Give me…

• 6 phone consultations
• 12 weeks of e-mail exchanges
• 3 conference calls
• 12-15 work outs

And with a bit of self discipline (can you exercise once per week?), I can Change Your Life.

I would say just your body, but quite a bit more is bound to change – I know it did for me. I went from a flabby low of 161 pounds, to a solid 196 in less than 2 years, dramatically increasing my strength.

The most interesting part?

I went from exercising  1-2 hours per day, 7 days a week, YEARS on end … to exercising about once per week, 10 to 30 minutes per session.

My life changed. I felt better than ever once I stopped over training - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Not to mention the 10+ hours a week of free time that opened up, allowing me to focus on other areas of my life, more productively, effectively, and efficiently.

Fast forward to this past Spring, I decided I wanted to “lean up”.

So I dropped down to 186 pounds in six weeks, with minimal effort, and  WITHOUT changing the types of foods I was eating, or increasing the frequency of my exercise program.

How did I do it, safely, effectively, and efficiently?

That’s what I’m going to share with The Dream Vitality 6×6 CYL Program.

Dream Vitality is a book I began writing in late 2008 as a follow up to The Dream Way, my first book that discussed dating, relationships, and personal transformation.

However, as the course of life events would have it, I have not been able work on the book in quite some time. I still get e-mails about it from time to time … just enough to keep it in the back of my head. I know deep down though that the chance of finishing it anytime within the next few years is slim to none. My focus is simply elsewhere (on this blog, and on The 21 Convention).

I love exercise, nutrition, health, fitness, and helping people though. These are things I am deeply passionate about. As such, I have decided to not let the time required to write, edit, and format a book stop me from doing what I love, and have decided to do this 12 week program in the stead of a book version of Dream Vitality.

After all, what’s more powerful for changing YOUR life? A book, or a customized service where we talk one on one every step of the way?

Books are incredibly powerful tools no doubt, but at the same time, the obstacles are limitless when it comes to changing this area of your life. Books are static, this program is dynamic, and I believe, best suited for those who were originally interested in the book version of Dream Vitality.

Here’s what were going to do.

I will take on 10 clients and 10 clients only.

Beginning Monday August 2nd I will call each of you personally to outline all of your goals with health, fitness, nutrition, exercise, and life for that matter.

On Wednesday August 4th we will have a 60 minute conference call that will be recorded (in case you miss it) where I answer any and all questions about the program, and about getting started.

For the following 12 weeks you will have access to a private e-mail account of mine, created specifically for this program. You will be garunteed unlimited, in depth e-mail consultation during this time span, with a maxiumum of a 48 hour turn around time (I will respond within 48 hours or less, every single time).

For the first 6 weeks, we will schedule a time each week to speak for 30-45 minutes for a total of 6 phone consults via Skype or cell.

During these phone consults we will track your progress with your workouts, and nutrition plan in accordance with the goals we set on day 1. We will modify them accordingly. My brain is also yours to pick during this time span for any and all questions you may have.

At the conclusion of those first 6 weeks we will have another conference call (to be recorded if you miss it) for 90 minutes. During the conference call everyone will share and discuss their progress, obstacles, and success thus far.

The final 6 weeks will be e-mail exchanges only, with a garunteed response in 48 hours, or less.

At the conclusion of all 12 weeks a final conference call will be hosted for 90 minutes (to be recorded if you miss it).

In total you will get…

• 6 phone consultations up to 45 minutes each, plus an initial goal setting phone consult.
• 12 weeks of unlimited, private e-mail consultation with a guaranteed 48 hour turn around time.
• 3 conference calls to share your ideas and progress with other clients on the program

As a bonus, I will also personally review and critique any workouts you are able to record on video – even if it’s every single workout.

As an additional bonus, I will also include my 2009 speech titled “Proper Exercise & Nutrition” on DVD, shipped free to your home.

This alone costs $25 normally, if shipped domestically. It’s your’s at no extra cost when signing on for The Dream Vitality 6×6 CYL Program.

Are there any requirements for the program?

Yes, there are.

You must be very serious about changing your life to sign on for this program. While we will keep things as light hearted as possible, I do not want anyone taking up a spot who is going to waste my time and half ass things. There are other people who would be willing to take that spot, and it will piss me off if someone decides to just throw money at me and then waste my time, which I value far more than money.

Other than that you must have access to a gym of some kind. The type and variety of equipment is not so important as just having access to a gym. Free weights, machines, barbells, we’ll make it work. You just need access to a weight training facility.

Finally, you must follow what I prescribe nutritionally as close as humanly possible in relation to the goals we set for you. None of what I advise should be taken as medical advice of course, as detailed in the disclaimer of this blog, but you must be willing to try new things and not ‘cheat’, otherwise the program is simply not going to work.

Finally (finally), you must be willing to workout at least once per week, and no more than twice per week. Pretty straightforward.

…

And that’s it. This is the best opportunity I’ve ever made to work with you guys. It is the best way to get inside my head and learn about the ideas I have that are months or even years away from being posted on TDL.

Things like

• Supplementation
• Vitamin D
• Eating awesome for next to nothing
• Macro nutrient ratios for various goals
• “anti-oxidants”
• Sleep/stress related issues
• Eating tips while travelling
• Hygiene

And loads more.

The price for joining this program is $250.

If you’ve read my blog and have been interested in starting (or getting more serious about) a dramatic lifestyle overhaul, I am here to help for the first 10 people to sign up. Once the program beings, new clients will not be accepted.

At the moment, this is a one time opportunity. It does not mean I will never do something like this again, but it does mean I will never do exactly this again, at this price, and with this much of my time dedicated to this number of people.

You can sign up below.

