Field Report #012

 40-Day Challenge Report: Day 7

Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.” Mark 13:35-37

"Stay Awake" continues to be the theme of this challenge. Sometimes it means to literally stay awake and practice the daily disciplines that give good and constructive rhythms to life. Usually it means to stay alert and intentional about my actions, and not slip into the malaise of 21st-century autopilot that involves a lot of screen-staring and faffing about.

Day 7 is looking good so far, and I still only have the one slip-up on disciplines from days 1 through 6. I need to keep up the routines I am building without letting any of the long-term projects slip. It's important and to keep the disciplines in perspective, not as Pharisaical laws, but as Godly habits and rituals that, as a Christian, I am free to pursue. 

For example, Paul writes to the Thessalonians that one should pray without ceasing. Is it wrong for the Christian to hear this and decide on a few regular hours of prayer to practice throughout the day? Of course not. Is it wrong for a Christian to hear this and bind his own conscience or the conscience of a fellow believer to such an observance? Absolutely. Is it still helpful to pursue such a plan or regular practice? Indeed it is.

The spirit of the challenge also puts Paul's admonition at the end of 1 Corinthians 9 into mind. Let us not run aimlessly; let us not box as one beating the air.

The Skywalker Saga: All 9 Star Wars Movies Ranked

 

This is the definitive ranking of the nine core Star Wars films, released between the years 1977 and 2019. Through a completely objective CDC and WHO approved algorithm, we have produced a worst-to-best ranking to end all rankings. This algorithm has been vetted and approved by 200 independent 40-year-old basement-dwelling Star Wars super-fans with a collective Star Wars watch time of over 40,000 hours.

In all seriousness, this ranking is the best because I have decided that the sole criteria is "which one do I actually most want to watch right now." A truly pragmatic approach to the "ranked" internet genre.

All dissenting opinions will be labeled hate speech.

Number 9: Return of the Jedi

Weird movie. Last lightsaber battle is pretty good.

Number 8: A New Hope

A little slow, and I'm too tired these days to stick with it.

Number 7: The Empire Strikes Back

See above.

Number 6: Revenge of the Sith

Sheesh, good to be through the original trilogy. This one is great on the lightsaber battles, but a little too serious and heavy-handed to be fun by the end.

Number 5: The Force Awakens

Since I saw this one three (four?) times in theaters, and then bought the DVD, I am pretty tired of it and am also fed up with the obligatory female lead in a movie genre whose fan base has to be at least 75% male. 

Number 4: The Phantom Menace

I will watch the first droid attack thing, then glance up occasionally until the showdown with Darth Maul. Totally worth it. I remember the re-release in 3D. 

Number 3: The Last Jedi

I enjoyed this one but it's also really dumb, with the boring side-quest of Finn and Rose, Rose's ruined sacrifice at the end, Leia's Mary Poppins moment, etc. Enough excitement to keep me awake, though.

Number 2: Attack of the Clones

I really liked this one as a kid and it's been a long time, and it's just such a fun movie! Assassin! Dexter! Jango Fett! Clones! War! Arena fight! Sand! Mostly a nostalgia ranking here.

Number 1: Rise of Skywalker

I honestly don't remember if I ever finished this one after it lulled me to sleep, so this could be my chance to officially finish the flawless culmination of the Skywalker saga.

Field Report #011

 40-Day Challenge Report: Day 6

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water..." Psalm 1:3a

It's day 6, and the ball is still rolling. Only one slip-up on daily disciplines up to this point, and everything is on track today so far. I'm 11 verses into John 1 now and enjoying it very much. Psalm 37 is getting a little more familiar as a whole, and I need to start going verse by verse.

The burpees are a big part of the challenge - I need to hit 300 in under 40 minutes by December 3rd. I had my first bigger workout: 150 in 19:07 a couple days ago. That might sound encouraging, and it does mean that I'm in the ballpark, but not nearly home yet. It took an all-out effort, gasping for breath to stay just below 20 minute pace, but I need to keep that pace for twice as many burpees. So there is a lot of work to do. My general plan is to keep up the smaller daily workout and then hit 150 or more every four or five days. Hopefully that will be enough to prepare me for 300 at the end of the challenge. 

