Handstand progress

Last week: I put the [aerobics] step so that I could have my feet on it, my hands on the floor and a wall another 18 inches in front of my hands. With four risers under the step, I was able to do [a straddle to handstand] for the first time, and after getting the feeling down a little bit I was able to go down to 3 risers and then 2.

Today: I started with three risers under the step, and quickly went down to two and then one(!). In the end I straddled up once with no risers, just the step (geez, I only even tried that on a whim!) I also did much better kicking up to a regular handstand on the step. I was able to kick up from either leg pretty consistently with 1 riser... I don't think I succeeded with two, but by then I was getting really tired, the cold I have catching up with me. Yes, I'm sick; yes, I usually work out when I'm sick.

I would love to have a trainer and progress faster, and in fact just posted on craigslist looking for a coach or partner, but there are certain pleasures in being an autodidact too -- one of the best is the excuse to use "autodidact" in a sentence. :)

Great article about liberal / conservative worldviews

Red Family, Blue Family

This makes more sense of the "conservative" viewpoint than almost anything I've ever read, not to mention the "liberal" one (which I'm closer to but still don't quite match) and explains a lot of the differences between me and my dad too. Recommended reading.