#2. it may grow up to be a genius inventor who makes a time machine and has to stop a guy whose most notable trait is wearing a hat who's | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

orangeoctopi7 · 4 years

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A Turning Point

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Part 5 : Part 6 : Part 7 : Part 8 : Part 9 : Part 10

The morning broke clear and bright. Stan had plenty of experience sleeping on the ground, so he was actually well-rested. When the first piercing birdsongs woke him, he sat up, stretched, and looked around at his compatriots. Of course, they were both still sound asleep. That wasn't surprising. McGucket had really worn himself out yesterday, and Ford had apparently learned to appreciate sleep over the past decade or so, given how grumpy he was every time Stan woke him.

Actually, this was probably Stan's best opportunity to talk to McGucket about what had happened to Ford yesterday. He hated to wake the guy after he'd obviously been working so hard, but it wasn't like they'd be able to talk about it in the car later, and frankly, Stan wanted to have this conversation sooner rather than later. He leaned over and poked the inventor's sleeping bag.

"Hey, hey Fidds, wake up!" He whispered.

Fiddleford poked his head out and blinked awake blearily.

"Whoa! What happened to your face!?" Stan yelped in surprise, forgetting to keep his voice down.

"Wha? What's wrong wi'my face!?" McGucket panicked into full wakefulness and started patting his cheeks.

"You grew a full beard overnight!"

"Oh." The inventor calmed down immediately. "That's normal. I got a genetic condition, makes my facial hair grow three times faster'n average. Is that all you woke me up for?"

"No, the beard just caught me off-guard. I wanted to talk about what happened with Ford yesterday in the UFO."

Fiddleford glanced over at Stanford. Luckily Stanley's outburst hadn't woken him. "Alright. Lemme grab my shaving kit, we'll talk outside of camp."

They found a low-hanging branch a few meters outside of camp where McGucket could hang his mirror and a small bucket of water.

"It jus' didn't seem like the sorta thing Ford would do." He explained as he lathered up some shaving cream. "When we was in University together, he never put much stock in that metaphysical, in-tune-with-the-universe type stuff, despite the fact that he was subscribed to every cryptid publication in the country."

"Yeah, he didn't believe in that stuff when we were kids either. I mean, our mom was a phony psychic, we knew all that stuff was crap."

"Well, apparently not. Somethin' led him to that engine room, and given what all I've seen here, I ain't even that surprised anymore."

"Oh, something led him there alright, but I don't think it was the universe or whatever. I think he was actually communicating with something."

Fiddleford turned pale and almost nicked himself with his razor. "Ford mentioned ghosts. Y'don't reckon those aliens are still… y'know, still around?"

"What? No." Stan explained how a strange new version of his spider-sense had been bothering him since he first arrived in Gravity Falls. How it always seemed to be centered around Ford. How he'd used the light filtration goggles to try and figure out what it was, and seen the little one-eyed yellow triangle depicted all over the house come out of Ford's head.

"So you think Ford's been in contact with that creepy cryptid?"

"Yeah, isn't it obvious? I've seen the thing twice now!"

"Hmm, it'd certainly explain a few things… but any two points make a line."

"You can't seriously think it's just a coincidence!"

"Now calm down, I ain't saying I don't believe ya. There's certainly some kinda correlation. I'm just sayin' we need more data."

Stan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I tried to ask Ford about it while you were gone. All I got outta him was that it's some sorta knowledge-giver. Then that twingey sense came back and he clammed up. I think that thing showed up and told him not to spill the beans."

"I'm afraid I don't know much about it myself." Fiddleford frowned, carefully shaving all the hairs off his upper lip. "It's a symbol that's been found all over the world. I do know it's been found on a lotta Native American artefacts here in the valley. Maybe if you spoke to an expert like a tribal elder or historian, they'd be able to tell you what it is."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, I don't think it's a new development. You remember what he said back there about a little help from a friend? He said the same thing before about getting around a roadblock in his studies after he first found the UFO. And while you were on vacation, he kinda implied he wasn't up here alone before you moved in. I think this has been going on for a while. Maybe even years. Did you ever notice anything weird right after you moved in?"

"Other than that creepy triangle symbol everywhere? Not really…"

"What are you two doing out here?" Ford asked behind them. They both jumped; they'd been so deep in their conversation, they hadn't noticed him coming their way.

"Jehosaphat, Ford!" McGucket pressed his thumb over where he'd nicked his cheek. "Don't sneak up on us like that!"

"Well maybe you two shouldn't sneak off without telling me!" Ford shot back.

"What? Heh, we didn't sneak off." Stan assured him with a nervous chuckle. "I was just, uh, watching Fidds here shave. Wow, you really have to shave that much every day?"

"Heh, yep, either that or I'll have a beard as long as a necktie by the end of the month."

Ford looked at them both skeptically. "You're sure you weren't discussing anything behind my back?"

"PCH, no!" Stan scoffed forcefully.

Ford didn't look convinced. "Stan, I need your help gathering all our equipment back up. Fiddleford, once you're done, I expect you to come help too."

* * *

Once they were all packed up, Ford suggested taking a short-cut back to the truck, following some sort of game trail. The others went along with him, if only because they felt bad about talking behind his back earlier.

It was a peaceful morning, until Stan heard a strange rumbling sound coming from further down the trail. He halted in his tracks.

"What is it?" Ford asked.

"Sounds like something's on the trail that way." Stan explained. "Maybe we should go around."

"I'll go check it out." Ford took another step forward.

"Uh, Ford, maybe you should let the guy with super strength go check it out." McGucket suggested.

"You really think I'm going to let Stanley have all the fun just because he has super powers?" Ford scoffed and forged ahead.

The two of them waited about five minutes before Ford returned, an eager grin on his face and his Journal out, ready to take notes.

“You two have to see this! Come on!” He whispered excitedly, waving them down the path.

A few meters down the path, around a clump of trees, Ford stopped, pointing at what first appeared to be a pile of fungus-encrusted boulders. When it moved up and down slowly, they realized it was a sleeping creature, and a closer look revealed long tusks, sharp claws, and huge pointed ears.

“I can’t believe we actually found a Gremloblin!” The scientist continued giddily. “This is one of the most rare creatures in all of Gravity Falls, I’ve only ever heard tales of them from the gnomes, it’s much uglier than I expected! Supposedly, if you look into its eyes, you’ll see your worst fear.”

Fiddleford gulped. “How about we leave it be, then.”

Ford scoffed. “Don’t worry, it’s fast asleep. I may never get another opportunity to study this creature up close!” He sat down and began sketching.

“Hey, y’know what’d be faster? Just take a picture and let’s get out of here.” Stan suggested.

“I didn’t bring a camera.” Ford said simply.

“Are you kidding me? We practically packed everything but the kitchen sink, and you didn’t bring a camera!?” Stan hissed.

“I don’t want any photographic record of Crash Site Omega. And besides, I like to sketch.”

“Well I like to not be attacked by a hulking beast that’ll show your worst fear. Let’s go before it wakes up!”

Ford rolled his eyes. “It’s not going to wake up! They’re supposed to be very heavy sleepers, it should be fine as long as none of us disturb it.”

“P-please, Ford, let’s just move along and not tempt fate.” Fiddleford pleaded, cowering behind a large tree.

“We can go as soon as I finish this sketch.” Ford assured them.

