ao_dark_room Happy new year

Date: 2026-01-01
AO: ao_dark_room
Q: Beaker ,
PAX: Hypotenuse, Falsetto, Lakers, Framed, Panhandle, Sparrow, LeMond, Stock boy, Portage, Beaker FNGs: None
COUNT: 10
WOR:
5 minutes EMOM (35 sshs, 8 burpees)
Abe Vigodas
Picking Daisies
Runner’s stretch

The Thang:
Mosey to shelter
Dora. 1 PAX works, one PAX runs around the splash pad.
100 merkins
200 BBSUs
300 squats

Mosey to the pine trees across the cricket pitch.
Big bang. Pax start under the trees, run out 25 steps, do 25 reps of an exercise, run back. 25 lunges (2 is 1); 100 burpee spittoon afterwards.
25 American Hammers; hold low plank.

Mosey back to the flag. Hold squat.

Moleskine:
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.’
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness, And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins,
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

COT: Falsetto’s 2.0, Lakers job search, Portage’s M’s pregnancy

Tags: ao_dark_room, Hypotenuse, Falsetto, Lakers, Framed, Panhandle, Sparrow, LeMond, Stock boy, Portage, Beaker

ao_tar_pit The Fermi Paradox

Date: 2025-12-06
AO: ao_tar_pit
Q: Ankles ,
PAX: Katniss, HOA (F3KC), Beaker, Portage, T-bone, Spinal tap, Homie, Da Vinci, Panhandle, LeMond, Ankles FNGs: None
COUNT: 11
WOR: The Fermi Paradox

The Thang: Follow up from November’s Drake Equation Beatdown. Centered around The Spa, we did exercises unedited fashion from 10-100 that represented 10 explanations to the question: “If the universe statistically should be teeming with intelligent alien life, then where is everybody?!”

After each reason was given, an exercise was introduced. After the PAX did them, they completed one short lap down the stairs & back up to The Spa for another round of new exercises to be added. (Details of exact reasons & exercises to be provided later in an updated backblast.)

Space/alien theme music was also provided. PAX seems to have a good time, but it got somewhat disorganized towards the end as we started to skip the runs & do reps spitoon style on account of time.

Moleskine: Be intentional with how you spend your holiday season this year. Put your own oxygen mask on first so that you can help others & enjoy the joy of the holiday season later.

COT: Holiday travel & various medical challenges, including a very serious cancer diagnosis for a good friend & colleague of several of the PAX at Wheaton College.

Tags: ao_tar_pit, Katniss, HOA (F3KC), Beaker, Portage, T-bone, Spinal tap, Homie, Da Vinci, Panhandle, LeMond, Ankles

ao_tar_pit The Elves commemorate their rebellion

Date: 2025-12-31
AO: ao_tar_pit
Q: Big Mac ,
PAX: Samsonite, Panhandle, Beaker, Sparrow, Oompa, T-bone, T.B., Bubbles – Franklin TN, @Hot Wax FNGs: 1 @Hot Wax
COUNT: 10
WOR:
Santa’s helpers commemorate their rebellion.
It’s been a year since the elves rebelled, and broke all the toys. They quickly realized making toys gave them purpose and was their joy, but Santa also agreed to give them time off between Christmas and New Years. So they are celebrating the first annual elf rebellion. 7 Motivators
What type of music do elves like best? “Wrap”
1 minute break from toymaking for arm circles
What kind of cars do elves drive? Toy-yotas
50 Toy making hammers
Why do santa’s helper’s go to therapy? To boost their elf-esteem 25 Squat down and put a gift on a shelf
Where do elves vote? The north poll
Glitter pickers OYO
What do you call a selfish elf? Myself
The Thang:
Given that making toys is an elf’s greatest joy, they decide to also do it on their day off. But by playing a game. Count off: 1, 2, 1, 2
Unintuitively, toys are created by tossing a bean bag into a hoolahoop after completing a task. Bean bags are created by doing required exercises. No individual can repeat the same toy creating task before completing all other toy creation tasks (children have picky demands).
Whichever gang creates the most toys in the allotted time wins. The consequence for the losing team will be revealed at the end of the game. 25 burpees
50 Bonnie Blairs 1 is 1
50 OHP
25 Thrusters
15 Blockees
100 BBSU
100 Squats
1 lap
Winning team holds a plank while losing team does 10 burpees each. Moleskine:
Moleskine – Reflecting on the rebellion, the elves realized that freedom is more about purpose than about literally doing whatever you want. Their purpose is in making toys. You might think freedom, or joy comes from amassing wealth, getting fame, or holding power. It probably doesn’t. So what’s your purpose? COT:
Lakers job search
Beaker’s 2.0 first wrestling
Oompa decision

