Day 4: 12x
Reason for stopping: general exhaustion, not specifically arm-pain.
Status: I was a complete hour late for this edition of project Armstrong because I got carried away talking with (e:Paul). So when I finally remembered, (e:Paul) offered to do push-ups with me. (Of course, he was doing the authentic push-ups, while I was trying to miserably drag through wimpy ones.) I think he got through 18-19 before I was done with my measly 12 with a ton of effort. It was nice to have someone doing the push-ups with me but it didn't really do much good in terms of motivating me to do more. I think this is a sign that the problem really lies so deep that it can't be fixed by mere peer motivation. (hey, that rhymes!)

I knew this day would come. Chrome might be rock solid in its security features, but the fact that any odd person on the planet can write non-peer reviewed and non-standards compliant extensions for Chrome is a major drawback. Someone has just finished an elaborate hack to steal all your Gmail contact emails if you are using Scratchpad - the nifty app that lets you use Chrome as a notepad and syncs all of your notes to Google Docs as a backup.



The very fact that the zillion extensions I try out ALL need blanket access to ALL my browsing history and whatnots is a a bit disturbing. So what do we do? Chuck out all extensions? Chrome wouldn't be half as useful without these extensions that I use constantly. I am in a big quandry right now, as are several other Chrome fans, I am sure.

My current list of extensions:
    

• Add to Google Bookmarks - Version: 0.1.2 ID: idhcimbcedikofokpoignmlnnkidpeld

(Can't get rid of this, this is how I sync my bookmarks ALL the time.)
    

• Autocomplete = on - Version: 1.0 ID: ecpgkdflcnofdbbkiggklcfmgbnbabhh

(Nopes. this can't go. I need password filling...)

• Autofill - Version: 5.5 ID: nlmmgnhgdeffjkdckmikfpnddkbbfkkk

(Maybe this can go... but then I will have to refill forms over and over. Maybe not then.)
    

• Chrome IE Tab Multi - Version: 0.9.7.6 ID: fnfnbeppfinmnjnjhedifcfllpcfgeea

(Ridiculous work email OWA sometimes blocks attachments and I need this to access the attachments. I would gladly let go of this had it not been for the paleolithic work email.)
    

• FlashBlock - Version: 0.9.31 ID: gofhjkjmkpinhpoiabjplobcaignabnl

(I need this. I am so terribly annoyed by all the annoying ad videos that start loading automatically when you visit a website. This extension just blocks them all till you really want to watch a video.)
    

• History 2 - Version: 0.6.0

ID: cahejgbbfgmlmjgdjlibphdjeldhagkp
(The native history in Chrome is SO horribly structured, you can't find anthing. This extension eases the pain.)

• Lazarus: Form Recovery - Version: 3.0.3.1 ID: loljledaigphbcpfhfmgopdkppkifgno

(Can't do without this at all.)
    

• Link grabber - Version: 1.0 ID: modbohgknhnjilkoaggaacedmmfbfapn

(This could go... why can't Chrome have an Opera like view links features. Makes me want to switch to Opera which has all these features built in without the need for unsafe extensions.)
    

• MiddleButtonScroll - Version: 1.1.0 ID: ibehnpdcgpabccnlefccelhblhphbbpl

(This is for my linux box. It is again so annoying in linux, chrome doesn't let you scroll with the middle click button. This is probably the only difference that matters between Chrome on Windows and Chrome on Linux)
    

• One Window - Version: 2.15 ID: papnlnnbddhckngcblfljaelgceffobn

(I hate popups. Enough said. Can't get rid of this and am again annoyed that Chrome can't implement this natively.)

• OWA Chrome Companion - Version: 0.1.2.5 ID: gmloogbeidmnmkdeoibnfcglaenjcmah

(Keeps track of work email. Indispensible.)

• Readability Redux - Version: 1.3.2 ID: jggheggpdocamneaacmfoipeehedigia

(With the amount of ugly out there on the web, this is a lifesaver.)
    

• Scratchpad - Version: 2.2.4 ID: kjebfhglflhjjjiceimfkgicifkhjlnm

(Hmm... considering parting with this because of the latest hack. I could always pull up the Google Docs website directly, even though it does take a whole minute more to load and post.)

• Screen Capture (by Google) - Version: 5.0.3 ID: cpngackimfmofbokmjmljamhdncknpmg

(Pretty handy for any illustrations that I am doing. WAAAY more efficient than using the PrtSc button followed by Paint.NET edits.)
    

• Shortcut Manager - Version: 0.7.9 ID: mgjjeipcdnnjhgodgjpfkffcejoljijf

(Remaps annoying keyboard combinations. Chrome should have native support for this. Again dissatisfied with the lack of choices on chrome. Opera has this feature, why not chrome?)

