Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Times They Are A-Changin'

The Format for A Complicated Viking Tale for the New Year:

Music Mondays

Top Five Tuesdays

No Post Wednesdays

Prolific Thursdays

Friday Night/Saturday Morning Rambles

Bleeding Heart Sundays


I guess we'll see how this endeavor works.

Joel Samson Berntsen(Open Sea Theme- Sven Libaek)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Transforming Bad Habits



I’m a lazy basterd. Forgive me.
I’m still wheezing, but let’s forgot about that whole posting massacre.

I’m here to simply to check in and make promises. Promises saying there will be considerable more writing in the coming year. But that’s not till we hit January 1st.

Closing notes: there’s only one redeeming quality of Transformers and that’s the fact that Shia is wearing a The Strokes t-shirt. However, I believe the shirt is only there to soften the attitudes of those cultured in cinema, acting, and music.

Joel Samson Berntsen (The Strokes- Meet Me In The Bathroom)

Sunday, December 6, 2009

25 Days to Control Uncontrollable Wheezing (Days 4-6)

(Day 4)

I did no direct physical activity on this day. I did, however, do an extensive, bizarre photo shoot, which takes more out of you than you'd think. I might post pictures.

(Day 5)

I had an eight hour shift at work. Nuff said.

(Day 6)

I played soccer with a couple guys from the soccer team for a couple hours. And I'm about to lift some weights. Woo physical activity!

Joel Samson Berntsen (The Verve- Bittersweet Symphony)

Thursday, December 3, 2009

25 Days to Control Uncontrollable Wheezing (Day 3)

Failure.

I went to school and work today. It was arctic cold outside, which I feel should be a legitimate excuse, but it’s not. Spontaneous dancing did occur. I’ve decided that really doesn’t count though.

Better luck tomorrow.

Joel Samson Berntsen (The silence of a still house)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

25 Days to Control Uncontrollable Wheezing (Day 2)

The weather outside was terrible, rainy, and cold. There’s been predictions of snow, so I opted to stay indoors.

Instead I: Did an onslaught of pull-ups at various times throughout my small workout of crunches and holding weights in air. I also lifted some. Exciting stuff.

I started to jump rope when Robyn’s Cobra style came on. I did a spontaneous dance number that involved lots of running around and jumping. When it was over, I got a glass of water. Then, Out of the Blue by Julian Casablancas came on, so I did another spontaneous number. It was nice.

Progress is being made.

Joel Samson Berntsen(David Bowie- Cat People(Putting Out Fire))

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

25 Days to Control Uncontrollable Wheezing (Preface and Day 1)

As a child I was one of those intense, soccer hooligans that woke every Saturday morning, not to watch cartoons (those were reserved for weekdays), but to play the great sport of soccer(note: that was sarcasm). Years were spent chasing a ball around a field. And then I stopped. For no resolute reason, I moved on. It was probably the skateboarding.

ANYWAY, recently someone asked if I wanted to play for a recreational indoor league and I said, “OH GOD YES.” It’s a ramshackle team mainly composed of band geeks. We have heart and a bit of talent, but that’s not the point. The point is that after only two minutes of our first game, I was wheezing to death. I consider myself active, maybe even in shape. But there I was, on a turf field, taking breathes so deep I thought I was going to throw up the majority of my intestines.

So, I’m starting one of my new year’s resolutions a month early. Over the next 25 days, everyday, I will participate in some form of physical activity in hopes of combating this awful wheeze and getting in better shape.

(Day 1)

Today I: did pull ups; lifted some weights; more pull ups; crunches; some more pull ups; held some weights in the air; pull ups; bicycle crunches; a final batch of pull ups.

I also went on an intense late night run guided by the Christmas lights that suburbia has so proudly displayed. It was very, very awesome. Tegan and Sara’s Sainthood played through my earbuds. I felt enlightened. This can only be a good sign. Also, I now feel fantastic, in the physically sense. Yay!

Joel Samson Berntsen (Tegan and Sara- The Ocean)