Tags: ao_tar_pit, Samsonite, Panhandle, Beaker, Sparrow, Oompa, T-bone, T.B., Bubbles – Franklin TN, @Hot Wax

ao_ground_zero Ending the Year on the Right Note

Date: 2025-12-31
AO: ao_ground_zero
Q: Crack ,
PAX: Cottontail, Manhole, Stock boy, Katniss
FNGs: None
COUNT: 5
WOR: SSH, Abe Vigodas, Stretch OYO

The Thang: 3 ruckers, 2 runners headed north

Moleskine: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

COT: IYKYK

Tags: ao_ground_zero, Cottontail, Manhole, Stock boy, Katniss

ao_flat_earth Saturday after Xmas frisbee

Date: 2025-12-27
AO: ao_flat_earth
Q: Katniss ,
PAX: White Noise, DQ, Hypotenuse, Panda Express, Has Been, Samsonite, Katniss FNGs: None
COUNT: 7
WOR: 15x side straddle hop, Abe vigodas, down and back

The Thang: played 55 minutes of small field ultimate.

Moleskine: to find success, double your rate of failure.

COT: prayers for white noise’s wife and family as they prepare for baby.

Tags: ao_flat_earth, White Noise, DQ, Hypotenuse, Panda Express, Has Been, Samsonite, Katniss

ao_mastodon The BLACK Elephant

Date: 2025-12-16
AO: ao_mastodon
Q: Katniss ,
PAX: Falsetto, Panhandle, Stock boy, LeMond, Jailbreak, Katniss FNGs: None
COUNT: 6
WOR: 7x motivators, 10x abe vigodas, 10x copperhead merkin, 10x copperhead squat.

The Thang:

1. Pax ran a lap around the parking lot to establish drawing order.
2. Then were gifted the “Party Favor” of 10 burpees and 20 derkins as they entered the Black Elephant party. These had to be repeated every round, PLUS a lap around the parking lot, until the PAX had their turn to draw.
3. They proceeded (in the newly-established drawing order) one at a time to draw Black Elephant gifts (exercises) from a gift bag with little cards. E.g., “10 burpees+ 15 Thrusters”. All other HIMs who had not yet drawn from the bag had to keep repeating the Party Favor exercises, plus the parking lot lap.
4. On the next HIMs turn, he may draw from the bag or steal an earlier HIM’s exercise card. 5. And so on and so forth.

Moleskine: Q recounted a recent social media post he saw where one celebrity says the only people he’s jealous of are dads with kids at home. Fathering brings clarity of purpose, self-worth, and satisfaction. Cherish it while you have the job to do.

COT: prayed for upcoming holiday travel, Dan, and Stockboy’s sister (if memory serves me right)

Tags: ao_mastodon, Falsetto, Panhandle, Stock boy, LeMond, Jailbreak, Katniss

ao_mastodon Mastadon – Pax Favorite Christmas Songs – Part II

Date: 2025-12-30
AO: ao_mastodon
Q: Dumpster ,
PAX: Falsetto, Stock boy, LeMond, Jailbreak, Dumpster
FNGs: None
COUNT: 5
WOR:
Ho Ho Ho – Sia
SSH
Squats
Trunk twisters
Toy Soldiers
Imperial walkers
Mountain climbers
SSH
Squats

The Thang:

Ding Dong Merrily on High/ Good King Wenceslas -Joshua Messick In Circle – Stretching together

