that, please.
If you have any brand recommendations, drop them here.
What do you mean by woke?
You okay with those explanations? I don’t like companies that pander to those who appropriate womanhood for clout.
Yes Dani, that is fine I just wanted to hear your thoughts that’s all.
What do you define as womanhood though, I’m curious?
I’ve boycotted M&Ms for their feminist chocolates and Hershey for whatever bullshit they came along with (I can’t even remember anymore). I never drank Coke anyways, but I’m happy they told me to be less white - it really helped me prioritize tanning (that’s what they meant, right?). Ben and Jerry’s is out, Blue Bunny is in. Gillette has been replaced by Jeremy’s razors.
There’s a few I boycotted by default too, but I make a conscious effort to support those who stand up against the nonsense.
Tuttle Twins and PragerU for kids’ books and education material (unless you want schools to tell your white kids they’re bad because of their skin color).
If I actually bought gym clothes that were meant for the gym - I’d give recommendations, but I just run it old school with BBall shorts and a black tank top. I be sweating/lifting too much to bother getting all spruced up anyways. 
A woman is an adult human female. So womanhood is everything that women experience as a result of how we inherently and biologically are. Not our fashion choices, not our verbal affectations, not the length of our hair or the color of our nails. But what we’ve been through, go through daily, and overcome as a result of our human biology.
That was the most sanest thing I’ve heard in awhile. You have great principles, I wish you and @Chris_Shugart a prosperous marriage til death.
Same, but the CocaCola brand makes a lot of stuff. My favorite fizzy water used to be Aha but they’re a CocaCola product. So I switched to Bubly, which probably also probably has an ESG score that they’re trying to bump up.
Do you and your wife homeschool? If I remember correctly your family is in CA, right?
This is pretty cool.
You’re very kind. I appreciate your respectful dialogue and questions.