And so they sat there for a few minutes; the only sounds were the scratching of Ford’s pen and the Gremloblin’s rumbling snores. Just as the researcher was taking note of the grooved claws, and theorizing about their function, a high-pitched whistle pierced the air. Fiddleford, who had been carrying the hyperdrive, had been clutching the device so tightly in his anxiety, that he'd set off some sort of alarm. He banged his fist against the machine, trying to stop the noise, but it was too late.

The Gremloblin awoke with a snarl and pounced at McGucket, immediately scooping him up in its claws and staring into his eyes. Both the monster and the inventor's eyes took on a pale yellow glow.

"I told you. I told you this would happen!" Stan yelled at his brother.

"Not the time, Stanley!" Ford snapped back. The first thing he could think to do was throw the nearest object at the beast to distract it. The nearest object just so happened to be his canteen, as he'd just been drinking from it. The lid hadn't been screwed on tight, and water splashed all over the creature as the container bonked off its head.

The Gremloblin was distracted enough that it looked away from McGucket, but it didn't let him go. Instead, the creature flexed as it grew enormous spines, quills, and wings out of its back. With a mighty flap, it was airborne, a still whimpering McGucket in its claws.

"Way to go, genius." Stan snarked, strapping on his web shooters and swinging after the monster through the trees.

"Stan, wait, you don't know what this thing is capable of!" Ford shouted after him.

"Obviously you don't either!" Stan shouted over his shoulder.

Ford grit his teeth as he sprinted after them, branches and thorns tearing at his clothes and skin. Stan couldn't wait just thirty seconds for him to explain that the monster's claws were probably poisonous, or that its head was relatively unprotected. He couldn't even slow down to let his brother explain these things as they ran. No. He had to swing ahead with no plan and no idea of what he was up against.

Ford was about to lose sight of the Gremloblin, when Stan webbed up the monster's wings. It plummeted to the ground with a screech, crashing to the ground at the top of a nearby cliff. The researcher picked up the pace as he watched his brother tackle the creature. In the scuffle, it dropped McGucket and the hyperdrive, but the two combatants also careened over the edge.

"Stanley!!" Ford cried, rushing through the trees to the foot of the cliff. When he finally broke through the underbrush, he found his brother fighting hand-to-hand with the Gremloblin. Stan had already sustained a few scrapes across his forearms, and it looked like he was trying to box the creature into submission. It wasn't going well.

Stan's movements and superhuman reflexes seemed to be slowing, and the monster got another swing in at him, raking its claws across his chest.

Ford cast his eyes about frantically, searching for some way he could help. A glint of light at the top of the cliff caught his eye. It was the hyperdrive! It was sitting just near the edge of the cliff, right above the Gremloblin's head. He pulled out his magnet gun and took aim.

"Stanley, step back!" Ford warned his brother as he pulled the trigger. The hyperdrive zipped off the cliff face and collided with the Gremloblin's head, narrowly avoiding Stan. The Gremloblin fell to the ground with a thud, knocked out-cold.

"Are you ok?" The researcher asked as he rushed up to his brother in concern.

"Fine, fine." Stan waved him off with one hand, holding the other arm to the scrape across his chest.

"Good." Ford smacked him upside the head. "What were you thinking, knucklehead? You could've gotten yourself or Fiddleford killed!"

"There wasn't time to think, genius, I had to do something before that monster flew off with Fidds!"

"Yes, the fact that you weren't thinking is obvious." Ford growled. "Come on, we need to make sure Fiddleford is alright."

They were able to scale the cliff in a matter of seconds with the web shooters. McGucket was curled up in the fetal position, quivering with fear and babbling frantically to no one in particular.

"Fiddleford!" Stanford rushed to his friend's side.

"D-don't take 'em away, I ain't h-hurt n-nobody… I ain't… I ain't like that… n-no don't! ... he's jus' a boy… n-needs his daddy…"

"It's ok, you're safe now." Ford tried to hold his friend's hand reassuringly, but McGucket didn't seem able to grasp it. He didn't even seem to notice his friends were there. He just continued muttering like he was in the midst of a nightmare.

Ford frowned and gently took his friend's arm, carefully feeling for injuries.

"It's broken." He shot a glare over his shoulder at Stan.

"What's that look for!?" Stan asked.

"He wouldn't have been injured if you hadn't forced the Gremloblin to crash land!"

Stan gave an exasperated snort. "Look, I had to act fast or that thing was gonna get away with Fidds, so I took a risk. I'd like to see you do any better in the same position!"

"Well I didn't get a chance to do any better because you rushed off without me!"

"Again, no time! And news flash, genius, this wouldn't've happened if you had just moved on and left the giant monster alone like we told you to!"

Ford scoffed and carefully lifted McGucket off the ground. "How was I supposed to know the alarm was still active? It would have been fine, otherwise."

"You're unbelievable." Stan rolled his eyes and leaned down to pick up the hyperdrive, but instead he… missed.

"...Huh…" Stan rubbed his eyes and tried to pick up the machine again. Once again, he just grabbed the air beside it.

"Stanley, did you hit your head in the fight?"

"No, mom, I didn't hit my head! I just got a headache, it's makin' my vision a little blurry is all."

Ford looked him over in concern, noting that many of the claw marks the Gremloblin had given Stan had broken the skin.

"I believe the Gremloblin's claws may be poisonous. You're probably suffering the side effects of some sort of toxin. Come on, we need to get you both back to the lab for treatment as soon as possible. Here, hold out your arms."

Stan held out his arms uncertainly. Ford carefully transferred McGucket into them. "I'll carry the hyperdrive for now. Let me know if you feel like you're going to drop him."

"What about the rest of our gear?" Stan asked. "We left it back in the clearing where you found that thing."

"We'll have to come back for it later." Ford assured him. "It'll only slow us down now, and besides, the hyperdrive is the only thing I'd be really worried about leaving out in the open."

As they made their way down the mountain, Ford found he needed to steer Stanley out of the way of trees or rocks with increasing frequency. At least he could still walk. Fiddleford remained catatonic, and the researcher doubted he could carry both his brother and his friend.

* * *

In the end, they managed to get home before Stan passed out. After doing his best to treat McGucket for shock, Ford took a blood sample to try and determine what kind of toxin the Gremloblin had in its claws. It was a neurotoxin, but thankfully, it seemed that Stan's spider powers had already developed an antitoxin to combat it. He'd be fine after a good night's rest.

It took another hour or so to treat both their wounds, and by the time he finished they were both fast asleep. He was quite eager to join them. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"SHEESH, WHAT A DAY, AM I RIGHT?" Ford was too tired to even be surprised by Bill's visit. “ALL THE WORK TO GET THE HYPERDRIVE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DROP THE THING ON A GREMLOBLIN’S HEAD.”

"An unqualified disaster, yes." Ford agreed. "But at least no lasting damage was done, and we got the hyperdrive back in one piece."

"TRUE, BUT ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED."

Ford felt his temper flare. It was bad enough that Stanley was blaming him for all of this, now Bill had to lay on the guilt too?

"It is my job to study the anomalies in this valley! Excuse me for trying to do it!"

"OH, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Bill laughed. "YOU WERE RIGHT EARLIER. YOU COULD HAVE DONE BETTER, IF YOU'D HAD THE CHANCE. IT'S LIKE I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU, STANFORD. YOU'D MAKE A MUCH BETTER HERO THAN YOUR BROTHER. YOU WOULD HAVE STOPPED AND THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS. YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO LOOK OUT FOR THE GREMLOBLIN'S CLAWS. YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO ATTACK ITS WINGS WHILE IT WAS FLYING. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN YOUR ASSISTANT'S ARM BROKEN."