Someone tweeted at me the other day stating interest in what was on my bookshelf (reader Ben of this blog I believe). I thought about it and decided it would make for an interesting post.

What you see above is my personal and current book collection* . I’ve owned and read many more in my life time of course, but I frequently sell books that I won’t read twice, and would be better off in the hands of someone else (hence you don’t see The Primal Blueprint hard cover in here, for one example).

*With a shameless self promotional piece in the back ground of master copy event DVD’s to be delivered this week to the production/distribution company I have chosen. Check out one of the full DVD covers here (it’s pretty slick).

Below I’ll briefly discuss each book, and provide a link to purchase it. Most will be to Amazon, in which case I get a small commission (usually less than a dollar) should you buy from that link, instead of going to Amazon.com directly – at no extra cost to you. This is a great way to support the blog which I write and host at no direct charge to you the reader.

Let’s begin shall we?

Reinventing Collapse

For me, and probably many others, it is a rare find when I come across a book I have trouble putting down. This, is one of those books (on the far left, face up).

Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects by Dmitry Orlov

It just arrived in the mail yesterday and I’m already about half done with it. In fact, as I just mentioned, I had trouble putting this book down last night and going to sleep. It is very likely I will finish it today, in my second sitting – it’s that good.

Why is it good? Well for one, this guy is intelligent and very aware of BS, in many different fields. I don’t agree with every little thing in the book, but for the most part, I believe Dmitry has a high level of ‘altitude’ on life and the problems we face collectively – and not just economic collapse as one would assume by the title of this book.

What’s more, Dmitry has a good sense of humor – dark as it may be. Come to think of it, this guy reminds me of George Carlin and his knack for “poking holes” where most won’t (may he rest in peace).

The neat thing about his sense of humor however, is that it balances out a serious topic without going to far over the edge. In that sense, the book is easily ‘digestible’, and should bring most ‘around’ who are skeptical of the most catastrophic, economic cluster f*uck in history that is looming at our doorstep here in the states.

He makes a lot of good points that I have previously made here on TDL, or have planned to touch on. The two I am referring to specifically are

A. You don’t have to be an economics wizard to understand what’s going on in the US. In fact I would go one step further and say that an ‘advanced’ understanding of ‘economics’ may indeed be blinding to the coming economic catastrophe on a scale never before witnessed.

Not unlike a vegan who knows everything there is to know about vegetarianism – it doesn’t change the facts, and the reality than vegetarianism in any form is harmful to both humans, the environment, and not ‘even’, but especially animals – paradoxical, maniacal, murderous, and blasphemous as it may sound.

B. People have an extremely difficult time taking action that directly contradicts their every day life. I’ve seen this many times over, in my own life, and the lives of others. Clear examples can be found (being discussed) in a few speeches from The 21 Convention regarding success with women – most guys have a very difficult time admitting they have any sort of problem in that area of their life, let alone that they can improve their success.

Why? In admitting that there is room for improvement (and that you could have done better in past situations, intimate, social or otherwise), you are in a sense deflating a false, situational confidence, based on your experiences with women over the course of your life time – or your ‘ego’ for short.

In doing so, many perceive this as a personal devaluation of themselves – as a threat. This is of course complete nonsense, and no such threat is ‘real’, but never the less people have a difficult time unraveling these self induced rationalizations.

In the same sense – interestingly enough, multiple – close friends of mine that read The Dream Lounge have stated more or less the same thing, in an eerily similar manner. They begin talking about what I’ve written on here about “bug out bags” and economic collapse (on their own accord), laugh a bit, and then state that if “anything happens” they know where they’re going first – to my house (or anyone’s house for that matter, assuming it’s not a pre-planned “bug out location” of some sort).

This for one, is complete and utter bull$hit. If and when some kind of catastrophe or disaster does occur – of whatever nature – there are very few people I would ‘take in’ unconditionally. Those people include immediate family, close relatives, the immediate family of my former best friend, and less than a handful of my close friends or close friends of any of the above people (my criteria being if my best friend was still alive, and with me during a major event, would he or would he not take in a friend of his that I also knew).

That’s it. Unless you’re prepped and can carry your own weight (or most of it and can be of aide in other forms), you’re getting a handful of food, a best of luck wish, and a foot in the ass out the door.

Call me a cold heartless bastard, but I’m not going to risk my life/well being or the life of anyone listed above for a ‘friend’ who was to busy laughing to stock pile some basic supplies (that you use anyway, like food) and spend 30 minutes seriously thinking out and planning for a major unforeseen event that causes civil unrest to any significant degree, for any prolonged period of time, that could threaten your life or the lives of your loved ones.

Back on point, I’m glad the author addressed this issue. Being hesitant to take action that directly contradicts your every day life is nonsense whichever way you cut it, but it’s also dangerous when talking about something like economic collapse.

Moving on …

Meditations

This was hiding elsewhere during the taking of the main picture, hence it’s in a stand alone photograph. In any case, it also deserves special mention as it is one of my all time favorite books – thanks to Ryan Holiday for the find by the way.

As Ryan states, Meditations may be one of the greatest books ever written. It really is that good, that humbling, that insightful, and that inspiring. I am in the process of reading it a third time over, and as soon as I finish, I will start over once again and read it a fourth, and a fifth, and a sixth …

Way of the Peaceful Warrior

Sort of going left to right now, Way of the Peaceful Warrior is an excellent novel (supposedly based on true events) by Dan Millman, that was made into a major motion picture only a few years back – yet was published many decades ago. I actually saw the movie first, and am even more fond of the film than the book – but never the less the novel is an excellent and calming late night read. I’ve read the book once, seen the movie 5 times, and may read the book again someday. (Please ignore the nutritional and exercise ideas in the book however).

Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr

I’ve read Eragon three times over, Eldest 4 times over, and Brisingr 3 times over. Needless to say, this series (that is not yet finished) is by far my favorite fictional series. I can never pin point what it is exactly that draws me into this series so much, but I suppose I’ll figure that out after reading the entire series over a few more times.

The Alchemist

I close friend recommended this one to me, and I have yet to finish it. That said, I will read and finish it as soon as I knock out a few other books on my table (no pun intended).

Ron Paul Speaks

A simple idea, a profound result. Ron Paul Speaks is a collection of quotes from perhaps the only sane individual working in our federal government, Ron Paul. Every issue imaginable is covered in this book, in his perspective – from the disastrous ‘war’ on drugs and terrorism to the Federal Reserve, it’s here. Considering where a lot of these quotes are taken (all have citations), to say that Congressman Paul has balls of steel is a dramatic understatement.

Also worth noting is the NY Times #1 best selling book by Ron Paul, The Revolution: A Manifesto. I burned through this one pretty quick and then made the fatal mistake of lending it to a friend – who quickly lost it =/. Great read as well.

Body by Science

Like I haven’t pimped this book enough! Haha. (I often wonder if any blogger has pushed more copies than me.)

With good reason though, as Body by Science is perhaps the most influential print book of our time to be released on the subject of exercise. Authors Doug McGuff and John Little (along with other contributors to the book) really did something incredible in Body by Science by challenging the status quo ‘idiocracy’* on exercise, and backing it to kingdom come with the latest research – without undue abrasion to the reader neck deep in mainstream ‘body building’, ‘aerobics’, ‘cardio’, and so on.

They fought fire with fire, and won. The fact that this book hasn’t made it to the top of every best seller list in the country and won international awards is a damn shame as far as I’m concerned – it’s that important. But who knows? It took Tucker Max years to hit number one on the NY Times. Good things may come when the reality show Doug and John filmed for releases.

*These are my words, not theirs.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

An all time favorite of NY Times best selling author Tucker Max, this book is an excellent read from start to finish. I’ve discussed it before here.

Hamilton’s Curse: How Jefferson’s Arch Enemy Betrayed the American Revolution–and What It Means for Americans Today

I just got this yesterday along with Reinventing Collapse. I’ve read a tiny bit so far, and it’s right on track with The Real Lincoln (from the same author), which we’ll get to next. Chances are, it’s an excellent read.

The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War

I wrote about this book in the Heroes and Villains post quite a bit, and quoted liberally from it. That said, The Real Lincoln does an excellent job de-mystifying one of our supposedly “greatest president” and revealing him for what he is – one of, if not the worst leader in our history as a nation.

That will probably pis$ off a lot of people, but I suggest you take a good look at the book before judging it by it’s cover – or in this case, my 15 second summary.

Special thanks to my friend Peter who went and got my copy autographed when the author was in town and I was not.

Basic Economics

Loaned to me by a friend … well hell, the title pretty much sums up the book. I’m not too far into Basic Economics yet, but thus far it’s easy to digest (in fact, that’s the major premise of the entire book), while supposedly being used as a text book for many economics classes around the country.

Much to my delight, it thus far leans strongly in favor of free markets and against central economic planning – you know, like ‘health care reform‘.

The Little Black Book of Violence: What Every Young Man Needs to Know about Fighting

I saw Drew Baye post this on his Facebook a few months back and decided to pick it up. At first glance it sounds like a book that will try to teach the reader martial arts through text alone – but this book is anything BUT that.

The book is focused on pounding basic principles about fighting into your head, you know, like avoid it at all costs except under these circumstances, and when forced to fight take X, Y, and Z into consideration – especially the law.

While a bit repetitive (seemingly on purpose), it’s well worth your time no matter how experienced a ‘fighter’ or martial artist you think you are – as in the end, victory in a street fight is going to go to the guy who runs away and doesn’t get hurt, or the guy who is thinking ‘combat‘, not ‘fight’ – and is therefore ready to stomp on someone’s neck to save his life while the guy thinking ‘fight’ is still thinking about rules that simply don’t exist in a situation such as that.

In addition, as a testimonial, I’ve already had the opportunity to apply some of the ideas in this book, and it’s literally kept me out of jail, and another person in jail. This incident happened not two weeks ago, and is in no way/shape/form a joke.

Moment Arm Exercise

Truly one of a kind, Moment Arm Exercise dives head first into a field few have gone before – the overlooked yet critical bio-mechanics of exercise.

Check out my review here, interview with the author here, follow up interview with the author here (on another site), and the author’s videos here.

In case you haven’t guessed by now, you don’t want to miss this one. BUT, I would strongly recommend reading Body by Science first.

The Dip

I’ve read The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches you When to Quit (and When to Stick) … some 4 times over now? Regardless, it’s resonated with me pretty hard in the past, as someone who has been through a collage of business ventures, and as a college student alike.

Also, notice my exclusive focus on The 21 Convention? Take a guess where that came from (with ensuing success), as it wasn’t always that way.

The Four Hour Work Week

I confess, I do not yet own the revised and expanded edition, despite being mentioned  in it . “Treason” you scream! Ha, maybe. I will grab a copy soon enough and read through it however – scouts honor.

That said, I’ve read the original 4, maybe 5 times over. Like Reinventing Collapse, it was one of those rare finds for me where I just couldn’t put it down.

And, in the end, had I not discovered this book, it is beyond unlikely that you would see The 21 Convention where it is today. It has had that profound of an effect on my life – albeit indirectly through T21C and the time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears poured into it.

Awaken the Giant Within

Man it’s been years since I’ve cracked open Awaken the Giant Within. To be honest, it’s been so long since this book has crossed my mind, I could hardly tell you what it’s about.