This is requiring a higher overall standard of operation than I am used to - which is exactly what I want. A self-made, custom-tailored Rhythm of the Sword boot camp trial to function more closely to the level that I always want to (but never do). 

Lord have mercy, that I need some fancy, self-focused initiative just to start doing 1% of what I should be doing anyway. The best we can do is only what was already our duty.

Stay awake.

Field Report #010

 40-Day Challenge Report: Day 4

For my next few weeks of Field Reports, I will focus on how the 40-day challenge is going. The challenge is a mixture of various daily disciplines centered around the Word of God and prayer, as well as a few longer-term goals to be completed by the end of 40 days.

It has been a good start - I've hit all the benchmarks for the first 3 days and am on track for Day 4 so far. The rigidity and routine of the challenge has already made for hours and days that are a little more productive and satisfying. 

The two chief long-term goals (by the last day of the challenge - Dec. 3) are to learn Psalm 37 and John 1 by heart. I need to maintain focus on both of those on a daily basis or I will simply run out of time. I have been going through Psalm 37 a few times a day, and I have the first 7 verses of John down. The beginning of John is already so familiar, but Psalm 37 has never been a regular one for me.

Often times my challenges like this will fizzle out between days 3 and 10. So this is a time to find ways to renew the excitement and focus, and keep the ball rolling.

Field Report #009

 

And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. Mark 1:13

The big two Biblical forties that come to mind immediately are the 40 years in the wilderness and the temptation of Christ accompanied by 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. But did you know...

There are 40 days of rain in the Great Flood. Moses is an exile in Midian for 40 years before God reveals himself in the burning bush. Then we see Moses fasting and lying prostrate before God on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. After the Israelite spies investigate Canaan for 40 days, God punishes their faithlessness with 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. (Oh, and Joshua was 40 years old when he went on the spying mission). 

Goliath tests the armies of Israel for 40 days during the 40-year reign of Saul, which is later followed by the 40-year reign of King David and the 40-year reign of his son, Solomon. After running from Jezebel, Elijah journeys for 40 days and 40 nights on the strength of a single meal to Mount Horeb (Sinai). In Ezekiel, God turns the land of Egypt into a desolation for 40 years before the people return.

The prophet Jonah gives the people of Nineveh 40 days to repent of their wickedness. Jesus is tempted by the devil in the culmination of a 40-day fast, and he remains on earth for 40 days after his resurrection before ascending into heaven.

We have to be careful not to read too much into Biblical numbers. Like any other part of creation like the sun or stars, numbers can be made into idols when we worship the creation rather than the creator.

But, keeping the number 40 firmly in its place, it would seem that God likes the number 40, and regularly used the number for good purposes throughout history. Common threads like testing, fasting, journeying, and repentance come out when comparing the various accounts that involve the number 40.

So how can we use the number 40 for God's glory today?

The church already uses 40 as a time of repentance in the 40-day season of Lent (excluding Sundays). Here the Christian is called back to meditate on the suffering of Christ and on his own sin, year after year. 

Recently, I've been really eager to see what else can be done with the number 40. Specifically, I'm interested in the idea of a 40-day period of testing or transition, a 40-day physical and spiritual journey. It sounds so silly and postmodern because this idea has taken hold to some extent with 40-day and 90-day challenges online. But maybe this is one of those cases where we have accidentally touched on a practice that actually has Biblical precedent. Looking back at the list from the beginning of this post, God seems to be a fan of the 40-day challenge!

Consider the disciplines God has called us to practice - prayer, the Word, fasting, bodily labors, loving our neighbor - and ponder how you could immerse yourself in one or more of these over a period of 40 days. I've got one going for myself (starting yesterday) and I'll keep the blog posted on how things are progressing! 

We need rituals, rites of passage, and transitions to mark the days and years of our lives. 40 days of testing seems like as good a way as any to give that a shot.

The Great Flood

 

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

Genesis 7:11-16

Imagine the opening of the floodgates of heaven and earth. 

Noah safely ushers each member of his family inside the vessel that he has built according to God's holy command. He has been told what will happen next, he believes the words and promises of God. He and his family stand alone among mankind. His faith is counted to him as righteousness. And as the last pair of creatures flees into the ark from the tempest to come, the light fades and a resounding boom sounds through the timbers as Jesus Christ closes the door. 