"Well, maybe so." Ford nodded in agreement. "But I'm still not sure if I want that kind of responsibility…. I'm not sure I want to change like that."

"I GET IT, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE EVEN MORE OF A FREAK THAN YOU ALREADY ARE. UNDERSTANDABLE." Bill patted him on the head like someone might pet a dog. "DON'T WORRY, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. IT SHOULD BE ARRIVING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS."

"You… ordered something for me in the mail?" Ford asked in confusion.

"HAHAH, NOT EXACTLY, BUT I GUESS THAT'S THE CLOSEST APPROXIMATION YOU FLESH BAGS HAVE."

“Bill, I appreciate that you’re trying to help, but I really don’t know--”

“OH COME ON, SIXER, AFTER I WENT THROUGH THE TROUBLE TO FIND THIS THING AND SEND IT YOUR WAY, THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS TRY IT OUT! AND YOU’VE GOT THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS TO DECIDE IF YOU REALLY WANT IT.”

“Well, I suppose that’s alright… and if it’s something that doesn’t cause a physical change in me, I don’t see why I couldn’t at least give it a try.”

"THAT'S THE SPIRIT, SIXER! TRUST ME, YOU'RE GONNA WANT IT! YOU'LL BE THE KIND OF HERO THIS WORLD DESERVES!"

GI GUGFOVUC PPNTZY, SHB V’BX BVNZQ OM WRA PNBX MFZM JKBLU CALIAICBOVITF JVLR KYZVPBF. SHLV NOTXXMJVDR HXBRIQBX, EYJF ARRY WFABEUE, U KRVQKGWP GW QU ZIFSG QGGWVF QA VNVCVK… V’S LOIR QG’Y GIKUQAM LNRANBXW HVRLF ZH EEBE NHHOK.

#Gravity Falls #Fanfiction #Stanford Pines #Stanley Pines #Fiddleford Mcgucket #Bill Cipher #My Writing #Spider Stan AU #SpiderStan AU

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littlemisssquiggles · 4 years

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Pinehead Headcanons: Oscar’s Pumpkinhead

I know you guys have heard me chew your ear off about this headcanon before and… I know the likelihood of this becoming canon is slim. But I don’t care because I really, really and I cannot stress this enough, I REALLY LIKE this headcanon you guys. I really would’ve loved for there to be a Pumpkinhead character in RWBY tied to Oscar’s development and side of things. Like:

Imagine if…Oscar became an apprentice under Dr. Polendina and through his teachings and guidance, Oscar unlocks his untapped talent as an inventor and creates PMKN (as in Pumpkin)---a robot helper inspired by Marvellous Land of Oz character of Jack Pumpkinhead.

Hear me out on this one folks:

What if…Oscar built a little robot helper under the premise that he was designed to be a robotic farmhand/ assistant to help his Aunt Em and family back home on the farm in Mistral. Like imagine if Oscar still felt guilty for the way he left things with his family back in Mistral so as a means of making up for it, he was hoping to build his aunt a companion and helper to aid with the day to day working of the farm like what he used to

I know that sounds a little silly and unbelievable but I’d to think Oscar is a sweet enough kid to do something like that for his aunt and family, especially if he’s motivated enough. Maybe.

So PMKN is made and if I had to picture what he would look like, it’d be something like this:

Mind you, I am not very good at designing robots so pardon my squiggles. Remember how in Big Hero 6, Tadashi made Baymax and the way how Baymax was designed, he had a little portable charging station that he could easily inflate and deflate himself into.

Well for PMKN I picture a similar idea. I figured since Oscar designed him to be a helper around the farm, he’d give the machine a design that helps him blend into the rural surroundings back home. Hence the pumpkin-shaped design. I like the idea of PMKN coming in two forms:

A smaller, more portable form that can easily be mistaken for a real pumpkin. In this form, PMKN can easily be propped anywhere like on top a table and he can use his long extendable mechanical arms to simple perform tasks such as hand equipment, serve food and beverages. I also like the idea of PMKN being able to store small objects inside of itself like a Scroll. No weapons unfortunately (unless Oscar smartly built his robotic creation with the intention of being a secret storage unit for the Long Memory).

PMKN can also move around in this form---similar to those robot vacuums that you can buy. He’s not his quickest in this form---but his movements are subtle enough that PMKN can get from one spot to another undetected.

After all, who’s gonna be suspicious of an innocent little pumpkin sitting in the middle of the room that just happened to move from one spot to another all of a sudden. Nothing to see here right?

Then there is PMKN’s true form---which is a tall lanky robot with pumpkin-shaped head.

To achieve this form, PMKN’s bottom elevates to reveal an additional compartment that unfolds to form the bottom half of PMKN’s main robot body.

I like the idea of Oscar being smart enough to design PMKN under the circumstance that he could easily get blown apart or damaged. So as a counter to that, Oscar designed PMKN with the ability to detach himself into his different parts in the event that damage is inevitable. As a failsafe. Like for example, PMKN’s pumpkin-shaped head (which you see in his small form) is completely separate from his body so in the event that he lost his head, he could reattach himself with ease.

I just thought it would be cool if Oscar did something like that. Ozpin isn’t the only one who can be smart.

Let Oscar be smart and brilliant too and one cool way that could be done is by…ooh I dunno, having him build his very own robot .

But here’s the thing about PMKN.

Even though Oscar designed him to be a fully functioning machine, the idea I have was for PMKN to be a bit defective as an indicator that Oscar isn’t entirely a robotic genius. He has some growing to do in there as well and it’s highlighted by his own creation. Nonetheless, PMKN’s creation also highlights Oscar’s passion for the craft and how diligent he can be when motivated.

Besides PMKN being imperfect is my way of harkening back to how Jack Pumpkinhead’s intelligence varied depending on the amount of seeds he had in his head at the time.

I like the thought of Oscar’s Pumpkinhead not having all of his seeds (or rather screws) in the right place either. Sometimes the robot pumpkin gets things done right while other times he messes up, much to Oscar’s concern. Best 2/3 times.

But overall, PMKN is a cute little pumpkin-shared helper bot just doing his best and trying to make Papa Oscar proud of him.

Speaking of:

The Marvellous Land of Oz story described Tip as being a sort of parental figure to Jack Pumpkinhead, or at least that’s how Jack saw young Tip as his creator. So I like the idea of that tying into Oscar’s treatment of PMKN.

Like picture Oscar treating PMKN almost like he’s his baby. Technically the little robot is the mechanical equivalent to Oscar’s child as the boy who invented him. So I’m just imagining Oscar acting like an overprotective parent with PMKN, being nervous about certain people holding his surrogate robo-child since PMKN isn’t exactly to be a toy. At least not to Oscar.

I even like the notion of PMKN calling Oscar ‘Father’ or ‘Papa’.

Just imagine this with me ya’ll. Oscar and his tiny pumpkin-shaped robot-child. See the vision! Live in it. Drown yourself in it like I have and join me in loving this headcanon.

It may never happen in the canon but boy would it have been adorable to see.

Plus…to sweeten this theory pot for my fellow Rosegardeners, picture Oscar introducing PMKN to everyone and Ruby instantly being enamoured with the adorable pumpkin-shaped robot that Oscar built on his own. Picture Ruby being impressed by Oscar’s inventing talented. Picture Ruby liking PMKN and PMKN in turn liking Ruby to the point that the robot even asks Oscar if Ruby can be his mama since Oscar is his papa and PMKN knows Papa likes Ruby.

