Bowling for points

My work has two things currently happening which are irritating to me separately but when combined causes me to waste time creating a post so I don't end up yelling at people.

In an effort to inspire fitness rather than reward those who are fit, my company has integrated a new points system based on individual physical activities for their fitness challenge. After a week and a half, I have seen results that others posted which I question but there is one category which I know there are multiple incorrect listings.

That is the entries involving the company bowling outing which due my decision to focus on disc golf in 2017, I decided to not attend. Since the results are broken down by type of activity, I can easily determine what people entered what amount for bowling since before the outing, my disc golf entries (incorrectly listed on the site as frisbee golf) was one of four people to have entered a sports related result.

What is incorrect was something I anticipated and even mentioned to others beforehand is entering the wrong activity level since every activity has five different intensity levels involved. From helping a coworker enter his league bowling stats, I know that bowling one hour is worth 11 points on a leisurely level.

There are multiple entries which have either 44 or 55 sports points which would mean 4 or 5 hours at the leisurely level which when a person between frames sits down, drinks a beer, and or eats pizza is how it should be rated. Those people all rated their workout as moderate, the mid level, which doubles the per hour points. Moderate level bowling is about 15 minutes per game and not the 40-50 minutes those who were there were doing. As someone who has bowled 8 games in an hour, I know what moderate paced bowling is.

After mention this to some people, I was in an email told to stop. I agree to do so but attached a picture of those who were engaging in "moderate physical activity" sitting on a bench.

Since I walk on a treadmill multiple times in a week, I know walking at 3.0 MPH equals 41 points per hour or 13.7 points per mile. That means bowling 3 games in 2 and 1/2 hours at a moderate pace would be the same as walking 4 miles in 80 minutes. Anyone can see how those two activities should not be considered equal in activity.

The Sunday after I made the post, I played 2 total hours of disc golf by myself at two different places walking 4.8 total miles. I initially logged 2 hours of low intensity at what the site incorrectly calls frisbee golf and got 64 points. At a 20 min /mile pace, I also checked to see how many points I would get by just walking 4.8 miles which would take 1 hour 36 minutes and found out that is 66 points. Since having to carry a 12lb bag over terrain while throwing a 170g object at high speeds 48 times should add to the total points of a workout and not decrease it, I realized that when playing alone, disc golf should be recorded as moderate pace which in this case gives me 86 points. I also corrected the intensity level of the entries I have made in the past to accurately reflect what I was doing.

If anyone questions the large amount of points that was recorded by me over the past weekend, I will direct them to this post which was inspired by obvious errors others made.

Vacation time

Vacation dates at work started to be claimed for 2017 and for the first time in over a decade, I did not immediately schedule dates around a weekend in early March. For those who would not need to be off work at the same time as me, that time of year is not in any demand and I could take it on a couple of days notice easily.

On March 12th, my daughter will be performing her first ever solo at a music boosters fundraiser so her spending the week before 400+ miles away watching others perform and missing at least one day of school would create havoc with her schedule as well as rehearsals for the school musical that she will be in as well.

Similar to me, she is turning her energy to doing things as opposed to watching and my plan to drive to Marscon this year would involve her taking the wheel part of the way due to the difficulty for me sitting for a long period of time and the ideas of driving the complete trip or riding on a plane are not pleasant.

I was thinking what would make me decide to make the same journey I have made to Minnesota the previous 13 years and listed them in order of the likeliness they would happen

1) finances

Though I purchased my badge after it was announced that the Dementia track is staying at Marscon in spite of one local resident claiming that it will move to one area con she will still attend, the badge cost is not an issue. Even if like in 2015 when I had to purchase a badge at the door even though I was told that I was registered 6 weeks before, the cost of a badge is not a deciding factor.

I have to get there and sleep somewhere and those costs are what would matter since I have to eat no matter what even if eating there would cost more than normal. Though I can afford to go, doing so just to watch people do something I can't is no longer something I can justify in my current situation. Something would need to change to make me go there.

2) participation

If somehow I would do more than watch even for a moment, the cost and difficulty in travel would be justified. Though I could think of circumstances which that could happen including one in which I sent an email, without knowing before hand I would not make that decision.