The world erupts in a cataclysm of raging water. It bursts forth from the ground, sending tremors through the doomed earth. A clap of loudest thunder sends the animals into a frenzy. And then the screams begin outside. A shrieking wind slams into the massive walls of cut wood, and with it the driving, relentless, unstoppable rain. 

For forty days.

The rivers rise relentlessly, then break outward from their banks, rolling across the masses of human flesh. The driving rain is everywhere, inescapable, and unstoppable. The waters rise, rise, rise. Thousands upon thousands flee to the hills, to the mountains, and climb. But as day turns to night, and night turns to day, the rain is unending, for the waters of the deep have been unleashed and the floodgates of God almighty have been opened.

For forty days the waters rise.

The wicked flee ever higher, hoping that it will stop, hoping that His hot anger will relent. But as they stand upon the highest peak and see the water still rising, they realize that death is beckoning, and hope is vain. For the wrath of a just God has been poured out upon the ungodly, and only eight souls will be spared from the floodwaters of heaven's King. Only eight souls will rise upon the roiling waves, high above the raging water.

Day and night, night and day, for forty days.

Only Noah and his family and a remnant of God's creation float safe above the endless waves. And in forty days, when the first beam of sunlight finally breaks through the shadow of the storm, it rests upon a new creation - eight lives redeemed by the mercy of their Lord Jesus Christ. 

Death and dark waters stretch out in every direction below them. But through the flood, God has brought forth new life.

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you.

Nick Chubb - The Quiet Professional

 

"I'm whatever Cleveland needs me to be."

- Nick Chubb, RB Cleveland Browns

Fitness Goals for 2023

 

Burpees

The burpees are back.

My current plan (70 burpees a day) is working to bring the routine back into action. I'm making up missed days with 140. What a beautiful, simple, difficult, and satisfying way to work out. 

All these burpees are getting me thinking about long term burpee goals and training. The biggest burpee workout I've ever done was 400 burpees on April 22nd of this year. I don't know how long it took. But based on that, I know I can hit 500... I don't know how much training it would take to go beyond that. 

One appealing goal to me would be hitting a meaningful Scriptural or Rhythm of the Sword number, or just a nice round number. And I could keep the reps lower, but focus more on the speed at which I complete them. Also in consideration is that these burpees are also intended to be a supplement for 10K training, whatever that means. In any case, I'd rather focus on a number that's still high and intimidating, but more realistic to train for time-wise: 300

It's a beautifully round number, divisible by an unusually high number of factors, is double the number of Psalms in the Bible, echoes back to legends of Spartan warriors, and best of all, sits in the sweet spot of a big challenge in a manageable time frame. 

Iron Wolf could do 300 at a steady pace in 36 minutes, based on his pace for 500. Of course, he could go much faster going all out. I know that I have done 158 in 20 minutes (going all out). So with this data, I'm setting my goal at:

Perform 300 burpees in under 40 minutes

It would require an increase in fitness from 158 in 20, keeping almost the same pace for twice as long, time-wise. This would be a great benchmark in fitness, a baseline that I would love to maintain in overall health.

Distance Running

The current plan for running is a 10K training run every Saturday... and that's it. For the rest of the year, I'm prioritizing burpees for overall fitness and because they are much easier to pull off in the dark on a limited time budget. But I would love to progress in my training, which focused on racing the 10K distance. 

I got a baseline with my first race off of basically no training in a time of 44:05. A couple months of consistent burpees and once-a-week running should be more than enough to get that under 44 under similar conditions. So I think the next milestone is sub-43. It would dip me under 7-minute-mile pace, and require a significant improvement in fitness. And if I've learned anything from years of running, it's that progress comes more incrementally than you'd like, and requires more consistency than any kind of special training method. A sub-42 time isn't fast by any means, but it would require a more dramatic training adjustment than I think is realistic for me right now. So I'm setting my goal at:

Run 10 Kilometers in under 43 minutes

Speed

I just threw a Walter Payton picture up there because obviously the guy was fast (4.4 in the 40 - you try that!) while that is maybe 4.4% of what made him great. Anyway, like Walter Payton, it's good and important to hold onto your top-end speed. This one comes in handy playing tag with kids, playing pickup basketball, and not getting winded when you literally need to "run and grab something". Distance running is great for the heart and lungs, but it's good to know you have a whole different gear when you want it.