That said, I remember it being out right inspirational, and my guess is that it’s worth your time if you haven’t already read through it. Tony Robbins is an interesting guy, to say the least.

The Leap: How 3 Simple Changes Can Propel Your Career from Good to Great

To be completely honest, I feel a bit foolish for not putting out a full review on The Leap when it released. I instead opted to try something new and posted my highlights from the book – a decent enough idea on paper, but one that played out poorly here on TDL due to the quotes not making much sense when taken out of context.

That said, The Leap is an excellent and powerful read – entrepreneur or otherwise. Tim Ferris and Anthony Robbins, among others, seem to agree (see the back cover).

On the fence? I’ll add this then – 5 minutes into reading this book, and throughout the majority of my read beyond that point, I kept asking myself: Why couldn’t this book have come out 6 months ago!?!

In any case, Rick Smith, author of The Leap will be at The 21 Convention 2010 (USA) this year on Friday July 23^rd from 10-11 am. I suspect broadcasting his speech out to the world on The21Convention.com will alleviate the mildly botched post here on TDL.

I even set up a limited access ticket for locals that would only be interested in his presentation. I know , I know, I’m so thoughtful it hurts.

The Final 3

The final three in this picture include The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Way of the Superior Man, and The Power of Now.

Admittedly, despite owning The 7 Habits for many years, I’ve never taken the time to finish it. Something about the way it was written … it just never hooked me. Even getting half way through it was a chore.

Never the less, it is wildly popular. Who knows, I may pick it up someday and finish it.

The Power of Now is another book I don’t have much to say about. Have I finished it? You’re damn right I’ve finished it, three times over if memory serves right.

However, I’ve always been a bigger fan of A New Earth, and as a result it’s difficult to differentiate between the content of the two books – on the fly anyway.

It’s probably worth checking out if you haven’t read A New Earth yet though.

Finally, The Way of the Superior Man IS a book I have some comments on. For one, I find it to be one of (if not) the best “how to be a man” books written in modern times. Or I suppose, how to be a superior man, and not just any man.

Seriously, this book is packed front to back with wisdom on difficult decisions and challenges we face. Whether it be work, relationships, or desire, David Deida* offers a third choice when we narrow things down to a black and white lose/lose scenario – the superior choice we often overlook, or are afraid to face.

I would be very surprised if more than a handful of people reading this post had not already read this book. If you’re one of those few, and you’re male, you should probably pick this one up before anything listed above.

*I’ve been exchanging e-mails with David’s assistant for some time now trying to get him to either T21C Orlando or T21C Stockholm this year. It’s unlikely due to his current ‘sabatical’, but still up in the air. If something comes through, I’ll let everyone know on The21Convention.com.

…

By the way, this is my room mates collection that I pick at from time to time, including books like Emergency, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (he owns multiple autographed copies worth hundreds a pop), and A New Earth.

And this is a snapshot of what I’m currently digging through. You could add Body by Science to that list as well even though it’s not pictured, as I read through it pretty consistently.

Suppose I could have just listed those via text, but what fun would that be? It certainly looks cooler in picture format too.

I released a post not long ago, about what I pack in my “bug out bags”.

You can read and view it here (mostly video, followed by item links that correspond to each video).

When creating the post, I knew I faced quite a challenge to communicate what I … really wanted to communicate.

I had all of these links, and a rather long, not terribly exciting series of videos. Both definitely needed more “splainin”, but I knew that if I tried to include a bunch of text either before or after the videos, it would just become a mess. Too much to absorb in one sitting.

I decided to split the post into two separate pieces, and today, is part two. My “master plan” is simply this: explain the underlying themes fueling part one so it makes more sense, and becomes more useful to those interested in a similar path/hobby.

Kinda put the cart before the horse, but in due time, I think these articles will work really well together =).

…

First things first, how did I get into “prepping”?

In the Fall of 2009 my room mate got me into a TV show called Jericho.

I’m not really a big fan of TV, but I have to admit, I watched two seasons of this nearly straight through. Easily my favorite show of all time (followed closely by The Shield).

Jericho is a television show about a small town during the crippling and fracturing of the US Federal Government.

During a State of the Union address, a nuclear weapon goes off in DC, literally cutting off the head of the federal government. At the same time, 22 other nukes go off in major cities around the country.

Millions die that day, and not surprisingly, the country falls into chaos. Some time later, three governments arise. The United States reforms in Columbus, Ohio, Texas becomes an independent republic, and everything else west of the Mississippi becomes the “Allied States of America”.

The USA and ASA are on the verge of war, and Texas remains neutral.

Check out a fan made trailer below.

Anyway, right after watching Jericho I finally got around to reading Emergency by Neil Strauss (author of The Game).

It was here that ideas like “bug out bag”, “survivalist”, “prepping” and dual citizenship were first introduced to me. I simply had never thought about those things before reading Emergency, but, after just finishing Jericho, they sure as hell fit into the puzzle that was then forming in my head – what if something like this (a $hit hit the fan scenario) actually happened?

How unlikely is it?

Hell, on September 11^th 2001 a few thousand people were murdered by those who hate the “United States”. How far fetched is it that something like that, happens again? Who’s to say it wouldn’t be a significantly more devastating attack?

As the saying goes, history repeats itself.

If it’s not apparent by now, our government has managed to anger a lot of people, both at home and abroad (enough to motivate suicide attacks apparently).

Saying that Jericho like events are unlikely? Sure, I’ll go with that. But impossible?

I’m not so sure, and I think anyone telling you for certain that it is impossible, is full of baloney. No one really knows for certain – all we can do is guess.

But, not even this was the driving motivation to read, research, and take action (at least regarding a “bug out bag”).

Far more likely events are bound to happen. Hurricanes most notably in Florida – and we’ll discuss others soon enough.

Combine a natural disaster with the way most people will act under extreme stress (various degrees of panic and irrational thought/action), and you have a serious problem on your hands.

The events following Hurricane Katrina are an excellent example.

…

It is largely due to the above topics that I chose to “build” a Bug Out Bag. I like to have my cake and eat it too though, so I wanted something more, especially since I do a fair bit of traveling around Florida, and soon elsewhere.

I’m not interested in spending money on things I don’t need however, so I decided to find a happy middle ground for everything that I wanted in a BOB.

What resulted in a long enough time span were the two primary bags you saw in the previous post (that third is good to have, but not as practical, or used as often).

Those two bags, as you saw, had a lot of little things that were otherwise laying around my room. I asked myself, why not organize this otherwise useless junk into a bag, in case I need it someday, or until I decide it takes up too much space and would be better replaced with something else? (related or unrelated).

Off hand examples include that little pack of Tide laundry detergent, a bunch of nail clippers, and a portable GPS I’ve had since I was a kid.

Some “preppers” are critical to include such insignificant items, but I ask, why the hell not? My nails grow like crazy, and those little clippers make my life all the more simpler. Why not include them?

Again, I find it wise to include items – if you have the space – that would otherwise just sit around, as long as they are even remotely useful.

What’s more, it didn’t cost me anything. This is the world we live in now, and I run a business. That, is numero uno on my list of priorities, and I’ll gladly go with the minimum amount necessary in a BOB to ensure the success of The 21 Convention.

In addition to all of this, like I mentioned, I do a fair bit of traveling around Florida. Gainsville, Jacksonville, Cape Coral, and so on.

You know what?

In the past, every time I went to one of these places, I had to spend a good deal of time packing a bag or two. And when I got back, unpack it.

A bit of a pain in the arse wouldn’t you say?

Enter the bastard child of a BOB (made on the cheap with items already laying around), and a “Nomadic” bag.

Of course, when I do travel abroad, I’ll have to remove a few items, and add in a few others. But on the whole, my bags are already packed.

If I want to go somewhere just a few hours away, I’m good in less than 2 minutes. I can just up, and walk right out the door. Independence and freedom on a small scale, but a great feeling none the less.

And if I want to travel afar? It’s really a simple matter of re-organizing a few things, and I know I’m set. No more wondering if I forgot anything last minute – I’m already prepared for WW3 =).

Zombies

__________________________________________________________________________________

The “Zombie Apocalypse” included in the title of the previous post was, mostly a joke.

Note the term mostly though.

Of course, a true Dawn of the Dead style zombie apocalypse is the least of my worries (at least I hope it is! Haha). But that’s not what I was really referring too.

I think the term “zombie” is actually quite fitting for unconscious, irrational, violent behavior people are prone to under extreme stress, manipulation, a lack of basic needs (food/water), or any combination of the above.

Think about it for a second, seriously. What is a zombie? A ravenous, mindless creature, that wants to “eat” you.

Do you see the parallel to a person who is desperately searching for food and supplies, either for themselves or their family – all under extreme stress and a probable (temporary or prolonged) collapse of order and law enforcement – in a SHTF situation?

In essence, the “zombie apocalypse” is similar to what we saw happen in New Orleans after Katrina. By preparing for “it”, you are simply preparing for if/when something like that happens, and people who are not prepared, and have yet to receive aid from large organizations (assuming it is coming in the first place), are beginning to get hungry, and desperate.

Not only for themselves, but for their friends, neighbors, even children. I’ve seen people do things most would consider insane, for no reason at all.

When your own life, or the life of your children is brought into the picture? Anything is possible.

Combine that with a partial or complete lack of law enforcement/emergency services … I don’t even like to think about it.

How probable is it that something like this happens?

Well, on temporary and smaller scale, 100%.

It is absolutely inevitable that more “Katrina” like events happen, both in the US and around the world. Natural disasters are simply part of the way things work, and to think that your state or country is immune to them (either through location or strength of aid organizations/government) is simply naive.

It can be big like the recent disaster in Haiti, or “small” (in comparison) like Hurricane Charley – which I experienced first hand. Heck, I watched the eye pass by just a handful of miles from my house.

Even something as small as the recent snow storms in the North East where supermarkets were picked clean by those caught unprepared.

I’m sure the more pertinent question on your guys minds though is – what about on a larger scale, and longer term?

Well, the nation of Haiti was nearly wiped off the map just a few weeks ago. If a country falling apart isn’t “major”, I don’t know what is.

But, there are bigger things at work. Obviously another terrorist attack, on a Jericho level, would be pretty devastating. At the rate the United State is starting (unconstitutionally by not declaring) aggressive wars in the Middle East, I think the probability of something on that massive a scale happening increases each and every day.

And it doesn’t even have to be entire cities disappearing via nuclear blast – a large EMP strike would be far more devastating (although maybe not as much as the author of the following book would like us to believe) to the continental United States and other “first world” nations.

This plot line is explored in modern America in One Second After.

Excellent book by the way.

Of course, attacks (including those that don’t pan out but still cause hysteria) and natural disasters, are not all we have to worry about though.

I think what is far more likely to happen is a “collapse” of some sort. Even this could come about in a variety of ways though (and there are quite a number of theories on if/how/when/why this will happen).

My guess?

A Soviet style financial collapse of the United States.

Of course, those are Ron Paul’s words not my own – but never the less, they fit my guess of what’s to come as well (assuming little or nothing changes over the next few years).

This warrants a discussion in and of itself – but this is not the time or post to do so. The take away message is what’s important: the society we live in is fragile. This is witnessed on a small scale when natural disasters happen. On a grand scale?