3) life

In the past, I was worried about life preventing me from going to Marscon. Now that is reversed. If something develops that would by March prevent me from playing a full season of disc golf in 2017, then I would settle for Marscon.

4) the end of the world

Marscon will be held 6 weeks in the dystopian world in which there is President Donald Trump. *shudder* It is not inconceivable to realize that Marscon 2017 could be the last time things would be "normal".

5) Booty call

Though it is not impossible, I put the idea of the world teetering on the brink of destruction as a more likely scenario.

Profiled

I renewed my disc golf membership then went to my player page to confirm that it is listed as such. When I saw the page, there were a couple surprises including getting credited for a win from the November tournament even though I lost in a playoff.

 

It is not uncommon for a pic of the player to appear on their profile page. For many it is a professional looking pic or that player throwing a disc at an event. For some reason, the one their site has chosen to display for me seems appropriate. That image without the words or microphone is the one I am trying to get put on a hat to wear at events but don't feel comfortable spending $40+ to get it made since the cost to take an image and prepare it for the hat is twice the cost of the hat and the actual printing.

Upon seeing it on my player page, I now feel obligated to get it made to wear at events.

The first, last, and maybe only interview

Generally those involved with creating a song that appears on the Funny Music Project known as the FuMP appear on a weekly podcast which is often recorded on Thursday evenings right after when the show I use to broadcast on Dementia Radio aired. Even though I inspired the medley “It’s an Alt-Right Christmas” that was released on Dec 20, I was not asked to join the FuMPcast on the 22nd but figured the potential interview and conversation would go like this (Since my daughter would be at work the time the FuMPcast is recorded, me appearing would have been difficult using Skype on my tablet and since I fell asleep shortly after the cast began to wake a few hours later violently sick for what involved 2 1/2 days and an ER visit, it was probably best that I was not.):

Host: Joining us this week is Ken Sherlock

K: This is the Madman on the Loose. Thank you for listening this Thursday evening or whenever you are listening to this podcast. Hope you are doing well.

H: Are you ever going to be casting again?

K: Though Wild Card and Mad Mike got an old computer given to me by my employer running and I can get on line, it is not good enough to cast a show and right now purchasing a computer that would allow me to cast is out of the question since it would go to my daughter who needs it for school.

H: So what is going on in your world?

K: After FuMPFeST, my weight once again was at the point where I was considered obese level 3 and needing of a specialist. Since then, I have lost over 10 lb though I gained some back in the past six weeks but I am still 18lb less than I was on Jan 4.

H: So have you been going to any sci-fi cons or shows recently?

K: Actually no. I changed my focus from watching other talented people perform things that I can’t to doing something I can do and trying to get better at it. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I had my best ever disc golf tournament and I know that had I spent some of my time, energy, and money sitting in a theatre or hotel instead of playing, that result would have not happened. I’m currently working out three times a week and waiting for March so I can hopefully carry the momentum into the 2017 season.

After the song in played on the show:

H: So we will start with Ken. What inspired that idea for this?

K: About 8 years ago, I saw the unedited version of the movie Holiday Inn for the first time and did not realize that before Bing Crosby's character did the song White Christmas for the first time, he performed a song on Lincoln’s birthday and in order to disguise the identity of a woman who joined him in the song, everyone was in blackface

H: I had no idea.

K: Since then, I have in my head changed the words in White Christmas to reflect that era and their meaning of white. Thanks to what happened last month and many reactions by those supporting the result, I realized that the phrase Alt-Right could fit into that idea and posted that to Facebook stating I know others could make it better and along came Chris.

After Chris talked about it:

K: As awesome I find this track along with others made by Steve Goodie and NBW, I really wish the situation in the country was at the point where these songs would not need to be made.


After the announcement of the Marscon 2017 video which named the guest of honor as well as other acts performing:

H: As someone who has been to every Marscon since the comedy music track was created, how does this year's lineup compare to the past ones?

K: Can I mention names? No? The GOH was unexpected to hear and I am glad you were able to get that act to go thanks again to the help of Dementia radio.org. No doubt it could get some people to make the trip whom would otherwise not go.

At the end of the cast:

H: Ken, is there anything you want to plug?