• Tab Glutton - Version: 0.4.0 ID: ekfmaibfpamaegficfifofnlhalkbdfm

(I will go nuts without this. My average number of tabs usually hover around 50+)

Day 3: 16x
Reason for stopping: My knee started paining!
Status: I think I stuck to better form today but unfortunately did the push ups on the wood floor instead of on my yoga mat. Result: nasty knee pain and somewhat less arm pain. Maybe it's like the principle of the counter-irritant. The knee pain was so much that it masked the arm pain. Anyhow, this whole process of building up strength is painful... Probably the only thing that encouraged me to do it today was reporting about it here.

As John Wayne once never said, "A tiny-armed person's gotta do what a tiny-armed person's gotta do".

I am so excited about this 7+ pound 12 inch multiclad Fry Pan with a dome lid (which means I can not only make bread in it but additionally heft a nice weight around while making bread!).


It's not even healthy to be this excited about some inanimate object but I can't help it. It gets home this Saturday!

Jul 19, 2011 10:36 AM
Departed FedEx location
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA

Jul 18, 2011 8:06 PM
Arrived at FedEx location
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA

Jul 18, 2011 4:47 PM
Picked up CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA

Jul 18, 2011 11:07 AM
Shipment information sent to FedEx

PS: It's made from steel by JSW, one of the largest steel producers from India at a plant in Texas Whoever said all jobs are moving from US -> Asia needs to take a look at JSW that did just the opposite.

Day 2: 20x
Reason for stopping: Severe arm exhaustion
Status: I followed the Mayo technique that (e:heidi) linked yesterday for modified push ups. However, my back keeps sagging to the ground and I am not sure I felt my pectoral muscles and abdominal muscles stretch or even work. The only thing that is probably dying is my upper arm muscles, particularly the biceps. And they said it exercises your triceps. I am definitely doing this wrong... I will try again tomorrow to see if I can achieve proper form.

Till then, big OUCH. I hope my arms don't fall off in my sleep today. It feels like it.

I was looking up the sheer number of "distraction-free writing" applications and software that exist today when I came across this


What a hoot!

I never realized that there were as many or even more App review sites and listing sites as there are apps themselves... It's amazing how fast they have sprung up everywhere. There are so many of them that you can make a list of the listings of web apps. For eg.

• The unofficial Web Application list.
• Appappeal
• Go2Web20
• Codswallop
• Webware
• Nedwolf
• Ruby on Rails List
• Neobinaries
• Edutech Wiki
• Appstorm

and a million others. The list just goes on.

Hell, I just created one here.

Love this version...

Day 1: 17x
Reason for stopping: Arm exhaustion
Status: My arms hurt like crazy. I can't even type this properly. I am wondering if this is a wise idea. OUCH. I am not entirely sure I have the right form. I need to check with my department-mate about this tomorrow.

NB: Hmm... can't tell if this journal format is working.

I memorized this speech back in the day.


Resounds in my head to this day, at the most inopportune moments.

(E:strip) has sort of changed for me in the past couple months as more of a personal referencing and note-taking environment. (e:Paul) told me that wildcard searching and grepping could be a likely feature in the near future, so I am pretty excited about how else I can push (e:strip)'s limits.

I started some experimentation with establishing habits through journalling a couple years back but that wasn't so very successful. My "goals" category is littered with decapitated angels of change. I think I murdered them all because I lacked the correct motivation. I think I have it now. The thing is I tried the urdhva dhanurasana just now and could not repeat the success at yoga class from last week. So frustrating! And I pretty much know why. I really really really would like some functional muscles on my arms. They are weak and a complete disgrace to the 13,550,471,400+ human arms on the planet. They have no muscle definition and look like they were grafted on me from an early 1700s graveyard-spare-bones-and-cadavers-department.

So push ups it is. At 10:13 PM everyday, as many push-ups as I can do in 5-10 minutes. (I can't do a "real" push-up yet so I am going to start with push-ups-on-my-knees.)

Of course, now how does (e:strip) come into it? I am not sure yet... maybe a post checking in on success or failure immediately after I finish the task? They say that if you keep it up for 21 days, a habit is established (personally, I think that is such tripe... but I could be wrong. I kind of want to be wrong on this one.) Who wants to be in my accountability peanut gallery and throw rocks? Or better still, does someone else have a 10:13 or even 10:31 goal they want to implement? Brush your teeth every night, perhaps?

A single push-up for me, a giant floss for you? It's project Armstrong!

See you around 10:30-ish.