See you next May Day

I’ve always wondered what was May Day so I looked it up over the weekend.   A verbatim from Wikipedia is as follows:

“May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on May 1. It is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival.  It is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the celebrations that the day includes.

In the late 19th century, May Day was chosen as the date for International Workers' Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago. International Workers' Day may also be referred to as "May Day", but it is a different celebration from the traditional May Day.”

What was my weekend interest in May Day?

A realization that I’m just too darn busy with the analytical side of my brain overpowering my creative side.  I have been struggling lately in writing my middle-aged man reflections and this struggle will continue for the next couple of weeks.  Afterwards, there’s a good chance I’ll take some time off to reacquaint myself with normal life.

So, in less than a month, I’ll see you next May Day.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

No gas in my blog tank

Long time ago, occasionally and sometimes more, my friends and I would “cut” school.  This was also known as “playing hooky” or “being truant.”

Years later when I was an employee, it became “cutting out early”, something you did when you left work a few minutes before official quitting time.

In the fitness world, it’s sometimes called “skipping a workout”.  In my Catholic world, it’s sometimes called “missing Mass.”

Where’s all this leading?

This chief executive blogger of Pierini Fitness is tired from working too hard and too long, so he’s skipping today’s blogflection because there’s “no gas in my blog tank.”

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Something no robot can do

Have you heard the latest news?  Robots delivering pizza are right around the corner.

Domino’s Pizza will be working with a European company to develop a cutting-edge method of delivering pizza to you in the future using robots.  They’ll start doing this in Germany.

The company said this will be necessary in the future because their demand for deliverers will exceed those willing to do the work.  This trend is taking place elsewhere in the business world with driverless cars, drones and other whimsical high-tech inventions soon to be part of our futuristic utopia.

Which might have some wondering and, perhaps, worrying a bit if their future jobs are at risk.  Some may but only for those who have a horse and buggy mindset, who are unwilling to adapt and learn new things to keep up with the times.  

This is turning out as was prophesized over 50 years ago by the television cartoon series, The Jetsons.

But fear not my fellow middle-aged men for we are safe, because who we are is something no robot can do.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Now and forever, Amen

The media, creator of what President Trump calls fake news, has recently come up with an updated style manual urging journalists to avoid making references in news stories suggesting there are only two sexes in humans.

Their manual states the following:

“Not all people fall under one of two categories for sex or gender, according to leading medical organizations, so avoid references to both, either or opposite sexes or genders as a way to encompass all people.  When needed for clarity or in certain stories about scientific studies, alternatives include men and women, boys and girls, males and females.”

This new media reference manual suggests pronouns such as “they, them or their” should be used as they are preferred by some people known as “gender fluid” who are not comfortable with traditional male or female personal pronouns.

What does Pierini Fitness think about this?

Pierini Fitness is a cyberspace where middle-aged men are middle-aged men; they always have been and always will now, now and forever, Amen.

 Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

Cyberspace sanctuary

A hot topic these days is how the federal government wants to put an end to disobeying cities across the nation known as sanctuary cities.  A sanctuary city is a place where illegal immigrants may reside without fear that local authorities will aid in their deportation.

Today’s blogflection is not political but one of reflective advocacy for middle-aged men across our country who are overburdened by the toils of life, and who don’t get sufficient time to enjoy and be proud of their middle-aged man coveted status.

Those middle-aged men who reside in a purgatory abyss being regularly yanked in both directions.   On one side being told they’re no longer the youthful person they once were and are all washed up, and on the other side being told they should work harder because they’re not old enough to yet enjoy senior perks.

It can be overwhelming, robbing them of a safeness they deserve to be at their utopian ground zero of middle-aged manhood.

They need a place where they can safely reside to bask in their middle-aged man sunshine and stew in their middle-aged man juices; even if for only a few minutes a day.  For lack of a better term, they need a middle-aged man sanctuary.

And, here it is right before their eyes each time they pay a visit to Pierini Fitness, their always-safe middle-aged man cyberspace sanctuary.

 Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

This wisdom stuff is great

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to give a happy birthday greeting to a friend who turned the big 6-0.   It was something I had looked forward to doing because I remember when I crossed this new decade line in the sand two years earlier.