Let me…just let me have this one, okay. I’m sorry. Not sorry.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

#rwby #oscar pine #ruby rose #rwby theories #rwby volume 7 theories #pinehead headcanons #squiggles pinehead headcanons

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katelynrebekah · 4 years

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14 Fun Facts about Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! In just a few weeks, millions of folks will be lining up to surprise their sweetheart with beautiful bouquets and tasty chocolates. But, have you ever wondered why February 14th is designated as a day of love and devotion? Well, we have some answers! Without further ado, here are 14 fun facts about Valentine’s Day:

1. Valentine’s Day originates from a Pagan festival.

There’s some dispute about the true history of Valentine’s Day. One theory is that the holiday derives from an Ancient Roman fertility festival, known as Lupercalia. This pagan celebration was actually quite savage. Animals were sacrificed, and their skins were used to whip women in an effort to stimulate their fertility.

The other theory is that during the reign of Claudius II, young men serving in the Emperor’s army were strictly forbidden from marrying. In an act of defiance, and in the name of true love, St. Valentine is said to have performed marriages in secret. According to legend, he was later executed for his crimes on February the 14th.

The day was later declared “St. Valentine’s Day” by Pope Gelasius in the 1300’s, becoming an accepted Christian holiday.

2. Handing out Valentines is an ancient tradition.

Surely you remember passing out Valentine’s cards to all of the kids in your elementary classroom. Believe it or not, this custom is over 600 years old. The first known valentine was sent in 1415 by Charles Duke of Orleans, who wrote his wife a poem while locked away in the Tower of London.

3. ‘Vinegar Valentines’ were sent to ward off unwanted suitors.

Beginning in the early 1840s, it wasn’t uncommon to receive a “vinegar valentine.” Rather than messages of love and adoration, vinegar valentines were intended to insult their recipient. Typically sent to ward off an unwanted suitor, vinegar valentines contained exaggerated caricatures and mean-spirited musings. One example from the early 1900s taunts a man for his incurable baldness. Though most vinegar valentines were light hearted, others could be quite offensive.

4. Millions of Valentine’s Day cards are purchased each year.

Second only to Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the most popular holiday for exchanging greeting cards. According to Hallmark, roughly 145 million greeting cards are sent each year for Valentine’s Day, and that’s just here in the United States. Teachers are said to receive the most cards during Valentine’s Day, with wives, mothers, and children following closely behind.

5. Candy hearts started as medical lozenges.

Candy conversation hearts are a Valentine’s Day staple, with fun and flirty messages like “Be Mine” or “Call Me.” What most people don’t know is that these iconic heart shaped confections were originally supposed to be medical lozenges. In 1847, Boston pharmacist and inventor, Oliver Chase, created a machine that could quickly produce medical lozenges. Upon realizing the potential of his invention, Chase shifted his attention to making candy instead. He’d later found the New England Confectionary Company, better known as Necco.

6. Valentine’s Day is a preferred time to get engaged.

What better occasion to pop the question than a holiday devoted to love and romance? It’s estimated that nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day each year. In fact, a 2017 survey conducted by diamond retailer, James Allen, found that most millennials prefer to get engaged on Valentine’s Day over other holidays, like Christmas or New Year’s.

7. Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that’s celebrated in countries around the world, including England, Mexico, Japan, and many others. In most Latin American countries, the holiday is known as el día de los enamorados (day of lovers) or día del amor y la amistad (day of love and friendship). In addition to celebrating romantic relationships, people will perform various acts of appreciation for family and friends.

In Japan, it’s the women who do most of the gifting. In defiance of former cultural norms, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for Japanese woman to freely confess their feelings, known as kokuhaku. Every year, on February 14th, the women in Japan shower their loved one with chocolates and other gifts. It may seem strange, and a bit unfair, but don’t worry—the men make up for it. A month later, on March 14th, the Japanese celebrate “White Day.” On this holiday, men get an opportunity to spoil their women with gifts. And unlike the women, the men are expected to spare no expense. It’s customary for the men to spend at least three times the amount that was spent on them.

8. Cupid appears in ancient mythology.

Cupid, with his famous bow and arrows, is a well-known symbol of Valentine’s Day. What most people don’t know is that Cupid was a prominent figure in both Greek and Roman mythology. Before he became the childlike character we recognize today, he was known to the Ancient Greeks as Eros, the god of love. The son of Greek goddess, Aphrodite, Cupid would toy with his target’s emotions by striking them with two sets of arrows—one for love, and the other for hate.

The Romans would later recount the tales of Cupid’s mischief in their own mythology. They believed Cupid was the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. It was the Romans who reimagined Cupid as chubby and playful. In fact, in classical Greek art, Eros is portrayed as an irresistible immortal that was chiseled and handsome.

9. Roses are known as the flowers of love.

It’s hard to imagine a more enduring symbol of romance than red roses. But, how did these beautiful blossoms earn their reputation as an emblem of love and passion? Red roses have been regarded in this way for centuries. In ancient mythology, roses are said to have been the favorite flower of the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Christian cultures correlate red roses with the Virgin Mary, which is why you’ll often see depictions of her surrounded by a floral shroud. And in Shakespeare’s classic sonnets, roses are referenced more than 70 times. It’s no wonder red roses are the quickest to sell out on Valentine’s Day.

10. The chocolate box is more than a century old.

In a genius marketing effort, Richard Cadbury began creating enticing chocolate boxes in 1861 in an attempt to bolster sales. His heart shaped boxes with depictions of rosebuds and charming Cupids were an immediate hit. Today, it’s estimated that more than 36 million heart-shaped chocolate boxes are sold each year.

11. “Experience” gifts are becoming increasingly popular.

Rather than traditional Valentine’s Day gifts like chocolate and flowers, a growing number of consumers have gravitated towards “experience gifts.” These gifts include things like concerts, a sporting event, or even a weekend getaway. This trend is especially popular among millennials, who seem to be prioritizing adventures and experiences over material possessions.

12. Both men and women prefer to receive chocolate.

Despite what you may think, both men and women would rather receive chocolate than flowers on Valentine’s Day. They also appear to have some similar taste in sweet confections. Caramels are consistently the most popular flavor in chocolate boxes, according to the National Confectioners Association.

13. Jewelry is the priciest Valentine’s Day gift.

While candy and flowers may seem like the hottest sellers, it’s actually jewelry that people spend the most on for Valentine’s Day. The jewelry industry rakes in an astonishing $4.7 billion for this romantic holiday. This is followed by an evening out at $3.7 billion, with flowers, clothing, and then candy trailing behind.

14. People spend a lot on their pets for Valentine’s Day.

It’s no secret that people love their pets. Most pet parents consider their furry friends full-fledged members of the family. So, it only makes sense they’d want to include their pet in holiday festivities. Millions of Americans spend outrageous amounts on their pets for Valentine’s Day, and are estimated to have forked out $886 million in 2019 alone. Whether it’s a new outfit or a special sweet treat, people are thrilled to spoil their cuddly companions. After all, is there a love more true and pure than that of a precious pet? We think not!

Celebrate Your Valentine’s Day at Leo’s!