K: Thanks to everyone who purchased a raffle ticket or cheesecake for my daughter’s choir, her trip to Disneyworld at the end of the month was completely paid for and I appreciate it. My daughter with her choir will be singing at Epcot center on the 28^th. 

My stats are available at PDGA.com player number 33461.

Pain and death

My sister recently asked me if I was interested in a used reclining couch that was still in decent shape and since sitting upright is painful, I said yes.

The plan was to move it last Saturday but getting a rare opportunity to work that day changed it so I got up at 7AM on Sunday, moved some things around to create a spot for it, and headed over there to lift it into his van uncomfortably riding in the back to make sure it did not fall out during the 2 block drive.

Then came a problem for me. My fatigued right arm. Somehow, I managed to carry as much as I could but by the time we were done, it was pretty messed up. It is at the point in July 2015 when I stopped playing disc golf and therapy was what was needed to make it better. In hindsight, I could have made a phone call or two and gotten help but as I often do, I fail to realize what I can't do until it is too late and something bad is made worse. Fortunately I know what exercises I did and still do most days for this so I am hoping to be better by next spring so I can try to continue the disc golf success I had in November.

I made sure when I went to the fitness center the following Monday and Thursday to concentrate on legs and abs and not even do anything with arms.

The following Friday at work, I had to do something on the internal server which took 15 minutes. I then noticed the time and realized since I was at the desk I use, it was a good time to take my break. When I got up from that, my legs were dead. Every step was painful but being Friday and knowing there was a company lunch, I forged through the next couple of hours which I have done many times. After sitting down to eat for 10 minutes during the lunch, my legs were even worse getting up which I needed to do so someone else could join the group and I sat alone with my legs up fortunately only having to get up once to answer the dock door. After it was over, I realized that I was no longer functional enough to continue and left early.

I wanted to take some pain killers and spend the next 18 hours on the recliner but life would not allow it. Though I had about 90 minutes to get my legs up and take a shower, from 3-6 PM had to walk a dog, pick up my daughter who needed to send four packages, and drive back to work to process them UPS since it was easier than filling out forms that were not in the slots at the post office since many ship things in December.

Then I had to drive to Plainfield for game night. It took over 1:15 to get there due to a car accident the other direction which caused a 4 mile gapers block.

My character in a slightly futuristic world was a former cop who had two identities, Bob James and Jim Roberts and I created a backstory where he was ratted out by two separate groups who discovered his dual life and joined the freelance security organization our fellow characters were in.

During the planning stages of our mission, I was really suffering and could not sit more than 15 minutes without needing to get up or risk getting to the point where I could not get up without risking falling. Once the combat part started, my instincts kicked in as they often do.

Even though this was the first real mission of the campaign, the mooks (henchman) were stronger than they were in other campaigns as they had become too easy and one of our players suffered multiple wounds before we all got on the chopper to leave the site.

The boss was able to open the chopper door and the mooks got a round of shots before we took off needed a 6 on a ten sided dice. Two of the three missed but the one who shot in my direction hit so the GM rolled for damage.

Their weapon called for 2d6 of damage (two six sided dice) and he rolled a 12. In the game we played, whenever a die is rolled to its maximum value, it is rerolled and the total is added. His next roll was a 6 and a 4, and the reroll of the 6 was a 5 for a total of 27.

My character's toughness was a 6 which it hit would leave my character shaken but not injured. Every 4 above that is a wound. Therefore at 10, 14, 18, 22, and 26, I suffered a wound. Four wounds leaves a character incapacitated and my character received 5. The game allows a character to spend a benny (token used to give second chances to soak (mitigate) damage and I needed an 11 on one of two six sided dice (allowing for adding on a 6) to mitigate two wounds to keep upright. Nope.

I then had to roll a 5 one of two six sided dice to avoid instant death and check for where I am permanently wounded. Nope.