The most appealing sprint event to me is the 400 meters. I raced it maybe once early in high school, and I'm embarrassed to say that I think the time was around 71 seconds. I know there were times when I could have run under 70, not that that's anything to be impressed by (the fastest guy on our team was running 49's). But speed has always been a major weakness for me, and this is one that I'm eager to become more proficient at. Sub-70 is a little too attainable, and sub-60 a little too far out of my wheelhouse at the moment. So I'm setting me goal at:

Run 400 meters in 64.00 seconds

I like this one because 64 is divisible by 4, giving me 16-second goals for each 100. This would be by far the fastest 400 I have ever run... but I was so bad at the distance, it still feels realistic.

Pullups

Pullup training at the moment is nonexistent. But now, for the first time basically ever, I have an indoor pullup bar (in my new garage). With this unprecedented ease of access, I'm excited to round out the training with a pullup goal. I believe that my lifetime best for consecutive pullups is 9. My dad's is 13. So I'd like to shoot for 15 - one tenth of the Psalms in the Bible and a multiple of 5, which always feels cleaner than a non-multiple of five. My goal:

Perform 15 consecutive pullups

Physical Training Benchmarks

Together, these four goals make up a whole-body preparedness benchmark. Performing all four of the physical feats within the same calendar month would prove a standard level of physical fitness and readiness for any physical tasks that need to be done... and also would certainly provide fine outward training ;)

1. 300 Burpees under 40 minutes
2. 10 Kilometers under 43 minutes
3. 400 Meters in 64.00 seconds
4. 15 Pullups consecutively

Now it's time to start drawing up a training plan! That could be an hour down the drain...

Let's start working toward those benchmark workouts!

NBA 22-23 Season Preview

 

Lots of Sports Happening

It's that magical time of year again - late October! The time when all four major sports leagues in the United States are in session at the same time. The NFL is close to midseason, the MLB is closing in on the World Series, and the NHL and NBA are just getting started.

It's time to make some big predictions for the outlook of the National Basketball Association for the season. The current defending champions are the Golden State Warriors, who defeated Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics in six games on June 16th. While I wrote a Cavs-specific article several days ago, this one will focus on the big picture of winners and losers this season in the NBA.

Overrated Teams

There will always be teams that overperform and underperform, compared to their preseason expectations. I think the Celtics will take a step backward with the coaching drama; it seems clear to me that Udoka's leadership was a big part of Boston's breakthrough season last year. Tatum is excellent, yes, but he still lacks the initiative and confidence to lead a team on the biggest stage.

Similarly, I think the Clippers out West are viewed with unrealistic optimism. Yes, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard theoretically make for a lethal combination. But these are players who historically have had a lot of trouble staying healthy. Leonard has needed significant regular-season rest to be ready for the playoffs, something I don't think the Clippers can afford if they want to achieve a decent playoff spot. It takes time and minutes on the floor even for a talented group to find cohesion, and minutes on the floor almost certainly mean some level of injury for Leonard and George.

Top Contenders

The way I see it, the top tier of title-contending teams this season will be (in no particular order): Golden State, Milwaukee, Memphis, Miami, Dallas.

Following them are a host of other organizations that probably consider themselves contenders, but are plagued by fatal flaws that will make a Finals run very difficult, barring significant changes. Flaws are listed in parentheses:

Lakers (old LeBron, new coach, injured Davis, Russel Westbrook)

76ers (James Harden)

Nets (3 stars but no leaders)

Celtics (new coach, weak player leadership / experience)

Nuggets (history proves them inferior in the playoffs)

Suns (old Chris Paul, mentally weak Devin Booker)

Clippers (can't stay healthy)