There’s no better place to shop for Valentine’s Day gifts than Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers! Our spacious showroom on San Diego Avenue features an incredible selection of jewelry, watches, and other fine gifts. Shop your favorite brands like Tiffany & Co., Cartier, David Yurman, and many more! Whether honoring a romantic relationship, a lifelong friendship, or even a parent or sibling, there’s something for everyone at Leo’s. Don’t wait till the last minute, visit us today and discover all that we have in store!

source https://www.leohamel.com/blog/index.php/2020/01/14-fun-facts-about-valentines-day/ from https://leohameljewelry.blogspot.com/2020/01/14-fun-facts-about-valentines-day.html

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leohameljewelry · 4 years

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14 Fun Facts about Valentine’s Day

1. Valentine’s Day originates from a Pagan festival.

The day was later declared “St. Valentine’s Day” by Pope Gelasius in the 1300’s, becoming an accepted Christian holiday.

2. Handing out Valentines is an ancient tradition.

3. ‘Vinegar Valentines’ were sent to ward off unwanted suitors.

4. Millions of Valentine’s Day cards are purchased each year.

5. Candy hearts started as medical lozenges.

6. Valentine’s Day is a preferred time to get engaged.

7. Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide.

8. Cupid appears in ancient mythology.

9. Roses are known as the flowers of love.

10. The chocolate box is more than a century old.

11. “Experience” gifts are becoming increasingly popular.

12. Both men and women prefer to receive chocolate.

13. Jewelry is the priciest Valentine’s Day gift.

14. People spend a lot on their pets for Valentine’s Day.

Celebrate Your Valentine’s Day at Leo’s!

from https://www.leohamel.com/blog/index.php/2020/01/14-fun-facts-about-valentines-day/

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captaingardening100-blog · 5 years

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How To Save Water: 15 Water Conservation Methods for World Water Day

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How To Save Water: 15 Water Conservation Methods for World Water Day

Original content owned& copyrighted by Green Global Travel.

The woes of the world’s fresh water supply are demonstrating increasingly problematic.

Aquifers around the world are starting to dry up. Due to rising temperatures, snowpack is failing to provide enough sustainable surface render. Municipal water sources in some cities have moved beyond questionable to full-on toxic.

Because we all depend on H20 to live, learning how to save water has never been more important. In short, it is imperative to pool our efforts and begin working to combat water trash. And with World Water Day on March 22 , now is a wonderful time to start discovering new ways to save water!

Wherever we may live, if we think of saving water as a choice rather than a necessity, we’re likely ingesting more than the average global citizen.

And while we might not be able to stop the water crisis that’s currently besetting countries around the world at large, we are going to be able each do our component by practising some simple water conservation methods.

Whether water conservation is new to you or something that you’re hoping to delve into deeper as part of a mission to go green, here are 15 simple water saving tips that everyone can use…

READ MORE: Going Green: 60 Simple Tips for Earth Day( And Every Day )

How to Save Water in the Bathroom Saving Water on Your Lawn Ways to Save Water While You Wash Water Saving Tips for Appliances Ways to Save Water When Cooking

How to Save Water in the Bathroom

The bathroom accounts for nearly half of the water the average U.S. household uses. Of that, the toilet alone accounts for nearly one-third.

The real misfortune is that we are often flushing clean, fresh, and potable water when we go to the bathroom. It needn’t be that style!

Here are three ways to conserve water at home, every time you go :P TAGEND

1) Save the Toilet for “Business” – One of the easiest ways to save water in the toilet is to use it merely for toilet business. Get out of the habit of flushing tissues used to blow your nose or wipe the seat. For anything that isn’t specifically bathroom business, use the wastebasket or simply don’t flush. We also practice the old adage of” If it’s amber, let it mellow ,” but do remember to flush it down if it’s brown.

2) Upgrade Your Toilet- One major issue with many lavatories is that they are outdated and waste water each time you flush. Modern, high-efficiency toilets use less than one-and-a-half gallons of water per flush, whereas older models use up to seven gallons! If you have an old lavatory model, either consider replacing it or” bank the tank .” This old school trick means adding bricks or bottles filled with sand so that you save water needed to refill the toilet after each flush.

3) Set Your Waste to Better Use- The most pious of all porcelain accoutrements would be the composting toilet. These ultimate eco-friendly innovations not only drastically reduce your water usage( to nothing or almost nothing, depending on the model ), but also generates something useful out of our compostable materials. This is great for those of us who garden, and it’s really no different from using any other kind of fertilizer( other than being free ).

READ MORE: What is Permaculture Gardening( Intro to Design& Principles )

Photo by Rafael Castillo via Creative Commons 2. 0 Saving Water on Your Lawn

The lawn is sort of like the bathroom of outdoor water use for most people’s homes, comprising about one-third of all residential household consumption.

That’s about 9 billion gallons of squandered water a day to grow grass, just so that we can use gas or energy cutting it every other weekend.

While a nice green lawn is pleasant to look at, is it really worth so much garbage? Here are three east ways to preserve water outdoors.

4) Water More Efficiently- If watering the lawn seems like a necessity, you are able to save water by doing it more efficiently. If it has rained recently, there should be no need to water, so turn off the automatic timer. Otherwise, you should always water your lawn early in the morning or late in the evening, when the sunshine won’t soak it up from the soil. And make sure the sprinkler isn’t reaching areas that don’t need watering, such as the driveway.

5) If You Can’t Construct it Rain, Collect It- Using gutters to direct rainfall water is common these days, yet most people direct that it right into drainage areas rather than utilizing it. Instead, we direct ours into 40 – and 50 -gallon rain barrels ,~ ATAGEND from which we can then water our lawns and gardens. It’s amazing that we are able to pay to water our lawns, when the stuff falls on our roof and courses through our gutters for free!

6) Don’t Do Grass, Kids- For those seeking” next level” water conservation tips, why not totally replace your grass with an edible garden or a drought-tolerant lawn? An edible garden should be heavily mulched to conserve water, and will produce food for the household in the process. That is something that saves water because we’re not relying on large-scale agriculture. If you’re not into gardening, simply replace the grass with trees, boulder gardens, or drought-resistant plants.

READ MORE: DIY Permaculture Garden Guide

Photo by Sarah Laval via Creative Commons 2. 0 Ways to Save Water While You Rinse

Let’s be real here: Even if you want to be as green as are likely to be, certain modern inventions shouldn’t be sacrificed in the process.

Showers and soap attain our world odor better, and brushing our teeth has proven useful in keeping our choppers healthy into later life.

Unfortunately, many of us have picked bad habits when it comes to our personal hygiene. Here are three great ways to preserve water every time you clean.

7) Turn It Off- You can start simply by turning off the water whenever you’re not use it. That entails no running water while you brush your teeth, shave( only rinse the razor with hot water in the basin ), soap up in the shower, washing dishes, and so on. Also, instead of tolerating leaky connects, hole-y hoses, and drippy faucets, learn to check taps regularly and repair these water-wasting elements.

8) Let It Flow, Slow& Low- Green technology companies, long aware of our desire to save water at home, have created a variety of effective and inexpensive answers. Installing low-flow faucets and shower heads can help to reduce the amount of water used in sinks and showers by 50% or more. Now we need to take the reins and replace our old spigots with something better!

9) Recycle Your Water By Going Grey- Along the same lines as rainwater catchment systems, most households in North America are underutilizing what could be a completely free water resource. A greywater system is somewhat easy to install and allows us to re-route our salvageable water trash. If “youre using” eco-friendly toiletries, the “grey water” run-off from your shower or sink works just as well for things like flushing toilets and irrigating the lawn.