We have yet to see it in recent times, but I believe it to be a distinct possibility. In fact, I think the saying will hold true that

“the bigger they are, the harder they fall”

And financially is the most likely way, in my eyes, that this will happen, if  a collapse of some kind does come to pass. I think this is just the natural order of things though, how human nature works on a large scale.

Societies grow, and unenlightened group think results in centralization. As a society continues to grow, the instinct (urge?) is to further and further consolidate “power”* into that already growing central authority. This is akin to filling a balloon with water and squeezing it tighter and tighter.

Eventually, it will explode (collapse).

*A reader not long ago asked what I thought of movies like Zeitgeist, and I assume, other “conspiracy” movies like End Game, Fall of the Republic, and The Obama Deception (of which, I’ve all seen). Well, this is it – they are a surface level representation of one group trying to prevent another group from squeezing the “balloon” ever tighter, until it explodes. There may very well be some sort of “new world order” conspiracy going on, I have no idea, and there is simply no way for me to know (I have my doubts however since I don’t think many people are that smart, and could keep secrets that long).

However, even if there definitely were, I wouldn’t find it very relevant. It would just be another expression of someone trying to squeeze the “water balloon” ever tighter. It’s already happening elsewhere in ways we can very directly influence. I’ll pass on being concerned about something outside my sphere of influence – mental focus is better spent elsewhere.

As long as I am prepared to the best of my ability, and can get home to my family – who wouldn’t last 2 days in a Katrina like situation – in the time of an emergency (hurricane, terrorist attack of some kind, or financial meltdown followed by civil unrest), I am satisfied – and in the mean time enjoy the freedom and convenience of well prepared supplies for a variety of situations.

And to be completely honest, “prepping” grows on you as a strange, yet fun hobby =). Others who are still in the dark about such a past time will find it strange of course, but I’d rather be considered a nut now and prophet come crunch time, than caught with my pants down completely unprepared.

Dual Citizenship

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It would be fitting to end the post with the previous paragraph, but I promised more in the title, so I’ll deliver and just call his bonus content.

First up is the dual citizenship.

Neil Strauss in Emergency is the inspiration for this btw.

It’s nothing amazing honestly. It works in one of two ways.

A. You have a $hit ton of money and buy your way into a citizenship.

B. You have family that was born in another country.

In my case, my maternal grand parents were born in Eastern Europe. One was born in a country that does not allow citizenship based on your family history. The other grandparent however, was born in a country that is somewhat laid back about citizenship policy.

In that country, as long as your parents or grand parents were born there, you automatically have access to full citizenship for only a measly few hundred dollars, and their approval (I imagine those with criminal records won’t be allowed in, for example).

The United States to this day technically* allows “dual citizenship”, as does the country I am applying too.

*It’s actually a little hazy, since technically you can only be a citizen of one country, but they allow it none the less and many people are dual citizens.

Why am I interested in becoming a dual citizen?

Mainly because it’s easy for me to do, and if the rules change, I’ll feel like quite an imbecile for not getting it when I could. Were it not so easy and inexpensive, I would simply not care – but that is not the case. In the rare and extreme situation where a dual citizenship would prove useful, I’ll be glad to have it – both domestically and abroad*.

*Neil Strauss cites an incident in India if I remember correctly where terrorists were executing only British and American citizens in a hostage situation.

Domestically it’s not quite as useful, and things would really have to be down the $hitter for me to even fathom fleeing the country (and airlines would still have to be functioning), not to mention my family. But, I think it’s worth having the option.

And on a less dramatic note, I can go to nations not friendly with the United States, such as Cuba (which I actually saw as a kid fishing).

So, there it is, how I’m becoming a dual citizen come May 2010 when I fly to NY to apply, and probably do some speaking for those interested in The 21 Convention there.

Plant Pemmican & Other Mischief

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“Pemmican”, is actually a combination of animal fat and protein. I’m in the now continual process of making it myself, and have bought some previously from US Wellness Meats as seen in the final video of the three part series.

Plant Pemmican is a term I coined the other day when I got my first box of YouBar custom nutrition bars (hat tip to Tim).

Of course, I think most plants we consider “food” aren’t really food at all, but something akin to cardboard. And naturally, I’m a firm believer than 99% of the time (100%?) animals are a better source of “food” than plants.

But, that doesn’t mean all plants are not real “food”. In fact it is our ability to eat both plants and animals that has kept us alive for all these years, and probably helped propel us to the top of the food chain as a by product.

As a result, what I call “plant pemmican” is simply a custom made YouBar that only includes real food, and while not perfect, would sure kick the crap out of most other “foods” in a survival situation.

You can get YouBars here, and the code for my last batch of bars is YCPNK

I don’t get an affiliate commission for that (although I have applied to be an affiliate), that is simply the code I got to reorder my bars as I had them last time.

My bars are medium size (45g) and include the following ingredients.

• Almond butter
• Organic Dates
• Organic Clover Honey
• Whey Protein Isolate
• Organic Coconut
• Organic Pumpkin Seeds
• Pecans
• Cocoa
• Goji Berries
• Carob
• Organic Cacao Nibs
• All in one vitamin infusion
• Cinnamon

And have the following posted as nutritional information

• Calories: 210
• From fat: 101
• Total Fat: 12g
• Sat. Fat 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 1mg
• Sodium: 18mg
• Total Carb: 20g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 10g
• Protein: 9g
• Vitamin A: 22%
• Vitamin C: 69%
• Calcium: 30%
• Iron: 25%

Not sure what % of those vitamins are locked up in fiber, but that fat and protein should be good to go (the protein being mostly from Whey, a complete, fast absorbing animal protein).