East, West, and Individuals

In the West, I like Golden State's chances best for the Conference Title. I would be tempted to go with Memphis because of their electric young core, but it's so difficult for a team with so little experience to make it all the way. I would go with Dallas, but Dončić is unlikely to have the support necessary to take their season all the way to the Finals, although I have no doubt he will get them close. But in Golden State, we have an incredibly well-proven blend of talents under an all-time great dynastic coach, led by the best point guard in the game (when he's healthy). As is so often the case, the season will come down to injuries, and I think Curry at 34 will have learned to take better care of his body. He will also benefit from the rest that Jordan Poole can afford him as a replacement. Western Conference Champs: Golden State Warriors

In the East, my vote for Conference Champion goes to Miami. No one wants this thing more than the Heat. Jimmy Butler needs a title on a visceral level, and he's the kind of player who can make that happen. The Heat's eclectic mix has consistently outplayed and outperformed teams that were supposed to be better, all the way to a Finals run in 2020 where  Butler looked absolutely terrifying. As the championship window begins to close with aging players on the Heat and rising powers in both the East and the West, Miami feels like it needs to make things happen right now. I believe they will find a way to do so. Herro will find a way to take the next step, because Butler needs him to. Adebayo is excellent, and ready to carry his share of the load in a big way. Lowry is smart, experienced, and knows how to bring the team together even as Butler's single-minded pursuit of victory brings tension and trouble. Eastern Conference Champs: Miami Heat

In the MVP race, I think the contest will come down to a mix of familiar and new candidates: Morant, Curry, Dončić, Antetokounmpo, and Embiid. My money (if I were a betting man) would be on Luka Dončić. I mean, come on. The guy looks like he's playing on a different planet sometimes, even against some of the best teams on the planet. Did you see the score on those final two games against the Suns last summer? My goodness. Dončić's team can be successful enough to help his case, and it lacks a strong enough co-star to steal his thunder. MVP: Luka Dončić

The Finals

My prediction is that the 22-23 NBA Finals will feature a showdown between Western Conference Champions Golden State and Eastern Conference Champions Miami. The Heat will beat the Warriors in 7 games to win the championship.

It takes an almost unbelievable, tremendous effort to win even a single NBA title. To slog through yet another season and try to do so for a fifth time is in another realm of difficulty. On the other hand, the Heat have a massive chip on their shoulder and do not have the burden of past victories to weigh them down. They are hungry, talented, well-coached, and led by a player who knows how to flip the switch and become almost unguardable in the playoffs. I don't even particularly like the guy, but this will finally be the season for Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.

My Wife's Predictions

My wife is a very casual NBA fan, but correctly predicted the Toronto Raptors' 2019 title early in the season. On other occasions, her notions and observations surrounding the league have been eerily accurate and truly insightful. So you should know that she has predicted a Bucks vs Grizzlies matchup in the Finals, with the Bucks coming out on top. She also predicted Ja Morant for MVP, another flop of a season for the Lakers, and a very strong showing from the Trail Blazers and Clippers. 

Thank you for reading this season preview article. Check back in to see whether any of these guesses turned out to be accurate, and find the predictions that were hilariously wrong! Today is October 18th (1:28am). I will not update this article from this point onward, to keep the predictions honest and uninformed by any regular-season game.

Field Report #008

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

Without a shadow of a doubt, we live in evil days. Evil governments rule our nations and make and administer evil laws. Evil companies make a living out of the breaking of God's holy law. People like you and me are conceived in sin, and struggle against the evil in our hearts. We can imagine future evil in the specter of foreign powers like China or Russia who hold the power to bring terror upon the earth, and are more than willing to do so. 

I am interested in the idea of our place in all of this - individual Christians with small spheres of influence and specific, small,  ordinary callings in life. One helpful way of looking at our piety in the face of evil is to "look carefully" how we walk, "making the best use of the time". 

There is a great temptation in our distraction-soaked culture to make truly terrible use of the time. To be sloppy and thoughtless and undisciplined in the ways we spend the time God has given us. The days are far too evil, the danger far too present and prowling, to risk such a lifestyle.

Stop. And look around. See our nation calling good evil, and evil good. See our church attendance dwindling, denominations folding, and false religions rising. See the violence, the lies, the self-destructive raging of the wicked here in the United States. 

Imagine the forces of China mobilizing for war with the West, or the powers of Russia flipping the switch and unleashing nuclear war. 