On the way home, I figured out the odds of all that happening:

Hitting on the shot: 2.5-1
6-6 on first roll: 36-1
6-4 or 6-5 second roll: 9-1
5 or 6 on third roll: 3-1
Not getting 11 on one of two soak rolls:1.12-1
Not getting a 5 on one of two perm wound rolls: 9-4

Total odds of all that happening: 6,223-1

Expecting the unexpected

Last weekend, I played in a tournament in Silver Lake, WI with surprising results. My first round was rated over 2 shots better than any tournament round I ever played and even though I tired at the end of the second round and lost a title playoff on the third hole due to a 100ft shot that my opponent made, it marked the first time in 15 tournaments over a span of three years that I finished in the top half of a division in an open event. (As opposed to an event only available to members of a club) When I started to play in the 50+ division, this type of performance and result was what I was planning to see but my play over the last 3 years made this scenario become unlikely.

Now that the sting of the loss is fading, I can focus on the good and try to figure out how it happened and more importantly how to repeat similar results in the future.

Being the 4^th Saturday in November, it was barely above freezing and most of the trees had no leaves. The temps did not bother me as I wore a sweater and winter hat at the start then a regular hat and long sleeve shirt the rest of the round as I got warm. My weight might have kept me from needing to wear as much as others proving me less discomfort in throwing a disc and no doubt the lack of leaves on trees made the tighter shots appear far more open.

It is possible that working out has given me more distance which showed on a couple of shots where I could go all out and a lighter and stronger version of me would probably fatigue less during an event in 2017. It is possible that me practicing to stay loose between rounds was a factor to why I tired at the end.

The course has to be a factor since the only other time I played it in July at a club event, I had my previous highest rated round. More than half the tees are elevated which definitely helps since I have a low flight. Though the course has duel locations for baskets, the distances of the holes to each basket fit my game as most of them are either within my reach on the first shot or too long or difficult for most other players to reach. The highest rated player in my division last Saturday which would normally be 5 shots per round better than me also played in the club event last July and only finished one shot better than me so having this result twice means the course suits my game.

A large factor has to be the player. Only one putt less than 20 feet was missed in the 38 holes I finished though 4 of them did hit the top of the front of the bucket but still went in. Since early October, a whole lot of disc golf was played even with a sore elbow/arm and Saturday’s result showed that.

Learning how to use midrange discs per the advice of a pro who ran the Memorial Day weekend event I worked has helped along with adding a couple of them to my bag. My failed attempt to get my first ace has also helped my overall game as I use midrange discs on 6 of the 9 holes at Horizon Park. There were multiple shots where I threw a midrange full shot close when before that it would have required a less than full shot with a driver.

Thinking about it, the most important factor might be the attitude of the player towards the game. Within the past 2 months, disc golf became the primary focus and not secondary as far as time and energy and the results show it. I believe that I had spent time and money sitting in a theatre in Aurora in late October and in a hotel in November in Lombard what happened that day would have been less positive. For similar results to continue in 2017, that has to remain.

A few hours after posting, I remembered something from 1995 and 2001:

Next year is NOT guaranteed!

There will be a 2017 but there is no way I can be 100% sure that an obese level 2, 51 year old man who has had multiple surgeries on his knees and who takes medicine originally designed for chemotherapy for life and pain killers to play will be able to drive his old, beat up car to events next April and be able to play at or even near the level shown.

During workouts, the sting of the event shows and it is important to use it to build my body and not to damage it.

Season recap

Though my arm started having issues in October, I was still able to play through the end of November. Here is the results:

Club level rounds played: 5

Club level CTP won: 2

League level rounds played: 2

Shots below worst ever rated round in a league: 3

Tournaments played: 7

Advanced division: 1

Novice division: 1

Advanced grandmaster division (50+): 5

Shots in one round that was better than best ever rated round: 3

Shots in one event that was better than best ever rated event: 6

Player pack earnings: $45

Tournament winnings: $3

Times a practice shot at a CTP hole would have won: 3

New courses played: 9

Total holes with a birdie which I did not have one before: 50

Total with left handed drive: 4

Total par 4 holes with birdie: 1

Chips made: 1

Chips seen to win playoff against me: 1

Number of discs purchased: 0

Number of discs given as thanks for working an event: 1

Number of discs as part of player's pack: 2

Number of discs from used bag given as thanks for helping person move: 12

Number of those discs I traded for two I would use: 2

Number of discs added to my bag: 5

Number of discs lost: 0

Number of discs removed from bag: 2

Number of aces I saw live after never seeing any before: 4

Number of times I hit the basket on a first shot: 6

Different discs used on those shots: 4

Number of aces: 0