In any case, these taste quite good. The cinnamon is probably what adds the most flavor, so I may remove some of the other ingredients rich in carbohydrate. I also just ate the bar I read the above information off of, and piled on some coconut oil in the process.

DAMN

That’s good =). The texture and flavor skyrocket with coconut oil, along with the nutritional punch, and calories needed to survive in the wilderness (which I’ll be doing this spring break).

On the downside, these are expensive as hell*, so I will not be ordering them for anything but more food to stuff in my BOBs. Eating these on a regular basis would quickly bankrupt me.

The catch however, is that you choose exactly what goes into each one, unlike the ones you buy at a store which are packed with wheat, soy, corn, and other nonsense that’s horrible for us. I’ve scoured Whole Foods, and have yet to see a plant based bar even remotely as “good” as the ones I just got from YouBar.

Of course, home made animal pemmican kills these nutritionally =). You can’t just go and buy a ton though (well you can from US Wellness, but it wont last as long as a batch you make yourself), so this is what I’m left with to supplement the food supply in my BOB.

All in all, I recommend them for that purpose.

*By the way, you can use discount code TYNAN for 10% off. I’m not sure if Tynan get’s a commission off that or not, but if he does, it’s probably better to support him than just letting all the money go to YouBar, which has to be making a killing at $3 something a bar.

My New Vibram KSO Treks

I’m a huge fan of Vibram footwear. In fact this is my third pair of Vibrams (I once owned black KSOs, which I gave to my room mate as a birth day present, and I currently own Navy Camouflage Sprints ).

I love the KSOs, and I love the Sprints even more (for me personally, they both have their highlights). These treks are a different breed of Vibram though as they are tougher than nails (and expensive at $125 minimum).

I was pretty wary of dropping $125 on shoes I thought I just didn’t need. Vibram Sprints and sandals cover just about everything – but not everything.

Even with merino wool toe socks the sprints/ksos do not handle weather below about ~50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can suck it up of course, but cold feet is pure misery for me, even with hairy hobbit feet.

Because of this, I have always had an eye for Flows (which are heavily insulated). This is permanent with Flows however, and not something I would like for my shoes in the Florida Summer heat.

There is also another problem not addressed with Flows or Sprints – really rough terrain. Both have adequate soles for mildly rough terrain, but as soon as you step on something sharp or jagged, you will feel it in your feet.

Despite my Austin Powers like chest hair, I’m not Bear Grylls, so this isn’t a common problem. It is something I’ve experienced though, and something that’s crossed my mind – even in urban places like downtown Orlando (rough gravel).

Considering the above two issues, the KSO treks seemed like a possible solution to both considering it’s build.

For one, it’s made with kangaroo leather (that’s right, Mama Roo got turned into some shoes). Kangaroo leather is tougher than nails, and while not as insulating as the material found in Vibram Flows, I am betting it’s 100x more insulating than the paper thin regular KSO material that covers the top of the foot (and on the sprint, there is nothing there but air).

I’m also betting the substantially thicker soles of the Treks prove to be more insulating than the thin bottom layer of rubber found in classic KSOs and Sprints (this I believe, is where most of the heat is lost in your feet on cold ground, but that’s only based off of observation).

Secondly, the thick rubber soling is as strong or stronger than most conventional shoes (probably only short of heavy duty “hiking” boots). It’s seriously tough, and topped inside with more Kangaroo leather. This is another vital use of these shoes that is not found in any other Vibram.

Now, normally that aspect is useless to me, and even the added (moderate) insulation is only seasonal – but as mentioned eariler, this spring break I’m going camping in the middle of no where with two friends.

I’ll bring my sprints for sure, but I simply can’t risk my shoes being a liability camped in the middle of nowhere. The Treks not only provide some added insulation (which I’ll need in 30 degree weather), but are tougher than nails, bottom, top, all around – and even water resistant (not proof, but pretty damn close).

The only drawback of the Treks is the price (the cost of Kangaroo leather according to Vibram President), and slightly less mobility.

The mobility gained with classic Vibrams (and not so much the Treks) is primarily with the “inward” grip of the toes, which isn’t the most imperative part as I understand it.

What is important, to me anyway, is the “outward” or “upward” mobility gained with all Vibrams when attempting to run and trek about in the woods.

Rather than being chained to a moving plank during a sprint or strange angle while hiking in shoes, your toes can work as they were meant to, and even spread out as they were meant to for added “agility”, stability, and toe strength (I think the “agility” is simply being more aware of what the hell you are running on rather than being in constant contact with a flat cushy board in a typical shoe).

All in all, excellent shoes. Pricy, but I’ll be glad to have them next time it’s freezing out, or walking over sharp rocks in the middle of **cking nowhere come spring break.

Get them on Amazon here, but wait till the price drops to the MSRP of $125. No idea why they are so jacked in price on Amazon. Idiots.

You can also get them here at TravelCountry.com (a local store and small warehouse in the Orlando area where I bought mine in person). They have a bunch of brown* ones like mine in stock, but no black.

*The brown ones I have seriously look like dress shoes, and would probably pass as such if an occasion arises where I need dress shoes.

…

And there you have it, my thoughts on all sorts of fun stuff, and hopefully clarification on my previous post detailing every little item I have organized into a few bug out bags for travel, convenience, and emergency use.

I am no “pro” at prepping, but then again I think it’s more of a personal/individual decision to make, so “pro” is a lofty term to throw around in the hobby/field. In any case, if you have questions, I’m an open book as always.

ps- I researched to hell and back which multi-tool was best for the money I was looking to spend. I decided on a Swiss made multi tool you can find here. Don’t have it yet, but that choice represents hours and hours of reading reviews and comparing models/brands. Is it the best for under $70? I’ll let you know when I do and compare it to my room mates Leatherman Wave – who, in case you havent guessed by now, also caught the prepping bug

What follows is something that started small, but quickly morphed into an ongoing hobby of mine: “prepping”.