Imagine the Deceiver, your old Adam, and the cosmic powers over this present darkness assembling for battle in the shadows and dark places of your city, your home, and your heart. Picture it, consider it, because that is exactly what is happening. 

So, dear Christian, specifically Christian men, what is our response?

Escape. Laziness. Willful blindness. We see the enemy in battle formation - and hide behind a glowing screen until it entertains us into blissful complacency. We hear of wars and rumors of wars, and fight back with a half-hearted attempt at a Bible reading plan for a few days. We run aimlessly, and we box as one beating the air. Constantly wondering what's missing, we have been deceived into a disgustingly weak and ignorant malaise of spineless Christianity. 

That kind of Christianity rarely lasts through the gauntlet of human suffering. In a generation of weak men such as ours, good men must rise up to lead, to take God's Word seriously. We must cling not to our outward veneer of strength and public Pharisaic piety, nor can we continue to run from the questions of life and death that linger on the horizon. Instead, we must look to the men of God who came before us, follow in their footsteps, fight the good fight, and keep the faith.

We look to King David, a weak and flawed man (like all others) who steadfastly put his trust in a merciful God, and led the people of Israel like a flock, finding his strength in his Lord.

We look to St. Stephen, who beheld the risen Lord as they pummeled him with rocks until he departed this world to rest in Christ Jesus.

We look to Johann Heermann, who became strong in the cross of his Savior through constant sickness and disastrous war, who wrote "I shall not fear what foes can do to harm me Nor death alarm me."

We look to Silvester Krčméry, who laughed with joy at the opportunity to suffer for Christ when arrested by Stalin's NKVD, and endured over a decade of torture in prison by finding solace in the words of John's Gospel committed to memory.

These men did not just happen to stand unmoving against the raging storm of the devil, the world, and their flesh. They did not just happen to pass on legacies of faith and steadfastness to their families and to all Christians. No. They stayed awake. They were ready. They kept their lamps trimmed and had their oil ready. They stood watch through the dark night, awaiting the morning of their Lord's return or their own death, which finally took each one of them. They did not escape. They stopped running with the world around them, turned, stood on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, and took up the Word of God and prayer.

Back to the Krčméry story... memorizing the entire Gospel of John doesn't just happen. Having the courage to laugh in the face of Stalin's purges is not something you're born with. It is the work of the Holy Spirt, through the Water and the Word, through the Body and the Blood.

Dear Christian, you and I must walk the narrow path and treat our lives as the battlefields that they are. 

Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, has won the war. And he promises that he will be back soon.

Will you heed his warning? Will you prepare?

Will you stay awake?

Come, Lord Jesus.

Stay awake.

Cleveland Cavaliers Season Preview

 

Revitalizing Cleveland Basketball

The Cavaliers will begin their season on October 19th with an optimism and excitement that hasn't existed in Cleveland since Number 23 last wore the wine and gold. The energy leading up to this season is founded in the Cavs' young core of Donavan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. These four stand-outs will have the support of veterans Kevin Love, Robin Lopez, and Ricky Rubio, along with the services of several other intriguing role-players.

Last season, the Cavs finished with a 44-38 record, good for just 9th in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference. They were eliminated from the postseason during the play-in tournament by the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks. 

It's time for Cleveland to take a step forward. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been leading the team since 2020, offering some continuity in the organization's leadership - an overlooked and undervalued piece of a team's success. He is surely more eager than you or me to see the franchise take the next step, and after exceeding expectations last season, the Cavs want to do so again. 

Health and Injury Outlook

Much of the range of possibilities for the Cavs' season will be determined by the health of the team's key players. Mitchell is a player with above-average durability, averaging 69 games played per season over the course of his career. Garland, E. Mobley, and Allen have averaged 60.3, 69, and 58 games played respectively. Mobley's number is also unusually high, but we only have a one-season sample-size to work with. God-willing, the quartet can avoid any major injuries, maximizing their opportunities to win games and improve together as a team. Those small differences in chemistry and team experience can make the difference in the postseason. 

All four young core players have logged minutes on the floor this preseason. Possibly the largest concern at the moment is Evan Mobley's recovery from a recent right ankle sprain. There are plenty of other injury concerns to track throughout the Cavs roster (along with every other NBA team), but the health of these four will have the biggest impact on the Cavs' ability to win in the 22-23 season.

Predictions

The Cavs are going to take the next step - perhaps a little bigger next step than most analysts are willing to give them. The general consensus seems to be that the Cavs will either be in the upper tier of the play-in tournament, or manage a 6th seed and have a strong but unsuccessful first-round showing.

I'm willing to be more optimistic. Youth and enthusiasm can lead to stronger regular-season commitment, and this lively team feels it has a lot to prove. My prediction is that the Cavs will finish the regular season at Number 5 in the East with a record of 49 wins and 33 losses. They will face the Toronto Raptors in the first round and come out on top, before falling to the Boston Celtics in the second round. 

A strong 22-23 will set up the Cavs as a force to be reckoned with in the East, and then... we'll have to make some new predictions for 23-24. 

Field Report #007

 

STAY AWAKE

Luke 21:36

Field Notes Shenandoah (The Ultimate Pocket Notebook?): Wear-Tested Review

Field Notes Brand is a company that knows how to market themselves, and knows how to make nice pocket notebooks. Perhaps they invest too much time and money on the former as opposed to the latter, sometimes to their detriment. But recent mistakes aside, I want to spend some time introducing you to possibly the best product Field Notes has ever produced: the legendary Shenandoah edition.

Every quarter for over a decade now, Field Notes has been producing a new take on the pocket notebook. With a wide variety of thoughtfully designed products, these Limited Editions are a big part of what has made Field Notes fun and engaging, coupled with their subscription package. In my experience (over 30 notebooks used over multiple years), these Limited Editions tend to have one or  more of three shortcomings:

1. Poor durability, particularly in the spine
2. Non-preferred choice in paper ruling or layout
3. Unappealing visual design

Take Trailhead for example. The durability is actually quite good, with no spinal tears experienced in any of my notebooks. The visual design is absolutely top notch in my book. But Field Notes went with a ruled paper design, which immediately makes the notebook difficult to use for some of my common applications (tables and graphing). Still a great notebook with two out of three qualities, Trailhead just misses out on the trifecta for me.

Another good case study would be National Parks. A home run with both visual design and paper choice, National Parks only falls a little short on the durability. After being used regularly for several weeks and being exposed to sweat or humidity, the spines become perilously flimsy, and have torn for me.

So hopefully you get the idea. Field Notes finds it difficult to check all three of those boxes - and in only one of their notebooks (of the ones that I've been able to try) have they managed to make it happen: Shenandoah.

Let's begin with durability. Occasionally, Field Notes will release a Limited Edition with a duplexed cover: two layers of cover paper fused into one, much more durable sheet. 

The two-color duplexing of Shenandoah not only gives the notebook the green light in the durability category, but also makes for a beautiful yet simple visual design. Each notebook features the summer color of a tree's leaf on the outside cover, and the fall color on the inside cover. This is Field Notes at its best, achieving a great visual design, but more importantly, investing in the cover to make sure they get the durability right.

Finally, Shenandoah is filled with graph paper, by far the most versatile and neatest paper choice in my book. All three boxes checked with style and elegance to spare.

Unfortunately, this release came out in the fall of 2015 and is only available with increasingly crazy pricetags on Ebay and the Field Nuts Facebook group. I was fortunate to get my only three-pack for a reasonable price on Ebay before things got too crazy. 

But, if you can get your hands on it, and you don't plan on direct exposure to rain, Shenandoah offers a blissful pocket notebook experience.

Is it the ultimate pocket notebook? No. It's not weatherproof, and Rite in the Rain's universal grid, with slightly larger squares, is a little better. The ultimate pocket notebook for me would be something like Shenandoah in terms of the visual designs, but made with a Rite in the Rain cover and inside paper. 

Alas, perhaps one day.

Race Report: Run with Heart 10K

 

I ran my first 10K on October 8th with a time of 44:05, closing with a 6:59 last mile as pictured in my watch above.

The race, "Run with Heart" in Urbana OH, was a beautiful little event on an out-and-back bike path course. I started about 30 seconds late - the watch time would probably not match an official race time, but I don't think they were taking official times. After working my way through the crowd, I ran with a couple guys for half a mile or so before passing them to move into second place.