READ MORE: How to Attain 5 Eco-Friendly Homemade Toiletries

Photo by Anthony Woodside via Creative Commons 2. 0 Water Saving Tips for Appliances

Modern convenience has ultimately proven to be more of a detriment to the planet’s health than appliance inventors likely realized they ever would be.

The two commonly-used household appliances that waste the most water are cleaning machines and dishwashers.

Here’s a look at how we can save water every time we clean our clothes and dishes…

10) Fill it to the Brim- Many of us have the bad habit of running the dishwasher and washing machine every time we clean the day’s dishes or need a few articles of garment. This approach is extremely wasteful! We can conserve a considerable amount of water either by waiting until there is a full loading, or simply hand-washing a couple of items here and there.

11) Say It, Don’t Spray It- Getting the style we use our dishwashers and rinsing machines straightened out is a great step towards addressing water scarcity. But the next step “wouldve been” eliminating our compulsion to use high-pressure sprayers to wash the driveway, terrace, and windows. We can also maintain a close eye on our hot water heaters, which tend to get leaky over day and waste both energy and water.

12) Be An Enegry Star- Prematurely replacing our appliances might not be the greenest( or most affordable) route to address the global water crisis. But when it’s time to replace them, consider spending a few extra dollars for the most environmentally-friendly options( look for the Energy Star label ). Not only is this a great way to save water at home, but it also saves on electricty usage as well.

READ MORE: Water.org’s Mission to Bring Fresh Water to the World

Photo by Jennifer via Creative Commons 2. 0 Way to Save Water When Cooking

It doesn’t take a genius to understand that we tend to use a lot of water in the kitchen, and that cooking constitutes the overwhelming majority of our kitchen time.

Unfortunately, some common kitchen habits aren’t so environmentally friendly. Luckily, that can be easily remedied!

Here’s a look at how we can preserve water every time we cook.

13) Reuse& Recycle Your Water- When we consider how often we dump perfectly usable water down the drain, it’s obvious we need to be more mindful of water trash. When we strain our pasta, why not save that water for taking care of houseplants? When we rinse fresh make, why not use the water to clean dishes or mop the kitchen floor? When we simmer veggies, that water is perfect for making a flavorful soup stock: Only blend it with veggie scraps and freeze it for afterward.

14) Reuse& Recycle Food Scraps: Composting at home is among the simplest, greenest habits each of us can adopt in the kitchen. It not only reduces our trash while rendering something else we urgently need–good clay. But it also saves water since we are rubs our dishes clean before rinsing them, so we don’t waste water to run the garbage disposal. Composting preserves waste across the board!

15) Eat Less Meat- Our rampant intake of factory-farmed meat and mono-cropped staple foods is one of the world’s worst water-wasting offenses. It takes a lot of water-intensive harvests to feed the animals created for human consumption. These animals drink even more water than those crops needed to grow, and then they make feces that pollutes the world’s fresh water supply. Ethical eating– a mostly locally grown, plant-based diet, with free-range meat for those not ready to go vegan- helps keep our cooking much more conscious.

It’s easy to discount any one of these efforts individually as being an insignificant drop in the bucket of what needs to be done to save the world’s dwindling fresh water supply.

But when each of us learns how to conserve water and starts putting simple water saving tips like these into practice, collectively we’re talking about BILLIONS of gallons of water every day.

That’s an unbelievably meaningful impact, only from constructing small changes to the route we clean, clean, water the lawn, and go to the bathroom! And World Water Day is as good a day as any to attain the transition to a cleaner, greaner lifestyle, both at home and when you travel. -Jonathan Engels

Jonathon Engels is a traveler, writer& educator who’s been living abroad as an expat since 2005. He’s worked in nearly a dozen countries, and visited many others in between. He’s currently on a slow travelling trip from Central America to Patagonia, volunteering his route in all regions of the journey. He’s a regular contributor to One Green Planet as well as Permaculture News, which focus on helping to keep the world green and clean. He’s also the founder of The NGO List, a compiling of grassroots NGOs attempting international volunteers. His run can be found at Jonathon Engels: A Life Abroad, and its most recent whereabouts and goings-on is to be found in his personal blog.

If you enjoyed our tips-off on How to Save Water, you might also like:

GO GREEN TIP # 114: DIY Permaculture Garden Guide

GO GREEN TIP # 99: How to Build a DIY Vertical Garden

GO GREEN TIP 97#: DIY Rainwater Harvesting Tips

GO GREEN TIP #91: How To Attract Birds To Your Garden

GO GREEN TIP #87: How To Compost At Home

GO GREEN TIP #82: DIY Aquaponics- The Future of Green Gardening

Sustainable Agriculture: Is Will Harris’ White Oak Pasture the Future ?

The post How To Save Water: 15 Water Conservation Methods for World Water Day appeared first on Green Global Travel.

Read more: greenglobaltravel.com

#going green

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integralshock · 6 years

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Show Me Your Shoulders – the Stoic Workout

While the ancient Roman Stoics of the first century AD, such as Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, and Seneca, clearly championed the proper use of our human thinking capacities to attain inner peace and live virtuous lives in accord with nature, they did not neglect the fact that nature has equipped us with physical bodies of sinewy flesh.

Epictetus lists our bodies among those things beyond our power which we cannot completely control, but while the care and development of our bodies should not be a primary goal, this does not imply that the body should be neglected and allowed to fall into disrepair or to grow to unseemly proportions.

Self-generated physical problems can impede our capacities to participate in the roles the Playwright has prepared for us and can impair our cognitive capacities as well. Indeed, modern research suggests that the catchphrase “Use it or Lose It,” appears to apply to both physical and mental capacities throughout the course of our lives, and especially in our later years.

Suppose, for example, that in talking to an athlete, I said, “Show me your shoulders,” and then he answered, “Look at my jumping weights.” Go to, you and your jumping weights! What I want to see is the effect of the jumping weights.

Epictetus, Discourses, I, 4 [1]

Now there are short and simple exercises which tire the body rapidly, and so save our time; and time is something of which we ought to keep strict account. These exercises are running, brandishing weights, and jumping…But whatever you do, come back quickly from body to mind.

Seneca, Epistle 15 [2]

And if you form the habit of taking such exercises, you will see what mighty shoulders you develop, what sinews, what vigour….

Epictetus, Discourses, II, 19 [3]

Since a human being happens to be neither soul alone nor body alone, but a composite of these two things, someone in training must pay attention to both. He should, rightly pay more attention to the better part, namely the soul, but he should also take care of the other parts, or part of him will become defective. The philosopher’s body also must be well prepared for work because often virtues use it as a necessary tool for the activities of life.

Musonius Rufus, Lectures and Sayings [4]

Musonius then recommended the kinds of ascetic practices that would accustom our bodies to enduring heat, cold, hunger, thirst, and the endurance of other physical discomforts.

Personal Training Advice from the “Lame Old Man”

Epictetus called himself “a lame old man” later in life, apparently because of a broken leg suffered during the years of slavery in his youth, caused, according to some sources, by his master twisting his leg while Epictetus calmly warned him that in continuing to do so he could break it – and did. While Epictetus was certainly then no competitive athlete, he not only frequently used physical metaphors for training and growth in philosophy, he sometimes provided very useful advice for the training of the body, in terms of both why and how one should exercise.