Here’s an excerpt of my greeting: 

“Happy birthday and welcome to septuagenarian land, a place where every middle-aged man is oozing with wisdom yet still sees a 16-year old kid when looking in a mirror.”

With two year under my belt living the decade my friend is now beginning, my post-birthday greeting reflection has been how this wisdom stuff is great.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

A struggling middle-aged man

Today I was reminded of something I’ve read before that’s very troubling.  About two years ago, researchers discovered that American white middle-aged men were dying younger.  What was concerning to me about their early mortality is how it’s occurring during an era where America’s overall life expectancy is increasing.

As the self-proclaimed ambassador of all middle-aged men around the world, this closer-to-home discovery knocks the wind of out me.

Follow-up work by the same researchers attribute the lack of steady and well-paying jobs for white middle-aged men lacking higher education.  This early mortality phenomenon has had a steady uptick to it for the past one and one-half decades.

It’s not just the lack of good paying jobs but also reduced marriage rates and poor health.  So, which comes first?  Does the lack of good-paying jobs contribute to reduced marriage rates and poor health, or is it the other way around?

Regardless, our middle-aged men brothers from different mothers are checking out way too early in life.  It begs a question of what can you and I can do to help in some small way.

It may simply be being aware of others whose paths we cross in our hurried day-to-day lives.  For us to take the time to stop, smell our roses, look a stranger in the eye with a smile, and extend an inviting small-talk greeting.  To ask someone how their day is going or pay them a compliment.

We’ll never know how the little things we do might make all the difference in the life of someone who may be struggling for reasons unbeknownst to us, like the white middle-aged men included in these researchers’ studies.

You and I may not be able to solve world hunger or other large-scale problems, but we surely can, in some small way, bring momentary joy to a struggling middle-age man.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

RIP Uncle Sonny

Today the Pierini Fitness flag flies at half-mast as I join my aunt and cousins in mourning the passing of their dear husband and father, Mr. Zenon Jaime.  My cousins called him Dad but I called him my Uncle Sonny.  He passed away yesterday.

He was a gentle giant who spoke with the most amazing gentle and soft voice, a man’s man who preferred to do the listening rather than talking. 

Right now, I’m collecting my thoughts and feelings about what it feels like to lose a dear uncle and including my aunt and cousins in my prayers and well wishes as they begin their grieving and mourning journeys. 

So, today’s Pierini Fitness blogflection will be no more than this as I spend my day reflecting on the great many memories I have of him.

RIP Uncle Sonny.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

How to lie with statistics

Being very busy with work, I’ve fallen behind on my reading of health-related news.  Yesterday late afternoon, however, I spent a few minutes seeing what’s the latest.  I had lots to choose from but settled on what I’m about to share.

The headline was a clever one, “A Warming Planet Might Mean More Diabetes”, and it seduced me to read more.  This clever title would be inviting to both the global warming crazy-types and diabetic crowd.  While I’m in neither camp, and will do my best to never join, I was nonetheless intrigued.

Early in the article, I read the following: “The effects of climate change are far reaching, but new research suggests a surprising linkage to a warming Earth - - more cases of type 2 diabetes.”

Apparently, according to this research, for every 1.8 degrees’ Fahrenheit rise in environmental temperature, researchers calculated that there would be an increase of more than 100,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes in the United States.

Still curious, I read more.

Until I read this: “Before you start packing for colder climates, it's important to note that this study cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between warmer temperatures and the development of type 2 diabetes.”

Come on now, it either does or it doesn’t. Don't waste my time!

I suppose it depends on who’s paying for the research.  Anything is possible.  Many of these researchers are equals with actuaries, economists, expert witnesses and other paid liars.

Yes, anything is possible as my college statistics professor once told us on the first day of class, by referring to a book written on the subject, “How to Lie with Statistics”.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum

The question not asked

I recently read about how better questions lead to better results.  A series of examples were given of how a good question oftentimes results in a good answer but, perhaps, a better question would have yielded a better answer.

It’s a good reminder the next time I’m engaging in manic-like self-talk repeatedly asking myself a rapid-fire series of good questions that may only give me, at best, a good answer.

Maybe all I really need is one better question.  Might it be the simple and time-tested classic, “Should I, or shouldn’t I?”

Yet maybe what’s best, because of the answer it oftentimes yields, is the question not asked.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum