As Readers of my Blog...

Some time back, I changed the way that this Google Blogger was imported onto my Facebook fan page. I'm now debating which way I like it best. I'll do my best to explain and hope to hear comments back from all of you.

When I first setup my fan page, the way that I got this blog to be imported onto the fan page was by configuring Facebook Notes to import an RSS feed that is created by each new blog

• an RSS feed is a news feed, usually of a new story or post, offered by most news and informational type websites, and can be read with an RSS reader, of which there are many including most Browsers, most mail clients such as Outlook, and specific programs. These are offered as quick ways to get news and stories without having to always go directly to the website when the new articles arrive.

So, each new RSS feed became a new Note on my Facebook page. From there, you would read the note, and make comments or Like it, or whatever. The problem with this method was how long it took for Facebook to finally retrieve the RSS feed. It took anywhere from a few hours to sometimes as much as several days for a new blog post to show up on Facebook. While this is not necessarily terrible, since I don't use my blog for business or money making, it sure made it annoying. But what I liked about this method was that the blog was now a Note on Facebook, and everyone could make their comments on it, and they weren't redirected back to the Google Blogger website to read the blog.

To fix the problem of the slow feed from Facebook, I started using a Facebook app called RSS Grafitti, which did the import of my blog in a very fast timeframe (I believe it checks the Blogger site every five minutes or something, so 5 minutes after a blog is posted, it will be on Facebook). This is great and I like that alot, however, now when you click on the blog to read it, you are redirected to the Blogger website. This means that you have to go BACK to Facebook if you want to comment on the blog (though you can comment here on Blogger as well). I feel like this will take away from people providing their feedback because I don't actually maintain my Blogger site at all other than to actually write my blogs so if people are commenting on the blogs here then I mostly won't notice and neither will most other people.

So, to the heart of the matter, the question I wanted to ask from the start... which way is better??? Is it better to have the blogs show up as Notes in Facebook, but take a really long time to get there, or is it better that the blog arrive right away and to just let people get redirected to this site and read the blog on Blogger, and then go back to Facebook to comment? I'm torn, I really don't know which is the better way.

I like the Notes/RSS feed method better, but I hate how long it takes. I love how fast the program RSS Graffiti is but I don't want people redirected to another website to read my blogs.

What would you do?

Thanks for the help!!!

FC Bayern!

So, tonight I'm off to my first Fußball game, FC Bayern München VS Werder Bremen! BTW, Fußball is German for Football aka Soccer!

I'm pretty excited! First, never been to a Fußball game... does this make me a soccer hooligan?!? :-) Second, the Allianz Arena here in Munich is supposed to be a very cool and modern stadium... I'm looking forward to see what Fußball fans eat and drink at the stadium!!! Third, since I'm missing out on all the Giants and Niner games (hmmm, not sure I'm actually missing out on the Nienr games! But that's a whole Blog to itself!!!) this is my first opportunity to be a sports nut here in Germany!

Big thanks to Sid for coming thru with the extra ticket!

Check the link for the preview!
http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de/en/news/news/2010/26214.php

Test Post

Please ignore!!!

Germany October 19th 2010 - Random Blog

Today I feel like writing in my blog for no better reason that I feel like doing it... and because I have more time on my hands for computer type things since I got my new job! At Insight, it was work, work, work, for the complete 8 hours. One of the awesome benefits of being in IT is that there is free moments to just be on the computer.

The job is good so far. I'm still not doing so much, but that has a lot to do with the fact that I'm still learning my way around. Kendle is a really great company. While I'm not terribly interested in what we do as a company, how it works and how its structured globally (particularly the IT department) is very fascinating. Also, I've rarely ever felt so welcomed into a company, and treated like I'm actually important, rather than just another worker. That has been a very rewarding experience so far.

Getting the new job was great. It was particularly good for me because it justified my way of being and thinking... namely, staying positive and working hard. I never stopped believing that the right job in Germany was waiting for me... and just when I stopped looking is when it found me. All the hard work I put in to my resumes and online resumes paid off when Kendle found me and recruited me. It just goes to show that you can never stop trying, never lose the positive attitude, and when you do, life will do good things for you.

Now that getting back into my career is checked off the list of things to do in Germany, I can work on the other things on my list. First and foremost, continuing to learn the German language... but that is going to be an ongoing goal that may never truly end! Second, continue saving and paying back debts so that I can travel with my wife the way we intended. Third... I don't actually know right now, but I know there will be more big goals to go :-)

Yeah, I goofed long enough, back to work!

Die Wiesn!

Oktoberfest is TOO much fun!

I've gone now for the past two days and I've been super drunk and had way too much fun! The food and beer, the singing and laughing, the stupid songs you can't help but like (especially when you're drunk)... it all adds up to a great time!

I see why the Oktoberfest is such a worldwide phenomenon. I haven't even gone on the rides and stuff yet! Though I'm not too interested in them... well, except for the 5 loop rollercoaster, that one looks f-ing awesome!

The one thing that isn't so cool though is how expensive everything is. 8.50 euro for a maß, so with tip, its 10 euro a beer! But the fact is, people pay it, and gladly, so they'll keep charging for it! And, to be honest, everything is way cool and they servers are quick, so we're getting our money's worth for sure! Oh yeah, also the beer is WAY stronger than normal, so one maß and you're already buzzed! So, it's all good in the end.