For example, let’s look at this article’s first quotation. There, in Book 1.4 of the Discourses, Epictetus declares that progress in philosophy is shown not in the books one can read or write, or the Stoics one can quote, but from the results, the actual changes in a person’s life – how one lives his daily life in terms of aversions and desires, choices and refusals actually in accord with nature. His example is from the realm of physical training and it is still so on target today. Epictetus wants to see the athlete’s “shoulders,” not his training equipment. In our time, exercise contraptions and workout programs are legion, with new ones devised almost daily it seems, but if you want to show Epictetus how you are progressing with your training, show him your latest exercise device or written workout program at your own risk, because he might well tell you to go jump in a lake!

What Epictetus would want you to do is roll up your sleeve and show the results of your training. The proof of your progress in physical training is indeed in the pudding of your bodily development, not only of course, in how your muscles look, but in what they can do, in terms of making you physically stronger, more enduring, and better at the athletic activity or physical labors of any sort that you choose to pursue. So then, one very wise principle of physical training we can glean from Epictetus is that to train our bodies rationally we must keep an eye toward the results we obtain (or the lack thereof) from whatever equipment or program we employ, so that changes may be made if progress is not shown.

Not only does Epictetus give us this sound advice to focus on visible, measurable results of bodily training, he starts us on the road toward the right kinds of training we ought to pursue [5]. For example:

The athletes first decide what kind of athletes they want to be, and then they act accordingly. If a man wants to be a long-distance runner, he adopts a suitable diet, walking, rubbing, and exercise; if he wants to be a sprinter, all these details are different; if he wants to contend in the pentathlon, they are still more different.

Now, bearing in mind that most readers of this article are probably not long-distance runners, let alone sprinters, or pentathletes, I will note again that it is of practical importance to all of us to keep our bodies strong and enduring, and will note for the first time, that the main focus of this article will be particularly upon the “strong” part, how to properly train our bodies for physical strength, without ignoring or impairing our capacities for endurance. This leads us to another great Stoic with some serious bodily impairments, but surprisingly sound advice on how to make our bodies strong.

Tremendous Training Tips from a Thin-Legged, Asthmatic, Short-Statured Stoic

Lucius Annaeus Seneca once wrote that he didn’t care that someone had joked about him being bald, with poor eyesight, skinny legs, and short, because “what insult is there in telling me what everybody sees?” [6] Apparently Seneca was quite content not to worry about things he could not control regarding his own body – and what others might have to say about it! Still, Seneca has also provided us several golden nuggets of wisdom on the proper care of the body. His youth was marked by bouts of poor health, especially from asthma, it seems. He experienced such severe attacks of loss of breath that he described them as “preparations for death.” He even admitted to thoughts of suicide at times, which he would not pursue out of concern for his father.

In response to inborn physical frailties, as U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt would become famous for eighteen centuries later, Seneca undertook a regimen of rigorous physical training to compensate for his weakness and develop bodily strength and endurance, including such activities as swimming in frigid waters. Our primary interest here though is in the second quotation we used to start this article.

Seneca advised that the philosopher should not waste a lot of time on physical training, returning quickly from brief, efficient training, to the things of the mind. He notes that it is the rational capacities of mind that define what is finest in man, and regardless of how muscular and powerful a man might become, he’ll never be a match for a first-class bull! Fortunately for man though, precisely because of those reasoning abilities he can craft rational and efficient training programs to maximum strength and fitness attainable by human beings. So what about those short, simple, time-saving exercises Seneca recommended? He mentions “running, brandishing weights, and jumping,” which suggests to me that we jump ahead 1900 years from Seneca’s time to the modern exercise world of HIT and HIIT.

How the Stoics Hinted at HIT (and HIIT) 2,000 Years Ago

It was in the 1960s, almost exactly 1,900 years after Seneca’s death that an eccentric self-taught genius, inventor, and big-game hunter named Arthur Jones developed the Nautilus line of exercise equipment and became the foremost exponent of the idea of High Intensity Training (HIT for short), whether or not one used his machines to build strength. HIT principles are founded upon what Epictetus astutely observed: that different athletic events and goals require very different kinds of training. Indeed, as Epictetus contrasted the distance runner with the sprinter, Jones did just the same for those involved in strength-related sports, at that time primarily weight lifting, powerlifting, body-building, and to some extent, American football. [7]

Jones asked those seeking strength to look at the legs of a long-distance runner and those of a top-notch sprinter. The distance runner performs for long periods of time at a moderate level of intensity of effort, and the greatest marathoners, for example, are extremely light and lean, with rather small leg muscles. The legs of an experienced sprinter tell a very different story, a story that was dramatically illustrated during the last Olympics when coverage of the 100-meter dash immediately preceded that of the 5,000 meter race (about three miles). The sprinters bristled with muscles and looked like lithe and lean bodybuilders in both their lower and upper bodies, while the milers had that extremely lean, almost emaciated look. This is not to disparage distance runners in the least, for they have physical goals of their own, but to provide a powerful lesson for those who seek to build healthy and usable bodily strength and size.

Jones argued that the crucial mistake made by people who train for strength is to train like the long-distance endurance athlete, rather than the sprinter. In other words, it is the measured use of very hard and brief (e.g. “high intensity”) bursts of effort that stimulate muscle growth, not prolonged bouts and repetitions of only moderately difficult exertion.

To sum up a huge body of knowledge and give a few practical tips to readers, this high intensity (HIT) manner of training calls for:

High intensity, that is, using a weight suited to oneself so that one “fails” or cannot complete any additional repetitions at the end of a set of the desired number of repetitions.

Progressive resistance, so that when one succeeds with a targeted number of repetitions with a certain weight, the weight is increased slightly in the next workout, until the goal is achieved with the new weight. In this way, intensity always remains high. [8]

Limited duration of workouts, doing no more than one intense set per exercise after warm-up, because that one set to failure will trigger a growth response, and additional sets will hamper the body’s ability to recover. Jones used to say “You can work hard or work long, but not both.”

Limited frequency of workouts, training a particular exercise as infrequently as once per week.

Proper rest to allow for growth. Strength training breaks down muscle tissue and alarms the body to produce more muscle in adaption to that stress, and it can take several days before the damage is repaired and additional muscle tissue has been gained in the process called Indeed, as a person grows stronger, he may require more rest between workouts because of the greater demands each workout will make on recuperative capacities.

Proper form in the execution of strength-training exercises, because quick, jerky movements, for example, can call in the forces of momentum, while a purposely slower movement, in protocols varying from 2 seconds lifting and 4 seconds lowering the weight to even 10 seconds or more in each direction, ensure that only muscle action moves the weight.

Focus upon a limited number of compound exercises in which involve the rotation of more than one joint and which activate large masses of muscles, for example, squats, leg presses, dead lifts, bench pressing, overhead pressing, chinning, and rowing motions, because of the way such exercises stimulate the production of growth hormone and testosterone that lead to overall body development with a minimum of time investment.

A workout such a this could consist in as little as three exercises, what I call “a push, a leg, and a pull,” to involve almost all the major muscles of the body, with a few other “isolation exercises” involving rotation around only one joint like curls, leg extensions, etcetera, for those who would care to do them. Let me flesh out an example:

A Suggested Simple, Sample, “Stoic” Strength-Training Workout

All exercises are to be performed in a slow, controlled manner with proper form and natural breathing, striving to increase if possible by one repetition or a few pounds more on each exercise in each subsequent workout. This workout can be performed as infrequently as one time per week, in as little as 20 minutes. And how will you know if it is successful? Well, look at your shoulders! That is, see if you are progressing in the amount of weight you can use, the number of repetitions you can perform, the shape and size of your shoulders (and other muscles) and whether or not you feel fitter, more energetic, and better able to face whatever physical tasks are a part of your daily life.