I stayed in second, well behind the eventual winner, for the remainder of the race. Miles 4 and 5 were tough and I slowed from low 7s to around 7:15 in those miles. My first and last miles were both right around 7 flat. 

Considering that I came into the race with no training since the first week of September, I was happy with the result. Sub-44 was my goal after I hit the turn at 21:54 but the fitness wasn't quite there (unsurprisingly). I can't recall for sure if I had run over 5 miles since my 50 miler in March. So I'm treating the race as a baseline, and I look forward to making improvements in both running and burpee training. 

Looking forward, I plan to target a winter and a spring race. Perhaps a winter half marathon followed by a spring 10K. A few weeks' steady training should be more than enough to get under 44 - and 6 months from now I'll probably be looking for sub-43. Getting all the way under 40 would be great one day, and I could do that fairly easily back in the college days, but those were in very different times for me. 

More immediately, I'll be racing my father in a trail 800 meter race this week, which will be another chance to test the speed on the legs as well as exercise the anaerobic system a little more.

We'll see how things go! I've caught the racing bug and am excited to see what's next.

Conner Mantz - Chicago Marathon Prediction

 

Conner Mantz will make his marathon debut in Chicago this Sunday, October 9th. While perhaps not a generational marathon talent to compete with the very best African runners (Kipchoge), Mantz has the potential to make waves in American marathoning. The best American marathon prospect since Galen Rupp, Mantz is a two-time NCAA cross country champion who knows how to suffer and owns a 10K track PR of 27:25. That's not a bad rap sheet heading into your first marathon, and something about Mantz just seems to fit for the longer distances. His quick and efficient stride, diminutive profile, and racing style seem to be a good formula for 26.2-mile success.

Mantz has stated that he will be chasing the American debut record in the marathon - 2:07:56. That kind of a performance would immediately vault him into the top tier of U.S. marathon contenders on the international level. 

The marathon is tough, and it takes a stroke of luck to avoid all the mistakes that can be made in a first marathon. With that being said, I'm going to predict 2:08:10 for they BYU grad's marathon debut. Mantz runs a strong first race and looks forward to an even better performance in the spring.

UPDATE: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/10/conner-mantz-runs-2nd-fastest-american-debut-marathon-20816/ (I was 6 seconds off)

Field Report #006

 

"My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning." Psalm 130:6

The night watchman, shivering from the cold and casting his eyes into the deep darkness around him, longs for the coming of the light. The night watch is dangerous and terrifying, because it is the time when the enemy seems to have the upper hand. And it is the watchman's task to spend the hours of darkness waiting for that very enemy whom he dreads. 

We, in the valley of the shadow of death, the ten virgins with lamps and oil ready, are called to stay awake and watch. To wait for the coming of our Lord. To stand together with the high praises of God on our tongues and the two-edged sword of God's holy Word in our hands.

Lest he return suddenly and find us sleeping, with lamps unlit and unprepared for his coming.

Stay awake.

I find it very hard to stay awake in busy times of life. Somehow, all the work and stress of life becomes overwhelming, the knowledge and comfort of Christ is forgotten, and the watch dissolves into a dangerous spiritual sleep. Prayers fail. Discipline falters. Sin crouches at the door. There are some who have been watching so long, with such diligence, that more often than not they maintain the watch and stay awake, even when the cares of the world  rage about them.

God be praised for their blessed example. 

And most of all, God be praised for his Son Jesus Christ, who walked the narrow path for us, stayed awake for us, took up the sword for us, and stood victorious against the darkness - our darkness -  for us.

And now, until his return, Jesus Christ calls us to follow him along the very same path.

This time, not to win the war, not to defeat the powers of sin and death - but because the war has already been won, and because the enemy has already been defeated. Our Lord Jesus calls us to put our trust in him, to follow him in the narrow path, because he loves us. For to follow him, to trust in him alone, is eternal life. And to abandon him, to deny him, to lay down our weapons and walk away from the post of the watchman, is eternal fire.

Act like men, be strong. Be strong in the Lord, who gives you the victory, who trains your hands for war. It's time to wake up. And then, until the day the trumpet blast rings out its victory across the desolation of Adam:

Stay awake.