Next week—on the day of my 33rd birthday—I will be returning to the classroom...again.

I have enrolled into two courses: Business Management Fundamentals (in-class) and Human Resources Management (online). I've already picked up the textbooks ($240 dollars later). They weigh over two pounds each, so I'm thinking they're full of useful knowledge, or so it is hoped.

I'm doing this because I need to either a) find a profession I know I can do while enjoying it, or b) improve my current profession to an extent that keeps me challenged and satisfied.

In either case, I need to increase my income. I haven't had a raise in nearly 5 years, which means I'm still earning a starting salary on the lower end. Some freelance jobs have helped, but they're unsustainable since I'm already working full time. I need to increase my core earnings.

The courses are a part of a certificate program on business management fundamentals. I'm hoping it...

Well, the boss dropped a bomb that has been on radar for a while now: the office is being closed down at the end of September and we're all (the four of us) are becoming telecommuters.

Last year, we had moved from our space to this one across the hall, which is half the size. And now—less than a year later—we're getting rid of it altogether.

The boss cited the 15% rent increase as the reason. He also suggested that they way the building managers work, they tend to be consistent in their dealings, so he isn't sure whether the increase would be any less the following year. He checked the rent values of the area, and he suspects they are trying to bring it up to par with the rest. It basically means rent will become more than he's willing to pay. (Yay small-press book publishing!)

There are other factors. The boss moved to a town that has become quite a commute to Toronto, and so has only been coming into the office once every two weeks or so....

Well, technically it was a C major breakthrough. (Wocka! Wocka! Wocka!)

I'm pretty sure I've memorized a pattern of the C major scale. This is the first pattern I've memorized with any confidence since the one blues scale pattern I memorized in high school. Needless to say, I'm pretty happy.

This is a bigger deal than it sounds. You see, I'm not one for memorizing things. Memorization is something I've always been lazy at...all through school. I'm trying to overcome my bad habits of a lazy mind. Learning the guitar is good for that.

On Good Friday, I had a brief talk with aberkok about practicing. He encouraged me to spend less time but focus more. It works. I've been reaching too far and grabbing onto nothing. I need to sit down, concentrate, and grab onto the things I've studied.

I think I'm past that point where getting my fingers to work is such a big focus. Now I can work on memorizing patterns and other things. Mind you,...

Lasereth started a wonderful thread last summer entitled Who can close the Captains of Crush grippers? It focuses on the grip training of Lasereth, Redjake, and a few others, using the various levels of the gripper product. The challenge and the feats accomplished in that thread are truly incredible. I recommend checking out the videos.

Okay, so what is this post about?

Well, in my continuing education and training in matters of weightlifting, I have been concerned with my grip strength. However, it goes a bit further than what we see with the Captains of Crush grippers. I require more than just hand strength; I need to strengthen my entire forearms. You see, it's one thing to have an iron grip on something, but it's another thing to be able to move a heavy weight in said grip through space.

It is my understanding that pure hand grip training develops the triarticulate and biarticulate wrist flexor muscles:
...

Throughout all my experience with lifting weights, I was never caught up in the obsession over "getting big" or "being ripped." I was doing it more as a hobby and as a challenge to myself. I lived most of my life being relatively sedentary. I was an overweight and short-winded teenager that grew into a scrawny and short-winded adult. I'm nearly six feet tall and have a small stature, but I can live with that. What I didn't want to live with is lethargy, bad posture, and pain as a result of being out of shape.

When I was at my peak level of fitness a few years ago, I felt good. I felt strong and energetic despite the problems I was having emotionally and mentally at the time. When things got better on the inside, I let things on the outside slip. I want to reach an equilibrium. This is the main reason why I'm exercising now. I want to return to that physical fitness while I keep my head intact. My goal is to feel the best I've ever felt in my entire life....