From HIT to HIIT

A few decades after Jones’s work in strength training, we saw a similar development in the realm of intense endurance training that I’m sure would leave Seneca smiling as well. Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata found that very brief, infrequent episodes of traditional endurance-type, cardiovascular, or aerobic training also produce superior results to easier, but longer, steady-state training. The original protocol called for 5 minutes of warm-up on a piece of equipment like an exercise bicycle, 8 intervals of only 20 seconds off all-out maximum pedaling, followed by 10 seconds of rest after each interval, and 2 minutes of cool-down. If I’ve done my math right, that’s an 11-minute workout, including both warm-up and cooldown, with four minutes of actual interval training, and 1/3 of that spent in rest! Dr. Tabata found VO2max [9] improvements in fit college PE majors who did this protocol 5 days per week exceeded those of students who did traditional 5 traditional steady-state sessions per week lasting 60 minutes each.

I will note as well that since that first reported study in 1996, many others have had success with other High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) protocols of varying interval and rest durations and frequency of workouts. The key finding being, as Seneca notes, that there are indeed, “short and simple exercises that tire the body quickly” and let us get back to the things of the mind!

And to be fair, for Seneca even the philosopher could certainly indulge in more leisurely physical and long-lasting physical pursuits at times, noting, for example, that “we should talk walks outside so that the mind can be strengthened and refreshed by being outdoors as we breathe the fresh air.” In Letter 15, He tells Lucilius he does not intend for him to live bent over his books and his writing implements, but to intersperse reading and riding with bouts of mild exercise like walking or riding, in addition to the higher-intensity exercises he mentioned above.

The Virtues of Fitness for Everyone

Of the Roman Stoics of the 1st century AD, it appears from the extant remnants of Musonius Rufus’s lectures or post-lecture Q & A’s appearing in subsequent sources that he may have been the Stoic who placed the most emphasis on what have become known as the cardinal virtues.[10] While Musonius preached virtue in general, as opposed to vice, he also championed sophrosune (temperance or self-control), andreia, (fortitude or courage), phronesis (prudence or practical wisdom), and diakaiosune (justice).

Medieval philosopher and theologian St. Thomas Aquinas, borrowing from Aristotle, and in generally in accord with the Stoics, has noted that “virtue, inasmuch as it is a suitable disposition of the soul, is like health and beauty, which are suitable dispositions of the body.” [11] And further, “if a man uses exercise, food, and drink in moderation, he will become physically strong and his health will be improved and preserved. It is the same with the virtues of the soul – for instance, fortitude, temperance, and the other virtues.” [12]

So how might the cardinal virtues relate to training the body?

Fortitude provides the capacity to endure hard things for worthwhile goals, making it a most fitting virtue to assist those who would endure the physical pain and discomfort involved in performing both high intensity strength training and demanding endurance training. And indeed, as Musonius has noted, when we train our bodies to endure hardships, we also train the soul.

Temperance, applies most directly to the self-control involved in following the proper kind of diet that will sustain our training efforts, preserve our health, and preserve us from the kind of gluttony that distracts and weakens the soul.

Justice involves giving each person his or her rightful due, and in the realm of fitness, this might involve showing our concern by providing advice and examples of healthy living for all those around us, perhaps with special attention to the unique fitness goals and training needs of members of various groups of people, like the young, women, and the elderly.

Prudence is the virtue that gets the job done, finding the right means to obtain the worthwhile ends of bodily strength and fitness, in a safe and efficient manner that leaves us with plenty of time and energy to focus on the things of the soul that matter the most.

So then, would the Stoics have us all become Milos (see above painting), philosophers bristling with as much brawn as brain? We have seen that Seneca would answer no, that strength and fitness are not the most important goals for human beings, though they are still worthy or some time and effort. Further, if our age, genetic constitution, or some physical injury or defect prevents us from attaining the heights of physical perfection should we not still train to improve our bodies as best we can, if we are physically able? As for Epictetus’s answer, I’ll let him respond to both of these last two questions in his own words:

Epictetus will not be better than Socrates; but if only I am not worse, that suffices me. For I shall not be a Milo, either, and yet I do not neglect my body; nor a Croesus, and yet I do not neglect my property; nor, in a word, is there any other field in which we give up the appropriate discipline merely from despair of attaining the highest. [13]

Please note the caveat that any suggestions for exercise in this article are intended for healthy men and women. Even people without known health problems are advised to consult with their physician before starting a new exercise program.

Notes:

[1] Epictetus, Discourses, Books I-II, trans. W. A. Oldfather (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 2000), 31. (First published 1925).

[2] Seneca, Epistles 1-65, trans. R. Gummere (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2006), 97-98. (First published 1917).

[3] Oldfather, 347.

[4] Musonius Rufus: Lectures and Sayings, trans. Cynthia King (CreateSpace.com, 2011), 63, Lecture 6.

[5] Oldfather, Epictetus Discourses, Books III-IV, 169. (Book 3, chapter 23).

[6] Cited in Richard Mott Gummere, Seneca the Philosopher and His Modern Message (Bibliobazaar, 2008), 54. (Originally published in 1922.)

[7] While strength training was pooh-poohed by most coaches and trainers in those days and even in the 1970s when I began training, due to the myth of becoming “muscle-bound,” Jones argued most vociferously that muscles are the body’s engines and that if all other factors are equal, “the stronger athletes will always win.” Today we see everyone from baseball players to golfers lifting weights to acquire the kind of strength they need to complement their skills and maximize their performance.

[8] The ancient Greek Olympic wrestler Milo of Croton (6th C BC) is credited in legend as the Father of Progressive Resistance Strength Training. The story went that when Milo was a young boy he lifted a young calf every day, and as they calf gradually grew into a bull, so too did Milo grow into a bull of a man! Other legends tie him to philosophy as the husband of Pythagorus’ daughter, and Milo is mentioned in the writings of Aristotle, Cicero, and even Epictetus, as we’ll see later in this article. A man of many legends, one holds that near at the end of his life Milo tested his remaining strength by prying open the halves of a split tree trunk. When his strength gave out his hands were trapped and he was eaten by wolves!

[9] A measure of maximum oxygen update measured in milliliters by kilogram of bodyweight per minute.

[10] From the Latin cardine for “hinge” since the other virtues hang form and swing form them, so to speak.

[11] Summa Theologica, I-II, Q. 55, art. 2.

[12] C. I. Litzinger, OP. trans. St. Thomas Aquinas Commentary on Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics (Notre Dame, Indiana: Dumb Ox Books, 1993), p. 89. (Commenting on Aristotle’s Book 2, chapter 2).

[13] Oldfather, 25. (Discourse 1.2).

Originally published in Modern Stoicism by Kevin Vost, Psy.D. Vost is a former competitive powerlifter and Highland Games heavy events competitor, is the author of over a dozen books including The Porch and the Cross: Ancient Stoic Wisdom for Modern Christian Living (Angelico Press, 2016) and Fit for Eternal Life: A Christian Approach to Working Out, Eating Right, and Building the Virtues of Fitness in Your Soul (Sophia Institute Press, 2007).

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