I'll be heading out to die Wiesn again soon... I need a couple days to rest and let my body recover from the vast amounts of beer I've drank! But I'll definitely be there again... and again... and AGAIN!!!

PROST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Insanity - COMPLETE!!!

Tonight, I finally finished the Insanity workout routine. Though it took alot longer than the schedule called for, I'm extremely pleased and proud of myself.

It took 5 months to finish a 2 month program, but even taking that long, I've seen amazing results and changes to my body. Inches to my biceps, definition in my chest and back, strong legs, and even just the slightest hint that there are some abs under there. I can only imagine the results if I'd been able to follow his schedule of 6 days a week for 60 days. I think for the first time I really do believe the "hype" you see on TV. If I could get this good of results just doing 2 to 4 times a week, even skipping a week here and there, then if I'd been able to follow his schedule, I'd be ripped right now.

I've said it so many times since I started working with his routine... if you want to see and feel some real results with a workout routine that you know is working for you, get your hands on the Insanity DVDs and get to work. Forget your excuses. Costs too much? How much have you wasted on a gym membership and gotten shit for results? Don't have the time? I work everyday with an hour long commute to and from, have to walk my dog for an hour, make dinner, do any chores necessary, and spend quality time with my lady, yet I still found the time to workout a few time a week. You make time when you want time. Don't like to work out alone? Then keep your membership at the gym and do the workouts in the stretch area. Invite someone to come over and do it with you. Go to the park and work out outside. I can't think of any more excuses, but if you've got em, toss em out the window and get to work!

Nothing beats bodyweight exercises. No weights, no lame gym machines, and not cardio work either. Bodyweight exercises will transform you from the inside out, making you truly strong, not just having muscles that can't do anything. You get cardio when doing bodyweight workouts. You get great muscle strength. You get stretching. And you balance and agility. And you don't need anything but yourself (though you can use some objects to increase certain moves, but it's still all you and your own weight). Don't believe me? Ask any wrestler... martial artist... military personnel... 90% of their workouts are bodyweight exercise related. How did soldiers for the past thousands of years get strong? They didn't have weights, they used body weight exercises, and I'm sure we can all agree that a Roman soldier a thousand years ago could have likely snapped any of us in half without much trouble at all.

The Insanity program was FUCKING awesome. I can't wait to do it again, but next, I'm going to start P90X. It's mostly bodyweight work as well but it does incorporate some dumbbells and pull ups (still a body weight exercise, but I bought one of those bars for inside the house). I hear that this program is actually easier than Insanity, but only one way to find out.

I expect to continue my great results and I'm doing it without a gym membership, without tons of machines, and having a great time doing it. Try it sometime... you might like it too.

If you want to get into real workouts and do bodyweight exercises, here are some resources..

Matt Furey's combat conditioning... tons of excellent workouts.
Insanity DVDs
http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-Gym/dp/0971407614
http://www.alkavadlo.com/

Germany, May 27th 2010 - Back on the Grind

My Wedding Week is officially over and it's back to the grind for me. Time to get back to fitness and prepping for the new job and getting in the groove of being married!

My Wedding was absolutely awesome. What was originally planned for and what actually came to be were two different things, and that makes me feel like a million bucks! Kathi and I had, at the very beginning, no intentions of having a big celebration... just the ceremony at the State building and then get together with a couple of friends for drinks at the bar. Seriously. But after the family and the friends all told us we're ridiculous and that they wanted to do their part, the end result was a fabulous day. The restaurant was great, the speeches and gifts were awesome, and, I still have a hard time believing it, all our friends did the big YouTube wedding dance for us!!! (having a hard time finding the link on YouTube, but it's the same one that they did on the Office for the wedding episode). Basically, it FUCKING ROCKED!!! We'll be viewing the video next Tuesday, I can't wait to see it again! I'll be sharing this with the folks when I can! We also got hooked up with a hotel room for the night, and that too, was way f-ing cool! All decorated and with alcohol all over the place :-) Definitely rocked big time.

Took a week off of EVERYTHING after the wedding. No watching what I eat, no exercise, no watching our budget, just enjoying the new life as a married couple! It was really cool to not have a care and just DO!

But now it's back to life again :-) Been eating like a 800 pound man, so time to taper it down a bit! Hadn't exercised at all, but I'm back to that. I never finished the recovery week for my Insanity program, so it's a cool way to jump back in... with a routine that is still a good workout but not crazy hard and going to make me sore by jumping right into the deep end. That'll be next week, lol.

This is my last week of unemployment, so I only have a few more days to take care of some small details before I start my new job. Nick nack stuff, budget stuff, nothing too critical (Kathi is helping me with the hard stuff, like official paperwork, banks, all that... I love her :-). But it's also my last week to just lounge and take it slow and act like I'm on vacation!

Life if about to be back in full swing next week. Back to the 9 to 5. Life as a married man (so far, so good, I'm loving it!). Going back to language classes is around the corner (the state hooks us up with a fantastic deal... 900 hours of language\cultural training for a Euro and hour... to put that in perspective, I paid 1000 Euro for one month of class at the Goethe Institute, which was about 80 hours, so 1000 Euro for 80 hours versus 900 Euro for 900 hours. Quite the deal :-). And I still have to make sure that Blue gets his long walks AND that I don't fall off of my workout routine. And, there is still friends and family and Skype with folks back home. And of course... quality time with my lady. Life is about to be full again!!!