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Pentatonix
In Circle – All do SSH’s and 2 pax with smaller cat litter jugs do 20 cat litter overhead squats then pass clockwise

Wizards in Winter-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
In Circle – All do Lunges or squats and 1 pax carries 2 Cat Litter buckets around circle then switch to next person

Salva Nos – The Mediaeval Babes
In Circle – All do Leg lifts or box cutters and 1 pax does 20 merkins or derkins on cat litter buckets- then rotate to the cat litter buckets to switch – clockwise

Run Run Rudolph – Chuck Berry
Still in parking lot- Shuttle run to first cone and back 10 BBS, 2nd cone & back 20 BBS, 3rd cone & back 30 BBS

Mosey to the poophouse

The Restroom Door Said Gentleman – Bob Rivers
Wall sit and pass the kettle bell

We Three Kings – Bates Family (bluegrass)
Raggedy Andys on verse then march with high knees on chorus “Star of Wonder”

ManRise up Hoffa and down to path

12 days of Christmas – Relient K
Bear Crawl to kettle bell, crab walk back
12 Freddy Mercuries (4 is 1) – repeat

Hark the Herald – Amy Grant
20 monkey humpers, 20 merkins,
20 BBSUs – repeat

Mosey back to parking lot -in circle

O Come All Ye Faithful – Weezer &
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – John Denver & The Muppets

Plank ups, 1 pax does 20 heavy cat litter lifts- rotate clockwise

Moleskine:
Be open to things that are new and different… try and appreciate different styles, perspectives, and personalities.

COT: Silence, short prayer & Amen

Tags: ao_mastodon, Falsetto, Stock boy, LeMond, Jailbreak, Dumpster

ao_dark_room Def not made up on the spot beatdown

Date: 2025-12-30
AO: ao_dark_room
Q: Manhole ,
PAX: Lakers, Toto, Beaker, Framed, Brainfog, Manhole
FNGs:
COUNT: 6
WOR: yep

The Thang: SAGA Special, +1 burpee each light post, small loop, mosey, looties for 2 rounds of exercises

Moleskine: truly enjoy the time with loved ones this time of the year

COT: IYKYK

Tags: ao_dark_room, Lakers, Toto, Beaker, Framed, Brainfog, Manhole

ao_tar_pit A Very Metal Christmas 🤘

Date: 2025-12-29
AO: ao_tar_pit
Q: DQ ,
PAX: T.B., Katniss, Mr Roboto, Panhandle, T-bone, Lakers, Manhole, Too Big To Fail (TBTF) FNGs: None
COUNT: 9
WOR:
– SSH
– Goofballs
– Arm circles
– Abe Vigodas
– Good mornings

We enjoyed some metal covers of Christmas songs while we worked out in 16° weather with 20mph winds making it feel like -1°. Metal :the_horns:

Thang 1: 11s on the hill
• Bottom: Bonnie Blairs (2 is 1)
• Top: hand release merkins
• When finished: plank at top

Thang 2: Relays
2 teams. Start at the top of the spa.
• 1 person runs the hamster wheel. Rest of the team accumulates reps of an exercise
• When runner completes hamster wheel, next runner goes when they’ve been passed the baton by previous runner
• 1 rep = 1 pt. relay win = 15pt. Most points when first team finishes relay wins.

We completed two rounds. Exercises were:
• no cheat merkins
• no cheat jump squats

Thang 3: DQs Physical Therapy
• marches
• clam shells
• canoe flappers
• bird dogs
• dead bugs
• toe tap planks

Moleskine
Deuteronomy 31:8
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed”

As we go into a new year, and as you face new challenges or are even carrying challenges over from this year, know that • The Lord goes before you. Trust him with his plan for you. • He is with you. You are not alone in your struggles and challenges.
• He will not leave you or forsake you. He loves you so much he gave his son to die for you. He will not give up on you.

COT:
– Lakers job search
– Mr Roboto travels this week

Tags: ao_tar_pit, T.B., Katniss, Mr Roboto, Panhandle, T-bone, Lakers, Manhole, Too Big To Fail (TBTF)