What is “prepping” you ask? Simply put, preparing.

Preparing for what?

Well, if that was your next question, you are on the right track my friend =). The short answer would be “anything and everything”.

Being “prepared” allows me to up and leave my home whenever I choose, at the drop of a hat. It doesn’t matter where I’m heading – whether it be an island for 3 days, a friends house a hundred miles away, or my family’s home 200 miles away – the preparation applies to all domestic* locations.

I’ll also be taking the two backpacks with me internationally in the coming months, although the contents will have to be modified accordingly for each country.

In any case, the discussion of “preparing for what?” requires more depth than this post will coherently fit, so we’ll leave it for another day.

Today, I’ll share a 3 part video series of “What’s in my Bug out Bag?”, and follow up each video with links of the items mentioned within.

• Space blanket
• Best ear plugs ever created (thanks to Tim for the find)
• Bionic gloves
  • I use these for weight training more than anything. Regardless, they have held up incredibly well for over a year now – something I can’t claim for those cheap 5 dollar gloves I use to burn through in high school.

• Coconut Oil (can also be bought on Amazon)
• MSR Pack Towel (thanks to Tynan for the find)
• Bass Pro Floating Sunglasses
  • Forgot to mention in the video that the tips of the frame have small holes in them, just big enough to tie some fishing line through, to make a cord suitable for hanging the glasses off your neck. Very cool, and have never seen that before in a pair of sun glasses.
• 550lb Paracord
• 205 Piece First Aid Kit
• Quik Clot
• CPX-1 Two Tone 9mm Semi-Auto Handgun (that I bought from a cop down in my hometown)
• 21 inch Police Baton (with rubber grip, wish mine had this)
• Vibram Five Finger Sprints (also discussed more in depth here on The Dream Lounge)
• Injinji Toe Socks for Vibrams
• Long Sleeve Merino Wool Shirt (from Icebreaker)
• Short Sleeve* Merino Wool Shirt (from Icebreaker)
• Merino Wool Boxers (from Icebreaker)
• Gorilla Tape

*I really need to step aside here for a moment. For one, the black, short sleeve, merino wool shirt I constantly wear at The 21 Convention and in videos, is by far the best shirt I have ever owned. I have worn it religiously for over 1.5 years now, some 3-6 days a week. Often times I will wear it multiple days in a row, without washing it. Why? The material is incredible. Not only is it comfortable, and not only does it resist extreme temperatures (by wicking sweat away or insulating in the cold), but it is incredibly durable and resists odors like a true champion – which can’t be said for cotton or Under Armor. It may be a bit expensive, but I highly recommend it, and it is worth it’s weight in gold when it’s either hot or cold outside.

The List

• Detergent
• Dr Bronner’s soap
• Marbles
• Sling shot
• Burt Bees Lip Balm (“Medicated“)
• Spork (thanks to Tynan for the find)
• Creative Zen 4gb Media Player
  • Honestly, I don’t use this very much, but when I do, it works great, and it has held up well over the years. Thanks to Tynan for the find.
• Fire Steel
• Sony Cybershot T-20 8.1 mp Camera
• Vitamin D
• Pocket Constitution
  • Make sure you check for all of the pages in this, as I was reading through mine and apparently it is missing quite a few – well that, or our federal government is up to a lot of non sense and often ignores/rationalizes away the supreme law it swears to uphold. I’m sure it’s just missing a few pages though … ya, that has to be it.
• Swiss Army Backpack

I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently about Swine Flu and my thoughts on “health care” via Facebook and e-mail.

Rather than read my own take, here are some links that express my views well, and in some cases much better than I could have, had I written my own content on the subjects.

“Health Care”

Kill This Bill

Kurt G. Harris MD

Excellent, excellent read. Do not skip this one.

To a slightly lesser extent, this is also a great read

Whole Foods and the Healthcare Uprising

Keith Norris

“Swine Flu”

All articles from Primal Wisdom (Don Matesz). Better read collectively than selectively.

How I Came to My Opinion of Vacines

New Immunization Guidelines– Who Makes Them?

Paleodiet and Polio Virus

Swine Flu Protection

On a different but not entirely unrelated note, this is hilarious.

Working on a new post now. In the mean time I wanted to make sure everyone saw my new site, BeachMuscles.org.

I modeled it after TimFerriss.com.

It’s nothing super fancy, but I do like the simplicity of it.

Essentially it’s a portal site for everything “dreamy”. It has all the goodies for this blog, The 21 Convention, a short bio, and ways to connect with me. Really useful to stick in my twitter and facebook accounts as well, rather than one or the other (TDL or T21C).

There is also an announcement about a big project I’m working on this month for The 21 Convention. By far the biggest project I have yet to take on, aside from the live event itself. Will talk more about it here soon.

Also, be sure to check out my book, The Dream Way. I put it out free like convention footage, right on the main site. All documents are loaded up on Scribd.com, free to view, download, and print. No compromises, just free, pure and simple.

And yes, even if you’re a girl, I still recommend giving the main book a look. The first ~25 pages I detail my personal history with women- which paradoxically, most women find pretty interesting (if not downright surprising at this point).

Finally, be sure to check out Adam Lyons recently released footage on the convention blog- the same Adam Lyons who was recently named the world’s best pickup artist.

Yes, that is mega cool in my book.

Take a look at Dj Fuji’s footage while your at it- which just broke 44 comments- the highest ever on the convention site. I knew his speech was solid, but I had no idea it would blow up like it has.

that’s all for now folks, new blog tomorrow

-Anthony